Music is the language that we all understand. Whether it be rock, opera, jazz or hip-hop, it's all music if it causes you to tap your foot, sing along, or makes you feel emotions you can't explain. I don't really know of anyone who doesn't enjoy some type of music. Lately, I must confess, I've been listening to corny Christmas tunes like Dominck The Donkey and Alvin and the Chipmunk's "Christmas Hula Hoop" song. But now that "Auld Lang Syne" and "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" have been put away until next December 31, it's time to reflect on the best music from this past year.

My absolute favorite is Adele's 21. Her style is sultry and full of angst in the style of great jazz artists like Billie Holliday.

Next on my list is Lady Antebellum's Own The Night, followed up by Taylor Swift's Speak Now. A little bit of country music brightens my day.

From country music back to pop soul, my next favorites are Amy Winehouse's Back to Black and Frank. Her untimely death left a deep fissure in the music world. Like Adele, her style was similar to the great ladies of jazz — smooth and sultry. Her lyrics really made you think.

My list also includes one of the great older artists, Tony Bennett. Bennett has been entertaining us for many years, but he never grows old and neither does his music. His latest Duets 2 features artists such as Queen Latifah, Amy Winehouse, Lady Gaga, and Carrie Underwood.

[Music classes, Plaza Music Center, 912 Union Street, Brooklyn, April 28,1938.],Music classes, Plaza Music Center, 912 Union St., Bklyn, 4/28/38., Digital ID 1600925, New York Public LibraryLast but not least, I would like to recommend Andrea Bocelli's Concerto: One Night In Central Park. The concert was held this past September, and Bocelli, who crooned with Celine Dion and Tony Bennett among others, sang with accompaniment by Chris Botti's trumpet and The New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

The New York Public Library embraces music. It has copies of popular music on CD in all of its neighborhood libraries. You can also access digital music from the Sony Music catalog through the Library's subscription to Freegal Music. Use the service to get up to three DRM-free MP3s a week. In addition, many rare types of music can be found at the Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Louis B. Cullman Center, which is located at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza. Over 40,000 songs from Broadway shows can be found there. The Library also features many wonderful programs from the world of music.

Morris Park Library hosts many wonderful music programs as well. On Wednesday, January 18 at 3:30 p.m., it will host The Diller-Quaille String Quartet. For ages 5 to 12 and any adult accompanied by a child!

Happy New Year to all, and may 2012 be one filled with great music and happy listening. If you would like to add to my list, go right ahead and comment at the end of this post. I'm always looking for musical suggestions. Ciao.