The 2010s brought us some seriously game-changing albums. Here we've compiled the best of the best in music from the past decade. From albums that topped the charts, critical ladders, and underground scenes from 2010-2019, they're all here in one place. Did your favorites make the cut?
Kanye West- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye has been hailed as one of the greatest musicians of this generation since he released College Dropout in 2005. During a period of intense personal discovery, self-criticism, and media popularity, Kanye created one of the greatest hip hop albums of all time. If you haven’t listened to MBDTF before, prepare yourself for a baroque, broody, and eye-opening glance into the mind of a man who has lost his sense of self.
Beyonce- Lemonade
The (arguably) better half of the most iconic musical couple of all time, Beyonce, created this album to empower herself and others in 2016. After the media released some sensitive information, Beyonce discovered that her husband, Jay-Z, had been cheating on her for a long period of time. This album piqued the interest of women around the world. With her can-do and screw-him attitude, Beyonce reiterated to the world why she is one of the most powerful figures in modern history, period.
Kendrick Lamar- To Pimp a Butterfly
In a time of hopelessness and societal unrest, To Pimp a Butterfly appeared. Kendrick Lamar’s fourth official studio release showed a complete backstep from his former albums to address some extremely important social movements against racism and poverty. Kendrick has a lot to say, but this album got a little impersonal and the societal impact from these 16 tracks is still being reported on.
Taylor Swift- Red
Swift made sure that her interests shined through on this surprising 2012 album. Departing from the teeny-bopper sound that she showcased for many years before, Swift experimented with some external production elements that transcended this album from pop-country to country-pop. Comparing Red to her former, and even her more recent works shows that Taylor Swift is more than just a gimmicky singer-songwriter for kids, she is a serious musician with her own ideas, unswayed by the industry.
David Bowie- Blackstar
Shortly before his untimely passing, David Bowie released Blackstar. This jazz-heavy uncharacteristic album from the king of glam shocked reviewers and fans alike, drawing an entirely new crowd to his music than ever before. Following his 2013 release that brought much more traction to his tunes than anything in the past, Blackstar should have, in theory, chased some of those fans away. This proved to be quite the contrary.
Drake- Take Care
Drake’s sophomore album is arguably his most impactful and critically acclaimed. Even though this album held so much importance during the beginning of this Toronto rapper’s career, the singles from 'Take Care' have fallen by the wayside in modern times, due to Drake having many more radio hits. However, this album is arguably the most careful and decisive work that Drake has ever put out, and you should listen to it again.
Lorde- Melodrama
Although Lorde’s former albums tackled context that’s literal and external to herself, Melodrama introduced abstract sensibilities to her formerly direct method of writing. Melodrama is about experiencing love for the first time, and basking in its glow before it collapses, as expected. Everyone can relate to this album in some way, and hopefully, it inspires some to go to therapy.
LCD Soundsystem- This is Happening
Just when the world needed a reminder that art-rock, post-punk, and disco revival is very uniquely owned by Brooklynders, This is Happening was released. James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem felt as if he had nothing else to offer the music world of NYC, so he made something different. Instead of following his former dance-centric model of the past LCD Soundsystem albums, This is Happening focused on being as tight as possible, leaving no end untucked, this album is a borderline masterpiece.
Frank Ocean- Blonde
Speaking of borderline masterpieces, Blond is no exception to that title. Following the long, arduous waiting period that Frank Ocean left us after Channel Orange was released, Blonde outshined its duo counterpart Endless and elevated Frank Ocean from the “One Hit Wonder” category of songwriting, all the way into the upper echelon of pop. Some think that Blonde is one of the best albums ever made, which may be true depending on what critic you’re talking to.
Kacey Musgraves- Golden Hour
In order to separate herself from the other pop-country icons out there, Kacey Musgraves made Golden Hour as unique and dancy as possible. This (power) pop-country album is full of absolute bangers from front to back. Despite following the same formula that got Taylor Swift famous, Musgraves beautifies her work with some punk and post-punk influence, and it works extraordinarily well.
Parquet Courts- Wide Awake!
Wide Awake! is one of the greatest albums to come out of New York, as opposed to just being one of the best albums of the decade. Parquet Courts highlight their deepest influences, stemming from modern rock and punk, and dipping into pop and dance all while maintaining an aggressive and unique feel. Tracks like Wide Awake and Freebird II show how far this band has come from their original strictly post-punk sensibilities. Please do not sleep on this band, they’re worth giving a serious look into.
Chance the Rapper- Acid Rap
Acid Rap was Chance’s breakout hit, rocketing him to the top of the charts practically overnight. With songs like Juice, Cocoa Butter Kisses, and Acid Rain, this album documents a man’s blind journal into getting his life together. This album is thoughtful, sonically diverse, and just plain old fun.
Solange- A Seat at the Table
Some don’t know this, but Solange is Beyonce’s younger sister. Just like her older sibling, Solange is a modern R&B powerhouse, pushing ideas past the traditionally accepted world of understanding for soul-inspired music. On A Seat at the Table, Solange addresses the struggle of being in an extremely successful family of musicians and being the person who had ideas that didn’t work as well as her sibling’s ideas. This is a story of creative difficulty, self-discovery, and acceptance of oneself that you should not pass up.
Courtney Barnett- Sometimes I Sit and Think, Sometimes I Just Sit
The 2010s were dominated by women, specifically rock musicians. Courtney Barnett was born in Sydney, Australia where she first got interested in musicians like Patsy Cline and Dolly Parton. When she had the opportunity, she moved to America and the rest is history. This album is a soulful, cheerful explanation of lost love, mental health issues, and going easy on oneself.
Vampire Weekend- Contra
Vampire Weekend broke out on the scene as a band that really likes to have fun, with a capital F. However, over the years, their sound has changed massively and now they take themselves a little bit more seriously than before. Although that is not a bad thing, remembering Vampire Weekend for who they were when times were a little more relaxed is important, so important that it made the decade list.
Kendrick Lamar- DAMN
Following To Pimp a Butterfly and Untitled Unmastered was not an easy task for Kendrick, but somehow he managed to circumvent all expectations placed on him regarding the seriousness of his former albums, and he made a series of insane bangers that arguably became his most successful album overnight. DAMN can be described by its name, dropping Kendrick Lamar out of the “art-rap” world and moving to the clubs seemed like an unnatural progression, but it worked out smoothly for him. Kendrick might be the best rapper of the decade.
Car Seat Headrest- Teens of Denial
This emo smash hit transcended the world of Bandcamp and basement shows and boiled up to the forefront of popular music. With hits like Fill in the Blank and Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales, Car Seat Headrest somehow beat out the countless ranks of other bands that are doing similar things with their unmistakable authenticity and masterful instrumentation. This album has hit numerous decade lists all around the music criticism world, and it should hit your list too.
Ariana Grande- Thank You Next
The album behind the hit single Thank You Next is just as prophetic and interesting as it sounds. New age pop icon Ariana Grande comes alive on this short album, which is stocked with pop hits that both your mom, your kids, and your weird punk brother would totally get down with. From beginning to end this album does not relinquish its personality and energy, painting Ariana Grande as a mistakenly ditzy emotional genius who doesn’t get enough credit as a professional.
Billie Eilish- When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Eilish was only 17 when she released this album, which is truly insane considering that some critics think that When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? is a masterwork. Eilish is probably the most exciting and promising new member of the pop-freshman class that has developed itself to be more broadly represented than ever before. This is an album that you most likely know about and haven’t listened to yet, but you should.
Mitski- Be the Cowboy
This album is an inspiring tale of getting along in modern America as an immigrant, specifically an Asian immigrant. Mitski partners emo and folk with modern country and sings about acceptance, specifically about when she was a child in school. Being the cowboy was an image she had in her head that represented Americans for her, and she chases that dream on this album as an older, wiser, and more proud individual compared to when she was processing these emotions for the first time.
Khalid- American Teen
Easy-core wasn’t a commonly used term until Khalid hit the scene. Somehow, this young man was able to capture a multitude of audiences under his unique sonic interpretation of pop. These songs are easygoing and worth a listen on a long road trip or when you find yourself around new company.
Frank Ocean- Channel Orange
Although Blonde has already hit this list, Channel Orange is a beautiful representation as to why Frank Ocean is so popular. Tracks like I’ve Been Thinking Bout You and Forest Gump dig deep into the subconscious of an outwardly confused, internally comfortable young man who is experiencing a queer awakening amidst a massive bout of depression. Looking at the roots of one of modern time’s most prolific musicians is both heartbreaking and inspiring. This album is beautiful and troubling, please give it a listen.
Chance the Rapper- Coloring Book
Although Chance the Rapper got all of his negative energy out on Acid Rap, the newly transformed man shined on Coloring Book like never before. This album is packed with bangers galore, every track with more energy and a cooler feature than before. Although the themes of his music have changed from album to album, Chance still holds his personality through the years of recovering from drug abuse and finding a new beginning through religion. This newness shines on Coloring Book.
SZA- CTRL
Every single girl should be listening to this album at least once a week. SZA knows herself and she refuses to settle for anything that could be considered inauthentic on this sophomore album. With features from Kendrick Lamar, Travis Scott, and Isaiah Rashad, SZA pads her own work with other world-class supporters, showing just how powerful her words can be.
Sturgill Simpson- A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
This album is a modern celebration of the people who started it all. Every track oozes inspiration from Steely Dan, the Doobie Brothers, Grateful Dead, and ELO. Sturgill is more known for his modern folk music, but he cuts a little loose on A Sailor’s Guide to Earth and lets himself explore some other influences, and it does not disappoint.
Bob Dylan- Tempest
Although Bob Dylan no longer sounds like himself on stage, his writing is still, bar-none, some of the greatest sonic poetry in history. Tempest is about a young man growing old, but still feeling young at heart. Dylan challenges himself to look back at his life and shoulder his regrets, his shortcomings, and his successes, all while maintaining the classic Dylan instrumentation that we all know and love.
Bruce Springsteen- Wrecking Ball
The Boss came back to deliver a showstopping celebratory album that’s reminiscent of the “good ol’ days” of music. If you find yourself driving down the Jersey shore at any time, toss on Wrecking Ball and see what it’s all about for Springsteen. The Boss sings about childhood, losing family and love, and developing farther as a musician than he ever suspected he would have. Cheers Bruce, you’ve finally become an old man.
Bon Iver- 22, A Million
Occult symbolism and ancient cultural influence run deep for this worldly midwesterner. If it weren’t for his former works, this album would have held no weight on the Billboard and would have been written off as just another art-pop album made by some lofty dude with a beard. On the contrary, this album has been celebrated as being one of the coolest and most creatively ambitious records to come out of America in recent history.
Carly Rae Jepsen- Emotion
Do not listen to anyone who hates on Carly Rae Jepsen because of their perception of her based on the music she released as a teen. Emotion is a true breakout series of anthems that pushed listeners to rethink the conventions of pop. Jepsen sings simply, soulfully, and noisily, crediting her influences as Jerry Garcia, Taylor Swift, Elvis Presley, and Full of Hell (a chaotic metal band from Baltimore).
Fiona Apple- The Idler Wheel
This powerful album documents a lifetime of uncertainty that was hidden under artistic mastery. Demonstrating a gap between her personal and technical skills, Fiona laments while mourning a traumatic divorce, loss of friendship, and uprooting of self. Fiona Apple practically begs her audience to fix her brain, and you can’t help but wish you could be there for her while she suffers.
Paramore- After Laughter
As a breakout from their former sound, Paramore dropped this power-pop record right in the nick of time. Even though they had formerly cemented themselves as a teeny-bopper emo band that fell off hard as the genre started to split up into its fourth wave, Paramore came back with some fresh ideas that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. Additionally, Hard Times is one of the best songs of the decade, period.
Lana Del Rey- Ultraviolence
Even though Norman F*cking Rockwell just came out and shook up what everyone thought Lana was capable of, Ultraviolence is still the album that sticks out the most for critics. Every sound on this record is polished, except for Lana’s voice, which is unbelievably cool when you put the whole thing together in your head. Ultraviolence is going to stick around a little bit longer as the album that is on top of Lana’s personal charts, but it is likely that she is just going to keep getting better and better.
Japandroids- Celebration Rock
This French Canadian trio pushes the boundaries of Canadian rock all the way to New York City. Their influences definitely come from bands like Television, Iggy Pop, Queens of the Stone Age, and the Foo Fighters, but their sound is presented in a much more compressed and aggressive manner. This short album is loud, emotional, and unforgettable.
Daft Punk- Random Access Memories
RAM is extremely fun. That is the best way to describe this album. Daft Punk is one of the most fun, most inspiring, most freewheeling groups in the history of music and they should be celebrated for that fact. Random Access Memories might not be their best work, but it is for sure one of the best albums of the decade.
Harry Styles- Harry Styles
From One Direction to a successful solo career, Harry Styles packs all of his driving influences into this album, almost to a fault. Even though this record has its flaws here and there, Styles’ personality shines front and center, and his charm follows through, too. People fell in love with the boy band’s edgiest member once more as a soft, misguided, creatively stifled true musician.
Janelle Monáe- Dirty Computer
Monáe’s influences sit in front of her personal work on this release, but that was intentional. This refreshingly unique album showcases features from Brian Wilson, Zoë Kravitz, Grimes, and Pharell Williams, and is reminiscent of the early 2000s R&B greats. Erykah Badu even said that she could hear herself writing that album on her own, and that is an enormous compliment.
Tame Impala- Lonerism
From Lonerism to Currents, Tame Impala have truly left their impact on the music world in a positive way. Honing in on their trippy, lazy, yet excitingly complex sound is a feat that true fans have been struggling to complete since the Australian group hit the circuit. All of Tame Impala’s music is flawless, but Lonerism was just so fresh that it captured the eyes and ears of everyone who wanted to listen when it came out in 2012.
St. Vincent- St. Vincent
This record is supremely weird, very well produced, and it showcases some of the coolest guitar writing of all time. St. Vincent took her past works and flipped them upside down, leaning more on industrial and club tracks as an influence over traditional pop. You will absolutely love this record from front to back, we guarantee it.
Kendrick Lamar- Good Kid… m.A.A.d City
Kendrick Lamar tells a coming of age story in his first commercially successful album. This record is packed with references to his childhood, sociopolitical rhetoric, and underrepresented stories from communities that have fallen under the media radar. Lamar paints Compton to be the center of the universe on this supremely interesting release. Additionally, there are some bangers scattered through this reflective album, some serious dance songs that hit a ton of radio play, but never were listened to in the context of the full album itself.
Lizzo- Cuz I Love You
Lizzo came out of nowhere and is now completely dominating the airwaves, and for good reason. After formerly only releasing singles, Cuz I Love You bodied the radio with tracks like Truth Hurts and Juice, and Lizzo keeps racking up the cred. 2020 is going to be an even bigger year for this body-positive rising star, and the upcoming generation might just cement her in the music hall of fame.
Pusha T- Daytona
Nobody saw this album coming from Pusha T. This former hype rapper spit over some strange, heavy industrial beats and left a serious impact on the current world of hip hop. He has credited Earl Sweatshirt, Death Grips, JPEGMafia, and Shabazz Palaces as the inspirations for this record.
Father John Misty- I Love You Honeybear
If you didn’t know someone (or were someone) that cried to this album when it came out in 2015, you weren’t hanging out with the right people. This beautifully ambient, spacious, and beautiful record moved indie into a fourth wave. Father John Misty walked so Hozier, Mumford and Sons, and Sturgill Simpson could run.
Soccer Mommy- Clean
This was the breakout album for the Switzerland based indie band, Soccer Mommy. Clean is exactly how it sounds, clean. Each snippet of vocals, every shred of creativity is very well thought out and perfected to a T. Although this band did not invent this style of singer-songwriter music, they basically perfected it on their first try.
Kamasii Washington- The Epic
For a modern jazz musician, Kamasii Washington has broken through the barriers that have been set by the older jazz greats, and he has transcended genres from hip hop to punk all along the way. The Epic is a journey through influence, soloing over gospel, hip hop, traditional jazz, soul, and punk rhythms comes naturally to Washington. The Epic is an exploration into the potential that jazz has to move into the modern mind frame of music, and it works, really well.
Angel Olsen- My Woman
Olsen shines while exploring her queer awakening and having fun in her 20s. After leaving a terrible relationship, Olsen started writing music full time, and My Woman was the result of years of trauma and creative blockage. Shut Up Kiss Me is the definitive track on this album, documenting a time of suffering from the perspective of a healing person.
Tierra Whack- Whack World
Tierra Whack might be the weirdest rapper to hit the scene in quite some time. One of Philadelphia’s finest musicians of the modern era, Tierra Whack delivers a very unique sound that’s presented in a very unique way. Although she has other music that doesn’t follow the guidelines she set for Whack World, this album is an undeniable creative piece that deserves a ton more recognition than what it has gotten.
Sheer Mag- Need To Feel Your Love
You thought glam rock was dead, didn’t you? Well, think again. Also hailing from Philadelphia, Need To Feel Your Love is an anthemic collection of songs that spell out the story of a genre that has been lost and forgotten. Every song off of this album is flawless and oozes with personality, which is uncommon coming from a traditionalist glam rock band, you should give them a shot.
Shabazz Palaces- Black Up
This abstract, industrial hip hop album is just as influential as it is phenomenal. A ton of famous rappers (Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator, etc.) credit Black Up as an influence for at least one aspect of each of their sounds. This album mashes edgy industrial hip hop and accessible pop hip hop to create a masterpiece that has yet to be challenged by anybody else in the genre.
Sharon Van Etten- Are We There
Although this could be considered as a traditional singer-songwriter album, Van Etten phones in a ton of different influences ranging from metal to rap on this long, pressing record. Van Etten somehow manages to make this album, which is about recovering from trauma, more fun than some dance albums that came out in the decade. Give this record a play if you want to experience something truly unique and extremely difficult to pull off.
JPEGMAFIA- Veteran
Veteran might have been one of the freshest hip hop albums of the decade. This record is way up there in the world that Death Grips created in 2011, and JPEGMafia keeps pushing the boundaries of hip hop even further with each release. Veteran was the most aggressive of his releases thus far, but we are anticipating more complex and exciting music to come from his end sooner than later.
(Sandy) Alex G- DSU
Alex G is a hard musician to pin down. Some accuse him of wanting to be Elliot Smith, others commend his bravery in being as creative and abstract as possible, but true fans know that he’s just a simple guy who likes to write music. DSU is in competition with his latest release, House of Sugar, but this one sticks because of its groundbreaking creativity and flawless production.
Hop Along- Painted Shut
Another Philadelphia local, Hop Along made this album in 2015 without expecting it to be as much of a smash hit as it became. This was the jumping-off point for the Philadelphia rock group that took their fame and ran with it, releasing better and better songs relentlessly after the fact. Painted Shut is an outstanding album that really has no peers in the genre.
Mac Demarco- 2
The “lazy” bedroom pop movement all started with this album. Deeply influenced by Japanese funk and synth-pop from the 1980s, Mac Demarco dipped his toes in with a uniquely cute twangy guitar angle and an analog recording technique that changed the genre entirely. This is the only Mac Demarco album that fans can stick to, with its sickly sweet riffs and melodies that will hook you over and over again.
Playboy Carti- Playboy Carti
Carti is the king of NYC’s lowbrow rap scene at the moment. S/T by Playboy Carti showcases a long catalog of interesting samples and riffs, in addition to using his voice as an instrument on several tracks as well. Carti makes all his own beats and self produces his music, Magnolia being the catalyst of his style of writing getting popular.
Real Estate- Days
This album kind of follows a similar line that Mac Demarco and Tame Impala ran, but the guitar work on this record is unparalleled to any other like it. Days captures the beachy, gothic feel that Beach House and Brian Wilson have been trapping for years. If you want to relax on the beach, or literally anywhere else, toss this album on.
Deafheaven- Sunbather
Sunbather has been called the greatest black metal album to ever be recorded. However, pretentious black metal elitists disagree with their practices, even though this album is undeniably one of the most ambitious and well-formatted metal albums of all time. Sunbather is a bittersweet retelling of love and loss, and the development of emotional scars that stay for a lifetime. Even though this is technically a dark, ambient black metal album, there is an air of happiness and contention present within the sonic onslaught.
Kaytranada- 99.9%
99.9% is the danciest, most complex, and one of the coolest albums to hit the decade. From track to track, every feature lets each musician shine in a way that they don’t on their own personal work. If you end up on a Kaytranada album, the pressure is on, and you should be proud of yourself for getting to that point.
Flying Lotus- Cosmogramma
Much like Kaytranada, Flying Lotus released an extremely cool dance album that is revered by a multitude of hip hop artists around the board. Fly-Lo makes dance music for rappers to try and rap over, and so far, Kendrick Lamar has been the only commercially successful feature of theirs. In recent history, they have collaborated with Thundercat, Kali Uchis, and Denzel Curry, to name a few.
Danny Brown- XXX
The king of references, Danny Brown, tore the hip hop world up when he released XXX in 2012. With one of the most unique voices in the game, Danny Brown trashed all other struggling artists with vigor and put Detroit on the map as a modern hip hop city that had some serious talent coming out of it. Every year Danny Brown hosts a benefit show at his house to help the youth of Detroit pay for schooling and food, all of the proceeds from XXX went back to the community as well.
Earl Sweatshirt- Some Rap Songs
After Earl’s 2015 release, fans were starved for more of his classic, creative sound. Even though he does believe that his former style of rapping was cool and worthy of a third album, when Some Rap Songs was released, nobody really knew what to think. However, after a long period of time when critics had the opportunity to sink their teeth into this work, Some Rap Songs was celebrated for its strangeness and unique tones. This album is dark, lazy, broody, comedic, and serious all at the same time, somehow.