The 2010s featured the rise of artists such as Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran and Post Malone to prominence. At the same time, the deaths of Juice Wrld, XXXtentacion and many more represents a strong loss for the music industry during this time. Here’s a look into the top songs of each year of the decade.

2010: “Bad Romance” – Lady Gaga
True to the 2010-esque style of pop, “Bad Romance” keeps a pulsing electronic beat in its background. The song’s longevity is owed to references in movies such as “Sing” in 2016.

2011: “Someone Like You” – Adele
In her second album, Adele released a melancholic track that served as her path to fame. With her trademark powerful vocals and extensive range, Adele created a nostalgic break-up anthem.

2012: “Thrift Shop” – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (ft. Wanz)
With an upbeat tempo and uplifting message, Macklemore sparked a new wave of hip-hop. Talking about the need and skill that goes into thrift shopping, Macklemore defied the typical trope of rappers ‘flexing’ their money.

2013: “Counting Stars” – OneRepublic
Featuring a guitar prelude and a smooth transition to a strong electronic beat, OneRepublic delivers its poetry-like lyrics. Soaring vocals of lead singer Ryan Tedder contrast the rhythm-heavy background.

2014: “Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson (ft. Bruno Mars)
Featuring on Mark Ronson’s song in between two massive albums, Bruno Mars brought the energy. With an upbeat feel and strong back-up vocals, the song is reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s style and served as a transition from Mars’ more lyrical songs to begin the decade.

2015: “See You Again” – Wiz Khalifa (ft. Charlie Puth)
Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa created a moving and emotional tribute to the deceased actor Paul Walker. The song sparked the beginning of Puth’s successful career as one of the more prominent artists to end the 2010s.

2016: “Starboy” – The Weeknd
A catchy and simple drum beat combined with The Weeknd’s melodic singing produced a catchy song. Following up from his prior hit, “Can’t Feel My Face,” The Weeknd produced another song with a catchy chorus.

2017: “Shape of You” – Ed Sheeran
“Shape of You” marks the landmark transition from a traditional percussion-based song to a completely electronic beat. The R&B singer received international fame for “Shape of You,” winning multiple awards including a Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance.

2018: “Sunflower” – Post Malone (ft. Swae Lee)
Released at the end of 2018 in the hit movie “Spiderman Into the Spider-Verse,” Post Malone followed his more somber album “beerbongs & bentleys” with a more upbeat and catchy song.

2019: “Bad Guy” – Billie Eilish
“Bad Guy,” the most streamed song of Eilish’s first complete album, burst her onto the scene of mainstream pop. Coupled with Eilish’s soft vocals and eerie lyrics, “Bad Guy” was the international sensation of 2019.

Make sure to check out the linked Spotify playlist to listen to ten of the top songs of each year, creating a top 100 best of the decade.