The 2010s were one of the biggest eras forpopmusic, and a few albums come to mind when thinking of the ones that truly defined the era. While the ’90s were overtaken by grunge and the 2000s saw the rise of pop punk,the 2010s were undoubtedly the era of pop music.
The decade saw the rise of many pop stars, andit was impossible to get away from pop earwormsanytime you turned on the radio. However, no matter how many pop songs were out at the time, there were certain albums that made the biggest impact and withstood the test of time.
10Lemonade (2016)
Beyoncé
Beyoncé released three albums in the 2010s, butLemonadewas certainly the most significant. The album sawBeyoncé come clean about Jay-Z’s cheating scandal, one that had been speculated about since the 2014 Solange elevator incident.
The album’s lead single, “Formation,” didn’t give much away about the album’s themes; instead, it acted as an empowerment anthem for Black women. However,tracks like “Sorry,” “Hold Up,” and “Don’t Hurt Yourself"revealed how much emotional damage Beyoncé’s husband had done to her.
Lemonadealso dropped early hints that Beyoncé’s career was leading her to theGrammy-winning albumCowboy Carter, as itincluded the country song “Daddy Lessons.“While Beyoncé is known for outdoing herself,Lemonadewill always be one of her most prominent works.
9Thank U, Next (2019)
Ariana Grande
At the beginning of the 2010s, Ariana Grande transitioned from Broadway and Nickelodeon actress to one of the biggest stars in pop.Thank U, Nextwas Grande’s fifth album of the decade, but it was the one thatmade the biggest waves.
This was mostly due to her iconic “thank u, next” music video, where shereferenced popular films likeLegally Blonde, Mean Girls, 13 Going On 30, andBring It On.The song also references her past relationships by name-dropping her exes while thanking them for what they taught her.
The album had other popular singles, like “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored,” and “7 Rings,” which Grande performed at the 62nd Grammy Awards. With the album dropping in 2019,Grande ended the decade as the main pop girl of the moment.
8Born To Die (2012)
Lana Del Rey
In the 2010s, Tumblr was one of the most popular sites among teens, but the Tumblr era of the internet is inseparable from the rise of Lana Del Rey. Her 2012 albumBorn To Dieinspired an entire generationof flower crown wearers and sad girls.
Born To Die set the standard for 2010s alt-pop.
It redefined alternative pop for a new decade with songs like “National Anthem” and “Summertime Sadness.” In 2021, the latter was included inRolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #456. Coming so early in the decade,Born To Dieset the standard for 2010s alt-pop, becoming something artists like Taylor Swift, Lorde, and Billie Eilish mimic to this day.
7Dirty Computer (2018)
Janelle Monáe
Nearing the end of the 2010s, Janelle Monáe put out an unforgettable pop album,making 18 best albums lists and earning a Grammy Album of The Year nomination. In 2018, the singer releasedDirty Computer, and its upbeat pop production contributed to the 2010s pop music takeover.
Recently, the album’s track “Make Me Feel” became the theme song forLove Island USASeason 7, causing it to explode on TikTok. The song’s popularity seven years later proves just how timeless the pop album is. It may not have taken any Grammys home, butit certainly made its mark on the pop world.
6Born This Way (2011)
Lady Gaga
Few artists had such a fast rise to fame as Lady Gaga did when she releasedThe Famein 2009. Little did she know she was about to get even bigger whenBorn This Waydropped in 2011. Gaga defined early 2010s pop music with the album, releasing five singles initially andearning a Grammy Album of The Year nomination.
It’s been over a decade since the album’s release, but few albums have managed to live up to its impact.
The album’s title track spent six weeks at #1 on theBillboardHot 100 chart and became an anthem for the LGBTQ+ community. Gaga cemented herself as one of the top pop music activists of the 2010s with the song, and in 2023,Rolling Stonenamed it theMost Inspirational LGBTQ Song of All Time.
In 2022, theBorn This Waytrack"Bloody Mary” went viral on TikTok, prompting Gaga to release it as a single and perform it on her currentMayhemBall Tour. It’s been over a decade since the album’s release, but few albums have managed to live up to its impact.
5Melodrama (2017)
Lorde
Lorde was only 16 when she stepped onto the music scene with her debut albumPure Heroinein 2013. However, it was her sophomore album,Melodrama, that won the hearts of alternative popfans who are still waiting for an album to be that great again.
WhileMelodramadiscussed some of the same topics asPure Heroine, like being a teenager in the world, it also heavily focused on heartbreak.Songs like “Supercut” and “Hard Feelings"gave an unfiltered look at Lorde’s first real breakup.
Meanwhile, “Liability” resonated with young listeners who knew exactly what it was like to feel like an inconvenience to everyone around them. It is arguably Lorde’s best album and one thatdefined the 2017-2018 era of music.
4Teenage Dream (2010)
Katy Perry
2010s pop music was off toa great start when Katy Perry began the decade withTeenage Dream. The album is the epitome of bubblegum pop and became the blueprint of a great 2010s pop album.Perry became the first artist since Michael Jacksonto have five #1 singles on one album withTeenage Dream.
She was also the biggest pop star in the world at the time, submerging pop culture in her candy aesthetic and colorful style.“California Girls” was the song of the summer, and pop music fans are still longing for another summer anthem to sweep the world off its feet like Perry’s did.
“Firework” was also a massive hit, and the 4th of July in the United States has never been the same since. Perry truly set the standard for what mainstream music in the 2010s would be like.
3Emotion (2015)
Carly Rae Jepsen
Carly Rae Jepsen went from an unknown Canadian artist to having the biggest song of the year in 2012 when she released “Call Me Maybe.” However, it wasn’t her 2012 albumKissthat took fans by storm, but her 2015 albumEmotion. As the title suggests,the album covers a range of emotions, from love to heartbreak.
The album’s single “Run Away With Me” had a viral moment when the song’s opening horn production became a popular internet meme. Emotion also featured popular songs like “I Really Like You” and “Boy Problems,” which Jepsen shot a music video for, directed by Petra Collinsand starringEuphoria’s Barbie Ferreira.
Emotionsdidn’t see as much mainstream success as some of the other 2010s pop albums, but it certainly found its audience and was so beloved that Jepsen later releasedEmotion: B Sidein 2016 with more acclaimed pop tracks.Emotionis the definition of a cult classic albumand was a turning point in Carly Rae Jepsen’s career.
221 (2011)
Adele
Adele was an unlikely superstar of the 2010s, asher music didn’t fit in with the other pop music releasedat the time. However, that didn’t stop her from selling millions of records and taking home two Grammy Album of The Year awards that decade. While Adele had previously released an album in 2008,21was her breakthrough.
Adele set herself apart from other artists of the 2010s, proving that it’s worth it to stand in one’s own authenticity.
Songs like “Rolling In The Deep,” “Someone Like You,” and “Set Fire To The Rain” were inescapable. Adele set herself apart from other artists of the 2010s, proving that it’s worth it to stand in one’s own authenticity. Adele has continued her pattern of naming albums after her age, but21’s legacy has outlived most of the others.
11989 (2014)
Taylor Swift
Since Michael Jackson releasedThrillerin 1982, pop culture has made a point to call artists' most successful albums “theirThriller.” This changed in 2014 when Taylor Swift released1989. From that point on, the internet has made a habit of calling every singer’s biggest album “their1989.”
Fresh out of the country music gates, Swift made her official pop music debut and becamethe first singer to have a truly successful country pop crossover career. “Shake It Off,” “Blank Space,” and “Bad Blood” became the biggest songs of the year, and it was clear Taylor Swift the pop star was here to stay.
Pop music would never be the same again.The day1989dropped was the day Swift became the biggest starin pop music, and she hasn’t given up her crown yet.
1989was the first albumSwift worked on with Jack Antonoff, and his production would have a massive impact on both their careers. When1989took home the Grammy for Album of the Yearat the 2016 ceremony, it was clear it would take decades before anyone could top it.
