Although the 2010s are just behind us, there are songs that you might have forgotten but ones that shaped the decade. Each decade had its share of memorable tracks, the 2010s were filled with great tunes worth recalling.
The 2010s were exciting, to say the least. Many great songs have been cemented into music history, some more popular than others, but all contributing to the sound of the decade. Today, let’s take a look at the 20 best songs from the 2010s you probably forgot about.
Contents
- 1. “Drunk In Love” by Beyoncé & Jay-Z
- 2. “Troublemaker” by Olly Murs ft. Flo Rida
- 3. “Levels” by Avicii
- 4. “We Found Love” by Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris
- 5. “XO” by Beyoncé
- 6. “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
- 7. “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster The People
- 8. “Super Bass” by Nicki Minaj
- 9. “Shake It Out” by Florence & The Machine
- 10. “Turn Down For What” by DJ Snake & Lil Jon
- 11. “Mr. Saxobeat” by Alexandra Stan
- 12. “Royals” by Lorde
- 13. “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
- 14. “All Of Me” by John Legend
- 15. “Rolling In The Deep” by Adele
- 16. “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
- 17. “One Dance” by Drake ft. WizKid and Kyla
- 18. “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
- 19. “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus
- 20. “Just Give Me A Reason” by P!nk ft. Nate Ruess
- Conclusion
1. “Drunk In Love” by Beyoncé & Jay-Z
The first song on the list is “Drunk In Love” by Beyoncé & Jay-Z. The song was released in 2013 and was a huge hit. It peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance.
A song about a couple who are deeply in love and intoxicated by their feelings for each other. This song was a huge staple in Beyoncé’s repertoire and amassed a huge number of views on YouTube, more than 650 million to be precise.
2. “Troublemaker” by Olly Murs ft. Flo Rida
Don’t tell me you forgot about Olly Murs’ major hit with Flo Rida. The song “Troublemaker” was released in 2012 and was an immediate success. It topped the charts in multiple countries and was nominated for a Grammy Award.
The song is so catchy that it immediately makes your body respond to the beat. With such a great beat, vocals, as well as rap, this was a huge hit for a very good reason. One listen to this track and you will trigger the memory in an instant.
3. “Levels” by Avicii
The next entry is Avicii’s song “Levels”. The song was released in 2011 and was a huge hit in Europe. It peaked at number 1 in several countries and was certified 6 times platinum in Sweden.
The song is about Avicii’s journey to becoming a successful DJ. It talks about how he had to work hard to get to where he was. Unfortunately, Avicii passed away in 2018 but left us with many memorable songs.
4. “We Found Love” by Rihanna ft. Calvin Harris
Naturally, most will recognize this instant hit by Rihanna and Calvin Harris. The song “We Found Love” was released in 2011 and topped the charts in more than 20 countries. It has been certified 10 times platinum in the US and has more than 1 billion views on YouTube.
The song is about a young couple who are deeply in love despite the obstacles they face. There was a point in time when this song was virtually everywhere.
5. “XO” by Beyoncé
Beyoncé returns to the list, this time with her song “XO”. The song was released in 2013 as a part of her surprise album “Beyoncé”. It peaked at number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and was certified platinum in the US.
The song is about ever-lasting love. This song was a huge change in direction for Beyoncé and showed her growth as an artist. One glance and you will instantly remember this tune.
6. “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
We’re jamming out to this next track. Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars brought up the ever-memorable song “Uptown Funk”. The song was released in 2014 and topped the charts in more than 10 countries
It has been certified 11 times platinum in the US and has more than 4 billion views on YouTube. The song is about dancing and having a good time. It was an instant classic and is still popular to this day.
7. “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster The People
No introduction is needed for this next classic. Foster The People’s “Pumped Up Kicks” was released in 2010 and was an instant success. It peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and has been certified diamond in the US.
Although the meaning of the song has a truly dark sense, it was still a huge song when it came out and tackled a very sensitive subject matter.
8. “Super Bass” by Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj is certainly a name that helped shape the sound of the 2010s. Her song “Super Bass” was released in 2011 and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It has been certified 8 times platinum in the US and has more than 900 million views on YouTube.
The song is about a girl who is madly in love with a boy who doesn’t seem to notice her. This tune eventually became a stepping stone for Minaj to amass even more greatness.
9. “Shake It Out” by Florence & The Machine
While some may recognize this from the show ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and the infamous Ted & Robin scene, others will surely remember it just by its mass success.
The song “Shake It Out” by Florence & The Machine was released in 2011 and was an instant hit. It peaked at number 2 in the UK and has been certified 6 times platinum there.
The song is about letting go of your past and moving on. This song was a huge success for Florence & The Machine and helped cement them as one of the most popular bands of the 2010s.
10. “Turn Down For What” by DJ Snake & Lil Jon
With over 1 billion views on YouTube, “Turn Down For What” by DJ Snake & Lil Jon is a banger without a doubt. The song was released in 2013 and quickly became a club staple. It has been certified 6 times platinum in the US.
The song is about, well, turning down for what. This song was meant to get people hyped up and dancing. And that’s exactly what it did.
11. “Mr. Saxobeat” by Alexandra Stan
Remember that song that played on every single beach in the world throughout the 2010s? It was Alexandra Stan’s “Mr. Saxobeat”. The song was released in 2010 and quickly became an international hit.
The tune was certainly Alexandra’s breakout hit that helped her amass huge success. One listen to the chorus and you will certainly be taken back a few years when this track was circulating almost everywhere.
12. “Royals” by Lorde
You probably remember this one, if not, one listen will certainly jog some memories. The song “Royals” by Lorde was released in 2013 and topped charts worldwide. It was an international hit and is often cited as one of the best songs of the 2010s.
The track made its way as one of the best-selling singles of all time. The chorus is still probably stuck in everyone’s head. It also won the Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance at the Grammys.
13. “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift
We all know Taylor Swift and her catchy tunes. Her song “Shake It Off” was released in 2014 and was an anthem for anyone who’s ever been judged. It was a song that everyone could sing along to, no matter what age.
The song peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Album. This is certainly a song that shaped the century as Taylor Swift has done many times in the past.
14. “All Of Me” by John Legend
Another extremely popular tune that you might have forgotten is John Legend’s “All Of Me”. The song was released in 2013 and reached number one in multiple countries. It even won the Grammy Award for Song Of The Year.
The song is a beautiful ballad that tells the story of Legend’s wife, Chrissy Teigen. The song is an ode to her beauty and their love. The chorus is extremely catchy and there was a time when you couldn’t walk anywhere without hearing this tune.
15. “Rolling In The Deep” by Adele
I highly doubt anyone has forgotten Adele’s trademark song “Rolling In The Deep” but it’s certainly worth a mention since the song played a monumental part in shaping the sound of this decade.
The song was released in 2010 and quickly became a global hit. It won the Grammy Award for Record Of The Year and is often cited as one of the best songs of the 2010s. The song has a very catchy chorus and an instantly recognizable opening riff.
16. “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
The next entry is one that is also one of monumental value and that is Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect”. The song was released in 2017 and quickly became a global hit. It was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards including Song Of The Year and Best Pop Solo Performance.
The song is an ode to a relationship and the chorus is extremely catchy. Since its release, it is widely used as a ‘first-dance’ song at weddings globally.
17. “One Dance” by Drake ft. WizKid and Kyla
Some might have forgotten Drake’s “One Dance” tune in collaboration with WizKid and Kyla. The song was released in 2016 and quickly became a huge hit. It was nominated for multiple Grammy Awards including Best Rap/Sung Performance and Best Rap Song.
Drake has always been a hit-maker and this song is a true testament to that. The song sits on his album “Views” which came out in 2016.
18. “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
Remember when every country in the world made a similar music video but with the same song? It was all thanks to Pharrell Williams’ “Happy”. The song was released in 2013 and was an international hit.
It won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance and is often cited as one of the best songs of the 2010s. The song got so popular that it spawned a trend that most countries applied and made the hit even bigger.
19. “Wrecking Ball” by Miley Cyrus
Nobody can ‘knock’ Miley Cyrus’ hit song “Wrecking Ball” on the list of 2010 songs. The song was released in 2013 and was an immediate hit. It topped the charts in multiple countries and won the MTV Video Music Award for Video Of The Year.
The song is about a break-up and has a very catchy chorus. Despite the controversial music video and all the chitter-chatter that came along with it, the song was and still is a massive hit.
20. “Just Give Me A Reason” by P!nk ft. Nate Ruess
Last but certainly not least is the ever-great-sounding track by Pink and Nate Ruess “Just Give Me A Reason”. The song was released in 2013 and caught the attention of many listeners across the globe.
It topped the charts in multiple countries and remains one of Pink’s most popular songs. With Pink’s angelic voice in this song and Ruess’ sheer range complement each other perfectly. Certainly a song that couldn’t entirely be forgotten.
Conclusion
The 2010s were a time of some incredible songs that are still popular today. These are just some of the best songs from the 2010s that you may have forgotten about. Adele, Ed Sheeran, Drake, Pharrell Williams, and Miley Cyrus all released chart-topping hits that made waves across the globe.
