I didn't get to listen to much music, for various reasons, in the first half of the year so I'm far behind most of you in terms of ploughing through the musical year but 2009 was in my opinion the worst of the decade, only 2007 can rival it and so far 2009 takes the title.

I'm only listing a Top 6 because these were the only albums this year I can really see myself pulling out in 2010 or 2011 with even a modicum of enthusiasm. The rest were either patchy (YYYs springs to mind here, some really good individual tracks but as an album doesn't really hang together) or just the produce of mediocre talents. It was the first year ever where not one album scored over 7.50 on the much vaunted Vogelenzangranks.

1. White Denim 'Fits'
2. Franz Ferdinand 'Tonight: Franz Ferdinand'
3. 1990s 'Kicks'
4. Cornershop 'Judy Sucks A Lemon For Breakfast'
5. Sonic Youth 'The Eternal'
6. Jarvis Cocker 'Further Complications'.

I still have about 15 - 20 albums to listen to, for the first time or more fully, but so far only Levon Helm's 'Electric Dirt' threatens to join them.

Mostly it was a baffling year. Of the two wings of Obner (Animal Collective on one side, Lucero on the other) neither interested me much and the one thing that seemed to unite people, The Xx, well I'm still listening to it and waiting for some kind of musical epiphany to happen but so far it sounds only one paced and uninspired.

So bah humbug 2009, bah humbug.

2010 will either be the start of a recovery or the end for me but more and more I'm thinking I should be buying clothes, cutlery and furniture instead of records. Someone save me from that, please. I survive only on culture. Don't let me be extinguished 2010, I'm trusting you completely.

Just download illegally like the rest of us. If it's anything like 2009, you'll only be purchasing 6 records for your "hard-copy" collection.

It took me a lot of listens (and a couple of season changes) to finally get the xx album, but it seems to cover a nice space. (though that space will probably be blown out of the water when the new National album comes out)

I had a year like this a couple years ago, and worried I was losing my interest completely. Fortunately, the feeling passed. I think part of my problem was the amount of music I was downloading - there was no commitment on my part to anything new, making it harder to remain engaged. I now try to only sample a few songs online, then purchase the album if I want to hear more. It seems to have worked, even though its expensive and I'm exposed to less music.

I thought this year was overall a great year for new music, even though I still have heard only about half of what I want to. I don't think I'm making a list this year though.

same for me. however this situation had two upsides for me

1) I'm listening to a lot of older albums and enjoying them greatly. Currently I've got the Kraftwerk reissues in rotation and I'm loving 'em.

2) When I DID hit upon something that was engaging it seemed a lot more rewarding. There's nothing like loving in love with music again for the first time. Or something like that.

I'm with you mutty and I've been meaning to put it into type. I've downloaded and/or purchased 85 albums from 2009. I've given around 10 albums a real shot this year because every week and in some cases everyday there was something new to listen to that distracted me from letting albums dig their claws into me. We all know the readily available and overabundant amount of music released each year creates disposability, but 2009 was the year that it affected me the most.

I'm sitting here now cramming albums I've been meaning to listen to into my ears just to fill out the Top 20. Seems pointless.

you should've gotten that new wild beasts.