I listened to a lot of music this year. Like my wise friend Alan says, the way we listen to music has changed. It’s no longer about listening to your favourite tune over and over and over until you grow so tired of it you never want to hear it again. In this mp3-lovin’ workaday world, if an album holds your interest more than two weeks it’s something special.

Each of the following albums had quite an extensive rotation in my iTunes this year. For kicks, I’ve ranked them. Here they are:

10. Autolux, Future Perfect. A rocking good time.

9. Metric, Live It Out. I wasn’t sure about this album the first few times I listened to it. I really liked Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? (which I also heard for the first time this year), from the moment I heard it. This one took just a bit longer to find. 

8. Elbow, Leaders of the Free World. A late entry into my repertoire, it got me through the bleak days of November and the fricken freezing days of early December.

7. Bloc Party, Silent Alarm. I first heard these guys on <em>Veronica Mars</em> and knew I needed to hear more. I was not disappointed.

6. Mediaeval Baebes, Mirabilis. The latest CD from one of my favourite groups. So different than almost everything I listen to. I love that they’re starting to go more Celtic with their songs.

5. Aimee Mann, The Forgotten Arm. Another favourite singer. I didn’t love this at first, but it’s grown on me like mad.

4. Tori Amos, Beekeeper. I read about people who love Tori Amos, but among my circle, I know only one person who listens to her. And she’s definitely not as big a fan as me. I adore Tori Amos. In fact, she’s one of the only performers I’d give up my six-year moratorium on concerts to see. She rocks my world.

3. Imogen Heap, Speak for Yourself. Loved her in Frou Frou, loved her on Morning Becomes Eclectic. Love this album. Didn’t know she was famous until I tried to buy her album at HMV. Fucking Sony tried to poison me, but I still love her.

2. Brendan Benson, Alternative to Love. When I first heard Benson, I thought he was British (damned .uk website!). Imagine how shocked I was to dosciver that he and Jack White are pals! I have never listened to a White Stripes album, and I probably never will, but Benson has it going on. Not that those two things are related.

1. Sufjan Stevens, Illinoise. This dude is totally and utterly amazing. Just fantastic. His stuff is definitely desert island stuff; so layered, yet so soft and sweet. I can’t wait until he does Colorado, the only state I know anything about. Will there be a JonBenet Ramsey song in there? An ode to Coors? Awesome!

Honourable mentions to three albums that made me like these bands. While everyone else was loving these guys, I was all, “Whatevs, bitches. I gots me some Tori to keep me warm at night.” So I was surprised and delighted when these three albums made it into heavy rotation this year.

• Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
• Coldplay, X&Y
• Beck, Guero

Several albums I discovered this year actually came out before 2005. I wouldn’t feel right having them in my Top 10, but some of these albums spent more time on my iTunes than the albums that made the list, so they’re definitely worth mentioning.

• The Killers, Hot Fuss (2004)
• Blonde Redhead, Misery is a Butterfly (2004)
• Stars, Set Yourself on Fire (2004)
• PJ Harvey, Uh Huh Her (2004)
• The Delays, Faded Seaside Glamour (2004)
• Girls in Hawaii, Here to There (2003!)