My first-ever favorite song was Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams,” a single from her 2014 album, 1989. In fact, all of my earliest memories involving music come from one decade: the 2010s. To me, the 2010s is a decade of nostalgia, and the music of my childhood. From upbeat pop to pop rock to alternative rock, the decade produced some of the most recognizable songs for teenagers now.
The biggest genres of the 2010s were pop and alt rock, which produced names that are still instantly familiar to listeners in the entertainment industry. In the pop arena, some of the most popular artists of the decade were Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Adele, Lady Gaga, Lorde, and Bruno Mars. Additionally, many Disney Channel stars made their way into mainstream pop, including Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and Ariana Grande. Imagine Dragons and OneRepublic, both popular alt rock bands in the 2010s, released catchy tracks such as “Believer” (2017) and “Counting Stars” (2013), respectively.
The 2010s was also the first decade in which social media had an enormous part in helping stars rise to fame. In 2015, Billie Eilish gained nearly-overnight fame for her song “Ocean Eyes,” which she and her older brother, Finneas, released on the music social media platform SoundCloud.
Another important aspect of 2010s music was boy bands. Though certainly not unique to the decade, boy bands were especially popular at the time, one of the most famous being One Direction. The band formed on the talent reality show X Factor and went on an indefinite hiatus in 2016. Liam Payne, one of the group’s most prominent members in writing and music, died in October 2024. Some other boy bands and girls groups that grew in fame in the 2010s include BTS, Fifth Harmony, and The Script.
My favorite artist of the decade was Adele. On the car rides home after picking me up from school, my mom used to play songs from Adele’s 19 and 21 albums. “Someone Like You,” one of Adele’s most famous tracks, is a 2011 hit that accompanies her vocals with a simple piano track. Adele’s vocal skills are masterful, with amazing belting, range, and stamina. The lack of excess instrumentation always allows for her talent and emotion to shine through. I will never forget the emotion in her voice when she described the story behind the song in an interview. She allows sadness, heartbreak, and love to fill her lyrics and voices, providing audiences with incredible music.
Another of my favorite songs from the 2010s is “Demons,” a 2012 song from alt rock band Imagine Dragons. While short, being just under three minutes, the track is nonetheless a memorable, catchy sensation. The simple, synth music in the verses leads up to an explosive chorus ending with a line that I remember now, even years after last listening to the song: “Don’t get too close, it’s dark inside / It’s where my demons hide, it’s where my demons hide.” The whole song’s lyrics flow smoothly, sounding clean and melodic. Whereas some songs have lyrics that feel choppier, drawing more attention to the actual vocals, the vocals in “Demons” perfectly blend with the music and beat. The song ends quickly with a fast fade after the last line, leaving the audience with the impact of the final lyrics.
The 2010s was a memorable decade of pop hits, familiar faces and voices, and social media sensations. A New York Times analysis on music preferences showed that the music people listen to in their tween and early teen years helps shape their preferences throughout their lives. The 2010s was undoubtedly an instrumental part in the current and future music tastes of not only Lancers but all the teenagers and young adults across the globe.
