Top 10 Songs from 2010–2019
A lot of great songs were released in the last decade. The music was absolutely sensational. From Kesha, Taylor Swift, and Lorde to NF and others, there’s a lot to take in. This is the best of the best.
This list is purely subjective. Taylor Swift’s albums were incredible and she’s appeared several times on my “top albums of the decade” list that I am currently working on. So without further introduction, these are my favorite songs from the last decade.
#10. Linkin Park — “Heavy” ft Kiiara
from ‘One More Light’ (2017)
Linkin Park’s 2017 album One More Light was brilliant and it’s a shame it wasn’t received well until frontman Chester Bennington’s sudden passing by suicide. Lead single “Heavy” features pop singer Kiiara. One More Light is such a great reflection of hardships and self-doubt and the choice to bring Kiiara into the song was a great choice.
#9. blink-182 — “After Midnight”
from ‘Neighborhoods’ (2011)
It’s a shame that blink-182 will never write a better song than this. “After Midnight” is what blink-182 always could sound like but never really did up until this album. I often romanticize another universe where blink-182 exists with both Tom DeLonge and Mark Hoppus. While they might not have had a massive hit since the late-90s/early-00s and blink-182’s appeal they mustered so well in their hey-day is mostly gone, I’m a true believer that Neighborhoods could’ve been the turn blink-182 needed to make hits again. Unfortunately, it took a different turn.
#8. Bleachers — “Don’t Take The Money”
from ‘Gone Now’ (2017)
“Don’t Take The Money” is the perfect romantic anthem. When you play it, it feels like your windows are already down. Bleachers is good for that. Meanwhile, Gone Now is a magnificent and infectious album with hooks all around the place. Jack Antonoff can’t write a bad song.
#7. PVRIS — “Old Wounds”
from ‘Hallucinations’ EP (2019)
PVRIS first broke with “St. Patrick” on their debut album, White Noise, and kind of bombed on their following record, the really white sophomore album that hit shelves via Rise Records. So in 2019, PVRIS was picked up by Warner Records and released the Hallucinations EP. “Old Wounds” is that song that made me fall in love with PVRIS again.
6. YUNGBLUD, Halsey — “11 Minutes” ft Travis Barker
from ‘11 Minutes — single’ (2019)
“11 Minutes” is a really great pop song. I loved hearing the storyline behind the record (in this interview) where Halsey and Yungblud unveiled to the world that they were dating. The single was co-written without the discretion of their own record labels, but before finishing, Yungblud mentioned that the drums didn't sound energetic enough. Instead, Halsey phoned Travis Barker of blink-182 who showed up and played a few and here we are.
5. As It Is — “The Wounded World”
from ‘The Great Depression’ (2018)
As It Is’ quick turnaround on The Great Depression after the mildly lackluster appeal of 2017’s okay. was very impressive. In their third album, As It Is discovered more about their sound. 2015’s Never Happy, Ever After was a collection of generic pop-punk songs about romance and 2017’s shiny and poppy sophomore LP, okay. didn’t gain as much traction. So in 2018, the band sought out to record The Great Depression which conquered subjects such as political discourse, toxic masculinity, mental health, and more. It’s a great album.
4. All Time Low — “Good Times”
from ‘Last Young Renegade’ (2017)
Although Last Young Renegade wasn’t a perfect album, “Good Times” is All Time Low’s best song they’ve released thus far. It was one of the band’s first songs out on newly-found major record label Fueled By Ramen and really makes me reminisce those warm summer nights.
3. Rise Against — “Make It Stop (September’s Children)”
from ‘Endgame’ (2011)
“Make It Stop” was Rise Against’s first big stance on same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ rights. The music video was a collaboration between the band and the It Gets Better Project in dedication to the children that died by suicide in the September of a prior year. Rise Against is one of the best punk bands that have existed and “Make It Stop” was one of their best songs.
2. Dan + Shay — “10,000 Hours” ft Justin Bieber
from ‘10,000 Hours — single’
I don’t normally “love” country music and I gave Dan + Shay’s self-titled debut a 6/10, but.. “10,000 Hours” ft Justin Bieber is a great song. Not only is it a great country single but it showcases Justin Bieber’s incredible vocal improvement through his verse.
1. NF — “Mansion” ft Fleurie
from ‘Mansion’ (2016)
“Mansion” was a first big break for NF, although I discovered his music shortly after he released his 2017 debut, Therapy Session. NF’s rap style is much similar to fellow Michigan rapper Eminem. However, I enjoy NF’s music more. NF is short for Nathan Feuerstein, who released his first EP in 2014 followed by Mansion in 2016, Therapy Session in 2017, and The Search in 2019. NF has a lot of great songs and he’d be my “artist of the decade,” but “Mansion” really started it all for me.
