The Americana/roots/indie/alt/whatever music world has had a pretty great year full of new releases. With a saturated music market delivering innumerable new releases all the time, it’s no picnic trying to decide what stands out as the finest recording(s) of the year. But, as you’ve shown all year on this site, the No Depression community has remarkable taste.
A few weeks ago, we asked for your lists. You voted, we tallied. Below you’ll find your Top 50 Americana/roots/indie/alt/whatever albums of 2009. Click on the link next to each to purchase/download from Amazon. Those which have been reviewed on this site will also have a link to the review(s). Enjoy!
1. Buddy & Julie Miller – Written in Chalk (review | buy)
2. Avett Brothers – I and Love and You (review | buy)
3. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone (buy)
4. Tom Russell – Blood and Candle Smoke (review | buy)
5. Dave Alvin & the Guilty Women (buy)
6. Wilco – Wilco (the Album) (review | buy)
7. Justin Townes Earle – Midnight at the Movies (buy)
8. Chuck Prophet – Let Freedom Ring (buy)
9. Steve Earle – Townes (buy)
10. Guy Clark – Somedays the Song Writes You (review | buy)
11. Slaid Cleaves – Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away (buy)
12. Sam Baker – Cotton (review | buy)
13. Son Volt – American Central Dust (review | buy)
14. Eilen Jewell – Sea of Tears (buy)
15. Rosanne Cash – The List (buy)
16. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Self-titled (buy)
17. Levon Helm – Electric Dirt (review | buy)
18. Dave Rawlings Machine – A Friend of a Friend (review | buy)
19. John Doe & the Sadies – Country Club (buy)
20. Drive-By Truckers – The Fine Print (buy)
21. Joe Henry – Blood From Stars (buy)
22. Gurf Morlix – Last Exit to Happyland (buy)
23. Magnolia Electric Co. – Josephine (buy)
24. Kris Kristofferson – Closer to the Bone (review | buy)
25. Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers – Self-titled (buy)
26. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast (buy)
27. Willie Nelson & Asleep at the Wheel – Willie & the Wheel (buy)
28. Deer Tick – Born on Flag Day (buy)
29. Drivin’ and Cryin’ – Great American Bubble Factory (review | buy)
30. Gary Louris and Mark Olson – Ready for the Flood (buy)
31. Booker T. & the Drive-By Truckers – Potato Hole (buy)
32. Lyle Lovett – Natural Forces (review | buy)
33. Richmond Fontaine – We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River (buy)
34. Alela Diane – To Be Still (buy)
35. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle – Let’s Just Stay Here (buy)
36. Israel Nash Gripka – New York Town (review | buy)
37. Loudon Wainwright III – High, Wide and Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project (buy)
38. Todd Snider – The Excitement Plan (buy)
39. Wayne Hancock – Viper of Melody (buy)
40. Cracker – Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey (buy)
41. Lucero – 1372 Overton Park (review | buy)
42. Monsters of Folk – Self-titled (buy)
43. Caroline Herring – Golden Apples of the Sun (review | buy)
44. John Fogerty – The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again (buy)
45. Radney Foster & the Confessions – Revival (review | buy)
46. Handome Family – Honey Moon (review | buy)
47. Amanda Shires – West Cross Timbers (buy)
48. Built to Spill – There Is No Enemy (buy)
49. The Gourds – Haymaker (buy)
50. A.A. Bondy – When the Devil’s Loose (buy)
Thanks to everyone who voted! We’ll be posting the Best of the Decade list next week. Stay tuned for that.
