As part of Amazon’s monthly $5 MP3 Album Deals, Jim Gaffigan‘s latest stand-up comedy album Mr. Universe is currently on sale for only $5.

In an age where there are possibly more stand-up comedians than people gainfully employed by the private sector in the U.S. – and I could just be guessing there – Gaffigan is one of those rare comics who seeks only to make his audiences laugh. He is an anomaly, a visually pleasing homespun anomaly at that, who embraces digital media and social networking even though he could do almost as well in his career without them and can perform entire sets without using one swear word in common usage. He does not seek to become famous by abandoning the comedy stage for the surefire easy paychecks that television sitcoms and hacky movie comedies bring in, even though he tried the former a few times with negative results. You can check out the track listing here below.

As part of Amazon’s monthly $5 MP3 album deal for January 2013, Shiny Toy Guns‘ III is on sale for only $5.00.

Shiny Toy Guns’ brand of electro-pop with an alt-punk edge is at its most well crafted on III. The band embraces a softer sound on this record, due in part to the return of co-lead vocalist Carah Faye Charnow. Her alluring alto is tailor made for a bed of dreamy synths, and works well in tandem with the work of co-Lead vocalist Gregori Chad Petree. Their duets on tracks like “Waiting Alone” and the lush “Wait For Me” are some of the stand out moments on III. This is a record you can relax to, but that doesn’t mean it is without its uptempo moments. “The Sun” is a pulsating rocker that spices up the album’s latter half, and “Speaking Japanese” has a dirty guitar fueled grind to it. III feels like a complete album, one whose recording process started with a specific direction in mind. Fans have celebrated the bands ability to jump all over the musical map, but with their third record the band has chosen to send a specific tonal message, one that is most engaging.

Browse all 2,000 albums on sale this month for only $5 each.

As part of Amazon’s monthly $5 MP3 album deal for January 2013, Glen Hansard‘s Rhythm and Repose is on sale for only $5.00.

If you don’t know the name Glen Hansard, now is the time for you to get on board. Hansard is a founding member of The Frames and The Swell Season, the latter of which should ring a bell as the creative force behind the Tony Award winning musical and the Oscar winning film Once, as well as the film The Swell Season. He has long been synonymous for producing emotionally resonant folk-influenced singer-songwriter gems, and Rhythm and Repose fits right in with that description. Strong melodies on tracks like the opening “You Will Become” and “The Storm, It’s Coming” are paired with thoughtful lyrics and just the right amount of instrumentation. Hansard has a sound all his own, and if you’re a fan of poetic melody Rhythm and Repose is for you.

If you’re a fan of rock or blues, you already know the name Eric Clapton. For those who don’t, he is one of the most prolific musicians from the Classic Rock era, not to mention one of the best guitarists of any era. His work has spanned several genres, but his blues output across each decade is some of the finest music you will ever have the joy of hearing. To get a fantastic sampling of what Clapton has to offer, you should check out his Unplugged record over at Amazon as a part of their monthly $5 MP3 Album Sale.

On this acoustic album, Clapton tears it up live over fourteen tracks that include hits from his then-three decade career, and the versions of “Tears in Heaven” and “Layla” became hits as big as their studio-recorded counterparts. Clapton’s love of older blues standards is on display in his amazing performances of “Before You Accuse Me,” “Malted Milk,” and “Hey Hey,” as well as a spirited rendition of Muddy Waters’ “Rollin’ and Tumblin'”.

Whether you’re a longtime lover of or new to Clapton’s work, Unplugged is a must-add to your collection. Pick it up soon, as this album and the rest of the $5 albums will only be this price until the end of July 2012! Browse all 100 albums on sale this month for only $5 each, as well as several albums on sale this week for only $2.99.

As part of Amazon’s monthly $5 MP3 album deal for June 2012, Bush‘s The Sea of Memories is on sale for only $5.

If you would like a physical copy of The Sea of Memories, the CD is available for only $13.03.

Bush is one of those bands that gets lumped into the mid-90’s post-grunge commercial hard rock sack. Not that they were a bad band, I mean, who doesn’t automatically sing Machinehead when it comes on in Modell’s? The Sea of Memories is Bush’s fifth studio album, recorded ten years after their last one, Golden State, following an eight year breakup. It’s not a bad little album, actually, as it doesn’t stray too far from Sixteen Stone, the group’s very popular debut album.

Browse the main sale page to see the other 99 albums on sale for only $5 each in MP3 format through the end of June 2012.