Music’s top hits and defining moments from pop rap to protest music in 2010

Editor’s note: The CNN original series “The 2010s” looks at a turbulent era marked by political and social upheaval. Social media changed society, and streaming disrupted music and entertainment. It airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CNN.

The 2010s feel more like a century than a decade. In 10 years, popular culture has evolved (and, to some, regressed) at an unprecedented rate, thanks in large part to the advent and growing influence of social media.

The cultural climate and digital environment also shape the music we listen to: We started the decade with optimism in the Obama era, and in the midst of the pandemic and sharply divisive political climate. But we have all of this online, with apps like Spotify and TikTok making certain songs and genres explode in popularity and even affecting all types of music made.

Relive some of the major trends in music that defined an eventful decade, from popular rap and boy bands to aesthetic sadness and protest songs.

In the early 2010s, it was hard for a rap star to achieve his No. 1 spot without appearing on a popular record, experts noted on CNN’s original series “The 2010s.” A rapper like drake can contribute a verse to a song rihannaBut it’s much harder for them to reach the same heights on the Billboard charts alone.

so they started Fusion of two genres, an venture that has become particularly successful with the advent of streaming media. Drake’s inevitable 2015 hit “Hotline Bling” was engineered to go viral, from a memeable music video (now Nearly 2 billion views on YouTube) to the infectious opening beat.He followed up a few months later “a dance” A danceable, Afrobeats-infused hit Spent 10 weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100Drake’s first single went to number one and spend weeks there.

He took inspiration from Nicki Minaj, perhaps the rapper of this era most adeptly straddling the worlds of rap and pop before they overlapped significantly.hits like 2010 “Super Bass,” Skillfully performing verbal gymnastics and singing choruses and bridges, Minaj sets the stage for artists like Cardi B, Lizzo and doha catwho has benefit from from viral moment and fusing rap and pop with their own unique musical sensibilities to thrive in the 2020s.

Then, in 2018, we had Little Nass Xan Internet-raised musician whose country rap is all the rage “Old Town Road” What started out as a meme eventually exploded offline, becoming one of the best selling singles Ever even changed the way billboards and other industry gatekeepers Define “country” and “rap.” Lil Nas X used his digital presence to raise his profile and become a bona fide star.He continues to pair his music with viral videos: he’s featured in 2021’s flamenco-inspired video “Montero (Call Me By Your Name)” dress up as a devil Take the lap dance from Fallen Angel, also played by Lil Nas X.the hit was nominated for song of the year grammy awards 2022.

when some pop musicians boasted reunion, gender And drugs, artists like The Weeknd and Lana Del Rey sang about letting the same destroy them.Their style was a stylish rebuttal to the “turbo pop” that dominated the first few years of the 2010s—and heralded a darker period for America in the second half of the 2010s, when Desolation becomes the main theme in popular culture.

Abel Tesfaye (The Weeknd) and Del Rey Become Internet Icons – Tesfaye’s 2011 Mixtape “House of Balloons” single with del ray “video games,” Both caught on and became trending topics in the blogosphere starting in the same year. They also struck a chord with Tumblr users, with images of their music and accompanying media — cigarettes, bruised knees, smudged eyeliner, sullen black-and-white headshots — become an aesthetic.

Both The Weeknd and Del Rey have changed since their debuts, and their profiles have become more complex than their indie origins would have led to believe. The Weeknd has become one of the biggest pop stars in the world, mainly by failing to relinquish his commitment to depression and depravity. Meanwhile, Del Rey has only delved deeper into her niche, crafting intensely personal records that mature with her listeners.

Their musical influence is evident in the sounds of pop artists such as SZA, Future, and Billie Eilish, and their trap-infused sound bears resemblance to The Weeknd’s early work. Even Taylor Swift borrowed some of Del Rey’s strengths on her latest album, The duo collaborated on Swift’s latest album, “Themidnight”

Unarmed black teenager Michael Brown from 2014 Shot dead in Ferguson, Missouri, By a white police officer. His death — and the turmoil that followed — affected not only publicity, but music as well.

Much of the decade has been defined by protest music — a prime example being Beyoncé’s 2016 Super Bowl halftime show, she performs Her brand new single “Formation” at the time. Dressed in black and with bullet belts on her hands, Beyoncé’s performance was an explicit ode to the Panthers and a call to attention for the Black Lives Matter movement.it was done in the year Most Viewed TV Shows Point out how these messages became mainstream in music.

“Music will always be the soundtrack to the action,” says Boston Globe columnist Renée Graham in “2010s.”

Beyoncé wasn’t alone in scoring the movement in the mid to late 2010s. In 2014, D’Angelo released his first album Over ten years – “Black Messiah,” his most political work to date, especially quote Ferguson’s protests served as inspiration for the album.

Two years later, Solange released “A Seat at the Table,” an album that explored the personal impact of violence against black and brown people on tracks like “Weary” and “Mad.” That same year, elusive singer Frank Ocean released his album Blonde, which featured the opening track: “RIP Trayvon, that n**** look just like me.”

But two songs that stood out were Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright,” released in 2015, and Childish Gambino’s “this is america, released in 2018. The two songs embody the protest themes of the era in different ways. Lamar’s track insists on optimism and hope, with the refrain “We gon’ be alright.”

Childish Gambino’s record is just the opposite. The song underscores the unwavering notion that the racist violence in this country, past and present, is actually America, no matter what progress is made on the surface.

“Kendrick Lamar’s ‘We’re gonna be alright,’ you’re still in the hopeful Obama era, the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. When you see Childish Gambino, our president Tenure is different,” notes Rutgers professor Salamishah Tillet in “The 2010s.” “To a lot of people, it seems like we’re really going backwards.”

This shift in attitude is evident in society. Therefore, it is also reflected in the music.

The 1990s had Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys and NSYNC. The 2010s have a direction.

While boy bands and their predominantly female fanbase are often overlooked, One Direction’s success in the 2010s suggests that the genre’s revival has continued into the 2020s.

Check out the best-selling albums of 2012: Adele’s “21” and Taylor Swift’s “Red.” At No. 3 is One Direction’s debut album, “Up All Night.” Their second album, “Take Me Home,” released the same year, reached number five.

Getting two albums into the top five bestsellers is no easy feat. According to Billboard, One Direction is the first to do so since Nielsen SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991.

Suddenly, bands like The Wanted, Big Time Rush, and, in the second half of the 20th century, 5 Seconds of Summer were everywhere.The latter group was particularly successful, with their first three studio albums released between 2014 and 2018, all At least RIAA Gold Certified. (two-thirds went platinum and sold at least 1 million albums).

One Direction disbanded in 2016, Although former members harry styles continue to rule the leaderboards his way Go it alone since. in their place, Hallyu group like BTS has reigned supreme. Western boy bands may be gone for a while, but the groups’ universal appeal lives on.