Incredible Songs: 2010s, Vol. 1

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Incredible Songs: 2010s, Vol. 1 features music courtesy of Adele, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd.

Ah, it’s time to explore the music of the most recent, completed music era, the 2010s! Incredible Songs: 2010s, Vol. 1 marks the first entry into the Incredible Songs: 2010s series. All the songs from this list were released between 2010 and 2019 OR charted in that time span (example: a 2009 song reaches its peak in 2010).  Incredible Songs: 2010s, Vol. 1 features music courtesy of Adele, Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, and The Weeknd among others. Like Incredible Songs: 2000s, Vol. 1 and the songs in the Incredible Songs: 2000s series, the 2010s series keeps things eclectic covering various music styles. So, without further ado, let’s take it back to 2000s music style, shall we?   

1. Adele, “Rolling in the Deep” 

21 • XL Recordings • 2011

Nine words: “We could have had it all / Rolling in the Deep.” Adele had already garnered buzz with her debut album, 19, which earned her first two Grammy wins.  “Rolling in the Deep” from 21 had a much bigger impact than “Chasing Pavements” could’ve ever hoped for. “Rolling in the Deep” was a ubiquitous number one hit – a crossover masterpiece. Where style is concerned, the record fuses pop, soul, gospel, and retro superbly. Adele herself describes it as “gospel disco.” The minute I heard it I knew she had a surefire winner on her hands.  In addition to powerhouse vocals and awesome production, the theme and songwriting are top-notch.  Basically, her man wronged her, she’s done with him, and there’s going to be hell pay – “You’re gonna wish you – never had met me.”  No surprise that “Rolling in the Deep” won four Grammys by itself (including Record and Song of the Year), in addition to 21 winning two, most notably Album of the Year.    

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2. Billie Eilish, “bad guy” 

When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? • Darkroom / Interscope • 2019

“So, you’re a tough guy / Like it really rough guy / Just can’t get enough guy / Chest always so puffed guy…” The minimalist “Bad Guy” serves as the first full-length record on When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, the compelling debut album by alternative pop artist, Billie Eilish.  On the Grammy-winning (Record of the Year and Song of the Year), multiplatinum, no. 1 hit, Eilish sings in an undertone.  She’s calm, cool, and collected, flaunting off her distinct approach and sound. Adding to the intrigue of the listening experience are a unique palette of vocal effects, as well as an air of mysteriousness. “Bad Guy” thrives because of its infectious groove, catchy chorus (partially excerpted above, and continued below), and a fun, if dark, playful style.  It easily nabbed the top spot on the  51 Best Songs of 2019.   

“I’m that bad type 

Make your mama sad type 

Make your girlfriend mad tight 

Might seduce your dad type 

I’m the bad guy…” 

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3. Portugal. The Man, Feel It Still

Woodstock • Atlantic • 2017

“Can’t keep my hands to myself / Think I’ll dust ‘em off, put ‘em back up on the shelf.” Okay, sure! Alternative bands can rarely tout scoring a top-five pop hit on the Billboard Hot 100.  Portland, Oregon standouts Portugal. The Man earned those bragging rights with “Feel It Still”. The standout from their 2017 album, Woodstock, peaked at no. 4 on the pop charts. Easily one of the grooviest, most infectious, and best songs of 2017, it also earned the band the one-hit wonder label. The facts, or lack of other charting singles on the Billboard Hot 100 don’t lie. Still, if you’re going to only earn one charting single on the pop charts, wouldn’t you want it to be a Grammy-winning, multiplatinum single like “Feel It Still”? Of course, you would!

The chorus is a huge reason for the success of “Feel It Still”:

“Ooh woo, I’m a rebel just for kicks, now  

I been feeling it since 1966, now  

Might be over now, but I feel it still  

Ooh woo, I’m a rebel just for kicks, now  

Let me kick it like it’s 1986, now  

Might be over now, but I feel it still.”     

Ooh, woo, indeed! The production ( John Hill & Asa Taccone) is crisp and clear .  Front man John Gourley delivers sensational, light, airy, and agile high-pitched vocals.  Reminiscing rarely comes off as excellent as it does on “Feel It Still”. Notably, Gourley makes various references throughout the song including politics, rebelliousness, and his daughter (“Got another mouth to feed / Leave it to the babysitter, mama, call the gravedigger”). One-hit wonder it may be, but it’s an epic one, PERIOD.

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4. Beyoncé, “Don’t Hurt Yourself” (Ft. Jack White) 

Lemonade • Columbia • 2016 

“Who the fuck do you think I is? / You ain’t married to no average bitch, boy / You can watch my fat ass twist, boy / As I bounce to the next dick, boy.” Damn, Beyoncé has NEVER rocked harder than she does “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” a highlight from her 2016 album, Lemonade.  Even the Recording Academy voters took notice how hard Queen Bey rocked, nominating her fiery collaboration with Jack White for a Grammy in the rock category ! On “Don’t Hurt Yourself,” Beyoncé is hella pissed off, singing a litany of profanities. “Bad motherfucker, God complex / Motivate your ass, call me Malcolm X,” she snarls, continuing, “Yo operator, or innovator / Fuck you, hater, you can’t recreate her, no / You’ll never recreate her, no, hell no.”  White avoids profanity, keeping things incredibly simple on the memorable chorus: “When you hurt me, you hurt yourself / Don’t hurt yourself / When you diss me, you diss yourself / Don’t hurt yourself.”  Notably, a sample of “When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zeppelin helps to fuel ️ the fire of this fierce gem.  

Appears in :  

15 Songs Filled with Hurt & Pain (2018)

5. The Weeknd, “The Hills” 

Beauty Behind the Madness • Republic • 2015 

“I only love it when you touch me, not feel me / When I’m fucked up, that’s the real me…” WOO! Grammy winning Canadian R&B artist The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) had everybody on board with his 2015 album, Beauty Behind the Madness, which was filled with hits.  That said, Beauty Behind the Madness isn’t a clean, family friendly LP.  A prime example of a huge hit being edgy is the f-bomb laden, yet irresistible, dramatic slow jam, “The Hills.” In 2015, everybody was singing that glorious chorus, which commences with the lyrics, “I only call you when it’s half past five.” Besides the memorable chorus, there were several reasons why this record shined.  First and foremost, the distinct, beautiful vocals by Tesfaye.  As always, he sings with great expression, truly selling the lyrics.  Also, the lyrics – well – they’re pretty strong, delivering a pretty compelling narrative (“Drivin’ through the gated residential / Found out I was comin’, sent your friends home / Keep on tryna hide it, but your friends know”).  Throw in elite production work ( Illangelo and Mano) and a tuneful melody to match those notable lyrics, and “The Hills” literally has ‘hit’ written all over it. 

“Hills have eyes, the hills have eyes 

Who are you to judge? Who are you to judge?  

Hide your lies, girl, hide your lies  

Only you to trust, only you.”  

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6. Ariana Grande, “thank u, next” 

thank u, next •  Republic • 2019

“Look what you taught me / And for that, I say / Thank you, next (Next).” Alright now, Ariana Grande, ALRIGHT NOW! “thank u, next”, which appears on her critically acclaimed, Grammy-nominated album, thank u, next, created quite a buzz when it arrived as an advance single in late 2018. “Thought I’d end up with Sean / But he wasn’t a match / Wrote some songs about Ricky / Now I listen and almost laugh.” Grande reflects on her relationships, including more recent exes like the late Mac Miller and ex-fiancé, Pete Davidson to the mix. She continues to focus on her exes on the first pre-chorus and chorus, profanely proclaiming, “Thank you, next / I’m so fuckin’ grateful for my ex.” In the second verse, she focuses on herself – her own well-being. She flips the script on the second pre-chorus, focusing on her own excellence. On the bridge, she anticipates marriage, but ultimately plans to “make that shit last.” Ultimately, “thank u, next” is an honest, therapeutic record that finds her reflecting on life, love, and bettering herself.  Every relationship taught her a lesson and for that, she’s grateful.  She’s probably also grateful for the seven weeks the record spent at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 .

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7. Harry Styles, “Watermelon Sugar”   

Fine Line • Columbia • 2019

“Tastes like strawberries on a summer evenin’ / And it sounds just like a song.”  Apparently, British pop singer Harry Styles enjoys fruit! “Watermelon Sugar” marked his second fruit-oriented song ( “Kiwi” being the first). “Watermelon Sugar” also marked the second single from his 2019, multiplatinum sophomore album, Fine Line.  ALSO, Styles would win his first Grammy (Best Pop Solo Vocal Performance) for “Watermelon Sugar,” a total BOP.  Styles sounds superb vocally. The huskiness and assertiveness of his vocal performance is awesome. Producers Kid Harpoon and Tyler Johnson give him a top-notch backdrop to work with.  There are elements of rock and pop, as well as a dash of retro and vintage.  In addition to vocals, some of the ‘ear candy’ listeners are spoiled with includes acoustic and electric guitars, piano, keyboard, and horns. Though “Watermelon Sugar” isn’t a deep, transcendently penned song, it is enjoyable and entertaining.  That begins with the love-centric, summery, and ‘fruity’ verses. It continues with the pre-chorus and capped off by repetitive but vibe-filled chorus, which highlights the titular lyric, “Watermelon sugar high.”   

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8. Taylor Swift, “Blank Space” 

1989 • Big Machine • 2014

Some artists don’t need introductions.  Taylor Swift is one of them – PERIOD.  Some songs don’t need introductions either.  “Blank Space” is one of them – PERIOD.  Some albums had a huge mark on the world.  It shouldn’t surprise you, but 1989, which earned Swift her second Grammy for Album of the Year (she’s since won a third), needs no further explanation either. “Blank Space” screams hit the first time you hear it.  The production ( Shellback and Max Martin) impresses, with its drum programming and synths, as well as acoustic and electric guitars. Hella catchy, the infectious chorus, the centerpiece, ranks among its best moments, with its sweet, harmonized vocals:  

“So, it’s gonna be forever 

Or it’s gonna go down in flames 

You can tell me when it’s over 

If the high was worth the pain 

Got a long list of ex-lovers 
They’ll tell you I’m insane 
‘Cause you know I love the players 
And you love the game…”   

Ultimately, Taylor Swift does the damn thing here.  “Blank Space” is that pop song that so many of her rivals would die for. 

Appears in :

Space: 5ive Songs No. 43 (2021)

9. Hozier, “Take Me to Church”  

Hozier •  Rubyworks / Columbia •  2014   

“Take Me to Church” was a no. 2 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 – a huge, breakthrough hit for Irish singer/songwriter Hozier. Furthermore, the standout from Hozier (2014) was nominated for the Grammy for Song of the Year.  Listening emptily, it’s easy to see why it was a massive hit.  Who doesn’t enjoy a song that references sex?  Considering the depth of its subject matter analytically, it’s almost unbelievable it achieved the commercial accolades it did. 

In a NY Mag interview, The Irish singer/songwriter describes the song as being about sex, humanity, and disdain for the church “teaching shame about sexual orientation.”  The lyrics of the song confirm those strong feelings: 

“My church offers no absolutes  

She tells me ‘worship in the bedroom’  

The only heaven I’ll be sent too  

Is when I’m alone with you.”      

Furthermore, in the interview, he tackles the influence of the church in Ireland, and homophobia in Russia. Key lyrics, such as “We were born sick, you heard them say it,” confirm this.   Throughout its course, “Church” amplifies blasphemous references to make a statement.  Ultimately, that statement is that all humans, regardless of sexuality, should be able to love and be with whomever they’d like.   

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10. Lorde, “Royals”

Pure Heroine • Universal Music NZ Ltd. • 2013

“And we’ll never be royals / It don’t run in our blood / That kind of luxe just ain’t for us / We crave a different kind of buzz.” Kiwi standout Lorde (Ella Yelich O’Connor) earned her breakthrough with the truly royal song, “Royals” in 2013. The highlight of her multiplatinum debut album, Pure Heroine, the record spent nine weeks at no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and earned her two Grammys, including the prestigious Grammy for Record of The Year at the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards. The multiplatinum “Royals” benefits from a strong vocal arrangement not focused on power, but rather color and subtlety.  The more times you listen to it, the more hypnotic and magical it becomes.  A pop cultural juggernaut, the songwriting (O’Connor and producer, Joel Little) is magnificent, with its mentions of “gold teeth”, “trashing hotel rooms,” “Maybach(s),” and personal favorite “Diamonds on your timepiece.” The centerpiece is none other than the catchy, unforgettable chorus.

Appears in :

11 Truly Royal Songs (2018)

11. Jay-Z, “The Story of O.J.” 

4:44 • Roc Nation • 2017  

“The Story of O.J.” is one of many standouts hailing from the critically acclaimed Jay-Z album, 4:44. Somehow, Jay-Z went home empty handed at the Grammys despite eight nominations! “The Story of O.J.” accounted for three of those nominations including Record Of The Year, Best Rap Song, and Best Music Video.  Despite not winning, I would consider this one of the very best songs from his illustrious catalog. “The Story of O.J.” incorporates samples from Nina Simone ( “Four Women”) and Funk Inc. ( “Kool Is Back”). The Simone sample gives “O.J.” a jazzy quality.  The hook emphasizes that black is black, regardless of status or shade: “Light nigga, dark nigga, faux nigga, real nigga / Rich nigga, poor nigga, house nigga, field nigga / Still nigga, still nigga.” Woo! Naturally, the record is controversial, most notably thanks to stereotypical Jewish references (“You ever wonder why Jewish people own all the property in American? This how they did it”). One of the best songs of 2017, to reiterate, it is also one of the best from the Jay-Z collection.  

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12. Carly Rae Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe” 

Kiss • Interscope • 2012 

Kiss, the 2012 debut album by Canadian pop artist Carly Rae Jepsen has its fair share of enjoyable and respectable moments.  Even so, there is one, surefire, ‘big gun’ hit song that defines this album.  That would be then ubiquitous, no. 1 hit, “Call Me Maybe.” Simply put, “Call Me Maybe” smokes everything else by miles on Kiss.  It is one of the most fun, most memorable pop songs of all time.  Josh Ramsay produced the preeminent single of summer 2012. The ‘neo-disco’ sound is perfect, confirmed by lovely string swirls, clearly lifted from the 70s or early 80s. Though she sounded years younger on this playful, flirty joint, Jepsen was a youthful 26-years old when “Call Me Maybe” arrived.  Catchy, addictive, and ‘over-the-top,’ “Call Me Maybe” was bound to top the charts.  The chorus is memorable and gargantuan: 

“Hey, I just met you 

And this is crazy 

But here’s my number 

So, call me maybe 

It’s hard to look right 

At you baby 

But here’s my number 

So, call me maybe…”  

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13. Sam Smith, “Stay With Me”

In the Lonely Hour • Capitol • 2014

Throughout the course of In the Lonely Hour, Academy Award and Grammy winning nonbinary singer/songwriter Sam Smith dabbles in the plight called love, specifically unrequited love. Openly gay, they imply their sexuality throughout the album.  Post-In the Lonely Hour Smith opened up more about their sexuality. Understanding their perspective fills in the blanks for the listener, revealing a larger significance.  The crowning achievement of In the Lonely Hour is “Stay with Me,” which would win Grammys for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Pop Solo Performance. “Stay with Me” finds Smith’s emotions at an all-time high.  At one point, they depict shallow love, singing, “Guess it’s true, I’m not good at a one-night stand / But I still need love cause I’m just a man.” Even so, ultimately, Smith desires something more permanent and meaningful:

“Won’t you stay with me?

‘Cause you’re all I need

This ain’t love, it’s clear to see

But darling, stay with me.”

Smith’s magnificent falsetto, supported by gospel backing vocals help make “Stay with Me” truly awesome.  That said, there’s some controversy with this incredibly successful joint, given its similarities to the 1989 Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers classic, “I Won’t Back Down”.  Let’s just say that Petty and co-writer Jeff Lynne now have writing credits on the Smith record.

Appears in :

Incredible Songs: 2010s, Vol. 1 (2023) [: Brent Faulkner / The Musical Hype; Atlantic, Big Machine, Capitol, Columbia, Darkroom, Interscope, Republic, Roc Nation, Universal Music NZ Ltd., XL Recordings; ]

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