The landscape of pop music has changed drastically over the last few decades. In the 1950s, country legends like Elvis Presley dominated the music scene, and in the 1960s, rock bands like The Beatles ruled the world. It wasn’t until the 1980s where music saw possibly it’s biggest star that will ever exist in the late Michael Jackson, who helped shape pop music to be what it is today.
As someone who grew up in the 2010s, I didn’t see Michael Jackson or stars like Prince or Whitney Houston at their peak. But still, pop music holds a significant place in my heart. Especially that of the early 2010s. This is my favorite era of music and the era that I have the most nostalgia for. Being a kid during this time was more fun because of the music and the artists that brought it to us. In the 1990s, pop music was a bit of a dessert. There were one-hit wonders galore and a few big stars outside Mariah Carey and others. However, this did start to get better in the 2000s, as artists like Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake emerged. But by the late 2000s, I can say that pop music was again the dominant genre.
By the time 2010 rolled around, we had seen the debuts of those who would go on to become modern legends in the world of pop music: Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and even more. These were some of the people who made my childhood something that I look back on fondly. From 2010 to 2013, in my opinion, pop music was the most fun.
2010
In 2010, Katy Perry had probably the best year of her career. She released her third studio album, Teenage Dream. Songs like “California Gurls” and “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)” were just two of the songs from that album to go number one. In total, there were five songs from this one that went to number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart, a feat that hadn’t been since Michael Jackson, and one that hasn’t been done since.
Another person I think of when I think of 2010 is Taio Cruz. While many people may not remember him (it has been a while since we’ve seen him), his songs “Dynamite” and “Break Your Heart” were some of the biggest of the year. And even if he never releases music again, he’ll definitely still be remembered for these songs. The number one song of that year was Kesha’s “Tik Tok”. An eternal banger that still holds up well today.
2011
In 2011, Adele was the it girl. I still remember hearing “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone Like You” being played on the radio all the time after it came out. “Its combination of overpowering vocal firepower and emotional vulnerability is peak Adele,” says a Rolling Stone writer. The soulful energy in music was something we hadn’t seen in mainstream pop music in a while and was very much needed. You can’t talk about this era of pop music without talking about Mr. Worldwide, Pitbull. I love that EDM-infused pop sound that he helped pioneer. Songs like “Give Me Everything” and “International Love” are some of the best examples of this sound.
Speaking of EDM, I have to talk about LMFAO. Their number one hit, “Party Rock Anthem”, was everywhere. It was unavoidable, but if you were someone who loved that song like me, you didn’t have a problem with that. Even though the trajectory of their career is similar to Taio Cruz’s, they’ve made their mark on music regardless.
2012
In 2012, Bruno Mars released his second album, Unorthodox Jukebox, after a very successful debut. Both of these albums had several hits on them and are, even today, two of the highest-streamed albums of all time. These albums helped introduce the world to the superstar Bruno Mars, someone who is still making history to this day and will definitely continue to do so in the future. Another history maker, Taylor Swift, released Red this year as well. A writer from Pitchfork described it by saying, “Red is a portrait of a young woman eager to feel everything on her way to the top.”
There were a few great one-hit wonders of the year, too. And I mean no offense when saying one hit wonder either since I know how hard it is to have just one big hit. Carly Rae Jepsen came through with “Call Me Maybe,” The Wanted was “Glad You Came,” and Gotye popped off with the song of the year, “Somebody That I Used To Know,” which I will be honest and say that I didn’t appreciate that song enough when it was released.
2013
2013 was probably my favorite year of music. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis found success with “Thrift Shop” and “Can’t Hold Us,” which I feel are songs people don’t give enough credit to. Imagine Dragons released Night Visions, which featured “Radioactive”, my favorite song of theirs. Justin Timberlake made a big comeback with “Mirrors” and the rest of The 20/20 Experience. Eminem continued his comeback by releasing a sequel to his beloved 2000 album, The Marshall Mathers LP. Pitbull and Kesha also got together and put out the song of the summer in Timber. It was just a great time all around for music.
I loved this era of music. While I know that it will probably never return, at least not how it was, I know that I can always return to it. Many of the stars from this era are still putting out music as well, some keeping on with previous sounds from the past, and some evolving their sounds and keeping it in line with what’s hot right now. Pop music is at an exciting time, with so many great albums released in the last few years. People like Charli XCX, Olivia Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter are shaping a new sound for the next generation to obsess over, just like I did, and it’s exciting to see. As a big fan of all music, I can’t wait to see what road music takes in the future.