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All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009 We could tell early on that 2009 was going to be an outstanding year for music. Here are the top 25, as selected by All Songs Considered listeners.
Special Series

The Best Music Of 2009

Hear the best rock, pop, jazz, classical, blues and undiscovered music of 2009.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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Regina Spektor (left), Grizzly Bear (top middle), Dirty Projectors (bottom middle), M. Ward (top right), Andrew Bird (bottom right)

We could tell early on that 2009 was going to be an outstanding year for music. Bands such as Animal Collective, Andrew Bird, Bon Iver and Antony and the Johnsons all released new music, and that was just in January. By the time we posted our online ballot to vote for the year's best music, we had a dizzying array of albums and artists from which to choose.

Thousands of votes poured in and, just as it is every year, the race was very close. In our mid-year ballot, Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion was the most popular album. But by the end of this year, Grizzly Bear had edged its way to the top, with Animal Collective, Phoenix, Neko Case and Andrew Bird rounding out the top five.

As always, be sure to tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Extended List: See The Top 50 Listener Picks For 2009

NPR Listeners Pick The Best of 2008

NPR Listeners Pick The Best of 2007

Complete coverage of the year in music, 2009.

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All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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01.

  • Song: Two Weeks
  • from Veckatimest
  • by Grizzly Bear

Full Grizzly Bear archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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02.

  • Song: My Girls
  • from Merriweather Post Pavillion
  • by Animal Collective

Full Animal Collective archive

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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04.

  • Song: This Tornado Loves You
  • from Middle Cyclone
  • by Neko Case

Full Neko Case archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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05.

  • Song: Oh No
  • from Noble Beast
  • by Andrew Bird

Full Andrew Bird archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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06.

  • Song: The Rake's Song
  • from Hazards of Love
  • by The Decemberists

Full archive for The Decemberists.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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07.

  • Song: Wilco (The Song)
  • from Wilco (The Album)
  • by Wilco

Full Wilco archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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08.

  • Song: Blood Bank
  • from Blood Bank
  • by Bon Iver

Full Bon Iver archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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09.

  • Song: I And Love And You
  • from I and Love and You
  • by The Avett Brothers

Full archive for The Avett Brothers.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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10.

  • Song: The Strangers
  • from Actor
  • by St. Vincent

Full St. Vincent archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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11.

  • Song: Zero
  • from It's Blitz [Deluxe Edition]
  • by Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Full Yeah Yeah Yeahs archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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12.

  • Song: Eet
  • from Far
  • by Regina Spektor

Full Regina Spektor archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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13.

  • Song: Stars of Leo
  • from Hold Time
  • by M. Ward

Full M. Ward archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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14.

  • Song: Feeling the Pull
  • from Strict Joy [Deluxe Edition]
  • by The Swell Season

Full archive for The Swell Season.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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15.

  • Song: Say Please
  • from Monsters of Folk
  • by Monsters of Folk

Full Monsters of Folk archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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16.

  • Song: Stillness Is The Move
  • from Bitte Orca
  • by The Dirty Projectors

Full archive for The Dirty Projectors.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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17.

  • Song: Sleepyhead
  • from Manners
  • by Passion Pit

Full Passion Pit archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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18.

  • Song: You Are the Blood
  • from Dark Was the Night [4AD]
  • by Sufjan Stevens

Dark Was the Night, Live from Radio City Music Hall.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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19.

  • Song: French Navy
  • from My Maudlin Career
  • by Camera Obscura

Full Camera Obscura archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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20.

  • Song: Sick Muse
  • from Fantasies
  • by Metric

Full Metric archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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21.

  • Song: The Shrew
  • from March of the Zapotec
  • by Beirut

Full Beirut archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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22.

  • Song: VCR
  • from XX
  • by The xx

Full archive for The xx.

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23.

  • Song: Daniel
  • from Two Suns
  • by Bat for Lashes

Full Bat for Lashes archive.

All Songs Considered Listeners Pick The Best Music Of 2009

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25.

  • Song: Satellite Skin
  • from No One's First and You're Next
  • by Modest Mouse

Full Modest Mouse archive.

Special Series

The Best Music Of 2009

Hear the best rock, pop, jazz, classical, blues and undiscovered music of 2009.