AllMusic’s Favorite Pop Albums of 2009
December 17th, 2009 | 4:30 pm est |
Through the week of the 20th, the AllMusic Blog will be publishing our editors’ favorite albums of 2009. We’ll be covering well over a dozen genres and styles, from rap to reggae, R&B to electronic, country to Latin, blues to metal, folk to soundtracks, and several points in-between. Right now, on the AllMusic Blog, we take a look at our favorite pop albums of 2009. Be sure to check our overall feature of new albums and classical releases, AllMusic Loves 2009, and our other 2009 in Review posts.
Lily Allen – It’s Not Me, It’s You
Mariah Carey – Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel
Kelly Clarkson – All I Ever Wanted
Cobra Starship – Hot Mess
Fall Out Boy – Believers Never Die: The Greatest Hits
Florence and the Machine – Lungs
Selena Gomez & the Scene – Kiss & Tell
Keri Hilson – In a Perfect World…
Janet Jackson – Number Ones
La Roux – La Roux (Bonus Track)
Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster
Little Boots – Hands
Demi Lovato – Here We Go Again
Madonna – Celebration (Deluxe Edition)
Metric – Fantasies
Mika – The Boy Who Knew Too Much
Rihanna – Rated R
Shakira – She Wolf
Britney Spears – The Singles Collection
Ashley Tisdale – Guilty Pleasure
I didn’t listen to every album on this list, so i’ll only comment the ones i did. Florence + The Machine’s Lungs is may favorite album from this list: florence’s voice is a breath of fresh air, i’ve been following her since last year, and Lungs delivers, truly great album, top 10 of the year. La Roux’s self-titled and Lily Allen’s sophomore effort, are two great electropop albums. Lily took a risk switching her old sound for electropop, but she felt comfortable and her personality is as fresh as in Alright, Still. La Roux was one of pop biggest name this year, some called her one of pop’s best artist today, others overrated, but her album is pretty solid, the first 6 tracks are proof of that. Rihanna’s Rated R was a surprise, nobody was expecting that, not even her fans, she totally changed her image, critics loved it, and fans were divided just go on Itunes and will see people calling it a big step forward like Janet’s Velvet Rope, and others trashy, according to them is because it isn’t as catchy as her last one. Both Madonna’s Celebration & Britney’s The Singles Collections are compilations, so fans of them will totally enjoy it. After so many mixed reviews and even having an album being called by Stephen as the pop equivalent of Chernobyl, Mariah Carey received a feel good positive review by allmusic and even an inclusion on this list, i haven’t listen to it yet, but sure i am going to. Shakira’s She Wolf is a solid pop record, her best english-language album, and some fans didn’t receive first single She Wolf as well, thinking that she had sold out, but after this album was released many of them changed their mind. She Wolf in my opinion, was a very diversified listening, i truly enjoyed it, and Shakira just sounds good and comfortable on every track, i rated a 4 not a 4.5 like allmusic, but sure is a hell of a pop record. In a year where electropop was big 2 singers kept their old pop/rock persona alive. Kelly Clarkson’s All I Ever Wanted was a nice return to form, after her underrated-but-messy-anyway My December. The title-track, and I Do Not Hook Up were two of my favorite pop tracks released this year. And Demi Lovato’s Here We Go Again is also a great pop/record. Great if you compare it to other albums recorded by disney channels’ actors. There are some fillers, and some forgettable moments like: Every Time You Lie. But catchy tracks like he title-song, Solo, Catch Me and Remember December make this album a winner. Demi sounds even better in Got Dynamite my top 10 pop track of this year. The production is solid, so as Demi vocals, the song is pure pop gold and flawless and like Entertainment Weekly was right about this track saying is a direction that might set her apart os her contemporaries. I really don’t know why she didn’t released it as a single yet.
What about Ladyhawke, easily the best pop album of the year?
Ladyhawke’s self-titled was released last year, i guess they thought it wasn’t eligible. Now that was a hell of a pop record: “Magic”, “My Delirium”, “Back Of The Van”, “Paris Is Burning”, “Dusk Till Dawn”, are some of the greatest pop tracks i heard last year. Other album tracks like “Crazy World”, “Manipulating Woman” & “Professional Suicide” are as strong as the singles. That album was easily the best pop record i heard last year, pure pop genius. Ladyhawke sure is an artist to watch, and commercially she’s so underrated at least her album is certified gold in some places, but she should’ve been huge. But anyway the girl is awesome, and the fact that she’s a multi-instrumentalist, and charismatic on record, and has that edge & personality that so many singer wish they had only makes her album even better.
Year of women? Almost all selections were female artists.
greatest hits dont belong here. they contain mostly stuff that was released way before zeronine, and therefore do not represent this year. and yes, why just females?(does Mika count as actual male?) Shakira, Gaga, Clarkson, Rihanna, Tidale? Really, they all sound the exact same. hysteric. (hysteria = characterized by uncontrollable emotional outbursts) Where’s the diversity here? you shoulda called this “favorite plastic-albums.” I too wonder, why Ladyhawke didn’t make the cut, but no, I just gave the answer to that myself; too much flesh on that bone. Allmusic: I am officially disapointed with you.
Hey everyone!
Ladyhawke’s album came out in 2008 or else it would have made the list!!
Shakira’s album is probably the best of this bunch. She sounds great on each track, and there are plenty of outstanding songs: “Did It Again,” “Mon Amour,” “Spy” and “Gypsy.” It’s a real consistent record. Kelly’s album was also awesome. The title track reminds me of Spoon’s “Turn My Camera On” and she’s just perfect when it comes to pop, not confessional rock. Lily Allen’s album was good, but in comparison to her debut, it just wasn’t anywhere near it, but “Not Fair” and “Who’d Have Known” are excellent. 3 of the biggest pop stars we’ve yet to see, of whom are Madonna, Britney & Janet, all released compilation albums, but Britney’s seems to be the best of the bunch (not to mention her new track was the best as well), while Madonna’s is a great listen (but was putting “4 Minutes” right after that amazing opening trio appropriate?) and Janet’s kinda sags on the second disc and has a few too many songs that should have not been on it. I like Little Boots simply for “Meddle” and “Stuck on Repeat,” although “Remedy” is a great dance track. And I haven’t really listened to La Roux’s album, but her voice just hurts my ears. Lady Gaga, of course, had to be on here. “Bad Romance” and “Dance in the Dark” can be among the best pop singles this year, but there’s also some lame tracks like “Speechless” and “Monster.” This list was good, but I feels like it’s missing something that I just can’t seem to place.