Let's be frank, music in 2008 wasn't up to par.

Music, on the mainstream scale, is suffering, while pockets of cities are producing tremendously talented, ambitious, prolific and inventive acts that are playing small circuits in support of their music. And unfortunately, those bands worth mentioning were nothing but mere obscurities on your playlist that made your friends think you were super-chic with a real ear for sound or a pretentious snob (you're always the latter).

Still, those bands silently productive in 2008 (sleepers, if you will) are the ones we're terribly excited about - Lenka, An Horse, Kiernan McMullan and The Drama Club. We're also jazzed about some mightly talented locals that have been pumping through out musical blood, like Dark Horse and the Carousels, Haley, Love City, and Leah Smith. That's why they all made into Origivation's Most Anticipated of 2009 issue.

We firmly believe that this new year is going to be the year for these artists - the year when everyone and anyone takes more notice of what they have to offer our deprived ears. And we'll support them all the way.