The Americana/roots/indie/alt/whatever music world has had a pretty great year full of new releases. With a saturated music market delivering innumerable new releases all the time, it’s no picnic trying to decide what stands out as the finest recording(s) of the year. But, as you’ve shown all year on this site, the No Depression community has remarkable taste.

A few weeks ago, we asked for your lists. You voted, we tallied. Below you’ll find your Top 50 Americana/roots/indie/alt/whatever albums of 2009. Click on the link next to each to purchase/download from Amazon. Those which have been reviewed on this site will also have a link to the review(s). Enjoy!

1. Buddy & Julie Miller – Written in Chalk
2. Avett Brothers – I and Love and You
3. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone
4. Tom Russell – Blood and Candle Smoke
5. Dave Alvin & the Guilty Women
6. Wilco – Wilco (the Album)
7. Justin Townes Earle – Midnight at the Movies
8. Chuck Prophet – Let Freedom Ring
9. Steve Earle – Townes
10. Guy Clark – Somedays the Song Writes You
11. Slaid Cleaves – Everything You Love Will Be Taken Away
12. Sam Baker – Cotton
13. Son Volt – American Central Dust
14. Eilen Jewell – Sea of Tears
15. Rosanne Cash – The List
16. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit – Self-titled
17. Levon Helm – Electric Dirt
18. Dave Rawlings Machine – A Friend of a Friend
19. John Doe & the Sadies – Country Club
20. Drive-By Truckers – The Fine Print
21. Joe Henry – Blood From Stars
22. Gurf Morlix – Last Exit to Happyland
23. Magnolia Electric Co. – Josephine
24. Kris Kristofferson – Closer to the Bone
25. Zoe Muth & the Lost High Rollers – Self-titled
26. Andrew Bird – Noble Beast
27. Willie Nelson & Asleep at the Wheel – Willie & the Wheel
28. Deer Tick – Born on Flag Day
29. Drivin’ and Cryin’ – Great American Bubble Factory
30. Gary Louris and Mark Olson – Ready for the Flood
31. Booker T. & the Drive-By Truckers – Potato Hole
32. Lyle Lovett – Natural Forces
33. Richmond Fontaine – We Used to Think the Freeway Sounded Like a River
34. Alela Diane – To Be Still
35. Carolyn Mark & NQ Arbuckle – Let’s Just Stay Here
36. Israel Nash Gripka – New York Town
37. Loudon Wainwright III – High, Wide and Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project
38. Todd Snider – The Excitement Plan
39. Wayne Hancock – Viper of Melody
40. Cracker – Sunrise in the Land of Milk and Honey
41. Lucero – 1372 Overton Park
42. Monsters of Folk – Self-titled
43. Caroline Herring – Golden Apples of the Sun
44. John Fogerty – The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again
45. Radney Foster & the Confessions – Revival
46. Handome Family – Honey Moon
47. Amanda Shires – West Cross Timbers
48. Built to Spill – There Is No Enemy
49. The Gourds – Haymaker
50. A.A. Bondy – When the Devil’s Loose

Thanks to everyone who voted! We’ll be posting the Best of the Decade list next week. Stay tuned for that.

Go to the article here.