iTunes has announced the shortlists for its Best Song and Best Album of 2009 competition.
Compiled from the 20 top-selling songs and albums from the online store this year, the likes of Lily Allen, Kasabian, Kings Of Leon and The Prodigy all feature in the lists.
iTunes is now asking fans to vote for their favourites throughout November, with the winners being announced in early December.
Speaking to NME.COM about the competition, Oliver Schusser, Director of iTunes Europe said he had no idea how iTunes customers would vote.
“We think it’s pretty cool, and we think our customers will love it,” Schusser said. “Obviously, Lady Gaga‘s ‘Just Dance’ and ‘Pokerface’ were massive, massive hits – really defining of 2009 – but the interesting thing is they’re quite a few months old now, so it’ll be interesting to see how people compare that song to ‘Beat Again’ (JLS) or ‘Bad Boys’ (Alexandra Burke) or anything that’s a little bit more recent.”
Voting takes place via iTunes‘ Facebook page, and is open from now until 5pm (GMT) on December 1.
As well as the voting shortlists, Schusser also confirmed that iTunes‘ editors have picked their own shortlists for 2009’s best album and song. Although the public can’t vote in that shortlist, the winners will be made public at the same time as those in the public vote.
Speaking of the editors’ choices, Schusser said: “I really don’t know who will win. That’s one of the exciting things. We’ll be able to see in early December what people think is their song and album of the year, and at the same time we will announce what we as a team, from an editorial perspective, think is the song of the year.”
The iTunes editors’ choices for Best Album of 2009 are:
Empire Of The Sun – ‘Empire Of The Sun’
Florence & The Machine – ‘Lungs’
Kasabian – ‘West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum’
La Roux – ‘La Roux’
Major Lazer – ‘Guns Don’t Kill People, Lazers Do’
Paolo Nutini – ‘Sunny Side Up”
The Horrors – ‘Primary Colours’
The Invisible – ‘The Invisible’
The Temper Trap – ‘Conditions’
The xx – ‘The xx’
The iTunes editors’ Best Song of 2009 shortlist is:
Animal Collective – ‘My Girls’
Biffy Clyro – ‘That Golden Rule’
Black Eyed Peas – ‘Boom Boom Pow’
Dizzee Rascal – ‘Bonkers’
Gossip – ‘Heavy Cross (Fred Falke Remix)’
Jack Penate – ‘Tonight’s Today’
Jay-Z feat. Alicia Keys – ‘Empire State Of Mind’
Kings Of Leon – ‘Use Somebody’
La Roux – ‘In For The Kill’
Phoenix – ‘1901’