16: Band of Skulls – Baby Darling Doll Face Honey 
Using jangly guitars, banging beats, and sounding like a well-made mash-up of Chrissie Hynde and the White Stripes, Band of Skulls take heavy influences from classic rock and completely rock out on this fantastic album. Perhaps it is the pairing of the male and female vocals that really draws me in, because I never got into the White Stripes, as the musical formula is very similar; at least, the distortion effect on their guitars is really close to the one Jack White uses, and they also use heavy drumming to back up the whole shebang. That being said, while they do stick to a similar musical formula as the White Stripes, I think that Band of Skulls have made their own consistently amazing album with Baby Darling Doll Face Honey, as there really isn’t a bad track on it; and when I say, “not a bad track”, I really mean, “they’re all quite brilliant, actually”. After one listen, I went back time and time again to rock out to this fantastic ode to classic rock (as well as clear hat tip to the White Stripes), and I am glad I discovered them through their amazingly catchy lead off single, I Know Where I Am; which is definitely one of their best. Looking back, I am really glad that I went and listened to the whole album, because like the lead single, it too, is down right great. Standout Tracks: I Know What I Am, Fires, Cold Fame, Death By Diamonds and Pearls, Light of the Morning.
17: Brandi Carlile – Give Up the Ghost
On her follow up the to the amazing album, The Story, Brandi does right by not deviating from the folk-country rock that she creates oh so well. However, this time around, she ups the ante, and instead of sputtering out after the half-way mark (as I felt her last album kind of did), she stays strong throughout the entire album. On Give Up The Ghost, Brandi’s vocals are more raw and real, and the yodel of her voice is more pronounced and peppered throughout. Overall, this album is a solid one, and Brandi has proven to be quite the talented musician; she is certainly building something more and more beautiful on that foundation she laid with her previous two albums. This time around, she distances herself from those that she could be so directly to in the past (namely, the Indigo Girls); showing growth and attention to a nuanced detail that really signals that she is coming into her own. With this distancing, she highlights her own strength and individuality as an artist, and the result is a wonderful album that should definitely win her many, many new fans; and die hard fans of her previous work should certainly be more than pleased with this direction and growth. Standout Tracks: That Year, Dying Day, Before It Breaks, If There Was No You.
18: Westlife – Where We Are 
As a long time fan of Westlife, all I can say, is that if this album doesn’t make you a fan, then you probably never will be. However, for those of us that love beautiful songs about love, I can definitely say that these boys have done it again. Following what was (in my opinion) their best album, Back Home (well, other than their Greatest Hits Vol. 1), I had high hopes for another near-flawless Westlife album. However, worry set in when it was announced that the first single would be a cover of Daughtry’s What About Now (which is the ONLY reason that this album didn’t place higher, and receives four stars from me). While it is a great cover (probably better than the original, which isn’t surprising seeing as the do covers VERY well), their cover of the song, the inclusion of it on this album, and especially the decision to make it the lead off single from the album, are all just extremely unnecessary in my opinion. Westlife has relied on covers so much in the past, and I rarely understand why after listening to the rest of the album. The same holds true with Where We Are; after listening to the rest of the album, it is clear that it stands firmly on its own as a solid album, full of great songs (most, if not all, soaring over What About Now in their quality). Basically, the only thing left to say here, is what’s been said already; it’s a great album of love songs, and if you are a fan of Westlife, you certainly know what to expect, and you will NOT be disappointed. Even working with the predictable Ryan Tedder doesn’t ruin the Westlife formula, and that’s really saying something right there; if it works, it just works. Standout Tracks: Sound of a Broken Heart, How to Break a Heart, Leaving, The Difference, No More Heroes.
19: Angel Taylor – Love Travels
The first time I heard Angel Taylor’s Chai Tea Latte, I was blown away. This song is perfect. The juxtaposition of saccharine sweet lyrics (chock full of coffee and personality themed double entendres) with an incredibly beautiful melody and achingly tender vocals had me buckling after one listen. After falling for that song, I was clamoring for more material from Angel, and when she subsequently released Love Travels shortly after, I was not disappointed. The rest of the album is full of her piano driven pop that is just a pleasure from the beginning through to the end (with her strongest tracks opening and closing the album; smart move on her part). My only complaint, is that there are moments where she bears a very strong similarity to one of my favorite female singer-song writers, Sara Bareilles, and that striking similarity (especially the track Not Even Human, which is undoubtedly, one of Taylor’s best) takes something just a little something away from her originality. However, that being said, if you love Sara Bareilles, you will probably then love Angel Taylor as well; so really, it’s a win/win if you think about it. Overall, Love Travels is a beautifully orchestrated piano-pop album, filled to the brim with delightful melodies about love and longing. Standout Tracks: Chai Tea Latte, Not Even Human, Maple Tree, Lightning Strikes.
20: Eulogies – Here Anonymous
This album came out of complete left field for me. I first heard of the Eulogies back in August, when I saw the super cute video for the great first single Two Can Play from their sophomore album Here Anonymous (which is actually a sweet duet featuring Nikki Monniger of the Silversun Pickups). After I fell in love with that delightful song, I wanted to hear more, and I am glad I did; Here Anonymous is a fabulous alternative rock album, driven by sweet melodies, slick arrangements, and delightful vocals. They really remind me a lot of Peter Bjorn and John, with the added sweetness and delight of bands like The Weepies and She & Him, in the way that they layer each track, and how they weave in such catchy choruses to carry almost every song on the album. This album was a great random find for me in 2009, and I’m surprised I’m not seeing it on more year end lists; this band deserves a lot more attention, especially when you consider the overall greatness of Here Anonymous. Standout Tracks: Two Can Play, Eyes On The Prize, Day To Day, How To Be Alone.
This is the first single from Mika’s hotly anticipated follow up to his amazing debut, Life in Cartoon Motion. I saw lots of “eh” feelings on the blogosphere about this track before I got around to listening to it, and honestly, I couldn’t disagree more. The song has Mika’s trademark vocals, great pop sensibility, and an upbeat and happy nature that makes it unmistakably Mika. It sounds like he has had some more time to “craft” this next album, and is obviously up for taking some chances (the intricate layers and use backing multi-instruments) that he didn’t fully explore on his debut. Overall, the track is extremely catchy, and I think it is even more polished for radio than anything he has done before. Perhaps Mika is going a bit more “mainstream” with his brand of pop, but that doesn’t really bother me, because with We Are Golden, he is proving that he can do that, AND stick to what made me a fan of his in the first place; making great pop music. 
Not too long ago, I wrote a tweet that stated the words “feat. Kanye West” meant that I would instantly skip a song. I have seriously ODed on Kanye, and I am tired of him, and even more tired of his droning form of “rap”, that lately seems to do more mucking up otherwise brilliant pop songs (see Keri Hilson’s Knock Me Down) than adding anything worthwhile at all. So imagine my surprise when I loved this track after finally hearing it. One very notable exception to my aforementioned beef with Kanye is his participation in this track; he actually sings, and it doesn’t distract away from Hudon’s brilliant pop track, and it doesn’t do what Kanye has proven himself so good at; completely taking the spotlight from Hudson and putting it on himself. I will give credit where credit is due, and say that it was my buddy 
I love Muse. I think that they are one of those bands that are crazy amazing, and should be on the tip of everyone’s tongue, but for some reason, they aren’t. I first heard them a few years ago when I stumbled on their release “Black Holes and Revelations”, and my only disappointment with that album, was to have discovered a full year after it was released (because it would have topped my year end list; it is completely flawless). Well, I have been waiting for a new album for Muse since I fell in love with that album, and it appears that my wait is almost over. After hearing this song, and reading what others are saying about the resemblance to Queen, I must say, that while I do hear it, I think that Muse definitely have their signature woven deeply throughout the track. They take an influence and turn it into their own epic rock opera. I also particularly love the almost Bollywood flair of the backing orchestrations, and the ending which takes you back to a Victorian palour where someone is sitting and playing a peaceful sonata. I expected that Muse’s new album would be amazing whenever it came out, and after hearing this first song from that record, I am even more excited for it to be released this fall. 
I may alienate some of you with this one, because it is a VERY country song, but there is something about Kellie Pickler that I just adore, and when this song came up recently while my ipod was on shuffle, it gave me chills. The way that she gently eases into the chorus where she cries out that she just wants someone to love her, just grabbed hold of my heart and wouldn’t let go. I am a sucker for deep sentiment that comes in small packages, and this song is definitely an amazing example. The feeling and emotion in this song is echoed with her beautiful vocal, and it really forces me to constantly reconsider my “ban” on most things country (I ignore at lot of it, but admittedly, not all of it, and Kelly is firmly in the “do not block” column). Regardless if you like country or not, there is no denying the tender beauty that permeates every second of this song.