The collage showcases 10 album covers from the past 10 years (2010-2019). Journalism 1 staffer Grace Lang breaks down why the above albums are some of the best of the past decade. Photos fair use of genius.com
Journalism 1 staffer Grace Lang looks back on the best albums of the 2010’s now that 2020 has arrived.
2010: “Plastic Beach” Gorillaz
British virtual band Gorillaz released their third studio album “Plastic Beach” on all platforms on March 10, 2010. When MTV music videos were losing the public’s interest, Gorillaz kept their listeners coming back for more with their wacky animated music videos, meaningful lyrics and addictive electronic hip-hop beats.
Gorillaz brought many other artists and ensembles along for this album, featuring outside artists in 12 out of the 16 tracks. Snoop Dogg is featured in the first lyrical song on the album “Welcome to the World of the Plastic Beach.” The album uses the various artists more than once throughout the album adding a quality, cohesive sound overall.
In one of the songs on the track, “Superfast Jellyfish,” Gorillaz expresses their distaste about the music industry’s demand for quantity over quality with lyrics like “Yo, pretty packages of frosted delights // Just enjoy the gritty crunch that tastes just like chicken.” Mass-produced albums satisfy the listeners need for music but it’s grittiness is the hint that it isn’t real music, or “chicken.”
The high-quality production value is obvious in this album, making “Plastic Beach” the best album of 2010.
2011: “21” Adele
British singer-songwriter Adele released her second studio album “21” on all platforms on Feb. 22, 2011. Adele gives listeners relatable, iconic songs in this classic album.
Listeners are taken on a ride through heartbreak and failed relationships in “21,” similar to Adele’s first album, “19.” With songs like “Rolling in the Deep” and “Set Fire to the Rain,” audiences will understand why her voice has been revered as “timeless” by music critics.
“21” is about a heartbreaking time in Adele’s life and the songs make up the light and dark in the story. In “Someone Like You” Adele says, “I heard that your dreams came true // Guess she gave you things I didn’t give to you,” but in “Turning Tables” Adele says, “I braved a hundred storms to leave you // As hard as you try, no, I will never be knocked down.” Adele’s powerful voice and lyrics let’s listeners relate her personal hardships to their own.
Adele won two Grammys for the album: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album. “21” sold the most albums out of any artist in 2011 and 2012, and holds the record for the longest time on the Billboard Top 200 chart. This ‘breakout’ album was what led Adele to fame and success.
Adele’s voice and sincere lyrics in her breakout album make “21” the best-selling album of 2011.
2012: “channel ORANGE” Frank Ocean
American singer-songwriter Frank Ocean released his debut studio album “Channel Orange” on all platforms on July 10, 2012. This album gave a face to Ocean and his bisexuality with songs LGBT and non-LGBT listeners can love.
Ocean combines many different genres in this album. There’s the overarching contemporary R&B, new-age soul, mindful rap and more. Ocean mixes these genres together with lyrics about his past love. “He” pronouns are used in “Thinkin’ Bout You” and “Bad Religion,” striking a chord with the LGBT community, but subtlety allowing anyone to vibe with the songs.
Ocean’s voice and lyrical storytelling shine strong in “Bad Religion.” “This unrequited love // To me, it’s nothin’ but a one-man cult // And cyanide in my styrofoam cup // I can never make him love me.” The relating of his love to a cult and the allusion to the “Jonestown” massacre is Ocean understanding how unhealthy it was for him and that he didn’t realize what he was “drinking.”
Ocean’s first studio album won the Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album. The album’s storytelling, beats and Ocean’s light voice caught people’s attention and he became an overnight success after “Channel Orange” was released.
“Channel Orange” was unlike anything in the music industry when it was released and has been critically acclaimed since, making it the best album of 2012.
2013: “AM” Arctic Monkeys
British indie band Arctic Monkeys released their fifth studio album “AM” on all platforms on Sept. 9, 2013. The album takes listeners on a R&B, rock and roll adventure through the experience of young love.
Arctic Monkeys got their first taste of success with the release of their debut album in 2006, “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.” Arctic Monkeys and similar British bands have struggled to reach the same success of their first album, but “AM,” their fifth album, was more successful for the band.
The rough guitar riffs blend with R&B sonics to make a unique sound that fits with the poetic lyrics. Rebellion and love are themes throughout the album, each song taking a different turn in the story.
“R U Mine?” brings these themes to the forefront with lyrics like: “And I go crazy cause here isn’t where I wanna be // And satisfaction feels like a distant memory // And I can’t help myself // All I wanna hear her say is ‘Are you mine?’” In this song, the singer wants to be with “her” and he has come to hate everything that isn’t her.
Arctic Monkeys became the first independent band to have their first five albums debut at number one on the charts with the release of their fifth album “AM.” They were nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2013, an award for the best album released in the U.K. by British or Irish musicians.
Arctic Monkeys fifth and most successful album brought them to the top in the U.S. and U.K. making “AM” the best album of 2013.
2014: “Salad Days” Mac DeMarco
Canadian singer-songwriter Mac DeMarco released his second studio album “Salad Days” to all platforms on April 1, 2014. Thought-provoking yet mellow, the soft guitar brings listeners along for the ride of DeMarco’s life.
Making painfully honest art is difficult for many artists and DeMarco’s first studio album “2” was his dive into the deep-end. DeMarco returns to himself in “Salad Days” with his soft instrumentals and meaningful stories with songs such as “Brother” and “Let Her Go.”
“Let My Baby Stay” is a love song about DeMarco’s longtime girlfriend, Kiera McNally. “I was made to love her // Been working at it // Half of my life // I’ve been an addict // And she’s been good to me // Far as I can tell she’s happy // Livin’ with her Macky.” DeMarco and McNally met when they were 14-years-old, which is why DeMarco says he has been addicted half his life. It’s a beautiful, refreshing song in comparison to some of his more serious works.
“Salad Days” has received universal acclaim by critics and has been named DeMarco’s best album, placing it as the best album of 2014.
2015: “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” Drake
Canadian rapper Drake released his fourth mixtape “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” first to Apple music on Feb. 13, 2015 and later to all platforms. While it may be a mixtape, a compilation of various songs with no main storyline, “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” holds itself together better than many big-budget albums because of the strong flow between and within songs.
Drake’s first release “Thank Me Later” went platinum soon after it’s release, making Drake a name familiar to nearly everyone, instantly. Drake raps about his struggles despite success which many people can relate to and is a big reason he’s considered a superstar in the industry. With “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late,” Drake goes into the dark corners of his mind expresses these emotions throughout various songs on his album.
There are cocky highs and depressing lows in this album. In “6PM in New York” he says, “Lately I feel the haters eatin’ away at my confidence // They scream out my failures and whisper my accomplishments.” With smooth rhymes about his problems, Drake gained a base of people that have experienced similar struggles, relating the lyrics to their lives.
“If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” is Drake’s fourth number one spot, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. The album broke Spotify’s 24-hour streaming record in three days with 17.3 million streams, the record previously held by Drake’s “Nothing Was the Same.”
Drake’s musical quality and success continued with this album, making “If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” the best album of 2015.
2016: “Lemonade” Beyonce
American singer-songwriter Beyoncé released her sixth studio album “Lemonade” to all platforms on April 23, 2016. Beyoncé lets her lyrical power out in raw lyrics with not-so-subtle shots at her husband, Jay-Z’s, infidelity, following his affair with another woman.
There had been rumors about Jay-Z’s lack of loyalty in their relationship before the shocking album was released including lyrics such as, “Who the f*ck do you think I is? You ain’t married to no average b*tch, boy!” in “Don’t Hurt Yourself.” It was empowering for many women to hear Beyoncé call out her husband’s infidelity in this bold album.
While Beyoncé focused on her anger and hate in the first half of “Lemonade,” she shows her love for Jay-Z despite what has happened. Beyoncé sings, “Dishes smashed on my counter from our last encounter // Pictures snatched out the frame // B*tch, I scratched out your name and your face // What is it about you that I can’t erase, baby?” in “Sandcastles.” In Sandcastles, listeners are told that Beyoncé still loves her husband, showing Beyoncé’s vulnerability during this difficult time.
“Lemonade” won a Grammy for Best Urban Contemporary Album and won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Album. Beyoncé created the award-winning music videos with well-done cinematography for her amazing songs such as “Formation,” “Sorry” and “Hold Up.”
Beyoncé’s power anthems and heartbreaking songs sent this best-selling album to the top, making it the best album of 2016.
2017: “DAMN.” Kendrick Lamar
American rapper Kendrick Lamar released his fourth studio album “DAMN.” on all platforms on April 14, 2017. Lamar takes listeners on an intense journey with his unmatched lyrical storytelling and well-used sonics.
Taking after some of his previous albums such as “To Pimp a Butterfly,” “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” and “Section.80,” Lamar seamlessly blends raw meaningful lyrics with unique hip-hop beats.
In Lamar’s song, “XXX,” listeners are hit hard with fast-paced, aggressive lyrics. “Ain’t no black power when your baby killed by a coward // I can’t even keep the peace, don’t you f*ck with one of ours,” Lamar raps, angrily articulating his beliefs about family and race. In his lyrics, Lamar expresses that he may be a supporter of black movements and peace, but he will disregard anything if someone hurts his family. His lyrics in “DAMN.” are thought-provoking and keep listeners engaged for every moment.
As an award winning album, “DAMN.” holds the record for first week sales in 2017 and won a Grammy for Best Rap Album, in addition to winning a Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2018, making history as the first hip-hop album to win the award.
As one of Lamar’s top masterpieces, “DAMN.” stands strong as the best album of 2017.
2018: “K.O.D.” J. Cole
American rapper J. Cole released his fifth studio album “K.O.D.” on all platforms on April 20, 2018. The album has few happy moments as J. Cole dives straight into the darkness of life with his simple, bluesy beats.
In J. Cole’s “2014 Forest Hills Drive” album, listeners learn about the rapper and his life. The rapper’s next album, “Born Sinner,” is all about the music industry, fame and self-reflection.
With “K.O.D.”, J. Cole brings addiction to the table. Listeners face lyrics in regards to social media addiction in “Photograph” and money cravings in “ATM,” with J. Cole rapping about various destructive habits that people take part in.
The meaning of “K.O.D.” is revealed in the short track “Motiv8.” “Too many times I swallowed my pride // I’m crackin’ a smile, I’m dyin’ inside // My demons are close, I’m tryin’ to hide // I’m poppin’ a pill, I’m feelin’ alive.” The theme of “popping pills” is seen throughout the album, and according to J. Cole, “K.O.D.” is an abbreviation for Kill Our Demons, Kings OverDosed and Kids On Drugs.
J. Cole’s meaningful lyrics in the age of “mumble rap” has attracted a great deal of listeners. The day “K.O.D.” was released, it broke Apple Music’s 24-hour streaming record with 64.5 million streams. J. Cole achieved the difficult task of going “platinum no features,” selling one million copies of the album with no featured artists, with “K.O.D.,” just as he did with his previous two albums.
J. Cole’s third consecutive masterpiece stands over the competition, marking its place as the best album of 2018.
2019: “Thank U, Next” Ariana Grande
American singer-songwriter Ariana Grande released her fifth studio album “Thank U, Next” on all platforms on Feb. 8, 2019, only six months after her previous album “Sweetener.” “Thank U, Next” is an empowering album for many listeners, including many songs with Grande reflecting on love and pain.
Grande had been through some difficult events before the album was created; the Manchester Arena bombing, Mac Miller’s death and a break up with her fiancé Pete Davidson. Grande’s struggle with heartbreak and anxiety are highlighted in “Thank U, Next” compared to the themes of love and success showcased in “Sweetener.”
Grande went from a love song titled “Pete Davidson” in “Sweetener” to the break-up anthem “Thank U, Next” in less than a year. The singer’s development over the last year is showcased in the album “Thank U, Next.”
“Thank U, Next” has been nominated for a grammy in Best Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year and has been critically acclaimed by music critics. Grande blends her typical, yet catchy upbeat pop style with both sensitive and blunt lyrics. With these lyrics from “Bloodline,” “No we won’t be talkin’ the next day // I ain’t got nothin’ to say // I ain’t lookin’ for my one true love // Yeah that ship sailed away,” Grande is speaking her mind to her ex, Davidson.
Grande’s “Thank U, Next” revealed the personal side of her love life in songs with heavy R&B influence, making it the best album of 2019.
