Top 50 Singles of 2009: 30-26

30. Måns Zelmerlöw - Hope & Glory



The polar opposite of track number 31, this huge, bombastic pop song easily became my Zelmerlow anthem of choice. Very campy.

29. Hot Leg - Cocktails



Who knew that after the Darkness Justin Hawkins could do it again? In fact, the glorious glam rock here trumps a lot of what the Darkness released.

28. Noisettes - Never Forget You



One 60’s throwback I can get behind, this single breathed some life into the genre with great lyrics and an even better hook.

27. Private - Killer On The Dancefloor



How many years in a row have these guys been featured on this list for the same album? Here’s yet another single, and yet another stunner. Now it’s time for a new campaign.

26. Dragonette - Pick Up The Phone




A mature, beautiful pop song from these guys, and a deserved hit in their native Canada. I’m not sure they’ve ever recorded a better track.

Top 20 Albums of 2009: 18-17

18. Erik Hassle - Hassle



This album was delayed more times than I can count, and although I heard it early in the year months before it was finally released, it’s held up as my favorite album of this singer-songwriter type genre from the past few years. Buoyed by the two singles, the record does a great job of mixing styles and painting a picture of a very promising artist. Lyrically, it’s one of the stronger albums on my countdown, and has a real underdog charm similar to my favorite album of 2007 (Laakso’s Mother, Am I Good Looking?). I still believe that with the right push this guy could be huge in America. I mean, we like Gavin Degraw, and this is a hundred times more interesting.

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17. Hot Leg - Red Light Fever



I was a massive fan of the Darkness, and I know that’s an unpopular thing to admit in some circles. Nevertheless, I was saddened when they broke up, as I think that Justin Hawkins is a really gifted (if immature) songwriter. Luckily, the debut effort by his next band sounded very much like the Darkness Part II. It’s not a perfect record, but the highlights are very high. Most importantly, it’s a lot of fun. The band is unashamed when it comes to the much maligned genre of 80’s pomp rock. Surprising, then, was the real artistry displayed here. The songs that aren’t intentionally tongue-in-cheek are impressive on a whole different level.

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