Hard Physics with Heavy Ions in CMS

The LHC will collide protons at $\sqrt{s}$=14 TeV and lead beams at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$=5.5 TeV as well as possibly other AA and pA combinations. The physics program of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) includes the study of heavy-ion collisions, where the collision energy, higher than at RHIC, will allow the study of the dense partonic system with hard probes. A broad palette of these probes is within the reach of CMS. Some are likely to be modified, relative to p-p collisions, by the presence of the hot medium, like quarkonia ($J/\psi$ and $\Upsilon$) or high-p$_{T}$ jets. Others, like heavy quarks, Z$^0$ bosons and photons, will act as reference candles. This article overviews the hard physics reach and unique abilities of CMS in studying the medium produced in heavy-ion collisions at the LHC.