Complex's Best of 2009: The Top 25 Websites

In 2009, we spent so much time putting together our retrospective of the last decade (click here for our "Best of the 2000s" series) that we almost forgot about all the memorable things that happened this year. Well, 2010 ain't here yet, so we're spending the last week looking back at all our favorite stuff, including albums, movies, video games, girls, sports moments, books, style trends, and websites. And since we are a website, we had to save the best for last. From social networking to hip-hop news, our lives completely revolve around certain online destinations, so we decided to count down all of our daily must-visit URLs. Look back on all our favorites with the Top 25 Websites of 2009 countdown...

#25: TINYURL
URL: www.tinyURL.com
TYPE: Internet Utility
• We'd bet our holiday bonuses that on an average workday, you click at least five links created using TinyURL, the original URL redirection site that shortens your URL and and still reigns supreme in the Twitterverse.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#24: UNKUT
URL: www.unkut.com
TYPE: Hip-Hop
• You already know where to go for you fix of rap news, but those looking for a little history and closer examination of this here hip hop culture found it at Unkut. A mixture of amusing (The Unkut Guide to STD Rap ) and informative (The Unkut Guide to Hip Hop's Most Notorious Projects) lists and interviews with some of the industry's biggest behind the scenes players, made this one of the sites we made sure to check on the daily.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#23: GDGT
URL: www.gdgt.com
TYPE: Technology
• It started as a promise of a sick, new gadget site and an accompanying popcast,and grew into a unique gadget community that lets consumers share experiences, reviews and likes and dislikes with fellow gadget users. Power to the people and all that.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#22: KOTAKU
URL: www.kotaku.com
TYPE: Video Games
• Yes, they've been fairing economically well while other medias struggle; still, 2009 was a good year for video games, and Kotaku was there for all of it. On top of their minute-by-minute coverage of all the newest releases, they provided game reviews that cut through the B.S. and the hype to deliver the real. But, perhaps the reason we rock with them is because they were the first site to cover Soulja Boy's video game interests. Kotaku tell 'em!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

#21: THE YBF
URL: www.theybf.com
TYPE: Gossip
• What started simply as another blogspot blog has grown into the foremost black celebrity site on the Net. It's gotten so big, celebrities try their best to check themselves before they leave the house, lest they become fodder for founder Nastasha's Foolywang column. And we aren't the only ones noticing 'Tasha's hustle: Black Enterprise featured her on their cover as representative of a new generation of black entrepreneurs.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIT NEXT TO SEE THE REST OF THE COUNTDOWN! (WEBSITES #20 - #16)