I love music, which made making this list extremely hard to determine and even more impossible to rank (so I didn’t). I went through practically my whole music library and found the five albums that got me through the 2010s. I determined this by looking at the years of my life and the music that got me through them, including which albums have stuck with me throughout all of the years. Here goes nothing!
- Lana Del Rey: Born to Die
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This album defined my middle school life; I used to listen to it on repeat on the bus in the seventh grade. This was the first time I really listened and enjoyed an alternative-pop style of music, and I still listen to this record today.
Favorite Tracks: “Off To The Races,” “Lolita,” “Carmen”
- Marina and the Diamonds: Electra Heart
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This album defined 2013 for me. The entire record told a story, and Marina enhanced the whole era via videos and storylines for Electra. I was drawn to this album because of the versatility it entails. She has gut-wrenching songs and super upbeat tracks on this record.
Favorite Tracks: “Lies,” “Sex Yeah,” “Radioactive”
- Taylor Swift: Red
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Hello, high school! This album was on REPEAT when I was in high school. I first listened to Taylor when I was in high school, and this album was the first to ever really awaken me to music as poetry. Every track tells a story, and I felt so close to Taylor when I listened. To this day, this album is my favorite of hers.
Favorite Tracks: “Treacherous,” “Red,” “All Too Well” (duh)
- Beyonce: Lemonade
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I feel like I don’t even have to explain why this album is on my list. Lemonade was a game changer for this decade. The album was so cohesive and felt so personable, as if I was reading Beyonce’s diary. This album is a true work of art.
Favorite tracks: “Pray You Catch Me,” “Daddy Lessons,” “Love Drought”
- SZA: Ctrl
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This album could possibly be my favorite on this list, and maybe even my favorite ever. I listened to this album every single day for probably two whole years. Every song on this record speaks to me in a different way, and I don’t think I would have survived college without it.
Favorite Tracks: “Prom,” “Garden (Say It Like Dat),” “Normal Girl”
This decade had some amazing music, especially from female artists. I can only hope 2020 will produce even more amazing records (knowing how successful female artists continue to be, I have no doubts whatsoever).
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