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January 2010

Band of the Year: Kings of Leon

Six million albums sold. That inescapable song. The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? Kings of Leon will drink to that. And apparently many other things.

The 20 Best Songs of 2009

By Spin Staff

Hear music! Rock out to our essential mix tape, culled from the best cuts 2009 had to offer.

FREE ALBUM: 10 Artists to Watch in 2010

By Spin Staff

Snag our exclusive MP3 mix from these musicians poised to make big noise in the year to come.

Story of the Year: Health Care

By David Peisner

Boo, socialism! Boo, death panels! The most polarizing political issue of 2009, health care reform has angered and confused pretty much everyone. But perhaps no one is feeling the hurt more than struggling musicians.

Album Reviews

Galactic

Ya-Ka-May

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Big Easy house band boosts vocal legends.
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Massive Attack - Heligoland

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Trip-hop pioneers give doom a romantic tinge.
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Allison Moorer - Crows

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Well-connected crooner displays range, classiness.
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Pantha du Prince - Black Noise

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Ingenious beat maestro integrates Animal voices.
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Phantogram - Eyelid Movies

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Eerie duo auditions for next David Lynch flick.
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Cold War Kids - Behave Yourself

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Soulful testifying does not need a reading list.
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The Magnetic Fields - Realism

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Indie-pop librettist says don't grin, still bear it.
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Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New Here

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The revolution won't be on YouTube either.
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Hot Chip - One Life Stand

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Can their disco doctorates keep them warm at night?
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Midlake - The Courage of Others

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The Pentangle tribute you didn't know you needed.
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Priestess - Prior to the Fire

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Don't let what happened to Anvil happen to them.
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Salvador Santana - Keyboard City

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Slightly quirkier spin on family fusion biz.
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The Whitefield Brothers - Earthology

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MCs guide Afrobeat tour bus out of retro ditch.
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Spoon - Transference

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Seven albums in, indie-pop vets strip things down.
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