The 2010s arguably hold the most recognizable songs for our generation. The music that we listened to in 2010 varies greatly from songs we listen to in 2016 and even more so in 2019. However, all in all, this decade has music that we remember and may be the most nostalgic to our childhood as this decade was a critical period in our young lives. We went through elementary and middle school listening to the radio and then transitioning to apple music or Spotify to stream our favorite songs.
During this decade I found many new songs and discovered the names and artists that I heard so often on the radio, but never paid attention to. I also found my own style of music that I was into. I have eras for each listening year and specific songs that strongly represent each era. With that, music genres in themselves had many different eras and phases.
For example, Hip-Hop turned into the Pop genre as many Hip-Hop artists were becoming more mainstream. However, Pop continued to prevail with rising artists such as Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, etc. who were familiar names in the early 2000s, but especially made their way in the 2010s.
Billboards Top 10 Artists of the 2010s are as follows:
- Drake
- Rhianna
- Bruno Mars
- Justin Bieber
- Nikki Minaj
- Taylor Swift
- Post Malone
- Ariana Grande
- Maroon 5
- Katy Perry
Now, I agree that these artists are valid and accurate represent the “vibe” of the 2010s, but these are not all my go-to artists. To describe the “vibe” of the 2010s in one word would be “vibrant.” From my perception, as a child, I saw all the color aspects of music during this time. Many songs were upbeat, at least the ones on the radio, and did not carry heavy messages.
My favorite song in kindergarten and 1st grade was “Hey Soul Sister” by Train (which was released in 2009, but I frequently listened to it through 2010-2011). I learned all the words to this song and sang it often.
When I was in second and third grade, I loved listening to Maroon 5, not so much now. I especially loved the song “Sunday Morning,” as it had a nice calming sound. (This song I continue to listen to today). Furthermore, I also loved Taylor Swift’s songs “Love Story” and “You Belong with Me.” These songs were recorded in her album entitled “Fearless,” which was released in 2008. However, the song “You Belong with Me” became popularized and won a Teen Choice Award in 2010.
With that, my absolute favorite song in 4th grade was “Roar” by Katy Perry. This was an insanely popular song that was released in 2013. Many other Katy Perry songs 
caught the attention of children my age and I would especially listen to them and even make Video Stars to them. (If you never had the app Video Star, you did not have a childhood.) During this age I also loved listening to Jack Johnson, especially his song “Upside Down.”
Throughout the rest of elementary school, I enjoyed the same types of
music. It wasn’t until middle school that I developed a taste for more niche artists. A prominent artist I found before their extreme level of popularity was Khalid and also Billie Eilish. I heard her song “Ocean Eyes” and his song “Young, Dumb, and Broke” and thoroughly enjoyed it. Later in time, the artists released a song together entitled “Lovely.” (It is so good I listened to it just last night).
With that my 8th grade taste was even more interesting as I listened to artists like AJR and The Paper Kites. I have since moved on from AJR, their sound is not in line with my music taste today, but The Paper Kites will always be a favorite of mine. Their best song is called “Bloom—Bonus Track” and you all need to listen to their calming sound.
Moving to 9th grade, my music was elite. My best friend Emily and I enjoyed the same types of music and made many playlists together. Our favorite song became very popular during 2019 and 2020. It is called “Make You Mine” by the band Public, and it is safe to say we discovered the song well before its popularity. We also listened to the artist Alec Benjamin and the band Surfaces, before they were popular as well. We had a knack for finding new music that soon became popular. With that, the songs during this decade impacted my childhood greatly and listening to songs now is extremely nostalgic.
Cited:
Top 100 Artists Of The 10s – Top40Weekly.com
“Roar” by Katy Perry – Song Meanings and Facts
