Looking back on 2009, Keith Urban realizes he’s got an awful lot to be grateful for.

In March Defying Gravity was released after the CD’s first single “Sweet Thing” becomes Urban’s 10th #1. The CD would hit the top spot, in April, on both Billboard’s Country and Top 200 All-Genre Album Charts, marking a career first for him. The second single, “Kiss A Girl” would become Urban’s 20th Top 5 and, “Only You Could Love Me This Way,” would become Urban’s 11th #1.

Urban’s Escape Together World Tour would go on to play more than 60 shows before packed houses including sell-outs at Los Angeles’ Staples Center, Nashville’s Sommet Center, throughout Canada and in Australia. The tour becomes a unanimous choice as one of the years best. It closed in Buffalo on October 9th following another sell-out at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

“My one goal for this tour was to achieve maximum connection with the audience,” said Urban. “By lowering the stage, removing all security barriers and creating alternate stages within the area, I wanted to create an atmosphere of total unity, but the level of energy from the crowd night after night was beyond anything I could have hoped for.”

In April Keith performed during the Academy of Country Music Award and won his 5th award, and in May he appeared on the American Idol finale, performing “Kiss A Girl,” with American Idol winner, Kris Allen. He was named a Top 10 Mobile Artist by Billboard Magazine, and had “Stupid Boy,” “Tonight I Wanna Cry” and “Sweet Thing” certified Digital Gold.

On October 13th at Nashville’s Sommet Center, Urban, along with Vince Gil, hosted “We’re All For The Hall Benefit Concert,” which starred Urban and Gil and special guests Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley, Faith Hill, Lady Antebellum, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Little Big Town. The benefit would raise nearly $600,000 for The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum and earn Urban a nomination for “Tennessean of the Year.”

Urban’s year was topped off in November with another CMA trophy, his sixth, his first American Music Award for Best Male Country Artist, four Grammy Award nominations, two People’s Choice Award nominations, a rousing performance to open the Aria Awards in Australia, as well as four nominations for the 2010 Australian Country Music Awards.

In fact, just this past week his 2002 #1 hit, “Somebody Like You”, was ranked as the #1 Country Song of the Decade by Nielsen BDS (based on radio airplay and audience impressions). In addition, Urban was named the most played country artist (at radio) for 2009.

Keith calls this year; “Pure magic.”

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