First, the opening introductory essay:
It's very hard to believe that the second decade of the "new millennium", as we celebrated almost 20 years ago, is coming to an end. (Yes, for me, decades start in "0".) The years 2012 and 2015 all seem like yesterday, as the more we get older, the more we wonder where did all the time go and what did we really accomplish. It's also a time to think: how will this decade go down in history? The World War I decade went down as the "teens", and surprisingly, this is yet to be known that. Was there anything to celebrate? I mean, in the entertainment world as a whole, what was old was new again. Just about everything that came from our childhood and teen years became big again, as studios and toymakers wanted $$$. Social media continued to expand, as everyone and their grandmothers were on it.
In the music world, it is hard to classify what will define it. Let's just say that the music industry was nothing like it was, say, 20 years ago. In the 90s, people were buying CDs like crazy. Portable CD players were the rage. The hottest songs were being played on terrestrial radio, and sometimes on MTV. It's almost like we lived on a different planet. Then came the Internet, Napster, iTunes, blank CDs....no need to get any further. I think the big event for music was in 2011, when Spotify finally became available in the United States. This is not to say it was the first streaming service ever, but it was indeed the one with the big name. And only three other services competed with it. But Spotify spread like fire, and it arguably became the place to discover new music, as well as stream their old favorites. We're at the point where we are looking at different generations, on how we listen to our music.
The rulebook for the music industry sorta went out the window during this decade. More and more stars were discovered online-not just YouTube, but Instagram and other social media sites. Terrestrial radio was becoming more of an "old people's thing." Attention spans were getting short, so if your track was catchy it caught on just like that. If not, you were pushed to the bottom. There were talent shows on television, but seriously...who can name someone who has won The Voice? Or American Idol nowadays. The touring industry was continuing to explode, along with high prices all over. Also, the festivals were booming like no other time, but by the end of the decade, some shut down while a lot of others lost money over time. The more exposure you had, the better off you were. Forget the sales. Streams and viewcounts were where it was at. And still are. Oh yeah, and record labels were becoming less legit. Just ask Chance the Rapper, who will be headlining a major tour next year.
Genre-wise, I think it is safe to say that several subgenres, old and new, had their fair share. Everyone had to be different and stand out. I mean, sure, in the rock music world, no one really stood out, unless you were corporate giants like Imagine Dragons and Twenty One Pilots. If you were more indie, you sold a lot of tickets and more vinyl. In the country music world, you had traditionalists like Kacey Musgraves and Chris Stapleton, while you had "bro-country" like Florida Georgia Line and Luke Bryan. A lot of classic artists from the 1960s and 1970s, such as Van Morrison, Aerosmith and Bruce Springsteen were still putting out albums. But only their true fans listened. I'll admit it, I did not listen to any of them. There was just too much thrown at us, that it was difficult for me to keep up! I'm sure there are a few songs that may show up in a revised version of this list several years from now, but I'll let time pass in the meantime.
My nephew, A.J., asked me to compile a list of my favorite songs from the 2010-19 decade. To say this was a monumental task is putting it lightly! But I had fun doing it. It was sort of easy in a way, as I looked through all of my Spotify playlists to see what I had "saved" over the years. I also had to look at some other lists, just in case there were those that I forgot about. These were songs that never got old, and I believe never will. Maybe I'll still be listening to them 20 years from now, who knows. Looking at the list, you'll probably figure out that a lot of my favorites were songs that were more upbeat, positive, or just plain catchy. I included a lot of hits, as in those which have cracked the Billboard Hot 100, then you'll find some songs you've probably never heard of. Songs that were not big in the United States, but overseas. Or just album tracks.
Before reading the list:
(1)I just wanna say that I tried to keep this list as eclectic as possible. As in, no genre has been ruled out. Country, electronic, Top 40, rap, alternative...it's all here.
(2)I also wanted to make this as different as I can. If you look at other similar lists, most of them made it a priority to include at least one song by Adele and Gaga. Not me. Not that I have anything against them, you know.
(3)Artists/groups/acts get only one listing. I would love to include multiple songs by Kanye, Posty or Kendrick, but that would just not be fair.
(4)Prepare yourself to be bored from my concert stories, as some of these acts I have seen live. (No, I'm not really being biased on that kind of thing!)
Finally, the list:
1. "24K Magic" - Bruno Mars
It's very fitting that I put one of the most successful popstars of the 2010s at the top of my list. And it's funny, because, Bruno Mars is someone who I want to hate. Nothing controversial about him, he's the good guy who sings and happens to smoke cigarettes. It almost seems like he didn't pay his dues because he was an instant star and continued to be. No famous talent show contest that he participated in or anything. But he did, indeed, pay his dues, from his days as an Elvis impersonator in Hawaii (when he was 5, he appeared on the Arsenio Hall Show). I remember he played at a trashy nightclub outside St. Louis, and just two years after he played to a sold-out crowd at the Enterprise Center. Keep making those hits, Bruno.
2. "Wake Me Up" - Avicii
Avicii (pronounced uh-vee-chee)'s life was tragic, unbeknownst to some but he still put out some high-energy tunes including this one, which to me will never get old.
3. "Midnight City" - M83
At first I thought M83 was one person, but it's actually a band. Or a group, whatever you want to call it. Another high-energy song with the saxophone. Be sure to catch the viral video with Bill Clinton (from an earlier Arsenio Hall clip) playing the sax during the break!
4. "Roses" - The Chainsmokers feat. Rozes
This one's a real chill song. The song is named after its featured artist, whose real name is Elizabeth Mencel. I'm not sure what it is with DJ acts like the Chainsmokers who know which vocals match with the perfect tune. The Chainsmokers have put out some other great tunes, including the spoken-word electronic recording "#Selfie". I saw them (minus their featured artists) at Bonnaroo 2016, but I was "way in the back" that it almost was more of a light show than anything.
5. "Good Feeling" - Flo Rida
Another great banger. And it has Etta James!
6. "Make It Bun Dem" - Skrillex & Damian Marley
Do reggae and wub-wub-wub dubstep go together? This track proves it. Nothing better than having the son of a late music legend and a guy who seemingly ruled electronica for a time come together for this awesome song. People can't believe it that I've actually seen these two perform it live together at Bonnaroo '14. Wish I had pics and video, but if you were there, you knew it was dark and clouds of smoke were frequent.
7. "Congratulations" - Post Malone feat. Quavo (2016)
Choosing one Posty song is tough. He put out a lot of great jams in the last four years and it wasn't until 2017 he caught my attention. I hardly knew who he was when he performed at Bonnaroo '16. He was on the small stage, and me and my festival bud Paul saw Two Door Cinema Club while he was playing. Not surprisingly, Post Malone headlined Roo this year. I know I'll catch him live someday, maybe if I shell out some dough on Stubhub for February when he comes to St. Louis...
8. "Starships" - Nicki Minaj
Annnd...another cool banger.
9. "Hotline Bling" - Drake
I'll admit it, I did watch some Degrassi: The Next Generation 15 years ago. Little would I or anyone know that the kid who played Jimmy would go on to be one of the biggest stars in music of the 21st century. He has put out a lot of catchy tunes, and "Hotline Bling", which should be considered a novelty song (laughs) because of its use of outdated words (cell phone, bling). But this one, among some of his others, will never get old.
10. "High Horse" - Kacey Musgraves
I've told the story to so many people on how I met Kacey Musgraves and got to chat with her. This was at Bonnaroo '13, and she was with a few of her friends while waiting for Tom Petty (the closing headliner) to come on. She had played at a small stage that day, and I had heard of her, but was very unfamiliar with her status in music. But she was very nice to me, and appreciative that I requested a photo with her. I'm glad she's getting the fame she deserves, and I'm also glad she did not take the mainstream route. For any celebrity that gives me the time of day as long as possible, Kacey deserves a spot in my Top 10. Here's to many more years for a future legend.
11. "Swimming Pools (Drank)" - Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick is one of the artists on this list that it was impossible to find one track to pick as their best. Prince once called him "the most important artist in hip-hop today", a year before his death. I think we can all agree on that one.
12. "Colors" - Beck
I'm old enough to remember a time when Beck was considered a one-hit wonder. But he came back with Odelay in '96, and he's come a long way from there. He's won so many awards, radio and the fans still love him, and already been cheated out of a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame first (and second) ballot nomination. I finally got a chance to see him perform live this year (back in July), and he's got something in him that connects to Gen X and millennials.
13. "Mr. Saxobeat" - Alexandra Stan
Stan is a superstar in Romania (over a dozen hits), where she is from, but unfortunately in the United States she is a one-hit wonder. No matter, "Saxobeat" is a Eurodance tune that I consider underrated (though I'm glad it wasn't as mainstream) and it's always an upbeat song to psych you up. For the longest time, saxophones were missing in pop hits and I'm glad this one was able to help bring it back.
14. "I Follow Rivers (The Magician remix)" - Lykke Li
You'll be seeing some foreign dance acts on here, including Swedish singer Lykke Li. This song hardly made a dent in the United States (ironically, not even in the UK), but it reached #1 in seven European countries. I highly recommend this remix, though its been remixed by several others including Tyler the Creator.
15. "Kangaroo Court" - Capital Cities
In a Tidal Wave of Mystery is one of my favorites of the 2010s decade, and I'll admit it: I didn't devote a lot of time to that many albums. Capital Cities seemed to have the right formula for a great album which contained a lot of catchy songs. It was a tough decision on deciding the song that represents the group in this slot.
16. "Stylo" - Gorillaz & Bobby Womack
One of music's oddest pairings was the idea of Damon Albarn, the man behind Gorillaz (and Blur). He reportedly told Womack to just start singing what was on his mind, and it somehow all came together. Another odd thing was both Albarn and Womack were playing at Bonnaroo 2014...at the same time! Well, not exactly, they were on different stages but their sets overlapped each others bigtime. I did catch Womack's set, which turned out to be his final public performance (he died nearly two weeks later). This is one of my chill tunes.
17. "Talking Body (Gryffin Remix)" - Tove Lo
This is another song that was "saved by the remix", at least to me.
18. "Meet Me In The Woods" - Lord Huron
As much as I tried to get into a lot of the alternative wave of the 2010s, I mostly focused on acts that were playing at major festivals. That's where Lord Huron came in. I listened to them on Spotify before I were to see them at LouFest, and I was blown away. The next year, I saw them at Bonnaroo. Saw them for the third time last year. The band nearly went mainstream when they sang the theme from the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why.
19. "N****s In Paris " - Jay-Z & Kanye West
Asking me what my favorite Kanye track in the 2010s is, is like asking me my favorite Elvis song is from the 50s, or the Beatles from the 60s - okay, maybe I won't go that far. Kanye has continued to put out good albums all through the decade, be it "Fantasy", Yeezus, or his recent gospel album. Sure, there were times when I thought he was a lunatic, even after his 2014 Bonnaroo performance, but at the end of the day - it all comes down to his genius. When you have Sir Paul comparing him to John Lennon, you know that's a big deal. Anyway, I just decided to put a song with him and Jay-Z on it.
20. "Cocoon" - Milky Chance
I knew that Milky Chance was a top attraction on the festival and touring circuit, but I still haven't seen them yet. At least the German duo has a cool, catchy tune to accompany them.
21. "This Girl" - Kungz vs. Cookin' on 3 Burners
I'm not sure why this is always the case, perhaps because Americans have a weird taste in music compared to Europeans and the rest of the world....but usually if a song is a worldwide hit (as in, making the Top 10 or #1 in several countries), it hardly cracks the Top 20 or even the chart at all in the States! This catchy, simple house tune could have been a smash here. I'll be fair though: it did make the Hot 100, the Hot Adult Top 40, the Hot Alternative Songs, as well as the Hot Dance Songs charts in the US. I'm actually kind of glad it really wasn't an overplayed song, but still....
22. "Easy" - Real Estate
For real - I thought this song came from the 1980s. I was like, "how did I miss this one?!". As it turns out this was only from 2012, from a New Jersey alternative band. The song sounds like it could have been done by The Cure, the Jesus & Mary Chain or the Ocean Blue.
23. "Riptide" - Vance Joy
I'll admit that I'm not much of a fan of today's singer-songwriters, as a lot of them kind of sound the same to me. Joy's song is an exception, as he managed to make this one very catchy. I did not realize that this song took two years to become a hit in America, as it was first released in 2013. Joy remains one of my "Bonnaroo regrets" as I did not know who he was at the time he played at Bonnaroo 2014.
24. "For The First Time" - Darius Rucker
It doesn't take a genius to know that Rucker had come a long way since his Hootie days, and it made perfect sense this year that he reunited and toured with his old band. But he's become a name of his own, selling out for the Country crowds. He's put out a lot of great tunes in his career, and this is one of my favorites. This is a question we should be asking ourselves each day: "When was the last time, you did something for the first time?"
25. "No Type" - Rae Sremmurd
I didn't discover this song at the time it was popular. In fact, I didn't know who they were until 2016, when one of my radio friends got tickets to their show in St. Louis. It was sold out, and I was actually attending a show next door to the venue to see Saint Motel. I recall seeing all of these half-naked college-age girls in a long line, waiting to see the duo. If I remember correctly, one of the guys (maybe it was Swae Lee) came out and everyone screamed. Needless to say, this got my attention. It wasn't too late to discover them, as they would eventually top the charts later that year with "Black Beatles". For those that are still wondering the origins of their unusual name, put the words backwards.
26. "Call It What You Want" - Foster the People
It's impossible for me to choose my favorite song of their Torches album, which was one of my favorites for a long time. "Helena Beat" and "Life on the Nickel" are others I dig as well. "Pumped Up Kicks" was way overplayed. And I will admit that I wasn't really into their follow-ups after Torches. Still, I would love to see this band live sometime. I'm sure it's a great experience.
27. "Tonight Is The Night" - Outasight
Outasight, which is actually one guy, goes down in history for me as the first artist I've discovered on Spotify. Within a month I started to join the service in 2012, I heard his radio ads on there and checked him out - and this was the song that got me hooked. It's a great pop song for its time. Unfortunately, Outasight may go down as a one-hit wonder. But hey, one-hit wonders rock too.
28. "Howlin' For You" - The Black Keys
Back in 2012, it seemed like I was jumping on board as the Keys were getting very popular. I wasn't aware at the time that they had been putting out albums for years. But, this is an example of a classic story about a musical act that has worked hard to pay their dues to finally reach the top of the charts, as well as headliner status. One time at Bonnaroo, I was chatting with a group of guys from Akron. They asked me, "Who are the 3 biggest acts from our city?". I immediately responded: The Pretenders, Devo and the Black Keys. They were stunned. lol
29. "Delirious (Boneless)" - Steve Aoki
Is Steve Aoki the (neon) future? Only time will tell. One thing's for sure: the genre he represents is showing no signs of slowing down. I've been to one of his shows, and it was all high energy. I felt like I was the oldest person there! Then again, Aoki is four years older than me.
30. "S.O.B." - Nathaniel Rateliff & ......
The best bar karaoke song of this decade is one from this Hermann, Missouri native. I've seen Rateliff and his band perform at two festivals, and this song they would obviously do last just so no one will leave during their set. Sadly, I haven't found anything else in his catalog catchy. But this one will continue to keep us snapping fingers.
31. "Leila" - Miami Horror
The song sounds like a Modest Mouse or a Franz Ferdinand, or hell, even a Weezer song, but it was done by an Australian group with an American city in their name. The band recently toured America (without stopping in STL of course - but if they do, I'll be sure to catch them).
32. "I Can Change" - LCD Soundsystem
Here we go again, choosing a favorite song from a great artist. I was kind of a "late bloomer" in discovering James Murphy and crew, so fittingly, it was during their return in 2016 that I gave them a full listen. I was fortunate to see them headline two festivals that year.
33. "Gone" - JR JR
This is one of those groups that I dig their music, just not their name. They called themselves Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. as a joke, but they finally decided to shorten it eventually. I was in a viral video on YouTube three years ago, titled "100 People of Dance". You can catch me for a brief moment at 2:54:
34. "Tornado" - Little Big Town
I've become a fan of this coed country group, and I got to see them live last year. They have put out great songs in the last 15 years, but this one is my favorite.
35. "Adventure of a Lifetime" - Coldplay
Coldplay is one of my favorite bands to come out since the new millennium, and I can still recall hearing "Yellow" for the first time. The band is still rocking out twenty years later, putting out several good songs. For this slot, it was tough for me to decide between "Something Just Like This", "Major Minus", "Paradise" and many others. I still need to see them live! It will happen.
36. "Awkward" - San Cisco
We've all been through it in relationships - things do get awkward. This song is like nothing you've possibly heard before - a girl and a boy going back and forth on who done wrong. San Cisco is an Australian indie pop group that did not have hardly any success in the States, unless you were listening to college radio. I do recall they had a gig at Lollapalooza one year.
37. "La La La" - Naughty Boy feat. Sam Smith
I'll admit that I don't really care for Smith or his music. But this catchy song covers a whole lot, including vocal samples from India, liquid drum, old-school garage, and more. This is the only time where I enjoy Smith's voice, perfectly over an odd dance beat.
38. "Hello Hello" - Fickle Friends
This poppy song always plays at my workplace (at least once a day), but that doesn't mean that I'm sick of it. It almost sounds like early 80's AOR rock, or something from the 80s ladies (can't seem to think of a single one, surprisingly). But this song is a reminder about how great UK pop sounds great no matter what, even if pop radio in the US is too good to play it.
39. "The Race" - Wiz Khalifa
Here's one from a genre I wasn't quite aware about until recently: cloud rap. Cloud rap? Turns out that, according to Wikipedia, it is a combination of hazy and lo-fi sound. It also is a mixture of chillwave, trap and emo rap. They do have the "chill" part right, as this cut is one of those that gets you in that kind of mode.
40. "Burn" - Ellie Goulding
Ellie put out some good songs during the 2010s, and like I say for most of the acts on this list, this one's the best one.
41. "Lean On" - Major Lazer and Mo
Andddd....another great banger.
42. "Harmony Hall" - Vampire Weekend
I liked Vampire Weekend at the start of the decade, but then the buzz kind of slowed down and me, as well as the million fans of VW moved on...until they put out another great album this year. This is one of my favorites off of Father of the Bride.
43. "Move" - Saint Motel
One of my favorite indie/alternative groups in the last few years. Always a catchy tune they come up with. Be sure to catch them live!
44. "Geronimo" - Sheppard
It almost feels like I included several Australian acts on this list more than I should, but maybe it was for the right reasons. I do think at times that the country/continent gets underrepresented in music, and I know some people who would agree. This simple pop/rock tune almost made the Top 40 in America.
45. "Dance Macabre" - Ghost
It is sad that in today's age, rock music doesn't matter...at least according to Bob Lefsetz. The sad part is, I agree. I can't name a single song from 5FDP, Volbeat, Halestorm and all of those guys who are trying to stay alive on rock radio. Ghost, on the other hand, is one that grabbed my attention after a friend gave me some good word-of-mouth advertisement about them. Five guys, all dressed up like Satan disciples, but who sound like 70s theatre rockers. Gotta love it. I saw them open for Iron Maiden last year. This is one of my favorites from them.
46. "It Ain't My Fault" - The Brothers Osborne
Unlike a lot of country music purists, I'm open to "bro country", though the Brothers Osborne don't really fit there. Face it, without changes in that genre, it would've been boring and someone (like Garth Brooks rescued Country music in the 90s) would come along and revamp the format. Plus, everything runs its course. This is one of my favorites from the duo, which has influences in Southern rock, outlaw and neotraditional country.
47. "Senseless" - Portugal. The Man
I've been into Portugal. The Man long before they hit mainstream with "Feel It Still", and "Senseless" is one of my favorites from the Alaskan group. One of my favorite concert memories was seeing them at Bonnaroo '13, and John Gourley was wearing a hoodie (with the top on his head!) in 95 degree weather. Weird Al (who did a set later that day) jumped on stage with his accordion for a couple songs! Al and the band would later collaborate on projects including Al's remix for "Feel It Still".
48. "Shake It Out" - Florence and the Machine
British rock still lives, as long as Florence Welch keeps on rockin'. She is without question this generation's Kate Bush.
49. "Nevermind" - Dennis Lloyd
Another one of those chillax tunes, which is filed under the "deep house" and "alternative pop" categories.
50. "Old Town Road" - Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus
A simple cowboy-rap song that would spend a ridiculous amount of weeks at #1 (19 weeks), breaking all kinds of chart records. This is the ultimate success story on combining country and hip-hop, as well as the genius move of recruiting Billy Ray. Yes, this song has been overplayed, but I said the same thing about MC Hammer nearly 30 years ago, and I'm back to jamming to him again.
The next step:
1) Tell me your favorite songs of the last ten years. Let me know who you would have included on this list. And you can complain all you want about who I left off!
2) You can listen to all of those songs on the Spotify playlist I created: (that's right, just click on the picture!)
