A few days ago, Pitchfork released their list of the top 200 songs of the 2010s. No surprise considering that were just a few months away from entering a new decade, and presumably a new era of music. It’s interesting to think about how we define music by a seemingly arbitrary time range when the actual month, day and year itself doesn’t influence the music, it’s more intangible and in flux like the era and influences.
In any case, these lists are always fun to look at, reflect, judge and agree/disagree. It’s especially interesting when it involves Pitchfork and music because it’s certainly going to be given a lot more credibility than say, USA Today’s same list of best songs.
Pitchfork’s Top 200 of the 2010s without the Commentary
For those of you that don’t want to scroll indefinitely through the more than 65,000 word article and want to get down on a list boiled down to the rank, artist, song and year it was released, we’ve done the work for you. Here’s the 200 best songs of the 2010s according to Pitchfork.
Rank | Artist | Song | Year |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Kendrick Lamar | Alright | 2015 |
2 | Grimes | Oblivion | 2012 |
3 | Robyn | Dancing on My Own | 2010 |
4 | Beyoncé | Formation | 2016 |
5 | Frank Ocean | Thinking Bout You | 2012 |
6 | Azealia Banks | 212 | 2011 |
7 | Mitski | Your Best American Girl | 2016 |
8 | Solange | Cranes In The Sky | 2016 |
9 | Lana Del Rey | Video Games | 2011 |
10 | Lil Uzi Vert | XO TOUR Llif3 | 2017 |
11 | Bill Callahan | Riding For The Feeling | 2011 |
12 | Sky Ferreira | Everything Is Embarrassing | 2012 |
13 | Chief Keef | I Don't Like | 2012 |
14 | Angel Olsen | Shut Up Kiss Me | 2016 |
15 | Rihanna | Work | 2016 |
16 | The 1975 | Love It If We Made It | 2018 |
17 | Jamie xx | Gosh | 2015 |
18 | Kanye West | Runaway | 2010 |
19 | Vampire Weekend | Hannah Hunt | 2013 |
20 | M83 | Midnight City | 2011 |
21 | Drake | Hold On, We're Going Home | 2013 |
22 | ANOHNI | Drone Bomb Me | 2016 |
23 | Rosalía | Malamente (Cap.1: Augurio) | 2018 |
24 | Todd Terje | Inspector Norse | 2012 |
25 | FKA twigs | Cellophane | 2019 |
26 | Bon Iver | Holence | 2011 |
27 | M.I.A. | Bad Girls | 2010 |
28 | Beyoncé | Countdown | 2011 |
29 | Joanna Newsom | Good Intentions Paving Co. | 2010 |
30 | Cardi B | Bodak Yellow | 2017 |
31 | Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti | Round and Round | 2010 |
32 | Fiona Apple | Every Single Night | 2012 |
33 | LCD Soundsystem | Dance Yrself Clean | 2010 |
34 | Future Islands | Seasons (Waiting on You) | 2014 |
35 | Rae Sremmurd | Black Beatles | 2016 |
36 | Carly Rae Jepsen | Run Away With Me | 2015 |
37 | Jai Paul | BTSTU (edit) | 2011 |
38 | Kanye West | Monster | 2010 |
39 | SOPHIE | Bipp | 2013 |
40 | Frank Ocean | Nights | 2016 |
41 | Courtney Barnett | Avant Gardener | 2013 |
42 | SZA | The Weekend | 2017 |
43 | Lorde | The Louvre | 2017 |
44 | Big Thief | Mary | 2017 |
45 | Robyn | Call Your Girlfriend | 2010 |
46 | The Knife | Full Of Fire | 2013 |
47 | Tame Impala | Let It Happen | 2015 |
48 | Ariana Grande | Thank U, Next | 2018 |
49 | Gyptian | Hold Yuh | 2010 |
50 | Arcade Fire | Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) | 2012 |
51 | Kendrick Lamar | Bitch, Don't Kill My Vibe | 2012 |
52 | Camp Cope | The Opener | 2017 |
53 | Solange | Losing You | 2012 |
54 | Disclosure | Latch | 2012 |
55 | Bat for Lashes | Laura | 2012 |
56 | Vince Staples | Norf Norf | 2015 |
57 | Taylor Swift | All Too Well | 2012 |
58 | Miguel | Adorn | 2012 |
59 | David Bowie | Blackstar | 2015 |
60 | Future | March Madness | 2015 |
61 | EMA | California | 2011 |
62 | Rihanna | We Found Love | 2011 |
63 | Bobby Shmurda | Hot Nigga | 2014 |
64 | Phoebe Bridgers | Motion Sickness | 2017 |
65 | Drake | Worst Behavior | 2013 |
66 | King Krule | Out Getting Ribs | 2010 |
67 | Kacey Musgraves | Slow Burn | 2018 |
68 | FKA twigs | Two Weeks | 2014 |
69 | Caribou | Can't Do Without You | 2014 |
70 | Beach House | Zebra | 2010 |
71 | Adele | Someone Like You | 2011 |
72 | Tyler, the Creator | Yonkers | 2011 |
73 | Perfume Genius | Queen | 2014 |
74 | Jack Ü | Where Are Ü Now | 2015 |
75 | DJ Koze | Pick Up | 2018 |
76 | The National | Bloodbuzz Ohio | 2010 |
77 | Kanye West | Ultralight Beam | 2016 |
78 | Jeremih | Oui | 2015 |
79 | Lana Del Rey | The Greatest | 2019 |
80 | Blood Orange | You're Not Good Enough | 2013 |
81 | Cass McCombs | County Line | 2011 |
82 | Dej Loaf | Try Me | 2014 |
83 | Deerhunter | Desire Lines | 2010 |
84 | Kelela | Bank Head | 2013 |
85 | Charli XCX | Track 01 | 2017 |
86 | Destroyer | Chinatown | 2011 |
87 | Rich Gang | Lifestyle | 2014 |
88 | Japandroids | Younger Us | 2010 |
89 | Frank Ocean | Pyramids | 2012 |
90 | Blawan | Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage | 2012 |
91 | Haim | The Wire | 2013 |
92 | Meek Mill | Dreams and Nightmares | 2012 |
93 | Radiohead | True Love Waits | 2016 |
94 | Hurray for the Riff Raff | Pa'lante | 2017 |
95 | Rihanna | Bitch Better Have My Money | 2015 |
96 | Thundercat | Them Changes | 2015 |
97 | Snail Mail | Pristine | 2018 |
98 | D'Angelo & the Vanguard | Really Love | 2014 |
99 | Mac DeMarco | Ode to Victory | 2012 |
100 | Jamie xx | I Know There's Gonna Be (Good Times) | 2015 |
101 | TNGHT | Higher Ground | 2012 |
102 | Katy Perry | Teenage Dream | 2010 |
103 | Erykah Badu | Hello | 2015 |
104 | Amen Dunes | Miki Dora | 2018 |
105 | Kendrick Lamar | DNA. | 2017 |
106 | Christine and the Queens | Titled | 2015 |
107 | Fetty Wap | Trap Queen | 2014 |
108 | Girlpool | Before the World Was Big | 2015 |
109 | Drake | Nice for What | 2018 |
110 | Chairlift | I Belong In Your Arms | 2012 |
111 | A$AP Ferg | Shabba | 2013 |
112 | Paramore | Ain't It Fun | 2013 |
113 | Jenny Hval | Conceptual Romance | 2016 |
114 | Daft Punk | Get Lucky | 2013 |
115 | The Weeknd | The Morning | 2011 |
116 | Burial | Kindred | 2016 |
117 | Usher | Climax | 2012 |
118 | Travis Scott | Sicko Mode | 2018 |
119 | Fleet Foxes | Helplessness Blues | 2011 |
120 | Justin Bieber | Sorry | 2015 |
121 | DJ Rashad | Feelin | 2013 |
122 | Playboi Carti | Magnolia | 2017 |
123 | Clairo | Bags | 2019 |
124 | Nicki Minaj | Super Bass | 2010 |
125 | Likke Li | I Follow Rivers | 2011 |
126 | Ciara | Ride | 2010 |
127 | James Blake | CMYK | 2010 |
128 | Young Thug | Danny Glover | 2013 |
129 | Lorde | Royals | 2013 |
130 | A$AP Rocky | Peso | 2011 |
131 | Chromatics | Kill for Love | 2012 |
132 | Kurt Vile | Baby's Arms | 2011 |
133 | Future | Mask Off | 2017 |
134 | Kamasi Washington | Truth | 2017 |
135 | Robyn | Honey | 2018 |
136 | CupcakKe | Duck Duck Goose | 2018 |
137 | Yaeji | Drink I'm Sippin On | 2017 |
138 | Drake | Hotline Blink | 2015 |
139 | Iceage | The Lord's Favorite | 2014 |
140 | Rae Sremmurd | No Type | 2014 |
141 | Gil Scott-Heron | New York Is Killing Me | 2010 |
142 | Rihanna | Needed Me | 2016 |
143 | Rick Ross | B.M.F. (Blowing Money Fast) | 2010 |
144 | Spoon | Inside Out | 2014 |
145 | Charli XCX | Gone | 2019 |
146 | Gunna | Sold Out Dates | 2018 |
147 | Ella Mai | Boo'd Up | 2018 |
148 | GoldLink | Crew | 2017 |
149 | Björk | Stonemilker | 2015 |
150 | Nicki Minaj | Beez in the Trap | 2012 |
151 | Gangang Dance | Glass Jar | 2011 |
152 | Miley Cirus | Wrecking Ball | 2013 |
153 | Danny Brown | 30 | 2011 |
154 | Japanese Breakfast | Everybody Want to Love You | 2016 |
155 | Kanye West | Blood on the Leaves | 2013 |
156 | Girl Unit | Wut | 2010 |
157 | Beyoncé | 1+1 | 2011 |
158 | Waka Flocka Flame | Hard in da Paint | 2010 |
159 | Katy B | Katy on a Mission | 2010 |
160 | Odd Future | Oldie | 2012 |
161 | Vybz Kartel | Clarks | 2010 |
162 | Chance the Rapper | No Problem | 2016 |
163 | Davido | Fall | 2017 |
164 | Andrés | New for U | 2012 |
165 | Jessica Pratt | Back, Baby | 2014 |
166 | Bad Bunny | Caro | 2018 |
167 | Tinashe | 2 On | 2014 |
168 | King Rule | Dum Surfer | 2017 |
169 | St.Vincent | New York | 2017 |
170 | Lil Peep | Kiss | 2016 |
171 | Adele | Rolling in the Deep | 2011 |
172 | Sleep | Marijuanaut's Theme | 2018 |
173 | DJ Khaled | I'm on One | 2011 |
174 | Florence and The Machine | Shake It Out | 2011 |
175 | Nicki Minaj | Come on a Cone | 2012 |
176 | Sampha | (No One Knows Me) Like the Piano | 2017 |
177 | A Tribe Called Quest | The Space Program | 2016 |
178 | The 1975 | The Sound | 2016 |
179 | Rich Kidz | My Life | 2012 |
180 | Sons of Kemet | My Queen is Harriet Tubman | 2018 |
181 | Migos | Bad and Boujee | 2016 |
182 | Beyoncé | XO | 2013 |
183 | Young M.A | OOOUUU | 2016 |
184 | Frank Ocean | Chanel | 2017 |
185 | Sharon Van Etten | Seventeen | 2019 |
186 | Skepta | Shutdown | 2015 |
187 | Thom Yorke | Dawn Chorus | 2019 |
188 | Future | Incredible | 2017 |
189 | J Balvil / Willy William | Mi Gente (Remix) | 2017 |
190 | Ty Dolla $ign | Paranoid | 2013 |
191 | Rico Nasty | Smack a Bitch | 2018 |
192 | Tame Impala | Feels Like We Only Go Backwards | 2012 |
193 | Nilüfer Yanya | Baby Luv | 2017 |
194 | Lil B | Wonton Soup | 2010 |
195 | Cloud Nothings | I'm Not Part of Me | 2014 |
196 | John Maus | Believer | 2011 |
197 | Icona Pop | I Love It | 2012 |
198 | Dvsn | The Line | 2016 |
199 | Stormzy | Big for Your Boots | 2017 |
200 | Avicii | Levels | 2011 |
With 200 songs, there’s a diverse mix of all genres of music spread across the decade. The artists that showed up the most on the list? It was the decade defined by hip hop pop artists with Beyoncé, Rihanna, Kanye West, Drake and Frank Ocean each having four songs each in the top 200.