As is the case every year, there were some trends in 2009's music releases. This is just a brief summary and not exhaustive, and should not substitute for the actual "best of" that might or might not be coming soon. Heed:

Released Their Best Album in 7-11 Years:

Pearl Jam - Backspacer
Dave Matthews Band - Big Whiskey & The Groo Grux King
Rancid - Let The Dominoes Fall
Dinosaur Jr. - Farm (even though 2007's Beyond was perfectly good)
Built to Spill - There Is No Enemy

Always Great, but On Upswing in 2009:

Wilco - Wilco: The Album
Muse - The Resistance
Norah Jones - The Fall
The Avett Brothers - I and Love and You
Lucero - 1372 Overton Park

Good, but Overrated:

Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavilion
Grizzly Bear - Veckatimest
The Flaming Lips - Embryonic
Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orce
The Low Anthem - Oh My God, Charlie Darwin

Somewhat Of A Let Down, But Still Solid:

The Swell Season - Strict Joy
Bruce Springsteen - Working On A Dream
Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown
U2 - No Line On The Horizon

Major Let Downs:

Franz Ferdinand - Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
Cursive - Mama, I'm Swollen
Brand New - Daisy
Poison The Well - The Tropic Rot

The Return of Good Metal:

Mastodon - Crack The Skye
Converge - Axe To Fall
Baroness - The Blue Album
Isis - The Wavering Radiant

Usually Prolific Bands with Nothing Conclusive to Show For 2009:
Okkervil River
My Morning Jacket
Ryan Adams
Radiohead
Iron & Wine