– Audrey Decker, senior diversions staff writer 40. The 1975 is always unapologetically themselves, making their songs unforgettable moments from the 2010s. At 5 minutes and 48 seconds, “Somebody Else” is a perfect example of how The 1975 has mastered the art of length, proving that pop songs don’t have to be short to be catchy. “Somebody Else” is an iconic track from The 1975, defined by Matt Healy singing existential thoughts about love behind quick, techno beats. Gambino demanded America’s attention, and he got it with this song. The height of the decade saw the Black Lives Matter movement, and so followed a wave of black protest songs, brought to a head with Childish Gambino’s “This is America.” Every high, every feel-good moment in the song is torn down with the same, bleak reminder of the reality black Americans face every day in this country. – Camryn DeLuca, assistant engagement editor 42. The funky rhythm section packages the song as a perfect fit for a kickback, while Bear sings about a relationship picking back up to where it started. Toro y Moi always create refreshing combinations of traditional instrumentals and the synth, and it’s no different for the 2013 track “So Many Details.” The fast-paced chillwave music is a perfect pair with singer Chaz Bear’s (nee Bundick) breezy vocals. I’m not sure how Beach House were able to compress the sound of existential dread into a soothing synth, but I’m not complaining, either. You listen to it, and you feel like you’re floating out there, alone, in space. “Space Song” by Beach House was perhaps the most well-titled song of this decade. If you never imitated Rihanna’s drawn-out “La Ferrar’” or shouted “Mothafucka, we ain’t finished” when this song inevitably came on at the bar, you did this decade wrong. In discussions about what makes a good rap verse, one criterion is too often left out: Is it actually fun to sing? “Lemon” was the first time most of the world got to see this side of the music/beauty/fashion mogul: Rihanna, the rapper. If anything good came out of the 2010s, it was Rihanna rapping. And sometimes, we just need some cheap thrills.
It’s not a deep song, but it’s a fun one. It doesn’t take itself too seriously it’s just a cheery, catchy beat behind lyrics of longing to just turn the radio on because it’s the freakin’ weekend, and I want to have fun tonight! Sia’s vocal talent - and Sean Paul’s interjections - really bring it all home. I love this song because of how true it is to itself. – Clara Longo de Freitas, news staff writer 46. And, with its amazing vocals, rap lines and dance-inducing pop, it’s not a coincidence that “DNA” is one of the best songs of the decade. Some people we choose, and some relationships feel like destiny. There are some people in our lives that we can’t imagine not knowing, and “DNA” is for them. Love - the song’s classic focus - feels that way, too. “DNA” feels whimsical, colorful and kind of otherworldly, which isn’t surprising. – Evan Haynos, senior diversions staff writer 47. This simplicity is what makes “Love Yourself” a brilliant track, perhaps Bieber’s best ever. It’s a breakup song with an underlying “fuck you” theme that’s so fundamental to getting over someone that you can’t help but apply it to your own life.Īccompanied by beautifully simple guitar strums and a short horn interlude, there’s plenty of space to appreciate Bieber’s voice. While the title might suggest a song promoting some sort of positive, empowering message, Justin Bieber’s “Love Yourself” isn’t that. – Allison O’Reilly, diversions editor 48. “Doin’ It Right” is the definition of an earworm, and it’s one of the most endearing tracks off the iconic album Random Access Memories.
There’s something really exciting about the way this infectious Daft Punk beat takes its sweet time building, piece by piece, under a robotic repetitive hook until we finally reach the comforting chorus from Panda Bear. There’s love in being who you are, even if it doesn’t give you everything you want. “Your Best American Girl” is a loud song with a fierce bass solo, but it’s not angry. This song often resonates with people because of its notion of impossible love, but there’s also no removing Mitski from her Japanese and American heritage, and there’s no ignoring that this song means something more to our dream of an American “melting pot” - one that’s largely gone cold in recent years. – Allison O’Reilly, diversions editor and the Mother of this project 50.