Welcome to the Thursday Tunes! Each week, I will showcase music, whether new or old. Hopefully you will find something that interests you here!

For all of December, I’m going to do “Best of 2009” posts.  This week, it’s five albums that I anticipated the most in 2009.  These aren’t necessarily the top 5, but they are albums that I would also put on a “Best Albums of 2009” list.

1. She Wolf - Shakira

I’ve previously discussed my love for Shakira in Thursday Tunes, but if you missed it, here’s my history with her:  I was first introduced to her music in Spanish class in high school – she didn’t used to sing in English back then.  Her music is actually how I learned proper Spanish pronunciation!

Though I don’t love her English music as much as her Spanish, she still is one of my favorite singers.  I’ve been eagerly anticipating this CD, and though I was disappointed there wasn’t a full Spanish CD release, it’s still a great album!

2. Waking Up – OneRepublic

I absolutely loved OneRepublic’s first album, which I covered in Thursday Tunes previously, so I was very excited for their sophomore effort.

3. The Fall – Norah Jones

I was excited to hear that Norah had added a bit of a pop twist to her jazz music.  I couldn’t wait for this CD.

4. The Fray – The Fray

I absolutely loved The Fray’s first album, so I couldn’t wait for their second.  I have to admit, while the music is good, I was a bit disappointed by the CD as a whole.  On its own, it would have been great, but compared to their first record, it didn’t quite measure up.  Still, it’s definitely a good CD.

5. Crazy Love – Michael Buble

You really can’t go wrong with Michael Buble.  I haven’t listened to this CD enough to be able to tell whether I absolutely love it or just like it, but I really adore Michael Buble and all of his music.  He’s a must-buy for me.