I love music and I love to see/hear what music other people love. With that in mind, I love year-end lists. I know, I know, it’s always subjective to say that one album is “better” than another. What criteria do we use? Who sets the standard? How much of it is simply personal taste? A lot, to be honest.

So, when I set out to revisit a year, I create a giant playlist of all the albums that stood out to me the previous year, for whatever reason. And, truth be told, a list like this might be different if created on a different day. But more than anything, I try to think about what music “defined” the year for me, if that’s possible. So, without further ado, here is the music that has helped define 2009 for me:

• 30: Wilco: Wilco (The Album).
• 29: Megafaun: Gather, Form And Fly.
• 28: Bell Orchestre: As Seen Through Windows.
• 27: Passion Pit: Manners.
• 26: Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix .
• 25: Aaron Spiro: Elephant Song.
• 24: Sufjan Stevens: The BQE.
• 23: Bob Dylan: Together Through Life.
• 22: Dirty Projectors: Bitte Orca.
• 21: The Antlers: Hospice.
• 20: The Civil Wars: Live At Eddie’s Attic.
• 19: Alec Ounsworth: Mo Beauty.
• 18: Bonnie “Prince” Billy: Beware.
• 17: Jim O’Rourke: The Visitor.
• 16: J. Tillman: Year In The Kingdom.
• 15: Page CXVI: Hymns.
• 14: Califone: All My Friends Are Funeral Singers.
• 13: Antony and the Johnsons: The Crying Light.
• 12: Gomez: A New Tide.
• 11: The Cave Singers: Welcome Joy.
• 10: Neko Case: Middle Cyclone.
• 09: The Avett Brothers: I And Love And You
• 08: Karen O And The Kids: Where The Wild Things Are Official Soundtrack.
• 07: The Black Atlantic: Reverence For Fallen Trees.
• 06: Joe Henry: Blood From Stars.
• 05: Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavillion.
• 04: The Very Best: Warm Heart of Africa.
• 03: Fanfarlo: Resevoir.
• 02: Mumford and Sons: Sigh No More.
• 01: Bifrost Arts: Come O Spirit! Anthology of Hymns & Spiritual Songs Volume 1.