The recent end to the 100-day Writers’ Strike also closed the chapter on what the media had positioned as the first late-night fight of the 21st century. David Letterman, you might recall, had come to separate agreement with the Writers’ Guild and returned to the air on January 2, 2008, with his full staff; Jay Leno was back the same evening sans scribes.

Full disclosure: I’ve been a Letterman fan since his switch to CBS almost 15 years ago. And I thought the strike situation might indeed land him back on top (his Late Show has been a longtime ratings No. 2). So much for a ratings redux: While the stars shone brightest on Letterman, alas, there was no great “see” change—just a mild mid-winter bump in viewership for both hosts.

No matter, Nielsen. My heart will always belong to Dave. Not only does he hail from the Hoosier State, he’s smart enough to give Wall-of-Sound singer Darlene Love a yearly showcase. And that’s one area in which Letterman consistently trumps the competition. Night after night, the Late Show books fantastic musical acts, crossing all genres. That’s how I discovered the artists featured below.

Nicole Atkins – “The Way It Is”
Hailing from the Jersey Shore, Nicole Atkins found a beat-up guitar in her home’s attic at 13, and hasn’t stopped strumming since. After completing an arts degree at UNC, Atkins became a solo fixture on the anti-folk scene in NYC. In 2005, she put together a band, The Sea, with help from her MySpace page, and by early 2006, she’d signed with Columbia Records.

Describing the sound of her debut disc, Neptune City, as “pop noir,” Atkins evokes the cinematic scope of director David Lynch and his simpatico musical collaborator, Angelo Badalamenti (favorites of mine since Twin Peaks). The connection became even clearer when I read that Atkins herself considers them heroes, even reaching out to Badalamenti to share “The Way It Is” with him. That’s the show-stopper she performed on Letterman—a dramatic, orchestral lament in which Atkins pines for “the only one [she’s] ever wanted”:

One look at Atkins’ Late Show performance (with an obviously smitten Letterman), and you’ll also be charmed into taking a one-way trip to Neptune City.

Lupe Fiasco featuring Matthew Santos – “Superstar”
Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco was the featured musical guest on Letterman’s first post-strike episode. Fellow Windy City native Kanye West enlisted Fiasco for a star-making turn on “Touch The Sky” in 2005, and now Lupe has come into his own with The Cool, his sophomore effort. The concept album topped the Billboard Top Rap Album chart for seven consecutive weeks upon its December release.

Fiasco and West are crafting some of the freshest hip-hop sounds around, melding lyrical creativity with melodic hooks. While West recently took home four Grammy Awards, Fiasco won Best Urban/Alternative Performance for “Daydreamin'” (a collaboration with Jill Scott off his debut, Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor).

“Superstar,” the first single from The Cool, is currently climbing the Billboard Hot 100 (#21 this week):

Matthew Santos, the featured vocalist on “Superstar,” appears on two other tracks from The Cool. Read more about Santos’ own musical endeavors.