So, 2009 has come to an end, and since I had nothing better to do, I decided to write this little review thing.
Here is my top 15 list of most listened bands in 2009 according to Last.fm:
1.
Coldplay
2.
Muse
3.
Snow Patrol
4.
Placebo
5.
Glasvegas
6.
Broder Daniel
7.
Kent
8.
Death Cab for Cutie
9.
Radiohead
10.
Elliott Smith
11.
Green Day
12.
Joy Division
13.
Morrissey
14.
White Lies
15.
The Reindeer Section
So, where to begin? I am not quite sure. What I am sure of though, is that 2009 was one of the best years in a long time when it came to discovering old music. Not many of the records released in 2009 are worth mentioning here. But the lack of any good new music has forced me to listen more to oldies this year, which I am really grateful for.
But let’s start with records released in 2009. The release I was most excited about in the beginning of the year was
21st Century Breakdown. I used to be really into Green Day a few years back, and was really stoked about their new album. Too bad, I didn’t like it that much, apart from a song or two.
I somehow stumbled upon
To Lose My Life in January. I didn’t like it at all when I first heard it, I thought it sounded like a little bit more upbeat version of Joy Division, and didn’t listen to it again for a month or so. But when I heard it the second time, it felt like something hit it. It was so amazing. I couldn’t stop listening to it. It was all I listened to for a week or so. I was so happy when I found out that they were opening for Coldplay, so I got to see them this year.
The best album of the year in my opinion is probably
The Resistance. From the moment I first heard
United States Of Euroasia/Collateral Damage, I knew I was going to like the whole album. I searched Youtube for more songs from the album after Muse had played their Teignmouth gigs. The first song I found was
Undisclosed Desires, and I thought it was really, really good. It is still my favorite track from the album.
During 2009, I became totally obsessed with
Snow Patrol. I saw them live twice in May, and both times were brilliant. When
Up To Now was announced, I nearly cried with joy. And when I heard it for the first time, I fell in love with every song on the album. Even though I had heard all songs but three before the release of the album, I still appreciate listening to it a whole lot.
At first, I thought as a whole,
Battle For The Sun was pretty cringe-worthy. But then it started growing on me. I started liking a couple of songs, and then suddenly I liked the whole album. I had not been a fan of Placebo before, so this was the album which made me start liking their music. I still think it’s their weakest album to date, but it’s worth mentioning here, since it’s the album that introduced me to their lovely music.
Kent is probably Sweden’s biggest rock band. Their new
Röd came as a pleasant surprise, because I have never been a big fan of them. Almost all songs on that album are very good, and I am looking forward to seeing them live in February.
My guilty pleasure of the year must be
The Boy Who Knew Too Much. I do love it to bits though, even though it’s slightly embarrassing to admit it. I am seeing Mika live in March, and I bought the ticket to the show before I had even heard his new record. But it was all I had hoped for it to be; sweet, happy, dancy and a bit silly. Mika never fails to satisfy me.
Other albums released in 2009 that are worth mentioning:
These Four Walls
Lungs
Spring Ricco
Friendly Fires
Years of Refusal
Kings & Queens
2009 has also been a good year for me when it comes to discovering older music.
Of course I knew
Joy Division before 2009, it’s pretty hard not to when everyone is acting like they were gods. I had seen Control, and had had
Love Will Tear Us Apart on my iPod for years (I discovered it while watching Donnie Darko a couple of years back). I had never given them much thought before 2009, I thought they were pretty decent but nothing special. Then I went into a record store in Stockholm and found Joy Division’s Greatest Hits on sale. I thought why not and bought it. I am so glad I did, because they’re now one of my favorite bands. The first song I fell for on Greatest Hits was
Disorder, and repeated that songs for hours one day at school. Then I fell in love with
Atmosphere and
Transmission. I am considering buying Closer and Unknown Pleasures next year, because I am yearning for more songs by them.
I had had
Plans on my computer for years, but had not really listened to it before 2009. When I had decided that Plans was awesome, I downloaded all Death Cab’s CDs, and needless to say, I wasn’t disappointed.
I’ve discovered so many new bands and artists this year, and it’s impossible for me to write them all down here, but just to mention a few other new additions to my music library; there are
The Reindeer Section,
Elliott Smith,
Belle and Sebastian,
The Kooks,
The Postal Service and
The Shins
As for 2010, there aren’t many released announced yet. And therefore, there isn’t much I’m looking forward to when it comes to new music. Some records I’m looking forward to are the new releases by
Eels,
Frightened Rabbit,
Friendly Fires and
MGMT.