Best Music of 2009 (Complete, without reviews)

1-5

96-The Airborne Toxic Event-The Airborne Toxic Event

92-Dave Matthews Band-Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King

89-Muse-The Resistance

85-Ingrid Michaelson-Everybody

84-Dashboard Confessional-Alter The Ending

6-10

83-Wilco-Wilco

82-Bon Iver-Blood Bank EP

82-The Avett Brothers-I And Love And You

81-Phoenix-Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

77-Ben Harper & Relentless 7-White Lies For Dark Times

11-20

76-Mat Kearney-City of Black & White

75-Ben Lee-The Rebirth of Venus

75-The Swell Season-Strict Joy

75-Pete Yorn-Back & Fourth

75-The Decemberists-The Hazards Of Love

74-Jay-Z-The Blueprint 3

72-Fruit Bats-The Ruminant Band

72-The Dodos-Time To De

71-Andrew Bird-Noble Beast

70-Cat Stevens-Roadsinger

21-30

70-Jason Lytle-Yours Truly, The Commuter

69-Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band-Outer South

68-Bob Dylan-Together Through Life

68-Rhett Miller-Rhett Miller

66-Mark Geary-Ghosts

66-Regina Spektor-Far

66-The Fray-The Fray

66-Dark Was The Night

65-Delta Spirit-Ode To Sunshine

64-Weezer-Raditude

31-40

63-Sondre Lerche-Heartbeat Radio

62-Norah Jones-The Fall

62-Bonnie Prince Billy-Beware

62-A Fine Frenzy-Bomb In A Birdcage

62-David Crowder Band-Church Music

62-Spiro-Elephant Song

62-Green Day-21st Century Breakdown

61-Matisyahu-Light

61-Blue October-Approaching Normal

59-Lou Barlow-Goodnight Unknown

41-50

58-Bon Jovi-The Circle

58-Volcano Choir-Unmap

58-Jay Sean-All Or Nothing

57-Mika-The Boy Who Knew Too Much

56-Away We Go Soundtrack

52-Bloc Party-Intimacy

52-Monsters of Folk-Monsters of Folk

51-British Sea Power-Man of Aran

51-Porcupine Tree-The Incident

51-Susan Boyle-I Dreamed A Dream

51-60

50-Grand Archives-Keep In Mind Frankenstein

49-Kanye West-808's & Heartbreak

49-Patrick Wolf-The Bachelor

49-Howie Day-Sound The Alarm

46-Imogen Heap-Ellipse

46-Flight of the Conchords-I Told You I Was Freaky

46-Mindy Smith-Stupid Love

46-Switchfoot-Hello Hurricane

46-Animal Collective-Merriweather Post Pavilion

46-Melody Gardot-My One And Only Thrill

61-70

46-Passion Pit-Manners

46-Glee Cast-The Music, Vol. 1

45-Black Eyed Peas-The E.N.D.

44-Grizzly Bear-Veckatimest

44-John Vanderslice-Romanian Names

44-Pearl Jam-Backspacer

44-Portugal. The Man-The Satanic Satanist

43-Glee Cast-The Music, Vol. 2

42-Harlem Shakes-Technicolor Health

42-Neko Case-Middle Cyclone

71-80

42-Mount Erie-Wind’s Poem

41-Third Eye Blind-Ursa Major

40-The Flaming Lips-Embryonic

40-Paolo Nutini-Sunny Side Up

40-M. Ward-Hold Time

40-Casting Crowns-Until The World Hears

40-The Lonely Island-Incredibad

40-Michael Buble-Crazy Love

39-Son Volt-American Central Dust

38-Mason Jennings-Blood of Man

81-90

37-Eminem-Relapse

37-Arctic Monkeys-Humbug

37-Taylor Swift-Fearless

36-U2-No Line On The Horizon

36-Peter Bjorn & John-Living Thing

34-Pete Yorn & Scarlett Johansson-Break Up

33-Handsome Furs-Face Control

31-Tegan & Sara-Sainthood

30-K'Naan-Troubadour

27-John Mayer-Battle Studies

91-101

26-Ke$sha-Animal

25-Rihanna-Rater R

24-Iron & Wine-Around The Well

23-Owl City-Ocean Eyes

22-Colbie Caillat-Breakthrough

22-Lady Gaga-The Fame Monster

21-50 Cent-Before I Self Destruct

20-Papa Roach-Metamorphosis

20-Vertical Horizon-Burning The Days

17-Joe Henry-Blood From Stars

6-Lady Antebellum-Lady Antebellum

Best Music of 2009 (1-5)

1-5

96-The Airborne Toxic Event-The Airborne Toxic Event

Best Track: Sometime Around Midnight

This is my favorite album of the year. The Airborne Toxic Event combines catchy, talented music with soul-gripping, heart-wrenching lyrics. “Sometime Around Midnight” is my favorite track, because every guy has been there or will be there sometime in his life. “Wishing Well “, “Gasoline”, “Innocence” and “Happiness Is Overrated” are also top notch. I will eagerly anticipate their sophomore release, whenever it comes.

92-Dave Matthews Band-Big Whiskey And The Groogrux King

Best Track: My Baby Blue

I was never a big fan of DMB, but I became a huge believer after this disc. From the full brass of “Why I Am” to the rock of “Seven” to the whispering, gut-wrenching, heart-on-a-platter “My Baby Blue” Dave wins at every attempt. I am now a fan. “Funny The Way It Is”, “Squirm”, and “Alligator Pie” are also great tracks.

89-Muse-The Resistance

Best Track: Exogenesis: Symphony, Pt. 3: Redemption

I love anything epic: thunderstorms, Sigur Ros, home crowds, panoramic landscapes, that F# from Whitney Houston in “I Will Always Love You”, etc. Muse is epic. Muse was one of the breakthrough artists of 2009. With song names like “United States of Eurasia” and “Exogenesis: Symphony, Pt. 2: Cross-Pollination” how could they not be? It’s a bold sound, and one that wins. My favorite songs are “Uprising”, “Guiding Light”, “I Belong To You”, and all three parts of the “Exogenesis Symphony.” I imagine they’re fantastic live.

85-Ingrid Michaelson-Everybody

Best Track: Are We There Yet?

Why do I love Ingrid so much? To start with, she’s got a great voice, and writes catchy melodies. What really gets me is her ability to write songs that are sentimental and sappy, but still somehow dark and rooted in actual life. Here are a few examples: “The battle with the heart is not easily won, but it can be won.” “They say that home is where the heart is, I guess I haven’t found my home. Are we there yet?” “Then I will take the chain from off the door.” “Happy is the heart that still feels pain, darkness drains and light will come again, swing open your chest and let it in, just let the love, love, love begin.” I guess we share a similar outlook on love and relationships: irrationally hopeful at every turn yet fully aware of the realities of life. Her music slays me. Yup, I’m a huge fan.

84-Dashboard Confessional-Alter The Ending

Best Track: Hell On The Throat

This was one of my favorite albums of the year. They just have a sound that I love. “Everybody Learns From Disaster”, “”Belle Of The Boulevard”, “Even Now”, “Water And Bridges”, “Hell On The Throat” are the best ones, highlighted by “Even Now” and “Hell On the Throat.”