Stripped down, egoless punk rock that makes you want to dance, 2006 was the year of the Arctic Monkeys. The sheer simplicity and purity of their debut album won them the Mercury prize and, on the back of MySpace, a seat at rock's top table. If you had to buy one CD of new music out of Britain this year, this is it.

Cerys Matthews Never Said Goodbye Rough Trade (45m 21s) . . . .

Another survivor of Britpop, the former frontwoman of Catatonia's second solo album eschewed the (often brilliant) country leanings of 2003's Cockahoop and focused on the things she does better than most:

setting beguiling melodies to sometimes grand, sometimes simple, arrangements. Tests the boundaries of singing in tune though.

Duke Special Songs From The Deep Forest V2 (42m 59s) . . . .

Long considered an emerging talent, Belfast's most idiosyncratic crustie went a bit mainstream on us for his debut album but ended up crafting a masterpiece of sugar-coated piano power-balladry. The songs are too lovely, the Belfast accent beguilingly way up in the mix. In short, this is one for the ladies that the gents won't mind listening to.

Nouvelle Vague Bande ء Part Peacefrog (51m 07s) . . . .

The follow-up to 2004's hugely successful eponymous album of post-punk covers, French pair Marc Collin and Olivier Libaux plumped for some of the darker (and more bizarre) tunes of the '80s - from Billy Idol and Yazoo to Echo & The Bunnymen and Bauhaus. A nice twist on nostalgia for the thirty- to fortysomething music lover and perfect background music for Christmas dinner.

Yo La Tengo I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass Matador Records (77m 40s) . . . .

The husband-and-wife duo around which Yo La Tengo revolves showed everything that is charming about these New Jersey indie auteurs: garage workouts, groovy rythms, 1950s pop songs - all delivered with a childhood charm. As the title suggests, the nerds have had their revenge. If you've never heard of this band, all your Christmases have just come at once.

Bonnie 'Prince' Billy The Letting Go Domino Records (58m 17s) . . . .

I was sure this would be the album that finally saw Oldham be recognised as a genius the world over. It still hasn't happened despite this being a gem. The show-stealer is the vocal interplay between Oldham and Dawn McCarthy. The arrangements are spare but build to epic proportions. McCarthy sings like a lark and Oldham sounds reborn.

Johnny Cash American Recordings V: A Hundred Highways Island Def Jam (42m 46s) . . . . .

Intense and deeply moving, the fifth and final record in the American Recordings series was recorded by Rick Rubin immediately after the death of June Carter and just before Cash's own passing away. The result is a heartbreaking epitaph featuring two original songs, straddled by covers as diverse as Springsteen, Hank Williams and traditional numbers.

Bob Dylan Modern Times Columbia (62m 46s) . . . . .

Dylan's first album in five years saw him tease out some Delta blues with a lyrical playfulness that suggested an artist finally able to make music simply for the sake of it.

There is a joy too in his vocal restraint, but lurking under the traditional American music you sense there is a very modern despair. An old-time tragi-comedy then and no better man to tell it.

Scissor Sisters Ta-Dah Heffa (49m 41s) . . .

From the 'Oh What A Night' borrowings of 'I Don't Feel Like Dancing' to the funky trumpeting of 'Lights' or the lighter-in-the-air balladry of 'Land Of A Thousand Words' this wasn't a patch on the New Yorkers' self-titled debut, but there were hints of what they could do if they really believed in themselves. But even a below-par Scissor Sisters are worth a listen.

Peter Bjorn & John Writer's Block Wichita (45m 31s) . . .

The summer belonged to Lily Allen and this Swedish indie pop band whose 'Young Folks' single began to ingratiate after a well-known beer company took it on. In our office all it took was one person to start whistling it and by the end of the day it had made its way into everyone's brains. And I'm recommending this? Well, the rest of the album is quite good too.

The Frames The Cost Plateau (43m 54s) . . . .

Now living in the Czech Republic, Glen Hansard's band produced their sixth, and arguably best, record. So it doesn't really break any new ground and the quiet-loud-quiet formula is still evident but there is a sense of emotional purpose that arrests the listener, no matter the preconception. Absence does seem to make the heart grow fonder.

Fionn Regan The End Of History Heffa (49m 41s) . . . .

Bray's Fionn Regan caused a bit of a stir with this debut - one of the few I would recommend unreservedly. The guitar-playing would do Lindsay Buckingham proud while the lyrical dexterity is nothing short of genius. All written and produced by himself, Regan pays homage to his forefathers - and comes out standing tall.

The Killers Sam's Town Island Def Jam (47m 45s) . . . .

I must admit I couldn't stand this record when it was first released but after the hype died down I got reacquainted with it and now love it. Amid the din of Kate Bush/Duran Duran/U2 influences, there is something really honest about these songs and sonically they are a good fit. The lack of a smash-hit single only further endears the listener.

Muse Black Holes and Revelations Warner Music (52m 30s) . . . .

How mad is this album? Throw away the Radiohead/Queen comparisons, Muse finally became nutty parodies of themselves - and in the process made one of the albums of the year. From the slamdance-funk of 'Supermassive Black Hole' to the stupidity of 'Knights of Cydonia', this is one of those rare breeds - an album you love without really knowing why.

Fred Hersch In Amsterdam: Live at the Bimhuis Palmetto . . . . .

Fred Hersch is quietly on his way to becoming the Bill Evans of his generation. Not as showy as Brad Mehldau, nor as fiendishly difficult as Vijay Iyer, and not as precious as Keith Jarrett, Hersch has an honesty that is utterly persuasive. This live recording captures him on a solo tour of Europe playing standards, Monk and a few of his own tunes. And it's sublime. Cormac Larkin Beck The Information Universal (68m 01s) . . . .

With Beck teaming up with Nigel Godrich again it was natural to expect a more sombre lovelorn Mr Hansen. Instead, the result is more a blend of the pysch-folk ambience of the producer with the innate hip-hop leanings of the protagonist.

Ultimately, this is a dark, lush, often downbeat dance record that proves Scientology is good for the left side of the brain.

Regina Spektor Begin to Hope Warner Music (38m 42s) . . . .

This wacky Muscovite turned resident New Yorker produced the quirkiest little pop gem that employed some Strokes guitarist and a bunch of the unlikeliest vocal melodies. She sings about drug overdoses, reading the backs of cereal boxes and finding human teeth on Delancy Street. Well of course she does. Behind all the eccentricity is a huge talent though.

Joyce with Dori Caymmi Rio Bahia Far Out Records . . . . .

Brazilian singer-songwriter Joyce is close to a prefect musician - she writes sophisticated yet beguiling songs, plays the guitar like the accomplished jazz musician she is, and sings with a voice that is both angelic and worldly. Here she teams up with guitarist Dori Caymmi, and the result is a superb example of jazz from the most musical country in the world. CL The Cake Sale The Cake Sale Oxfam (34m 45s) . . . .

Irish rock royalty get together with and for Oxfam Ireland to produce eight cracking tunes and one dud (from the Thrills) in what is now a bona fide band. Neil Hannon, Josh Ritter, Gemma Hayes and Nina Persson are among the vocalists but it's Paul Noonan's (Bell X1) 'Some Surprise' (sung by Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody and Lisa Hannigan) that steals the show.

Belle & Sebastian The Life Pursuit Matador (43m 21s) . . . .

Scotland's finest indie auters finally left the bedsit and began to embrace the big bad world. In other words, their seventh album embraced soul, funk and glam in what became one the most unlikely pop successes of the year. As Stuart Murdoch's lyrics veered towards cheesy couplet territory you also heard a man sing about his struggles with faith. Amazing.

Carolyn Sampson/King's Consort/Robert King Mozart: Exultate Jubilate Hyperion A 67560 . . . . .

It's definitely a good year to give a gift of Mozart and if you don't go for the clarinet trios on Naïve, go for this celestial offering from one of Britain's finest sopranos and orchestras. In company with a few miniature treasures are the K108 and K127 Regina Coeli and the much loved Exultate Jubilate.

Karen Dervan The Beatles Love Apple Records (78m 35s) . . . . .

Medleys really ought not to sound this good.

George Martin and his son Giles took the project for the Cirque du Soleil musical and turned it into one of the year's biggest events (and surprises). It's hard to know why it works but it does. The standout track, however, is the mashup of 'Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows'.

Amy Winehouse Back To Black Island (38m 47s) . . . .

When all the tabloid stories fed into Winehouse's single 'Rehab' it was only natural the music would be quickly forgotten. With a mouth as foul as Lily Allen (and a shared producer in Mark Ronson) the skinnymalink's debut sounds like Shirley Bassey went to Detroit after a few hits of mescaline. One of those albums that will make you feel really, really horny.

Angela Hewitt/ACO/Richard Tognetti JS Bach: Keyboard Concertos Hyperion A 67607/8 . . . . .

Hyperion released each of these two discs separately this year and both invited infinite critical acclaim, so this double set is definitely the best option. Here are the keyboard concertos 1-7, Brandenbrug 5 and the triple concerto, all of them by the Canadian pianist. Comprehensive sleeve notes are another nice feature. KD