Here’s a random rundown of my favorite music releases during the first half of 2009, in no particular order (clearly):

What are your favorites?

– Asher Roth, “Asleep in the Bread Aisle”

– India Arie, “Testimony: Vol. 2, Love & Politics”

– U2, “No…

Rockers Snow Patrol

Snow Patrol, a real support act of note this summer and fall with dates opening for U2 and Coldplay, has its own thing going as well with a headlining tour begining Sept. 10 in St. Paul.

The band is…

"Now 30" cover art

A collection of slightly used pop songs was more than enough to top the Billboard 200 this week.

“Now 30″ fended off other debuts from the “Hannah Montana: The Movie” soundtrack, Keri Hilson, Papa Roach, Jim Jones, and…

Kelly Clarkson CD cover art

Kelly Clarkson is sitting atop the Billboard 200 for a second week after selling 90,000 copies of her “All I Ever Wanted” CD last week.

U2’s “No Line On the Horizon” was bumped up a notch to…

Kelly Clarkson CD cover art

U2’s reign at the top of the Billboard 200 proved to be short-lived. The classic band was replaced at No. 1 by Kelly Clarkson.

Clarkson’s new “All I Ever Wanted” debuted to 255,000 in sales, while U2…

U2

U2 handily tops the Billboard 200 this week, selling 484,000 copies of its new “No Line On the Horizon” CD.

While that number is well above the totals of the rest of the releases in the top ten combined, it’s no…

U2 on "Good Morning America" March 6, performing at Fordham University

The first U2 dates for the band’s U2 360 Tour are out, with Chicago making the cut with a Sept. 12 show that is the first U.S. date listed on…

U2

In anticipation of Tuesday’s release of U2’s new CD “No Line On the Horizon,” it seemed like a good time to stroll down the musical memory lane with the super group and the largely magnificent library U2 has given us…

U2 opens the 51st Annual Grammy Awards ceremony

Here’s how the 51st Annual Grammy Awards went down:

6:58 PM — I’m already exhausted by the whole thing. I watched the three-hour pre-telecast streamed live on the Grammys’ web site, and I fought…

U2's Bono performs at "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration" at Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 18 in Washington, DC/AP Photo

The upcoming Grammy ceremony just keeps getting bigger and better.

U2 has been added to the list of performers, along with…