Written By: Scott Tomford, Dell Frost, Brittany Flynn, Spencer Owen, Zoë Gholson, Theresa Rife, Dale, Anna, and FluxCapacitor

Edited By: Brittany Flynn and Andrew Phillips

Print is dead and indie isn't everything, so why should Pazz and Pitchfork rule the roost? This year, we polled the 800 music bloggers in our MMN network and siphoned the numbers into our magic tabulation machine (aka our most enthusiastic intern). The result? MOG is proud to present the inaugural edition of Blogosphere's Best, our newly minted MMN Year-End Album Poll. You won't get a more complete and representative guide to what actual tastemakers are on about... unless you abduct our intern.

READ OUR PICKS FOR THE TOP 50-26 OF 2009.

25. Moderat - Moderat
Staying true to their German origin, Moderat invokes synth-driven Krautrock moods, coupling the sound with Bauhaus aesthetics. Featuring the seasoned IDM and techno experimenters from Modeselektor and Apparat, this, their second release, invokes a wider range of influences and inclinations. Despite the seemingly genre-locked appearance, the electro pioneers manage a little something for everyone, with widely differing dance beats that converge into a single, determined aesthetic. (TR)

24. James Rabbit - Perfect Waves
Achieving a perfect balance between bedroom virtuosity and unconditional love for community, James Rabbit's third full album traverses the innermost affections of a stubbornly optimistic generation. Bolstered by well-timed structures, melodramatic narratives, precision-oriented production, and a sound that mixes synthpop, new wave, jazz, and an unmistakable punk spirit, it's perhaps buzzing at the lowest voltage of all the albums to burn its way onto the Moggers' radar. (TR)

23. The Horrors - Primary Colours
When Primary Colours lead single "Sea Within A Sea" was released, it was difficult to not wonder: what's a band that's used garage-punk stylings to such great effect doing with a song that owes more to Neu and Can than Lux Interior? While the album confirms the Horrors' complete makeover as an atmospheric rock band, it also maintains the most compelling facets of their previous incarnation. The tasteful sounds of vintage organ and Faris Badwanone, one of the most compelling frontmen around, are both out in full force. (D)

22. The Antlers - Hospice
Meshing complex instrumentation with piano pummels, electronic atmospherics, string-y falsetto, and huge, ecstatic swells, Hospice is infinitely more than its aesthetics imply. A living, breathing journal of pain and sacrifice, the album chronicles the emotional tumult of a hospital staffer pining for a patient and the aftermath of the unlucky affair. While its pursuit is a bit esoteric, the album's atmospheres and mood are so carefully honed and all-encompassing that even the wary listener can become ensconced, finding it hard to emotionally separate from the song's speaker. While its a harrowing experience, there's enormous virtue to any album that leaves the listener so genuinely wracked and ruined. (AP)

21. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Up From Below
Unabashedly personal and refreshingly uncontemporary, the 10-member Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros' debut album, Up from Below, is giddy and triumphant, rife with lush, foot-tapping tunes about love, magic, and spiritual redemption. Co-ed chorus background vocals/whistles and a wild Jesus Christ Superstar aesthetic may tempt some to relegate this to a flower-child revival paradigm, but stirring songs like "40 Day Dream," "Home," and "Kisses over Babylon" are expertly composed gems. The thoughtful arrangements -- often featuring synthesizer, piano, horns, bells, and accordion -- yield a welcome, self-reflexive sound to ease the ears of the un-jaded. (ZG)

20. La Roux - La Roux
She might look like the lovechild of Tilda Swinton and Frosty the Snowman, but there's nothing glacial about Elly Jackson's vocals. Her emotive singing on La Roux's debut album is mini-operatic; making each tune a danceable dying swan act. The bouncy ring-tone production might be geared towards cell phone-obsessed teens, but Jackson's self-penned lyrics are often wise beyond her years. On "In For The Kill," she muses, "They say we can love who we trust/but what is love without lust?" Smart, heartfelt pop was thin on the ground in '09. La Roux kept the flame alive. (F)

19. Fever Ray - Fever Ray
Fever Ray's debut isn't an album; it's a ceremony. Dark and eerie, its intense melodies wrap mischievously around the transcendent vocals of an elf. On repeat plays, listeners often find themselves lost in subtle layers of newly discovered sounds, all vaguely familiar, but utterly implacable. There is a pulsating mystery throughout this album. It's one of those questions that never gets an answer, lending the album a neverending sense of mystery that only haunts more and more every time around. (A)

18. Jay-Z - The Blueprint 3
There was a good news/bad news situation when it comes to the third installment in Jay-Z's Blueprint series. On one hand, nothing but a classic could possibly live up to the original album. But, what it can do is make up for the colossal blunder that is The Blueprint 2. At the end of the day, Jay has no doubts about his place in the universe, "I'm in the hall already, on the wall already, I'm a work of art, I'm a Warhol already." Perhaps it's that belief that makes this album a stunner on its own terms. (DF)

17. Metric - Fantasies
Metric's fuzzed-up pop songs dive into influences like Blondie without remorse. Emily Haines' breezy vocals are the perfect accoutrement to the occasionally eerie aspects of the band's 2009 album. On more pop/rock-driven tracks like "Help I'm Alive," the singer sounds sugary smooth. While Metric may have some gems within their discography, it has been rare that they've remained so solid and artistically impressive throughout an entire album. Chaos meets stuck-in-your-head melodies, positioning the more mature Metric as a band ready to take over the airwaves. (BF)

16. A Place to Bury Strangers - Exploding Head
Exploding Head delivers on the promise of APTBS' debut, ratcheting up the teeth-rattling feedback while, for the first time, bringing the band's unique sounds into the framework of honest-to-goodness songs. The band even has a -- gasp -- POP SONG on its hands with current single "Keep Slipping Away." Sure, Oliver Ackermann is noise-rock's leading mad scientist, so he can't help but deck the album in a bevy of new guitar sounds from his custom effects pedal line. But that's not a bad thing: his wild machinations illuminate rather than intrude. (D)

15. Passion Pit - Manners
Still new to the scene, indie-pop band Passion Pit manage just the right blend of happy electro melodies and derisively melancholy lyrics. Much like the Postal Service, their acclaim has been built on unexpected tie-ins: you might recognize their sweet sound from radio play, dancing at the closest hipster club, or the Palm Pixi commercial. But unlike Gibbard's abandoned side project, the folks in Passion Pit are seeking to make a career out of the project (rather than abandon it). And they just might have enough layers of electronic texture, cleanly structured songs, and oh-so-catchy hooks to pull it off. (TR)

14. Little Boots - Hands
In a year where the mainstream went GaGa, the thinking-man's electro starlet was a diminutive siren from the North of England. Pitching herself somewhere between Kylie Minogue and Kate Bush, Victoria Hesketh pulled in some of the best collaborators and producers in the business -- from Hot Chip to Human League -- to craft a record that seemed to straddle time and genres. Drawing on everything from Sylvia Plath to Donna Summer, this was dancefloor-filling pop with a knowing edge. Standout single "Remedy" will be a club classic for years to come. (J)

13. The xx - xx
2009 was the year when your mom joined Facebook. Togetherness ruled OK. Incongruously, then, it was reserved Londoners The xx that best expressed our longing for connectivity in song. This softly spoken boy/girl crew might have dressed in regulation art-school black, but there was nothing standard about their intertwined harmonies and sensuous strings. When your mom eventually PMs you about the album, direct her to stand-out tracks "Islands" and "Crystalised." But, for God's sake, don't listen along with her. That much togetherness would just be weird. (F)

12. Florence and the Machine - Lungs
Indie-soul-pop songstress Florence Welch makes it all look effortless and easy. Maybe it is. At least for someone like Florence, whose voice can raise the dead, instigate a riot, and caress your hair (though not necessarily in that order). Add quirky song structures, theatrical storytelling, and enough passion to kick up a storm, and you're only half way there. Chants, harps, and xylophones lift her pop to another level entirely. It must be grand to be able to see the world through Florence's eyes. Of course, seeing the world through her voice will more than do. (A)

11. Kid Cudi - Man on the Moon: The End of Day
The buzz surrounding Kanye West's Cleveland protege reached a fever pitch over the early spring and summer of '09. Baking on the success of monster mixtape track "Make Her Say (Poke Her Face)," Cudi did a remarkable job with Man On The Moon, carving out an approachably spacey niche that's utterly distinct in contemporary hip-hop. In a genre often accused of falling into cliched territory, the new kid on the block signals a welcome return to the early age of innovation. (DF)

10. Neko Case - Middle Cyclone
After almost a decade of shameful inattention, mainstream America has finally come around to Neko Case. It's enough to make one wonder why she was EVER counted out. Whether the cause was her indie affiliations (and the inherent elitist implications) or her kooky on-stage antics, the ultimate irony is that Middle Cyclone's strength is in its unflinching adherence to what Case has always done well. Recalling classic crooners like Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn, the singer taps the sass of old-country superstars, adding edge to a genre that's long-since gone squeaky clean. The fact that her tunes are as honky-tonk friendly as they are perfectly tailored to rock radio is in itself an achievement. However it happened, the implications are clear: this is one red-headed stranger that we won't let wander ever again. (AP)

9. Bat For Lashes - Two Suns
Expanding on the eerie fairytale theatrics of "What's a Girl to Do?" Natasha Khan creates the type of fantastical beauty usually reserved for mythical forests. "Glass" leads off the album with the feeling that compelling magical forces are on hand. Khan's voice soars to the high notes over an unexpected blend of musical genres. It's easy to fall under the hypnotic spell: her voice is charming and alluring across a wide range of instrumentation (do you hear chamber music?) as she seductively sings of love. The feeling resonates clearly on thundering drum tracks and quiet piano ballads like "Moon and Moon," or more pop-leaning songs like "Daniel." Sure, she's always seemed a little out there, but with Two Suns, Natasha Khan has delved further into the brush than even the freakiest of folk. (BF)

8. Lady Gaga - The Fame
You'd be hard pressed to find many artists who captured the attention of the American public in 2009 as often as Lady GaGa. All of the unique theatrics that we associate with GaGa would be absolutely nothing if she weren't fueled by an incredible pop masterpiece like The Fame. Although technically released in 2008, The Fame had such serious legs that its carried her throughout 2009. So unlike the Grammys, which recently disqualified Lady Gaga from "Best New Artist" eligibility, MOG is giving props where props are due. Whether it came in the form of a hilarious tv recital from Christopher Walken, or a remix from Kid Cudi, it was virtually impossible to ignore the "Poker Face" phenomenon this year. November spawned the launch of a re-release-turned-new-album The Fame Monster. Don't worry GaGa: we'll keep another year-end spot open. (DF)

7. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
In the wake of break-up song bonanza Show Your Bones, It's Blitz! marks a return to the feistier side of Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The group's decision to trade guitars for keyboards and synths injects the necessary dose of energy back into the band. "Zero" is a perfect representation of what the album holds: Karen O compliments her trademark vulnerability with urgency and frenzied yearning. The band disco their way around the dancefloor with "Dragon Queen," enticing a sultry slow-grind. Harkening back to the delicate "Maps" side of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, "Skeletons" is an initially fragile track that builds into a marching band-type of snare rhythm. Of course, they wait until the closing song, "Little Shadow," to pull out the organ and gently enrapture you in a sparkling blanket of bittersweet bliss. (BF)

6. Pains Of Being Pure At Heart - Pains Of Being Pure At Heart
On their Darklands-worshiping debut, indie mopers the Pains of Being pure at Heart masterfully toss the affected, emotive whisper of the Smiths against the synthed-up fuzz of Jesus and Mary Chain. Not bad for a fledgling group of UK-wannabes based out of Brooklyn. While the group's ambitions are clearly through the roof, their sound is rather subtle, forgoing the whip-snap and crackle of many of their influences. In its place they intensify the more subtle moments of bands like Galaxie 500 and Spacemen 3 into a series of toe-tapping tunes. Shorn of reference-heavy recommendation, the upshot is that the band manages to subvert some of underground seediest sounds, creating an entirely new, infinitely more accessible animal. (AP)

5. Camera Obscura - My Maudlin Career
On their fourth album, Scottish tweesters Camera Obscura up the girl-group quotient with heavy strings and enough horn lines to rock the Enchantment Under the Sea dance something serious. Tracyanne Campbell's croon is as dainty as it is dangerous, leveling tales of heartbreak with enough sass to mask a depth of underlying sadness. The band has always been likable, but with Maudlin they step out of Belle and Sebastian's shadow, augmenting the twee ruminations of their male-fronted cousins with a distinct pluck and drive. It's almost as if their straight-faced, monotone meanderings were suddenly infused a certain measure of soul. That's not to say, the band spends much time in the Stax, simply that, with Maudlin, they've cracked the code and are now capable of ingenuously parsing the saccharine with the sentimental. (AP)

4. Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
Sure, you could see it in flashes on their first two albums, but most Grizzly Bear fans didn't think they were truly capable of this. After spending a good chunk of the decade making woozy, haunting melodies, Grizzly Bear finally added some actual "pop" to their chamber-pop. It's not like they've suddenly gone Billboard on us, though: while adding new listener-friendly elements to their bag of tricks, songs like opener "Southern Point" and "Cheerleader" prove that the band's eerie atmosphere remains intact. And yes, there's the elephant in the room. It becomes clear that standout single "Two Weeks" is something special the second its earworm piano riff kicks in, proving that one of the decade's eeriest bands could take over the world if they actually felt like it. (ST)

3. The Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca
Dave Longstreth is a rook. He has lurked in the background for years, an art-damaged fortress, impenetrable to some, impressive to others. Come 2009: Longstreth has jumped the line of pawns. With Zeppelin-like heft and the unbearable lightness of R&B, the Dirty Projectors are checking kings and dropping fools. They have shown us that a "Temecula Sunrise" glows powerfully, with humility and grace and guitar solos. They have taught us, in an act of hubris worthy of Beyonce (and covered by Solange), that "Stillness in the Move." They have architected, for us, a "Remade Horizon" of confident African jitters and impressionist choral niceness. Longstreth and his wrecking crew are real and ascending. (SO)

2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
If there's a more delightfully head-scratching success than Merriweather Post Pavilion, we'd be hard-pressed to find it. After spending years at the forefront of indie's avant-garde, Animal Collective suddenly found themselves embracing accessibility... or at least becoming as accessible as their aesthetic allows. While Animal Collective have certainly had an influence on rock over the last eight years, MPP positions the band as one of the genre's ultimate tastemakers. With a heavy influence from the Beach Boys' more experimental records and a dash of the anthemic on songs like "My Girls," an always-challenging band found themselves gaining widespread acceptance from music fans who'd long ago dismissed them. Here's betting no one ever counts them out again. (ST)

1. Phoenix - Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
No, Hall & Oates aren't exactly hip, but people are still drawn to their lounge-y good-time vibe. Tapping the same vein (if not the aesthetic), French power-rockers Phoenix temper synthy '80s rock with enough cocky cool to ease a sweet tooth's ache. Their most cohesive and catchy effort, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix blasts bright, major-chord jangles against fiery power-pop riffs, sprinkling enough magic keyboard dust to lay out an elephant. With heavy beats and even heavier hooks, tunes like "1901" are tailor-made for sweaty summer nights. No, the band doesn't have as many nerdly influences as runner up Animal Collective (or the ability to bend ten billion knobs to their will), but in the end, programming isn't everything. Sure, AC's blind innovation is impressive, but no one but Phoenix could get such original results by repaving a well-worn road. (AP)

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