Podcast Summary

Podcast: All Songs Considered
Host: Robin Hilton (with Stephen Thompson)
Episode: Our No. 1 songs: 2009
Date: September 15, 2025

Overview

This episode of All Songs Considered dives deep into the musical landscape of 2009 as part of the show’s ongoing retrospective series, marking 25 years of music highlights. Host Robin Hilton and co-host Stephen Thompson revisit what they consider to be their most meaningful (and telling) songs from 2009, sharing personal memories, reflecting on the trends and shifts in indie and alternative music of that era, and championing records that shaped their musical perspectives.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Personal Context: The Vibes of 2009

• Economic Hardship and Personal Struggles:
  Both hosts remember 2009 as a difficult period—economically (following the Great Recession) and personally:

  • “I was totally underwater in my house, and I had to sell it.” – Robin Hilton (01:38)
  • “I got divorced in 2010, and so I think of 2009 as, like, we are in the best economy since 1928.” – Stephen Thompson (01:22)

• Music as Comfort and Reflection:
  The tone for 2009 is set as a year where music provided much-needed emotional resonance and escape.

The Songs that Defined 2009

1. Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – "Home"

[02:13-03:29]

• Selection & Significance:
  Stephen’s pick, "Home," epitomized the era’s embrace of communal, earnest folk-pop. The song’s omnipresence and raw exuberance made it an anthem, even as it has faced backlash in more recent years:

  • “It maybe hasn’t aged as well as we thought it might...But I think it’s kind of an easy target because...this song is just so earnest.” – Robin Hilton (03:29)
  • “You played the part of the song where it’s like, holy moly, me oh my. And I’m like, oh, this is so cloying. But at the same time, all of my resistances fall away. This is a very sweet song.” – Stephen Thompson (03:53)

• Trends Highlighted:
  They discuss the "stomp-clap band" phenomenon, with large bands populating stages and the economics of touring with so many players:

  • “There was a real arc to that... dictated in no small part by the punishing economics of touring with 27 people in your band or whatever.” – Robin Hilton (04:19)
  • “Just the economics of paying four drummers.” – Stephen Thompson (04:50)

2. The Antlers – "Kettering"

[05:49-06:42]

• Robin's Pick & Emotional Weight:
  "Kettering," from The Antlers’ album Hospice, is Robin’s standout for 2009—a devastating concept album focused on terminal illness and painful emotional truths. He highlights frontman Peter Silberman's affecting vocals and the album's draining, cathartic depths:
  • “It’s just a devastating album about this. A woman who’s dying of bone cancer...this album, it just wrecked me in all the best ways.” – Robin Hilton (06:57)
  • “It is all emotion. It’s very beautiful, but it is like it’s going for your tear ducts. It’s not messing around.” – Stephen Thompson (07:30)

3. Honorable Mentions and Other Notables from 2009

After the break, the hosts rattle off other favorites and underappreciated gems from the year:

• Noah and the Whale – The First Day of Spring:
  A heartbreak/concept album about a breakup, personally meaningful for Stephen (07:36-08:00).

  • “…that is a heartbreak record.” – Stephen Thompson (07:51)

• Thermals – "When We Were Alive"
  From the album Now We Can See; praised for their consistency and energy (12:05-12:28).

  • “Thermals had a string of…you could drop many different calendar years and find a great record by the Thermals.” – Stephen Thompson (12:23)

• Jason Lytle – "Ghost of My Old Dog"
  (12:58-14:07) A poignant solo song about memory and loss, highlighted by Robin as an example of great storytelling and emotional drift.

• Fever Ray – "If I Had a Heart"
  From Fever Ray’s self-titled debut; noted as their biggest hit and a key sound of the year (14:41-15:04).

• Sharon Van Etten – "I Wish I Knew"
  Her debut album’s opening track is cited by Robin as marking the start of an artist’s striking evolution (15:58-16:22):

  • “But the truth is I…mean what a journey she’s had. I mean her new album out this year…could not be more different.” – Robin Hilton (16:22)

• Fanfarlo – "I’m a Pilot"
  Another close pick for Robin, representing the era’s affection for "stomp and clap" indie-folk and big, budding indie orchestras (16:46-17:52).

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• "And listening back to it now, there is this element…this is so cloying. But at the same time, all of my resistances fall away. This is a very sweet song." – Stephen Thompson on “Home” (03:53)
• “This album, it just wrecked me in all the best ways.” – Robin Hilton on The Antlers’ Hospice (06:57)
• “When I kind of scan through what were my favorite…what was my favorite album of 2009, it was this record called the First Day of Spring by Noah and the Whale.” – Stephen Thompson (07:36)
• “Thermals had a string of…you could drop many different calendar years and find a great record by the Thermals.” – Stephen Thompson (12:23)
• “I mean, he’s just thinking about the dog that he had. I mean his girlfriend or partner, whoever, is like berating him and he’s just kind of drifting away just thinking about the dog that he loved and…has since died.” – Robin Hilton on Jason Lytle (14:07)

Song List with Timestamps

• Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros – "Home" (02:13-03:29)
• The Antlers – "Kettering" (05:49-06:42)
• Thermals – "When We Were Alive" (12:05-12:28)
• Jason Lytle – "Ghost of My Old Dog" (12:58-14:07)
• Fever Ray – "If I Had a Heart" (14:41-15:04)
• Sharon Van Etten – "I Wish I Knew" (15:58-16:22)
• Fanfarlo – "I’m a Pilot" (16:46-17:52)

Episode Tone and Chemistry

Robin and Stephen continue their trusted, conversational rapport—balancing personal anecdotes, playful banter, and earnest musical critique. They both revere and gently poke fun at the conventions and melodramas of the era, but their abiding love for music’s emotional power shines through.

Takeaway

This episode is a testament to 2009’s diverse musical tapestry—where earnest folk-pop anthems mixed with emotionally devastating indie-rock, and classic songwriting converged with emerging trends. The selections reveal the year’s spirit of emotional honesty, resilience, and communal experience, as well as deep introspection and heartbreak. Whether you lived through 2009 or are discovering these songs for the first time, there’s both nostalgia and new discovery in this lovingly curated tour.