This is the odds and ends best of list. Categories, if you will. Click to read more.

Best compilation: Dark Was the Night. A two-disc charity compilation that features some of the biggest names in independent music (see Bon Iver, The National, Yeasayer, Arcade Fire, Antony, Yo La Tengo, and more), and some interesting pairings (see David Byrne + Dirty Projectors, Grizzly Bear + Feist, Conor Oberst + Gillian Welch)

Best Ukulele record: Dent May’s The Good Feeling Music of Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele.

Best guilty pleasure record: Lily Allen’s It’s Not Me, It’s You. I’m definitely not her target audience.

Best comeback record: Dinosaur Jr.’s Farm. Technically, this ain’t the comeback record. The 2007 release, Beyond, was. But I didn’t care for that. Nor do I believe it did this legendary band justice. Farm, on the other hand, does that and more. Unlike Beyond, Farm is a Dinosaur Jr. record. Don’t call it a comeback; they’ve been here for years.

Best exploitation of children: Karen O and the Kids SDTRK to “Where the Wild Things Are”:

I don’t know why, but I’m a sucker for some kitschy recording tactics, including handclaps, group choruses and singing children. Done poorly and these elements come off as novelties, but when executed well, you wind up with a fun, seamless record, like this one.

Best live performance of a record: The Swell Season’s Strict Joy and Andrew Bird’s Noble Beast

Best sing along record of 2009: The Avett Brothers, I and Love and You

Best record I really wanted to like to keep some indie cred, but actually hated: Yim Yames’ Tribute To. I love George Harrison. I like Jim James’ work with My Morning Jacket. Combined? No thanks.

Best fiscal year for an artist or group that’s long been broken up: The Beatles. 2009 may prove to be one of the biggest years for the Beatles since their 1970 breakup. In September, the Beatles’ digitally remastered catalog was released for the first time in history and record stores around the world reported fans lining up to eagerly spend the $300 or so. Previously, the Beatles collection was transferred to compact disc rather sloppily in 1987 with no attempt at remastering or remixing. Now, fans have the opportunity to choose from a digitally remastered stereo collection, or a limited edition digitially remastered mono mix collection, which sounds closest to what the Beatles had originally intended. And to add to the moneymaking, September also saw the release of the video game, “The Beatles: Rock Band.” Amazingly, the Beatles: Rock Band includes usage rights for 45 different songs from the Fab Four. And those rights weren’t cheap—the LA Times reported that game producer, MTV Games, paid $10 million up front in licensing, and the Beatles and other rights holders stand to earn an additional $40 million in royalties.

Best local release: There were some great local releases this year (see: Joshua James’ Build Me This, Libbie Linton’s Bird Wings in the Bleak, Tolchock Trio’s Abalone Skeletone, and the S/T Desert Noises EP), but musically speaking, Fictionist takes the cake. Formerly known as Good Morning Maxfield, the band released its first record under the new name this year. It’s called Invisible Hands and it’s damned good. Truthfully, it’s not the local release I turned to most often this year, but it always seemed to be the one I was most impressed by.