It's hard to believe that it's been ten years since I ranked my favorite songs and albums of the 2010s, but here we are at the close of another decade. The past ten years have been monumental in my life and writing this blog has been a major aspect of it. This was the first full decade I lived in New York City and nine and a half of those years have been in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I saw the rise and fall of plenty of DIY venues and the remarkable change that has swept through the neighborhood. I went to hundreds of shows, bought hundreds of records, and listened to hundreds (if not thousands) of songs.
On this list, I was a bit more ambitious than ever before and have listed out 200 of my favorite songs from the past ten years. I was selective and only have one track per artist (exceptions include: Kanye and Jay solo as well as with Watch the Throne, Carrie Brownstein with Sleater-Kinney and Wild Flag, Thom Yorke solo and with Radiohead, Drake's guest spots, and the women of Boygenius all of whom appear solo as well) which meant choosing a single song by Beyoncé, Beach House, Kanye, Rihanna, Kendrick, and Drake was incredibly challenging. If you're asking how did I find the time to do this, well I took two months off from work and traveled the Eastern Hemisphere alone while gave way to a lot of free time and ample amounts of hours to revisit tons of songs. I hope you find something you enjoy! There's a Spotify playlist all the way at the end.
200 THOM YORKE | "Dawn Chorus"
199 COBALT | "Beast Whip"
198 ARCTIC MONKEYS | "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?"
197 PERFECT PUSSY | "Interference Fits"
196 GORILLAZ | "On Melancholy Hill"
195 YAEJI | "Raingurl"
194 CONTAINER | "Eject"
193 POWER TRIP | "Executioner's Tax (Swing of the Axe)"
192 SWANS | "A Little God in My Hand"
191 LANA DEL RAY | "Summertime Sadness"
190 JACK WHITE | "Lazzeretto"
189 THE COURTNEYS | "Minnesota"
188 ST VINCENT | "New York"
187 KELLY LEE OWEN | "Keep Walking"
186 U.S. GIRLS | "Rosebud"
185 WAVVES | "Post Acid"
184 SANNHET | "Revisionist"
183 JULIANNA BARWICK | "See, Know"
182 KILLER MIKE | "Reagan"
181 GIL SCOTT-HERON / JAMIE XX | "I'm New Here"
180 KAMAIYAH | "I'm On"
179 THE COMET IS COMING | "Unity"
178 JAY SOM | "Superbike"
177 SCHOOLBOY Q | "Hands on the Wheel" (ft. A$AP Rocky)
176 VIVIAN GIRLS | "Sick"
175 TEI SHI | "Go Slow"
174 CLOUD NOTHINGS | "No Future/No Past"
173 MIKAL CRONIN | "Shout It Out"
172 BULLY | "I Remember"
171 VIET CONG | "Bunker Buster"
170 BEST COAST | "Boyfriend"
169 HEALTH | "USA Boys"
168 FUTURE | "March Madness"
167 BIG BOI | "Shutterbugg"
166 CULTS | "Go Outside"
165 OUGHT | "The Weather Song"
164 SLEIGH BELLS | "Rill Rill"
163 TWIN SISTER | "All Around and Away We Go"
162 JENNY LEWIS | "On the Line"
161 ALVVAYS | "Archie, Marry Me"
160 KEEP SHELLY IN ATHENS | "Recollection"
159 LADY GAGA | "The Edge of Glory"
158 SNAIL MAIL | "Heat Wave"
157 MOUNT EERIE | "Real Death"
156 DARKSIDE | "Paper Trails"
155 GODSPEED YOU! BLACK EMPEROR | "Mladic"
154 ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER | "Replica"
153 UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA | "Can't Keep Checking My Phone"
152 AZEALIA BANKS | "212"
151 FOUR TET | "Love Cry"
150 FREDDIE GIBBS / MADLIB | "High" (ft. Danny Brown)
149 SPOON | "Inside Out"
148 ANNA MEREDITH | "Taken"
147 SLOWDIVE | "Star Roving"
146 VINCE STAPLES | "BagBak"
145 YOUNG THUG | "Kanye West" (ft. Wyclef Jean)
144 APHEX TWIN | "minipops 67 [120.2] [source field mix]"
143 ANOHNI | "Drone Bomb Me"
142 JESSY LANZA | "It Means I Love You"
141 TRAVIS SCOTT | "Goosebumps"
140 MIGOS | "Bad and Boujee" (ft. Lil Uzi Vert)
139 FETTY WAP | "Trap Queen"
138 PUSHA-T | "If You Know You Know"
137 WEYES BLOOD | "Everyday"
136 JAY Z | "The Story of O.J."
135 NORMANI | "Motivation"
134 A$AP ROCKY | "Fuckin' Problems" (ft. Drake, 2 Chainz, & Kendrick Lamar)
133 THUNDERCAT | "Them Changes"
132 SAMPHA | "(No One Knows Me) Like the Piano"
131 THE RANGE | "1804"
130 KEVIN MORBY | "Beautiful Strangers"
129 BIG UPS | "National Parks"
128 ANDERSON .PAAK | "Celebrate"
127 THE BESNARD LAKES | "Albatross"
126 ICONA POP | "I Love It" (ft. Charli XCX)
125 SAVAGES | "Shut Up"
124 FLORENCE + THE MACHINE | "Shake it Out"
123 THE XX | "On Hold"
122 WILD FLAG | "Romance"
121 LIGHTNING BOLT | "The Metal East"
120 MERCHANDISE | "Time"
119 DEATH GRIPS | "I've Seen Footage"
118 SPIRITUALIZED | "Hey Jane"
117 JAPANDROIDS | "Younger Us"
116 TOBIAS JESSO JR | "How Could You Babe"
115 PARQUET COURTS | "Borrowed Time"
114 THE MEN | "Turn It Around"
113 SCREAMING FEMALES | "It All Means Nothing"
112 GROUPER | "Headache"
111 WASHED OUT | "Amor Fati"
110 SLEATER-KINNEY | "A New Wave"
109 WU LYF | "Heavy Pop"
108 TITUS ANDRONICUS | "A More Perfect Union"
107 KALI UCHIS | "In My Dreams"
106 DVSN | "Try / Effortless"
105 KING KRULE | "Dum Surfer"
104 WIDOWSPEAK | "Gun Shy"
103 SHEER MAG | "Can't Stop Fighting"
102 BJÖRK | "Lionsong"
101 KAMASI WASHINGTON | "Truth"
100 LOWER DENS | "To Die in LA"
099 PHOEBE BRIDGERS | "Motion Sickness"
098 THE NATIONAL | "Bloodbuzz Ohio"
097 SKY FERRERIA | "You're Not the One"
096 BLOOD ORANGE | "You're Not Good Enough"
095 CHROMATICS | "Kill For Love"
094 JAI PAUL | "Jasmine" (demo)
093 KACEY MUSGRAVES | "Slow Burn"
092 SONS OF KEMET | "My Queen is Harriet Tubman"
091 SHARON VAN ETTEN | "Every Time the Sun Comes Up"
090 DAVID BOWIE | "Blackstar"
089 NICKI MINAJ | "Super Bass"
088 COURTNEY BARNETT | "Depreston"
087 LUCY DACUS | "Night Shift"
086 BATTLES | "Ice Cream"
085 MILEY CYRUS | "We Can't Stop"
084 ADELE | "Someone Like You"
083 BILL CALLAHAN | "Small Plane"
082 PURPLE MOUNTAINS | "Darkness and Cold"
081 NO AGE | "Fever Dreaming"
080 SHAMIR | "On the Regular"
079 HOW TO DRESS WELL | "Repeat Pleasure"
078 JUSTIN BEIBER | "Sorry"
077 MY BLOODY VALENTINE | "New You"
076 KURT VILE | "Waking on a Pretty Day"
075 DANNY BROWN | "Ain't It Funny"
074 JULIEN BAKER | "Turn Out the Lights"
073 FUCKED UP | "Queen of Hearts"
072 WHITE LUNG | "Below"
071 TUNE-YARDS | "Bizness"
070 LIZZO | "Good as Hell"
069 DISCLOSURE | "Latch" (ft. Sam Smith)
068 SUFJAN STEVENS | "Should Have Known Better"
067 BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE | "Hug of Thunder"
066 SHABAZZ PALACES | "swerve... the reeping of all that is worthwhile (noir not withstanding)"
065 GIRLS | "Vomit"
064 BIG THIEF | "Not"
063 FIONA APPLE | "Anything We Want"
062 GRIZZLY BEAR | "Yet Again"
061 JAMES BLAKE | "The Wilhelm Scream"
060 PANDA BEAR | "Slow Motion"
059 TYLER, THE CREATOR | "Yonkers"
058 DEAFHEAVEN | "Dream House"
057 ICEAGE | "The Lord's Favorite"
056 ANGEL OLSEN | "Shut Up, Kiss Me"
055 GRIMES | "Oblivion"
054 MIGUEL | "Coffee (Fucking)" (ft. Wale)
053 JULIA BYRNE | "Sleepwalker"
052 BON IVER | "Holoscene"
051 TAME IMPALA | "Let It Happen"
050 THE WAR ON DRUGS | "Burning"
049 TODD TERJE | "Inspector Norse"
048 AGAINST ALL LOGIC | "Such a Bad Way"
047 A TRIBE CALLED QUEST | "Dis Generation"
046 RUN THE JEWELS | "Close Your Eyes and Count to Fuck" (ft. Zach de la Rocha)
045 JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE | "Mirrors"
044 HAIM | "Falling"
043 AUTRE NE VEUT | "Play by Play"
042 CRYSTAL CASTLES | "Not in Love" (ft. Robert Smith)
041 BOYGENIUS | "Me & My Dog"
040 WESTERMAN | "Confirmation"
039 AMEN DUNES | "Believe"
038 JANELLE MONAE | "Make Me Feel"
037 CHILDISH GAMBINO | "This Is America"
036 BURIAL | "Come Down to Us"
035 CARLY RAE JEPSEN | "Cut To The Feeling"
034 FEVER RAY | "To the Moon and Back"
033 DIRTY PROJECTORS | "Cool Your Heart" (ft. DAWN)
032 RADIOHEAD | "True Love Waits"
031 FRANK OCEAN | "Nights"
030 VAMPIRE WEEKEND | "Step"
029 SZA | "Prom"
028 THE KNIFE | "Full of Fire"
027 FLEET FOXES | "Grown Ocean"
026 REAL ESTATE | "Green Aisles"
025 DAFT PUNK | "Get Lucky" (ft. Pharrell)
024 CHANCE THE RAPPER | "No Problem" (ft. Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz)
023 CALVIN HARRIS | "Slide" (ft. Frank Ocean & Migos)
022 RIHANNA | "FourFiveSeconds" (ft. Kanye West & Paul McCartney)
021 LEON BRIDGES | "Coming Home"
020 FUTURE ISLANDS | "Seasons (Waiting on You)"
019 MITSKI | "Your Best American Girl"
018 CARIBOU | "Can't Do Without You"
017 FKA TWIGS | "Two Weeks"
016 DEERHUNTER | "Helicopter"
015 ARIEL PINK | "Round and Round"
014 JOANNA NEWSOM | "Good Intentions Paving Company"
013 ARCADE FIRE | "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)"
012 LCD SOUNDSYSTEM | "All I Want"
011 DRAKE | "Hold On We're Going Home"
10 JAMIE XX | "I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times)" (ft. Young Thug & Popcaan)
The ace from the xx dropped this bomb in the summer of 2015 and there was no looking back. Even after the group's monumental breakout record, Jamie xx rose to premier level DJ with the help of Young Thug's infectious rhymes and Popcaan's outrageous yell.
09 SOLANGE | "Losing You"
Before she found her sound on her remarkable record A Seat at the Table, Solange was turning her concerts into discoteques with this absolute banger. Years later, this song can still level a festival crowd and erupt in total euphoria.
08 THE WEEKND | "House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls"
It's a bit hard to remember now, but there was once a time where Abel Tesfaye was an enigma behind a mixtape. A man that hid from the media, reluctant to share more than his music. "House of Balloons / Glass Table Girls" was a crux in hip-hop and a pivotal moment of the past decade and the beat switch that transitions the numbers would go on to be imitated by countless others for the years to come.
07 KENDRICK LAMAR | "Alright"
Picking a single Kendrick song to define the rapper's breakout decade was DAMN near impossible. The recent smashes of "DNA" and "Humble" showcase the man at his most confident and "The Blacker the Berry" probably defines him better than anything else. Still, the feelings for "Swimming Pools (Drink)" remain strong and as bold as they did when they lit up his career. "Alright," however, is the song that was chanted at rallies around the country in support of Black Lives Matter. Nothing seems bigger or more definitive than that.
06 JAY Z / KANYE WEST | "Ni**as in Paris"
I'll be bold enough to say that "Ni**as in Paris" was probably the song with the biggest cultural impact over the last decade. Giving birth to the phrase "that shit cray" and flaunting opulence just when the country was hitting rock bottom in the stock market. It was aggressive, yet playful. Two modern geniuses showing off to a world that was ready to eat out of their hands.
05 M83 | "Midnight City"
The song that turned an ambient, dreamy shoegaze band into an overnight indie sensation, a synth-pop anthem that could've been pulled from a long lost soundtrack of an undiscovered John Hughes film. It launched Anthony Gonzalez into another stratosphere and put him on a level he hasn't been able replicate.
04 BEACH HOUSE | "Ten Mile Stereo"
Beach House has been the most consistent band of the past decade (and then some) and "Ten Mile Stereo" remains (IMO) THE standout song in their career. The joke of Beach House recycling the same song over and over again is well worn out and this song remains the leading example. On this one, everything firmly clicks into place and their sound is fully harnessed, each note falling perfectly into place. It's the one where the best band wrote their best song.
03 KANYE WEST | "Runaway" (ft. Pusha-T)
Kanye reemerged at the VMAs for the first time since the infamous Taylor Swift incident to debut "Runaway" and in a singular moment, he resurrected his career. The album that would follow would unveil West's unparalleled masterwork of creative genius. Perhaps the pinnacle of his career. "Runaway" was the summit of that peak and a stroke of magic unlike anything he's put forth ever since.
02 ROBYN | "Dancing On My Own"
I often have to remind myself that this song actually came out this decade and not earlier. Not because the song sounds aged, but rather I can't remember a time when it wasn't in my life. It's soundtracked every party I've had since its release and I've yet to meet someone who disagrees. Not just the song of a decade, but one of a generation as well.
01 BEYONCÉ | "Formation"
Yes "Formation" over "Countdown," "Love on Top," "Drunk in Love," "XO," "Sorry," and every other Beyoncé song I could've (and perhaps should've have) placed on top of this list. All of those songs are perfection and would still place above every other song I've listed. But "Formation" is the song that became a slogan all over the world. It was a new Beyoncé. One that said not only was it OK to be mad, but rather expected. There are too many wrongdoers in the world and the time to stand-up is now. "Ok ladies now let's get in formation" was written on protest signs around the planet transcending music and becoming a statement for a global movement. It doesn't get more number one than that.
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