Favorite Music of 2009 (Prelude)
I acquired less music this year than in years previous by quite a lot. I spent considerable time listening to stuff I’d stockpiled but never played in an attempt to weed out bands and albums I’d had a passing interest in hearing due to somebody’s recommendation or critical acclaim, but that I didn’t like well enough to play a second time. There is, of course, far more to consume than there are hours in which to consume it, so choices must be made.
According to my last.fm profile, here are the top 10 most listened to artists of the past 12 months (podcasts not included):
- 10. Eagles of Death Metal
- 09. The Years
- 08. Animal Collective
- 07. Self
- 06. Said the Whale
- 05. Joel Plaskett
- 04. Mother Mother
- 03. Silversun Pickups
- 02. The Beatles
- 01. Parry Gripp
That list is a bit skewed by failing to account for what I listen to on mp3 CDs ensconced in my car’s CD changer, which I’ve been too lazy to change all year. Self should probably still be at the top, along with Wired All Wrong. Queens of the Stone Age don’t make the list and should, and Cut Copy should, as well. I have no direct input for the iPod or iPhone, and the auto adapter that plays over FM is barely acceptable quality, so I still fall back on those old(er) CDs when I want to hear really clean sound. Also, Parry Gripp‘s songs are rarely over two minutes, often under one, and he released piles of them on his blog this year; 41 of which I’ve put in iTunes.
But all that aside, I discovered Mother Mother late in the year, and although they didn’t release an album in 2009, I haven’t been able to put it aside for long in the past month or two. Hence, an honorable mention goes to the band, particularly songwriter/frontman Ryan Guldemond, for crafting a terrific album before I start blogging the stuff I liked that came out this year.
Mother Mother – O My Heart
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