Standard Disclaimer: Contrary to the title, I don’t do “best of the year” lists. My “best of” list always includes material released in previous years which I discovered during the current year. Purists may (and do) complain, but it is what it is. Here, in no particular order, is my Best Music of 2009 list.
Albums
Black Stone Cherry - Folklore and Superstition (Amazon)
Original Release Date: August 16, 2008
This is an awesome mix of hard and southern rock. That's sometimes a hard line to walk but these guys do it with ease. Blind Man is the stand-out track but with 16 songs on the album, it'll keep you entertained for hours.
Sick Puppies - Tri-Polar (Amazon)
Original Release Date: July 24, 2009
These guys are one of my new favorite bands. Out of 13 songs, 7 are always on my iPod. That's an incredible ratio for me. In It For Life is an astounding track, as is So What I Lied. There's a lot to love on this album.
Year Long Disaster - Year Long Disaster (Amazon)
Original Release Date: September 25, 2007
Another hard rock band with some southern rock influences. Actually, these guys are all over the chart influence-wise. I'm surprised they're not more well-known.
Shinedown - The Sound of Madness (Amazon)
Original Release Date: June 23, 2008
I did not expect to like this album but it completely blew me away. There's not a bad song here. Second Chance was their big hit, but If You Only Knew, Breaking Inside, Call Me and Sound of Madness are big stand-outs.
Black Light Burns - Cruel Melody (Amazon)
Original Release Date: June 5, 2007
This is Wes Borland's post-Limp Bizkit band, but there's no nu-metal here. It's closer to Nine Inch Nails (and was produced by NIN's Danny Lohner). Stop a Bullet is an awesome song, as is Animal and 4 Walls.
Gary Numan - Hybrid Amazon [Disc 1] and [Disc 2])
Original Release Date: March 4, 2003
This 2-disc set is a remix of Numan's best songs and is definitely my best discovery of the year. I've played the shit out of this and don't see it leaving my iPod any time soon.
Texas Hippie Coalition - Pride of Texas (Amazon)
Original Release Date: February 12, 2008
This is some seriously good metal from a band not many have heard of. There's really not a bad tune on the album.
Celldweller - Celldweller (Amazon)
Original Release Date: February 11, 2003
I just recently stumbled upon this project by Klayton, the former frontman/songwriter of the bands Circle of Dust, Argyle Park, and Angeldust, to name a few. It's electronic rock, along the lines of Linkin Park, but this isn't a fair comparison. Several songs are reminiscent of Linkin Park but others operate on a completely different level. I've only just started listening but I can already tell that Celldweller will be getting a lot of plays in 2010. This album, his first, is an awesome listen and immediately shot to the top of my list.
Songs
Following is a list of songs that really grabbed me this year. I love every one of them but, for whatever reason, either didn't care for the album or never got around to checking it out. This is an eclectic list.
In This Moment - Call Me (Amazon)
Album: The Dream
Original Release Date: June 30, 2009
The Fall - 50 Year Old Man (Amazon)
Album: Imperial Wax Solvent
Original Release Date: April 28, 2008
A.C. Newman - Like a Hitman, Like a Dancer (Amazon)
Album: Get Guilty
Original Release Date: January 20, 2009
Basshunter - I Miss You (Fonzerelli Edit) (Amazon)
Album: I Miss You
Original Release Date: December 30, 2008
Flunk - Blue Monday (Amazon)
Album: Blue Monday
Original Release Date: December 29, 2004
Glasvegas - A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like a Kiss) (Amazon)
Album: A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like a Kiss)
Original Release Date: October 13, 2009
Golden Animals - My My My (Amazon)
Album: Free Your Mind and Win a Pony
Original Release Date: August 4, 2008
Maybeshewill - This Time Last Year (Amazon)
Album: Maybeshewill / Her Name is Calla
Original Release Date: November 24, 2008
The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die (Amazon)
Album: Invaders Must Die
Original Release Date: February 24, 2009
Thomas Function - Can't Say No (Amazon)
Album: Celebration!
Original Release Date: April 29, 2008
Toadies - Song I Hate (Amazon)
Album: No Deliverance
Original Release Date: August 19, 2008
Songs of Unknown Origin (a.k.a., I got lazy)
- Beck - Vampire Voltage No. 6 (Youtube)
- Black Lips - Bad Kids/Leroy Faster (Youtube)
- The Charlatans - Blank Heart, Blank Mind (Youtube)
- The Datsuns - You're No Good (Youtube)
- Minisnap - Whistler
- Quincy Coleman - Baby Don't You Cry (The Pie Song) (Youtube)
And that's it for 2009. All in all, I'd say it was great year and I'm already looking forward to 2010.