| Artist | Title | Album (* = New Release) | Label |
|---|
| Steve Horan | Meet john O | Mi Mi Mi | Self |
| Imogen Heap | Between Sheets | Ellipse | RCA/Megaphonic |
| Art Brut | What a Rush | Art Brut vs Satan | Downtown |
| Kurt Vile | Amplifier | Childish Prodigy* | Matador |
| Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band | White Shoes | Outer South | Merge |
| Soundtrack of Our Lives | Babel On | Communion | Yep Roc |
| Monks | Hushie Pushie | The Early Years 1964 - 1965 | Light In The Attic |
| Metric | Gold Guns Girls | Fantasies | Metric/Last Gang |
| The Decemberists | The Hazards of Love 3 (Revenge) | The Hazards of Love | Capitol |
| Radio I-Ching | Judgement Day | No Wave Au Go Go* | Resonant Music |
| Jay Reatard | There is No Sun | Watch Me Fall | Matador |
| Allen Toussaint | Egyptian Fantasy | The Bright Mississippi | Nonesuch |
| Tegan & Sara | On Directing | Sainthood* | Vapour/Sire |
| Joe Henry | Stars | Blood From Stars | Anti- |
| The Gossip | Love Long Distance | Music For Men* | Columbia |
| Grizzly Bear | Cheerleader | Veckatimest | Warp |
| Le Loup | Beach Town | Family | Hardly Art |
| Weezer | Love is the Answer | Raditude* | DGC/Interscope |
| Black Smokers | Wanna Wait | Used | Pravda |
| Yo La Tengo | Avalon or Someone Very Similar | Popular Songs | Matador |
| N.A.S.A. | Samba Soul | The Spirit of Apollo | Anti- |
| MeShell N'Degeocello | Bright Shiny Morning | Devil's Halo* | Mercer Street Records |
| M. Ward | Epistemology | Hold Time | Merge |
| Steve Earle | Lungs | Townes* | New West Records |
| Kid Cudi | Pursuit of Happiness | Man on the Moon: The End of Day | Universal Motown |
| The Thermals | How We Fade | Now We Can See | Kill Rock Stars |
| Green Day | ?Viva La Gloria? [Little Girl] | 21st Century Breakdown | Reprise |
| The spartones from greensboro, nc | Not the Same | Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella! | Epic |
| A C Newman | The Palace at 4 am | Get Guilty | Matador |
| Raekwon | Fat Lady Sings | Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Pt. 2* | Ice H2O |
| Honky Tonk-Itis | Stop Playing Lawn Darts on My Heart | You Drink and Drive Me Crazy | Self |
| Ledisi | Everything Changes | Turn Me Loose | Verve Forecast |
| The Soul of John Black | Never Givin' Up | Black John | Eclecto Groover |
| N'Dambi | Nobody Jones | Pink Elephant* | Stax |
| The Dirty Projectors | Temecula Sunrise | Bitte Orca | Domino |
| Mos Def | Life in Marvelous Times | The Ecstatic | Downtown |
| Neko Case | Don't Forget Me | Middle Cyclone | Anti- |
| Animal Collective | My Girls | Merriweather Post Pavillion | Domino |
| Animal Collective | Also Frightened | Merriweather Post Pavillion | Domino |
| Animal Collective | Summertime Clothes | Merriweather Post Pavillion | Domino |
| Speech Debelle | The Key | Speech Therapy | Big Dada |
Extended version - Our top music, etc. of 2009
Honorable Mention
Very good, recommended CD's.
Weezer - Raditude
Le Loup - Family
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
The Gossip - Music for Men
Joe Henry - Blood From Stars
Tegan and Sara - Sainthood
Allen Toussaint - The Bright Mississippi
Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
The Decemberists - The Hazards of Love
Metric - Fantasies
The Second Ten
Black Smokers - Used
Ben Folds - University A Cappella!
Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
The Thermals - Now We Can See
Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of Day
Steve Earle - Townes
M. Ward - Hold Time
Me'Shell Ndegeocello - Devil's Halo
N.A.S.A - The Spirit of Apollo
Yo La Tengo - Popular Songs
2008 Top Ten
10 A C Newman - Get Guilty
9 Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx - Pt. 2
8 Honky Tonk-it is - You Drink & Drive Me Crazy
7 Ledisi - Turn Me Loose
6 The Soul of John Black - Black John
5 N'Dambi - Pink Elephant
4 The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
3 Mos Def - The Ecstatic
2 Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
1 Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion
