Music: The Best of 2009

2009 The year The King of Pop made his final curtain call. Or did he? The exceptionally talented Michael Jackson lost his life and we found out our interest in him had not even slightly began to cease. His catalog flew up the charts, selling more than a lot of the new releases that were currently being released. The movie showcasing his rehearsals for his comeback tour This Is It and it's accompanying soundtrack did the kind of business to solidify the fact that he is indeed the King of Pop.
Michael sold millions, but he wasn't the only one. We saw new artist's make their mark as well. Lady GaGa took fun dance music & outlandish costumes (a very 80's concept) with some solid writing and carved out quite the career for herself. Drake a novice rapper... burst on the scene igniting some much needed life into the rap scene. He doesn't even have an album out at the moment yet he's nominated for Grammy's. Speaking of rap.. despite all the hoopla over Eminem's return (and his big numbers out the gate) Jay-Z made the rap song of the year. Jay featuring Alicia Keys has made the kind of rap song that has those usually not interested in rap dancing & singing along. New artist Angel Taylor has made one of the best Pop debut albums in a long, long time. I am totally addicted! Taylor Swift. We can't talk about 2009 and not mention Miss Swift... thanks to Kanye West. She's won several awards (in spite of Kanye), crossed over way beyond the Country charts & sold millions & millions of albums. She is the good-girl answer to Miley Cyrus. Kings Of Leon made an album of very sexy, straight forward rock & roll laced with some down & dirty soul...thus giving us and them the album of their career. And then we have Chris Brown and Rihanna. After all the drama, the apologies, the interviews they release some music. Back to business. Rihanna is the first out the gate. I've always appreciated her since the second CD. She's another one who made good solid dance music. After listening to the latest Rated R.. it nearly makes me forget the former projects. Rated R is such quality, so good it takes Miss Fenty to another level. It has that rare commodity... an album I can put on and not have to program. I can listen to it all the way though. It is easily her best work yet. They say true art comes from diversity.. this is proof positive. Chris Brown has released a couple singles and his full CD is coming out as I write this. I would love to close this out with my singular favorite CD of the year. But it's impossible. I have a tie. Eminem's Relapse & Rihanna's Rated R. Relapse because Eminem continues to put out such quality. That's what it's all about to me. So many were sure after his long hiatus he would not retain his hold on what's current in music and due to his personal problems his work would suffer. Not only has he proved this wrong he did it with a vengeance. And Rihanna as I said made a work of art. Proving she's more than just the flavor of the month.