2009
in MusicAlbums
14
Artists
24
Milestones
34
Notable Releases
Empire State of Mind
Alicia KeysGuest appearance on Jay-Z's song, became her fourth number-one hit in the US
My Christmas
Andrea BocelliBocelli's first holiday album produced by David Foster that became the best-selling holiday album of 2009 and one of the best-selling holiday albums in the United States.
Party in the U.S.A.
Miley CyrusBest-seller certified 14-times platinum in the US; considered one of Cyrus's signature songs
My Life Would Suck Without You
Kelly ClarksonFirst single from All I Ever Wanted that broke Britney Spears' record for biggest jump to number one, entering at number 97 and reaching number one the following week.
Play On
Carrie UnderwoodThird album establishing her as only woman with eleven consecutive top-two singles and first since 1980s with ten number-ones at country radio; certified 3× Platinum
Funk This
Chaka KhanProduced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, career comeback album featuring 'Angel' and Mary J. Blige duet 'Disrespectful,' winning Grammy for Best R&B Album.
Echo
Leona LewisSecond studio album demonstrating artistic growth and continued commercial success
The Fame Monster
Lady GagaA reissue/EP of The Fame featuring eight new songs that became the second best-selling album of 2010. Included the chart-topping single 'Bad Romance' and established her as a cultural phenomenon.
Bad Romance
Lady GagaA chart-topping single from The Fame Monster that became one of her most iconic songs. The music video became the most watched on YouTube in April 2010 and was later ranked among Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Significant Milestones
Empire State of Mind
Grammy WinFeatured on Jay-Z's song which became her fourth number-one hit in the US and won Grammy Awards
Discovery by Scooter Braun
AchievementScooter Braun accidentally discovered Bieber's YouTube video covering Ne-Yo's 'So Sick' and tracked him down, leading to his professional music career launch. This marked the beginning of Bieber's journey from YouTube sensation to global superstar.
My World EP Release
DebutRelease of his debut extended play 'My World' on November 17, 2009, which was met with international recognition and established him as a teen idol. Bieber became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut album chart on the Billboard Hot 100.
BeBe & CeCe reunion
CollaborationReleased reunion album "Still" with her brother BeBe, featuring collaborations with Marvin Winans and contemporary gospel duo Mary Mary.
Billboard's Top Gospel Artist of the Decade
AchievementNamed by Billboard as the No. 1 gospel artist of the decade, driven by sales of *Mountain High... Valley Low.*
MTV VMAs Incident
AwardInterrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at MTV Video Music Awards, resulting in widespread criticism and apology.
International Success
Grammy WinWon Grammy Awards for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at 51st Annual Grammy Awards. Album 19 sold 2.2 million copies worldwide by July 2009.
Television Series Launch
AchievementLaunched his television series 'Perfecting Your Faith' on cable television, expanding his ministry beyond music.
Grammy Award Win and ACM Artist of the Decade
Grammy WinWon his first and only Grammy Award for Best Country Album with 'Troubadour' and was honored by the Academy of Country Music as Artist of the Decade, reflecting his massive influence throughout the 2000s.
Youngest Artist with Four Number-One Albums
AchievementAt age 16, became the youngest artist in history to have four number-one albums on the Billboard 200 chart with Hannah Montana: The Movie soundtrack
Play On Album and Record Achievements
DebutPlay On becomes the top-selling album of 2009 by a female artist. Underwood becomes the only woman in history to have eleven consecutive top-two singles and the first since the 1980s to accumulate ten number-ones at country radio.
