Welcome back for the second round of 2010s in Review! As promised, here is the second half of the decade’s music that left an impact on me.
Also as promised, this round is going to be a bit shorter. Here’s a couple reasons why
- These songs are much more recent, so I haven’t had as much time to see the long-lasting impact of these songs and
- music doesn’t hit the same way it did before.
Before we get too critical, I’ll start with the list, then I’ll return to my second point. Let’s hop in.
2015
- See You Again x Wiz Khalifa & Charlie Puth- I honestly don’t understand how someone could not like this song?? Throwback to my high school’s Class of 2015. This was their class song which was played over the intercom on their last day of school. Even though the song is about death…not graduating.
- Drag Me Down x One Direction- I was never a One Direction fan, but they did make some amazing pop songs, I can’t dispute.
- No Type x Rae Sremmurd- Sophomore year of high school dances. I-CONIC.
- Renegades x The Ambassadors- Good ass alternative music.
- Elastic Heart x Sia- I was in a really weird funk in Summer 2016. I listened to this song during runs to clear my mind.
- Riptide x Vance Joy- Choir kids unite once again. The first song anyone learns on the ukulele.
- Habits x Tove Lo- I remember watching the music video for this song on MTV while getting ready for school in the morning.
- Bed x J. Holiday (2007)- I rediscovered this song by mistake and it rebirthed my love for late 2000s RnB.
- The Hills x The Weeknd- This is the first Weeknd song I could get into at the time. The other songs were too vulgar for me.
- Jumpman x Drake & Future- C’mon now.
2016
- Go Flex x Post Malone- This song is the soundtrack to my trip to California and every summer vacation I’ve had since it dropped.
- Cold Water x Major Lazer & Justin Bieber- Spotify says that I loved this song, apparently. I don’t recall but let’s go with it.
- Novacane x Frank Ocean (2011)- For some reason, Spotify says this is one of my top songs of this year, although I don’t remember this either aHaha.
- Ride x Twenty One Pilots- I really liked listening to this song during long drives in the summer time.
- Work x Rihanna- Don’t get me wrong, this song is a bop, but I was very happy when this song stopped coming on the radio 10 times an hour, 24/7. The summer anthem you really couldn’t escape.
- Capsize x Frenship- I have no idea what this genre of pop music is called/considered, but this song put me on to it and now I really like it. Reminds me of mornings doing my makeup before school.
- Antidote x Travis Scott- When I got my first car Junior year, best believe this was the first song I blasted on my aux cord.
- Nights x Frank Ocean- Everyone likes this song, so don’t have to explain here. Highly recommend this album when driving down Highway 1 of the Californian coastline in Santa Monica.
- Everglow x Coldplay- Such a beautiful song written from pain and grief. One of my favorite songs to play on the piano.
2017
- Redbone x Childish Gambino- I had my first kiss to this song in my car… It wasn’t a good first kiss and wasn’t with the right person, but hey…
- Sky Walker x Miguel ft Travis Scott- Songs that were blasted through my aux cord part 1.
- Portland x Drake ft Quavo & Travis Scott- Songs that were blasted through my aux cord part 2.
- Good Morning x Kanye West (2007)- I listened to the whole Graduation album on the week of my high school graduation.
- Shine x Buddy- I listened to a lot of Buddy in the beginning of college, I have no idea what gravitated me towards his music but now we’re here.
- Losin Control x Russ- The only song of his I knew when I spontaneously went to his show with friends Summer ’17 (and almost died in the mosh pit).
- XO TOUR Llif3 x Lil Uzi Vert- THE song of my senior year of high school. My whole senior class’ song, at that.
- While We’re Young x Jhene Aiko- Jhene’s voice is so calming, I had to add one of her songs on here.
- Chanel x Frank Ocean- Found this song through a fan edit on Instagram, surprisingly.
- Scared to be Lonely x Martin Garrix & Dua Lipa- I was going through a really rough patch in the beginning of college, so my taste in music switched up a bit.
- Goosebumps x Travis Scott- As you can see, I really became fond of Mr. Webster in the later half of this decade.
2018
- Happier x Marshmello & Bastille- Such a feel good song. Makes me all warm and fuzzy.
- SKELETONS x Travis Scott- Favorite song on this whole album (apparently it’s Travis’ too). Plus Tame Impala is on the song.
- OTW x Khalid, 6LACK, & Ty Dolla $ign- Listened to this everyday while swerving through traffic to get to my summer job.
- I Bet x Ciara (2015)- Discovered this song late, but wow this song really had me feeling like I just went through a break up lol.
- Falls x ODESZA ft Sasha Sloan- Also don’t remember how I came across this song, but here we are.
- Let’s Hurt Tonight x OneRepublic (2016)- Shout out to Bina for putting me on that one day we were chilling in the top bunk of Cam and Mikayla’s dorm.
- Sit Next To Me x Foster the People- A bop. An anthem. A tune.
- Fairplay (Acoustic) x Kiana Lede- Vocals. Check. Lyrics. Check.
- Kontrol x Maleek Berry- Reminds me of freshman year of college BSU room, Abena doing the splits. If you know, you know.
2019
- Sunflower x Swae Lee & Post Malone- Reminds me of mornings when I woke up and brushed me teeth to this song while morning sun beamed through the window. A typical opening scene in a coming of age movie .
- Only Human x Jonas Brothers- One of the most surprising comebacks I’ve seen in a while. I used to be the biggest fan when I watched them on Disney. *Guess which brother was my fav?*
- The Less I Know The Better x Tame Impala (2015)- I discovered this song this year and my life hasn’t been the same.
- John Redcorn x SiR- I have a hard time listening to RnB nowadays because it requires you to truly calm down and listen to it (as opposed to the background music that most mumble rap is) but this whole album can make me.
- After the Storm x Kali Uchis ft Tyler, The Creator- I had an uncomfortable realization after spending a lot of time alone this past summer, and this song is on the soundtrack of this realization.
- Heatwave x Mereba ft 6LACK- Shout out to Aijalon for putting me on to this album that day in the Black Student Union room.
Albums
- American Teen x Khalid
- Lemonade x Beyonce
- Everyday Life x Coldplay (of course)
- Blond x Frank Ocean
- The Black Panther Soundtrack (soundtrack of my freshman year of college)
- Chasing Summer x SiR
- H.E.R. x H.E.R.
- ASTROWORLD x Travis Scott
- Ctrl x SZA
Overall…(Back to my second point)
Most of the music I listed here does not have the same impact on me that the earlier 2010s music did. I feel as though artists nowadays strive to make single after single, but put very little effort into albums. Albums nowadays sound like a collection of singles, but hold no story lines, plots, nothing but radio songs. Plus, anybody can make music today and get big. Most of these rappers out should not be popular, in my opinion. I also miss how diverse popular music used to be. Even earlier in the decade, all types of music and artists were celebrated. Now it feels like mumble, vulgar rap and pop have taken over.
There are plenty of songs and albums that I’ve missed (I’m an Apple Music user and my Spotify data isn’t accurate, so this whole post is all recall), but I’m overall excited to see a potential change in music next decade. Thank you for reading.
Carpe Diem – Seize the Day!
Manyi.