By Chris Tetreault
Class of 2010
1. Phoenix- Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
The fourth time seems to have been the charm for French alternative band Phoenix as their fourth studio album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix was a huge success story for 2009. With two radio singles, “1901” and “Liztomania”, they no longer are buried in obscurity. Their most popular song, 1901, was even featured in a recently released Cadillac commericial. Their alternative sound, laced with flavors of techno is unique to many mainstream bands today, but provides another outlet for listeners searching for interesting new modern music.
2. Dave Matthews Band- Big Whiskey and the Groogrux king
Already one of the most know artists of the modern generation, Dave Matthews released yet another successful album, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 as well as selling more than 400,000 copies during the first week of its release. The most popular singles include “Funny the Way It Is”, “You and Me” and “Why I am”.
3. Jay-Z- The Blueprint 3
Jay-Z’s comeback album made its mark on the year 2009. His eleventh studio album sold almost 500,000 copies in the first week of his release. “Empire State of Mind”, featuring a duet with singer Alicia Keys, was the biggest single of the album, with “Run this Town” featuring Rhianna and Kanye West in a close second. The album ventures from the current mainstream of auto-tune ridden hip-hop and leans back towards the beats of the 90’s.
4. Mos Def- Ecstatic
Mos Def’s newest album has already been nominated for Best Rap album at the Grammy Awards as well as being ranked number seven on Spin Magazines top 40 albums of 2009. Featuring a much more ethnic feel, Mos Def even raps in spanish at some points on the album. Singles include “Quiet Dog Bite Hard” and “Life in Marvelous Times”.
