Best Songs of the 2010s

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1. 1
   KL
   ▶

   Alright

   Kendrick Lamar · from To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

   A jazz-funk anthem that became a protest chant.

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2. 2
   FO
   ▶

   Thinkin Bout You

   Frank Ocean · from Channel Orange (2012)

   A tender, falsetto-led breakthrough.

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3. 3
   DP
   ▶

   Get Lucky

   Daft Punk · from Random Access Memories (2013)

   Nile Rodgers' guitar and an inescapable groove.

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4. 4
   AD
   ▶

   Rolling in the Deep

   Adele · from 21 (2011)

   A stomping, soulful global smash.

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5. 5
   RO
   ▶

   Dancing on My Own

   Robyn · from Body Talk (2010)

   Heartbreak on the dancefloor, perfected.

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6. 6
   TI
   ▶

   The Less I Know the Better

   Tame Impala · from Currents (2015)

   A funky bassline and woozy melody.

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7. 7
   BE
   ▶

   Formation

   Beyoncé · from Lemonade (2016)

   A bold, political statement of a single.

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8. 8
   LO
   ▶

   Royals

   Lorde · from Pure Heroine (2013)

   A minimalist hit that reset teen pop.

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9. 9
   CG
   ▶

   Redbone

   Childish Gambino · from Awaken, My Love! (2016)

   Falsetto funk that channels Funkadelic.

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10. 10
    VW
    ▶

    Step

    Vampire Weekend · from Modern Vampires of the City (2013)

    A literate, harpsichord-laced gem.

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11. 11
    M8
    ▶

    Midnight City

    M83 · from Hurry Up, We're Dreaming (2011)

    That saxophone outro and a euphoric synth hook.

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12. 12
    AM
    ▶

    Do I Wanna Know?

    Arctic Monkeys · from AM (2013)

    A heavy, swaggering slow-burn riff.

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13. 13
    KL
    ▶

    Alright

    Kendrick Lamar · from To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

    The Black Lives Matter anthem that came from a jazz-funk album — all of it essential.

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14. 14
    FO
    ▶

    Pyramids

    Frank Ocean · from Channel Orange (2012)

    Ten minutes of concept R&B that reimagines ancient Egypt and modern nightlife.

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15. 15
    LO
    ▶

    Royals

    Lorde · from Pure Heroine (2013)

    The anti-excess anthem from a 16-year-old that made minimalism sound luxurious.

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16. 16
    WE
    ▶

    Blinding Lights

    The Weeknd · from After Hours (2020)

    The 80s synth-pop revival arrived, peaked, and became unavoidable.

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17. 17
    CG
    ▶

    Redbone

    Childish Gambino · from Awaken, My Love! (2016)

    Seventies soul reconstructed as horror-movie warmth.

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18. 18
    MI
    ▶

    Your Best American Girl

    Mitski · from Puberty 2 (2016)

    The guitar feedback and the cultural displacement: indie rock as identity crisis.

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19. 19
    HS
    ▶

    Sign of the Times

    Harry Styles · from Harry Styles (2017)

    Bowie's influence on a One Direction member: the glam-rock piano ballad.

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20. 20
    JM
    ▶

    Make Me Feel

    Janelle Monae · from Dirty Computer (2018)

    The Prince tribute that out-Princes most things made without Prince.

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21. 21
    SO
    ▶

    Cranes in the Sky

    Solange · from A Seat at the Table (2016)

    The production so careful it sounds like grief given physical form.

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22. 22
    PB
    ▶

    Funeral

    Phoebe Bridgers · from Stranger in the Alps (2017)

    The debut that announced a songwriter who processes darkness very precisely.

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