This article summarizes events related to rock music for the year of 2009.
Notable events
January
Shinedown's single "Second Chance", in a run that starts late December 2008, tops the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. The song finds crossover success as well, peaking at number 7 on the US Billboard all-format Hot 100 chart, the band's highest to date. The song later goes triple platinum in the US as well. Nickelback's sixth studio album, Dark Horse, released in November 2008, stays in the top 5 of the US all-format Billboard 200 chart for the entire month of January. Scottish band Franz Ferdinand releases their third studio album, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand. It debuts in the top 10 of fourteen separate countries all-format album charts in its first week of release, including hitting number 2 on the UK album chart. The Offspring single "You're Gonna Go Far, Kid" finds cross-over success, peaking at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The band would not have any songs break on the chart in the decade following.
February
The Fray releases their second studio album, The Fray. It tops the Billboard 200 chart, selling 179,000 copies in its opening week. The album holds on to the fourth places slot in its second week, and even rises to the third place spot in its third week. Coldplay's 2008 album, Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends receives a 271% increase in sales after the album wins three Grammy Awards, making it the eihthy best selling album of the week, selling another 31,000 copies. Plant and Krauss (featuring Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin and folk rock musician Alison Krauss) receives a 715% increase in sales after it wins the Grammy Award for Album of the Year". Nickelback's Dark Horse album, after being bumped out of the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for a week for the first time of the year due to the bump in sales from Grammy Award winners, again returns to the top 10 for multiple weeks. Lamb of God releases their sixth studio album, Wrath. It debuts at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart, a career best for the band, selling 68,000 copies in its opening week. Framing Hanley's rock cover of "Lollipop" breaks onto the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at 86. It would be the band's only song to ever appear on the chart.
March
Irish rock band U2 releases their twelfth studio album, No Line on the Horizon. It tops the album charts of over 20 countries, including the US, where it debuted atop of the Billboard 200 chart, selling 484,000 copies in its first week. It is the band's seventh album to top the chart at the time, and one of the highest debuts of the year. It goes on to be the eighteenth best selling album of 2009 in the US. Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave) releases his third and final solo album, Scream. The album is controversial in its direction, with Cornell opting to collaborate with Timbaland to create a more electronic sound. The album debuts at number 10 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 26,000 copies in its opening week. New Found Glory releases their sixth studio album, Not Without a Fight. It is their first on an independent record label, and tops Billboard'''s indie album chart. It places at number 12 overall on the Billboard 200 chart, moving 23,000 copies.
April
Silversun Pickups release their second studio album, Swoon. It debuts at number 7 on the Billboard 200, selling 43,000 copies, both selling and charting higher than their debut album. The Tragically Hip release their eleventh studio album, We Are the Same. It tops the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart upon its release week. It is their eighth album to top the Canadian albums chart. Depeche Mode releases their twelfth studio album, Sounds of the Universe. It debuts at number 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 80,000 copies. It is their highest charting album since 1993, even though their prior four album had all sold more. Papa Roach's single "Lifeline" tops the Billboard Mainstream Rock songs chart, and stays there for six consecutive weeks.