'09 Mix Tape!

Alexi Murdoch - All My Days

The movie "Away We Go" was such a disappointment to me (how did Maya Rudolph land Jim Halpert? She's cute, but her character was a total bitch!). The soundtrack was definitely the highlight of the movie for me. I bet Nick Drake is glad this guy could carry the torch for him.

The Avett Brothers - January Wedding

I could have picked any song from their album but this one was the first one I latched onto. Their Halloween show at the Ryman was probably the best show I saw all year.

Brooke Waggoner - Burdon of Our Courage

I absolutely ADORED Heal for the Honey and Fresh Pair of Eyes, and so I was sad when this one didn't immediately grab me. Maybe my expectations were too high. Still a good album, but can't compare to the other two in my opinion.

Catherine Feeny - He's Like You Only Better

I knew I would love this song, just from the title! Right now, Feeny's new album is just available on her website, but here's hoping it makes its way to iTunes and record stores soon.

Dave Rawlings Machine - Ruby

Gillian who? Old Crow who?

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Home

I resist anything that appears to be "hipster music" so I didn't hear this one until late in the year. Glad I gave it a chance!

Emmy The Great - MIA

She is just precious and this song is just precious.

Fanfarlo - Harold T. Wilkins or How To Wait For A Very Long Time

Love, love everything about this band!

fun. - All the Pretty Girls

I was such a fanatic about The Format that I had a hard time getting into this new sound at first. It didn't help that I saw the band open for Manchester Orchestra on what appeared to be their VERY FIRST SHOW EVER... Ok, so it wasn't, but they were clearly unprepared. Or maybe the sound guy just sucked. I don't know. But now you can't tear me away from this album. It produces SHEER HAPPINESS to all who choose to listen to it. And Nate Ruess could front a Neil Diamond cover band and I'd still love him.

Gossip - Heavy Cross

This is the first year I really listed to the Gossip. What took me so long?

Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks

Only good song by an otherwise way-too-hipster band.

Indigo Girls - Love Of Our Lives
Ingrid Michaelson - Maybe

These two songs appeal to the repressed folkie in me.

J. Tillman - Year In The Kingdom

Lovely quiet album from Fleet Foxes guy.

Jack Peñate - Be The One

Um, he's really cute. And his songs are catchy.

Jay Z Featuring Alicia Keys - Empire State Of Mind

My favorite pop song of the year.

Julian Velard - Love Again For The First Time

We need a Billy Joel for 2010... He just might be it.

Just Jack - Embers
Karima Francis - Chasing The Morning Light

Why certain British acts never make it over here is beyond me. Just Jack is fun & catchy yet somehow avoids being cheesy. And Karima Francis' voice makes my heart break into a million peices.

Kelly Clarkson - I Do Not Hook Up

I love that K-Clark made a comeback this year! And I love that she is not a girl that "hooks up."

Kings Of Convenience - Boat Behind
Kings of Leon - Use Somebody

Two different "kings" here... Kings of Leon were kings of the airwaves of every single Top 40 and AAA station this year, to the point where I should be really sick of this song but somehow I'm not. And Kings of Convenience are kings of low key quiet Scandinavian pop. And I love them both.

La Roux - Bulletproof

Listened to the BBC a lot last year... It's starting to show I think.

Lady Antebellum - Need You Now

After hearing this song on about a million different award shows, I gave in.

Laura Marling - Goodbye England (Covered In Snow)

Laura gave us the most perfect Christmas single last year, and I can hardly wait for her new album in 2010! She is really as good as everyone says.

Leona Lewis - Happy
Lily Allen - Who'd Have Known

Um, BBC Radio One is the culprit again.

The Low Anthem - Ticket Taker

I don't usually pay much attention to lyrics but this one really grabbed me.
I am a ticket taker, many tickets have I torn
And I will be your ark, we will float above the storm

Matt & Kim - Daylight

Avoidable thanks to the Bacardi commercial.

Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out

It seems every year there is another neo-soul guy singer. It pretty much always works on me.

Metric - Sick Muse

I don't have much to say about Metric. I just know that I always like their albums.

Mumford & Sons - Winter Winds

My favorite new band of the year and probably my favorite album of the year -- Definitely my most listened to album of the year. SO FRICKIN' GOOD. Do yourself a favor and listen to them if you have not yet.

Noah and the Whale - Love of an Orchestra

Their album was an utter disappointment, but this song was the one ray of light on an otherwise TOTAL SAD-SACK of a CD.

Noisettes - Wild Young Hearts

I somehow missed their first album but made up for it quickly by falling head over heels on first listen to the new one.

Nouvelle Vague - Road to Nowhere

Best "cover" band ever.

Paramore - Brick By Boring Brick

I will turn 30 in May and I realize that makes me at least ten years too old to like Paramore. But I don't care. They have put out three catchy-as-hell albums (except for that one screamo song at the end of the first album), and I am admitting it to the world: I LOVE ME SOME PARAMORE HAYLEY WILLIAMS. I realize there are other band members but she is definitely the Gwen Stefani to their No Doubt, meaning you couldn't name another member if your life depended on it. As much as Hayley tries to deny it...

Passion Pit - Moth's Wings

I've heard this band sucks live, but their album is the best-dance-music-for-people-who-don't-like-dance-music that I've ever heard.

Pete Yorn - Don't Wanna Cry

Thank you, Pete Yorn, for making a good album this year.

Regina Spektor - Blue Lips

Far isn't as good as Begin to Hope, but that one was hard to beat.

Rosanne Cash - Long Black Veil (Feat. Jeff Tweedy)

An awesome album from start to finish. Thanks to Johnny Cash for helping make "The List".

Sam Means - Yeah Yeah

I can't forget the "other guy" in The Format. It might be hopeless but I am still rooting for them to get back together.

Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers - Rising Sun

I heart female singer/songwriters, especially when they can be described as "Björk's heartland cousin".

Sliimy - Wake Up

I heart gay French pop.

Slow Club - Dance 'Til The Morning Light

I heart twee Britpop.

Sondre Lerche - I Cannot Let You Go

I heart really cute boys from Norway that make jazzy pop.

The Swell Season - In These Arms

Fifty songs is a lot. And while I definitely would not rather watch the Superbowl, I'm starting to tire of writing this list... Can you tell? Anyway. Swell Season is another act that I can thank for always making my heart break.

Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me

Yeah, she sucks as a singer. And she is annoying as hell on award shows, whether she's singing out of key or accepting each award like she didn't even know she was nominated. But if I was 13 years old, I know for sure I would be one of those girls screaming at a Taylor Swift concert, wearing a Taylor Swift t-shirt and singing every single word to every Taylor Swift song, because what she has is the ability to connect with pretty much every 13 year old girl in the world (I bet even little goth 13 year olds listen to her secretly). So, I have to respect her for that, and I also like to sing along to her songs REALLY loudly when they come on the radio.

Tegan & Sara - Hell

They can do no wrong in my book, even though the intro to one of their songs is a blatant rip off of that MGMT song, which was probably ripped off someone else anyway.

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down - Cool Yourself
Zee Avi - Bitter Heart

Two more fabulous female singer/songwriters. That's about all I can say, since I used all of my remaining energy defending Taylor Swift.

xoxo y'all. Here's to 2010.