Favorite Songs of the Decade

And so ended the 2010's. .

It was a decade of significant cultural, political, environmental, and social change. A decade that had me graduate college, shift through three jobs, travel through Europe, Asia, and the US, and showcase art at various conventions and galleries. A decade that had me lose a dog, three grandparents, and a ten year marriage...but also find someone new to share my life with. Every significant moment had its soundtrack. 

It really is hard to put into words just how chaotic this decade was for me. So many ups and downs. The highest of highs and certainly the lowest of lows. Obviously, the shadow of loss looms large on this collection of tunes. I can't deny that. Once you've moved on from dark times, you'd think you'd want to throw out songs that remind you of them and never return. But, I don't want to forget those feelings, to be honest. They were real, they were powerful. And music defined them better than anything else. I'm reminded of a line from the song "Notget" by one of my all-time favorites, Björk:

"Don't remove my pain \\ It is my chance to heal."

So, yes, many of these songs are connected to my greatest sorrow. But, thankfully, not all of them. Because some of the greatest joys of my life are represented as well. In fact, I could make a pretty stellar mix just from the songs on this list inspired by a certain kiddo who changed my life for the better.

---

Anyway, these are my 200 favorite songs of the thousands I listened to in the 2010's. Believe me, this list could have been bigger. But, I narrowed it down to the essentials. I truly adore EVERY. SINGLE. RECORDING. in this list and could probably tell a little story about each, but I saved that nonsense for the Top 25. I obviously spend waaay more time on these things than I should. But my motivation is simply that I love music, I love cataloging my own personal experiences with it, and I love sharing it. 

Just for fun, here are some quick stats before we jump in:

Most Represented Year:
2011 (30)

Least Represented Year:
2019 (7)

Most Represented Artist:
- Beach House (9), 
- Thom Yorke (9): [w/ Radiohead (7), w/Atoms for Peace (1), and solo (1)]

Most Represented Album:
Radiohead - A Moon Shaped Pool (4)

Most Represented Artist in the Top 25:
James Blake (3)

Languages:
Spanish (1)
French (2)
Icelandic (2)
Japanese (4)
English (the rest)

Instrumentals: (10)

Songs that remind me of Brittny Paz: (25)

---

OK. LET'S GET THE FIRST 100 OUT OF THE WAY QUICK.
YouTube links provided for each. I attached the official video where applicable, unless the video actually detracted from the song itself (which was sometimes the case).

200 \\ Monster (ft. Jay Z, Rick Ross, Nicki Minaj,& Bon Iver) \\ Kanye West (2010)

199 \\ Stillbirth\\ Alice Glass (2015)

198 \\ Tear It Up \\ Delta Spirit (2012)

197 \\ Roar \\ Katy Perry (2013)

196 \\ 24 Hours \\ Sky Ferreira (2013)

195 \\ Slomo \\ Slowdive (2017)

194 \\ Moth Into the Flame \\ Metallica (2016)

193 \\ Colomb \\ Nicolas Jaar (2011)

192 \\ Putty Boy Strut \\ Flying Lotus (2012)

191 \\ Pray Everyday (ft. Ahwlee & liv.e) \\ Pink Siifu (2018)

190 \\ (I Wanna Live in a Dream In My) Record Machine \\ Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds (2011)

189 \\ Weekend \\ Class Actress (2011)

188 \\ Black Skinhead \\ Kanye West (2013)

187 \\ Somewhere Tonight \\ Beach House (2015)

186 \\ Minipops 67 [120.2][source field mix] \\ Aphex Twin  (2014)

185 \\ DO YOU DOUBT ME TRAITOR \\ Lingua Ignota (2019)

184 \\ Love$ick (ft. A$AP Rocky) \\ Mura Masa (2016)

183 \\ The Wire \\ Haim (2013)

182 \\ Mystery of Love \\ Sufjan Stevens (2017)

181 \\ Ascension (ft. Vince Staples) \\ Gorillaz (2017)

180 \\ Michicant \\ Bon Iver (2011)

179 \\ Saint Ivy \\ Beach Fossils (2017)

178 \\ Secret \\ Hatchie (2019)

177 \\ Stonemilker \\ Björk (2015)

176 \\ Thievery \\ Arca (2014)

175 \\ High Alice \\ Jenny Hval (2019)

174 \\ Ingenue \\ Atoms for Peace (2013)

173 \\ Love Never Felt So Good \\ Michael Jackson & Justin Timberlake (2014)

172 \\ Creature Comfort \\ Arcade Fire (2017)

171 \\ Saturnz Barz (ft. Popcaan) \\ Gorillaz (2017)

170 \\ Disarray \\ Low (2018)

169 \\ Landcruisin’ \\ AK Paul (2016)

168 \\ Sleep Sound \\ Jamie xx (2015)

167 \\ True North \\ S. Carey (2018)

166 \\ Part Two – In My Own Way \\ Ray LaMontagne (2016)

165 \\ Celebrate Life! \\ Elaquent (2018)

164 \\ The Fire \\ Natalie Prass (2018)

163 \\ Tap Out \\ The Strokes (2013)

162 \\ Kaputt \\ Destroyer (2011)

161 \\ Matrimony \\ Tennis (2017)

160 \\ Lazy Boy \\ The Voidz (2018)

159 \\ Bitches Brew \\ ††† (2014)

158 \\ ApolloThrowdown \\ The Go! Team (2011)

157 \\ Genesis \\ Grimes (2012)

156 \\ Dinner \\ Blood Orange (2011)

155 \\ Under the Pressure \\ The War On Drugs (2014)

154 \\ If I Could Change Your Mind \\ Haim (2013)

153 \\ That Girl \\ Justin Timberlake (2013)

152 \\ Dreams Tonite \\ Alvvays (2017)

151 \\ Furisodeshon \\ Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (2013)

150 \\ Too Much \\ Sufjan Stevens (2010)

149 \\ Waking the Jetstream \\ The Go! Team (2015)

148 \\ Tropic of Cancer \\ Panda Bear (2015)

147 \\ Breaking Up \\ Charli XCX (2014)

146 \\ Rubber \\ Yuck (2011)

145 \\ Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites \\ Skrillex (2010)

144 \\ Frozen \\ Mackintosh Braun (2010)

143 \\ Thinkin' Bout You \\ Frank Ocean (2012)

142 \\ BoysLatin \\ Panda Bear (2015)

141 \\ Wild Time \\ Weyes Blood (2019)

140 \\ Helplessness Blues \\ Fleet Foxes (2011)

139 \\ Lemon Glow \\ Beach House (2018)

138 \\ Separator \\ Radiohead (2011)

137 \\ Invader Invader \\ Kyary Pamyu Pamyu (2013)

136 \\ Hard to Say Goodbye \\ Washed Out (2017)

135 \\ 29 #Stratford APTS \\ Bon Iver (2016)

134 \\ If I Had a Tail \\ Queens of the Stone Age (2013)

133 \\ Skipping \\ Milosh (2015)

132 \\ Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) \\ Arcade Fire (2010)

131 \\ Sick Talk \\ Wye Oak (2014)

130 \\ Kids \\ Sleigh Bells (2010)

129 \\ Four Cypresses \\ Grizzly Bear (2017)

128 \\ You and I \\ Toro y Moi (2017)

127 \\ Voice Yr Choice \\ The Go! Team (2011)

126 \\ Golden Arrow \\ DARKSIDE (2013)

125 \\ Genocide (ft. Kendrick Lamar, Marsha Ambrosius, & Candace Pillay) \\ Dr. Dre (2015)

124 \\ Middle Sea \\ Yuck (2013)

123 \\ Kavura \\ Dark Morph (2019)

122 \\ Artists’ Valley \\ Bibio (2011)

121 \\ It Gets Better (With Time) \\ The Internet (2018)

120 \\ Last Night At the Jetty \\ Panda Bear (2011)

119 \\ Way We Were (ft. Zuri Marley) \\ Nosaj Thing (2017)

118 \\ Nightcall \\ Kavinksy (2010)

117 \\ Strange Pleasures \\ Still Corners (2013)

116 \\ True Love Waits \\ Radiohead (2016)

115 \\ Paralysed \\ Nilüfer Yanya (2019)

114 \\ Every Night \\ Perfume Genius (2017)

113 \\ Run Away With Me \\ Carly Rae Jepsen (2015)

112 \\ Lonely Press Play \\ Damon Albarn (2014)

111 \\ She found now \\ My Bloody Valentine (2013)

110 \\ It Is What It Is \\ Blood Orange (2013)

109 \\ Rosemary \\ Deftones (2012)

108 \\ Before \\ Washed Out (2011)

107 \\ Let It Happen \\ Tame Impala (2015)

106 \\ Amarillo \\ Gorillaz (2010)

105 \\ Suffering \\ The War On Drugs (2014)

104 \\ Pink Ocean \\ The Voidz (2018)

103 \\ Daydreaming \\ Radiohead (2016)

102 \\ Touch \\ Shura (2015)

101 \\ Strawberry Bubblegum \\ Justin Timberlake (2013)

(continue to the 100-51)