Year-End Music List: 2009

The following lists comprise of my feelings and opinions in the world of music released in the year 2009 A.D. If you know me, you probably already know that this list isn't going to include a lot of music that is generally considered "popular," but that's because I don't find most popular music to be as honest or fulfilling as the music of more independent artists. I know this make me seem like some kind of audio elitist, and maybe I am, but as I mentioned in my first post, few things give me more pleasure than introducing someone to a particular artist or song that they most likely wouldn't hear on commercial radio waves and seeing the pleasure that it brings to them. So, before I type a completely unrelated note on my views on the music industry and popular music, here are my year-end music lists for 2009.

25 Best Albums of 2009:

25: Antony and the Johnsons: The Crying Light
24: Jay-Z: The Blueprint III
23: Japandroids: Post-Nothing
22: A Sunny Day in Glasgow: Ashes Grammar
21: Florence and the Machine: Lungs
20: Silversun Pickups: Swoon
19: Cymbals Eat Guitars: Why There Are Mountains
18: Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca
17: Neko Case: Middle Cyclone
16: Thao with the Get Down Stay Down: Know Better, Learn Faster
15: Bob Dylan: Together Through Life
14: We Were Promised Jetpacks: These Four Walls
13: The Dead Weather: Horehound
12: Andrew Bird: Noble Beast
11: Grizzly Bear: Veckatimest
10: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
09: Julian Casablancas: Phrazes for the Young
08: The Flaming Lips: Embryonic
07: The Decemberists: The Hazards of Love
06: The Yeah Yeah Yeahs: It’s Blitz!
05: Monsters of Folk: Monsters of Folk
04: St. Vincent: Actor
03: The Avett Brothers: I and Love and You
02: Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
01: Girls: Album

10 Best Tracks of 2009:

10: Animal Collective: My Girls
09: Andrew Bird: Anonanimal
08: Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Heads Will Roll
07: Monsters of Folk: Say Please
06: Julian Casablancas: 11th Dimension
05: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Young Adult Friction
04: Grizzly Bear: Two Weeks
03: Phoenix: 1901
02: Girls: Lust for Life
01: Dirty Projectors: Stillness is the Move

10 Best EP's of 2009:

10: Atlas Sound: Rough Trade
09: Death Cab for Cutie: The Open Door
08: Andrew Bird: Fitz and Dizzyspells
07: Modest Mouse: No One's First, and You're Last
06: The Drums: Summertime
05: Jim James (or Yim Yames): Tribute To
04: Blitzen Trapper: Black River Killer
03: Lil' Wayne: No Ceilings (technically a mix-tape, still great)
02:The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Higher Than the Stars
01: Bon Iver: Blood Bank

5 Most Disappointing Albums of 2009:

05: Volcano Choir: Unmap
04: Franz Ferdinand: Tonight
03: Arctic Monkeys: Humbug
02: Wilco: Wilco (The Album)
01: Bruce Springsteen: Working on a Dream

5 Most Overrated Albums of 2009 (Where I Will Undoubtedly Draw the Most Flak)

05: Neon Indian: Psychic Chasms
04: Fever Ray: Fever Ray
03: The xx: The xx
02: Wavves: Wavves
01: Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion (The Perfect Album? Really?)

I do welcome any feedback that anyone might have about any of my lists. I am more than prepared to defend any and all of my choices, maybe even to the death. We'll see.