Thank goodness the Onion's A.V. Club  susses out the least essential albums clogging the market each year. How else would consumers be warned of the perils of, say, Playlist: The Very Best Of Clay Aiken or Johnny Cash Remixed while out splurging during the busy fourth quarter shopping season?

Do you think a trivial thing like a recession is enough to deter holiday shoppers with a few extra nickels in their pockets from picking up Katy Perry's Unplugged set? Hell, no! Bad taste will always transcend market forces.

Hop below to see the A.V. Club's list of the Least Essential Albums Of 2009. (And tell Aunt Barb sitting at the table beside you to put her wallet back in her purse.) More »