My Music Playlist of the 2010s

Adrianna Freedman
4 min readDec 31, 2019

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Photo Credit: Stas Knop / Pexels

One thing you should know about me: I LOVE music. There’s not one moment in the day where music is not going through my brain. You could always find me creating a beat with my fingertips or singing a song that I can’t get out of my head — it’s that prevalent in my life.

As I perused the internet and saw different bloggers, publications and influencers post about their favorites from the past decade, I debated whether to include my own opinion on the 2010s. After much thought, I figured “why not do it in my own way?”

So I sat, and after making a ton of lists, here is a list of songs that were released each year of the 2010s and made an impact on my decade.

2010

“Boulevard of Broken Dreams” — American Idiot (Original Broadway Cast)

Quotable Lyrics: I walk a lonely road / The only one that I have ever known / Don’t know where it goes / But it’s home to me, and I walk alone

“Rolling in the Deep” — Adele

Quotable Lyrics: See how I’ll leave with every piece of you / Don’t underestimate the things that I will do

2011

“What Makes You Beautiful” — One Direction

Quotable Lyrics: If only you saw what I can see / You’ll understand why I want you so desperately

“Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)” — Kelly Clarkson

Quotable Lyrics: Thanks to you I’m finally thinkin’ ‘bout me / You know in the end, the day you left was just my beginning

2012

“22” — Taylor Swift

Quotable Lyrics: It feels like a perfect night / For breakfast at midnight / To fall in love with strangers

“Boyfriend” — Justin Bieber

Quotable Lyrics: I can be a gentleman, anything you want / If I was your boyfriend, I’d never let you go

2013

“Story of My Life” — One Direction

Quotable Lyrics: Written on these walls are the colours that I can’t change / Leave my heart open / But it stays right here in its cage

“Wherever You Are” — 5 Seconds of Summer

Quotable Lyrics: Torn in two and I know shouldn’t tell you / But I just can’t stop thinking of you

“She Looks So Perfect” — 5 Seconds of Summer

Quotable Lyrics: Your lipstick stain is a work of art / I got your name tattooed in an arrow heart

“Thinking Out Loud” — Ed Sheeran

Quotable Lyrics: Darling, I will be loving you till we’re seventy / And baby, my heart could still fall as hard at twenty-three

2015

“My Shot” — Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast)

Quotable Lyrics: Hey yo, I’m just like my country / I’m young, scrappy and hungry / And I’m not throwing away my shot!

“Jet Black Heart” — 5 Seconds of Summer

Quotable Lyrics: The blood in my veins is made up of mistakes / Let’s forget who we are and dive into the dark / As we burst into color, returning to life

2016

“Treat You Better” — Shawn Mendes

Quotable Lyrics: I know I can treat you better than he can / And any girl like you deserves a gentleman

“Wasted Time” — Keith Urban

Quotable Lyrics: Every Friday night when the sun went down / We’d be running them streets like we owned the town

2017

“Sign of the Times” — Harry Styles

Quotable Lyrics: Just stop your crying, it’s a sign of the times / Welcome to the final show / Hope you’re wearing your best clothes

“Attention” — Charlie Puth

Quotable Lyrics: You just want attention, I knew from the start / You’re just making sure I’m never gettin’ over you

2018

“Youngblood” — 5 Seconds of Summer

Quotable Lyrics: When you’re looking at those strangers / Hope to God you see my face

“Better With You” — Jesse McCartney

Quotable Lyrics: I’m still a mess but you hold on / Don’t know just why you do / But I know I’m better with you

2019

“Easier” — 5 Seconds of Summer

Quotable Lyrics: I love you so much that I hate you / Right now, it’s so hard to blame you / ’Cause you’re so damn beautiful

(Side note: 5SOS did a live version of this song, which is just as good as the original!)

“Nice to Meet Ya” — Niall Horan

Quotable Lyrics: ‘Cause when the morning comes, I know you won’t be there / Every time I turn around, you disappear

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