I do a chart annually, and I do it mathematically, here is the list of the best records I heard that were released in 2009 – and I had the chance to hear at least 700 new CD’s this year (I wish I was kidding here, but radio does have it’s advantages). Each song on each album is rated on a 1-10 scale, then the total number of points is divided by the total number available and the records fall into place. Ties occur when the same score is the result. I must also explain that I generally remove live albums and greatest hits albums from the list, as well as compilations of previously released material (for example: Live From Studio A2 Volume 2 would have been very near the top, but it’s a compilation of in studio recordings of songs that have been previously released elsewhere in their original form, so it falls into the live album category in my eyes). It seems unfair to have them in, for what I think are obvious reasons. I also remove recordings with 6 songs or less as those are just EPs and have an unfair mathematical advantage in my eyes.
It’s my opinion, it’s my list. You are welcome to disagree, but it won’t change a thing. I too am surprised how high certain records charted and how low others charted. Some I’ve only had in my possession two weeks or less, two of them only since Dec 24 (which is pretty impressive that they made the list at all if you ask me).
RANK-ARTIST- TITLE
1- JEN SYGIT - SO LONG POLLYANNA
2- DREW NELSON - DUSTY ROAD TO BEULAH LAND
3- VERVE PIPE- A FAMILY ALBUM
4- KERI NOBLE - KERI NOBLE
5- FRAY- THE FRAY (DELUXE EDITION)
6- VIENNA TENG - INLAND TERRITORY
7- RODRIGO Y GABRIELA- 11:11
8- BRANDI CARLILE - GIVE UP THE GHOST
9- SAM CORBIN - MICHIGAN'S WALTZ
10- INGRID MICHAELSON - EVERYBODY
10- DAUGHTRY- LEAVE THIS TOWN (TARGET EDITION)
12- BEN FOLDS - BEN FOLDS PRESENTS UNIVERSITY A CAPELLA
13- HOWIE DAY - SOUND THE ALARM
14- NEED TO BREATHE- THE OUTSIDERS
14- MICHAEL BUBLE- CRAZY LOVE (FAN CLUB EDITION)
16- INDIGO GIRLS- POSEIDON AND THE BITTER BUG (BONUS DISC VERSION)
17- CHERYL WHEELER - POINTING AT THE SUN
17- JAMES TAYLOR - OTHER COVERS
17- BOB SCHNEIDER - LOVELY CREATURES
17- SERENA RYDER - IS IT OK
17- RAUL MALO - LUCKY ONE
17- STEPHEN KELLOGG AND THE SIXERS- THE BEAR
17- CHRIS ISAAK - MR. LUCKY (CONSUMER DIRECT EDITION)
24- SHOUT SISTER SHOUT-HIT THAT JIVE
25- REGINA SPEKTOR - FAR
25- VERTICAL HORIZON- BURNING THE DAYS
27- COWBOY JUNKIES- ACOUSTIC JUNK
28- JAY BRANNAN - IN LIVING COVER
29- ALLIE MOSS - PASSERBY
30- NEWTON FAULKNER - REBUILT BY HUMANS (BONUS TRACKS)
30- ROSANNE CASH - THE LIST (BARNES AND NOBLE EXCLUSIVE VERSION)
32- TYRONE WELLS - REMAIN
32- DAMNWELLS- ONE LAST CENTURY
34- SUSAN WERNER - CLASSICS
34- PARACHUTE- LOSING SLEEP
34- PAPER RAINCOAT- THE PAPER RAINCOAT
34- ANTJE DUVEKOT - THE NEAR DEMISE OF THE HIGH WIRE DANCER
34- BIG BAD VOODOO DADDY- HOW BIG CAN YOU GET? THE MUSIC OF CAB CALLOWAY
39- DUNCAN SHEIK - WHISPER HOUSE
39- ELLIS PAUL - THE DAY AFTER EVERYTHING CHANGED
41- DAVID GRAY - DRAW THE LINE (LTD ED. DELUXE PACKAGE)
41- VARIOUS - SWEETHEART (STARBUCKS EXCLUSIVE)
43- JILL JACK - SONGWRITER SESSIONS
44- WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION-WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION
44- PAOLO NUTINI - SUNNY SIDE UP
44- FICTION FAMILY-FICTION FAMILY
44- ALTERNATE ROUTES- A SUCKER'S DREAM
48- TRAIN- SAVE ME, SAN FRANCISCO
48- JOHN MAYER - BATTLE STUDIES
50- JARS OF CLAY- THE LONG FALL BACK TO EARTH
50- DANNY COX - IN ALL THINGS
50- OLIVIA BROADFIELD - EYES WIDE OPEN
53- PETE YORN - BACK & FOURTH
53- FUN- AIM AND IGNITE
55- MINDY SMITH - STUPID LOVE
55- WILLIE NELSON - AMERICAN CLASSIC (BARNES AND NOBLE EDITION)
57- NORAH JONES - THE FALL (TARGET EXCLUSIVE EDITION)
58- JEN WOODHOUSE - PRESS KIT
58- DAVID WILCOX - OPEN HAND
58- SISTER HAZEL- RELEASE
58- SHARON SHANNON- SAINTS & SCOUNDRELS
58- DAVID MEAD - ALMOST AND ALWAYS
58- MATT THE ELECTRICIAN- ANIMAL BOY
58- MAT KEARNEY - CITY OF BLACK & WHITE
58- ARI HEST - TWELVE MONDAYS
58- PETER BRADLEY ADAMS - TRACES
67- JILL JACK - THE SONGWRITER SESSIONS-ROUGH SESSIONS
67- TORI AMOS - MIDWINTER GRACES
67- TINTED WINDOWS-TINTED WINDOWS
67- MEAGHAN SMITH - THE CRICKET'S ORCHESTRA
67- JEREMY KITTEL - CHASING SPARKS
67- MATT HIRES - TAKE US TO THE START
67- GREEN RIVER ORDINANCE- OUT OF MY HANDS
67- GOMEZ- A NEW TIDE (BEST BUY VERSION)
67- JER COONS - SPEAK
76- JOHN GORKA - SO DARK YOU SEE
77- BEN LEE - THE REBIRTH OF VENUS
77- JOHN WESLEY HARDING - WHO WAS CHANGED AND WHO WAS DEAD
77- MAYERLEWINE - LOVE LABOR
77- AMONG THE OAK & ASH-AMONG THE OAK & ASH
81- CARBON LEAF- NOTHING RHYMES WITH WOMAN (AMAZON EXCLUSIVE)
82- VEER UNION- AGAINST THE GRAIN
82- SWITCHFOOT- HELLO HURRICANE
82- OWL CITY- OCEAN EYES
82- CLIFF EBERHARDT - 500 MILES-THE BLUE ROCK SESSIONS
86- MY DEAR DISCO- DANCE THINK LP
87- U2- NO LINE ON THE HORIZON (LIMITED EDITION BOX)
87- WILL HOGE - THE WRECKAGE
89- GREEN DAY- 21st CENTURY BREAKDOWN (TARGET EDITION)
89- DONNA ULISSE - WALK THIS MOUNTAIN DOWN
89- IMOGEN HEAP - ELLIPSE
89- ELVIS COSTELLO - SECRET, PROFANE & SUGARCANE
93- RELIENT K- FORGET AND NOT SLOW DOWN
93- CHRISTINE LAVIN - COLD PIZZA FOR BREAKFAST
93- HARRY CONNICK JR. - YOUR SONGS (BARNES AND NOBLE EXCLUSIVE EDITION)
93- COLBIE CAILLAT - BREAKTHROUGH (DELUXE EDITION)
97- VARIOUS- WELLS FOR ZOE
97- MATTHEW SWEET & SUSANNA HOFFS- UNDER THE COVERS VOL. 2
97- TODD SNIDER - THE EXCITEMENT PLAN
97- SIMPLE MINDS- GRAFFITI SOUL/SEARCHING FOR THE LOST BOYS
97- GRANT-LEE PHILLIPS - LITTLE MOON
97- DIANA KRALL - QUIET NIGHTS
97- RICKIE LEE JONES - BALM IN GILEAD
97- HOWARD JONES - ORDINARY HEROES (FAN CLUB EDITION)
97- GUGGENHEIM GROTTO- HAPPY THE MAN
97- GREENCARDS- FASCINATION
97- TONY FURTADO - DEEP WATER
97- WILLIAM FITZSIMMONS - THE SPARROW AND THE CROW
97- JAY FARRAR & BENJAMIN GIBBARD- ONE FAST MOVE OR I'M GONE-MUSIC FROM KEROUAC'S BIG SUR
97- CASTING CROWNS- UNTIL THE WHOLE WORLD HEARS