4 Albums That Changed the Landscape of Pop Music in the 2010s

Many of the biggest pop music albums of the 2010s have gotten their flowers. However, a few have positively influenced trends in the pop music world throughout that decade, and they really don’t get the love they deserve. Some of the following albums are well-loved today, but a couple of them deserve more attention, in my opinion.

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1. ‘Lemonade’ by Beyonce

Well, I couldn’t leave this one out. When Lemonade dropped in 2016, it basically broke the internet. Beyonce’s visual album took the world by storm and became an international hit. The vision here was on another level, and the music itself featured so many complex themes, from dealing with infidelity to radical self-love to Beyonce’s Southern roots.

In a way, this album was a collaborative effort of some of the best songwriters of the time, from Kendrick Lamar to Father John Misty. Few records in the years since have matched the power of Lemonade.

2. ‘This Is Happening’ by LCD Soundsystem

Is this album underrated? To some, it has gotten the love it deserves. To me, though, pop music in the 2010s was massively influenced by LCD Soundsystem, and this dance-punk outfit really doesn’t get brought up enough in conversations about the movers and shakers of music at the time. 

This Is Happening from 2010 is a synthy, glittering art rock masterpiece. Much of this album feels like a collection of David Bowie bootlegs, but it’s all so uniquely 2010s.

3. ‘A Seat At The Table’ by Solange

Whether you like her or not, I’ll die on the hill that Solange is underrated. Her sister made it to this list, after all. When one’s sibling is one of the biggest stars in the world, one’s own massive talents are almost guaranteed to slip under the radar. Solange is an excellent songwriter, and A Seat At The Table is by far the most influential neo-soul album of the 2010s.

Released in 2016, this album got a few big accolades, including a Grammy and a no. 1 spot on the Billboard 200.

4. ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?’ by Billie Eilish

Pop music in the very late 2010s was dominated, in one way or another, by Billie Eilish. The now-superstar’s debut record When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? was released in early 2019 and immediately became a huge international hit.

From Eilish’s unique vocals to the blend of pop, hip-hop, and industrial elements on the album, this release is still really something special.

Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/FilmMagic

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