Posted By Ben W. on July 17, 2009

I recently read a blog on the NME Web site that claimed we were living in a “Golden Age of the Album.” I nearly spit my coffee out onto the screen but I wasn’t drinking any. We’re not living in the Golden Age of anything right now as far as I can tell, unless you count the Golden Age of Cable Food Programming. We really do have a wide variety of excellent cooking shows available to us these days. But pop music? Albums? Ha! I scoff.

The aforementioned blog defended this “Golden Age” assessment with the existence of two records — the sophomore releases by The Maccabees and The Horrors. Two very nice albums, I assure you, but nothing that would indicate an Aluminum Age was upon us, let alone one made of gold. It’s been a fairly depressing task to compile this Midyear Report on my favorite 44 albums from 2009’s first half. Clearly I’ve been slacking, because we’re already three weeks into the second half and I’m just now posting the countdown. “Favorite” just seems like such an odd word choice.

It’s not even that we’ve seen a total lack of good albums. There have been a few. What’s lacking is any special new albums, special new artists. This Midyear list contains two debut albums. Two! My top 10 features records by Morrissey, Madness and the Pet Shop Boys. Great artists, each. But Christ, they’re all as old as my dad. They were making great music in the ’80s. Where are the young punks? Where are all the newcomers with inspiring new sounds and new directions? I don’t see them. Pop music has no new directions or developing movements or styles as the century’s first decade closes. (Sorry, auto-tuned R&B and synthed-out dance pop don’t count.)

OK, we’re still only halfway into ‘09. The year has six more months (well, five and a quarter) to stake its claim in the pop music history book. But so far what 2009 will be remembered for is the death of Michael Jackson and the utter lack of great artists and great music current pop music has with which to replace him.

Jesus, I’m really depressed now. That was the single most gloomy introduction to a pop music countdown ever composed. I’m really sorry. Everything is going to be fine. The world will keep spinning even if we don’t soon discover the next McCartney.

And hey, at least we have the Food Network in the meantime.

***

Here’s the list, parceled out in sets of 11. Read and enjoy, and please, please, please comment at the bottom!

#44 – 34

#33 – 23

#22 – 12

#11 – 1

Related posts:

1. Midyear Report Nos. 22-12
2. Midyear Report Nos. 11-1
3. Midyear Report Nos. 44-34
4. Midyear Report Nos. 33-23

Categories: Best of 2009, Lists, Reviews
Tags: Midyear Report 2009