It’s the annual ritual of music journalists everywhere: the end-of-year best list. My editor at liveDaily.com asked for a top ten, but the stacks of CDs in the office were too tall to limit my personal list to just that.
- Green Day – American Idiot
- Elvis Costello – Delivery Man
- Rilo Kiley – More Adventurous
- Patti Griffin – Impossible Dream
- Illogic – Celestial Clockwork
- U2 – Vertigo
- Van Hunt – Van Hunt
- Ambulance LTD – Ambulance LTD
- Los Lobos – The Ride
- Tift Merritt – Tambourine
- Velvet Revolver – Contraband
- Buddy Miller – Universal United House of Prayer
- Diana Krall – The Girl In The Other Room
- Modest Mouse – Good News for People Who Love Bad News
- Ryan Adams – Love is Hell
- Franz Ferdinand – Franz Ferdinand
- Rachael Yamagata – Happenstance
- Steve Earle – The Revolution Starts Now
- Madeleine Peyroux – Careless Love
- Brian Wilson – Smile
- Keren Ann – Not Going Anywhere
- The Killers – Hot Fuss
- Jem – Finally Woken
- Tom Waits – Real Gone
- Joss Stone – Mind, Body & Soul
- Arcade Fire – Funeral
- Damnwells – Bastards of the Beat
- Air – Talkie Walkie
- Keri Noble – Fearless
- Bob Schneider – I’m Good Now
- Polyphonic Spree – Together We’re heavy
- Gretchen Wilson – Here For The Party
- Kristin Mooney – Kristin Mooney
- Ray Charles – Genius Loves Company
- Lambchop – Aw C’mon / No You C’mon
- Wilco – A Ghost Is Born
- Norah Jones – Feels Like Home
- Eleni Mandell – Afternoon
- Rufus Wainright – Want Two
- Charlotte Martin – On Your Shore