The 2010s have been an interesting decade for music - why not settle down, crack open the bubbly and celebrate another decade end with Imagesound's round up of the last ten years.
A Decade of music summed up by David Bowie's Ch-Changes
Ch-changes - as the much missed David Bowie sang - sum up the 2010s music scene. From the re-emergence of the pop deity to hip hop overtaking rock as the USA’s favourite genre we look at the musical highlights and trends of the decade.
A decade of divas
In the 2000s it appeared that the global pop superstar had had their day - and then came along Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Katie Perry and most of all, Lady Gaga. There’s no reason to think that this hard working and talented clutch of stars won’t still be filling stadiums in 2040. Unlike the artists of the MTV era these artists have actually worked in a more traditional way - recording albums and touring with shows that make Broadway look like amateur dramatics.
Hip Hop don’t stop
40 years after the Sugarhill Gang hit the charts with Rapper’s Delight hip hop has overtaken rock as the USA’s favourite musical genre and it’s as relevant today as it was in 1979 with Drake and Kendrick Lamar making their mark on the decade. However the standout artist must surely be Lizzo who has stormed into the charts with a fresh, forward thinking vibe that is as ground breaking as the original artists were in 1979.
The Brits are back
If you thought that the UK had run out of stars after the 90s Britpop invasion think again - think again! The 2010s have brought a group of artists to the world stage with a far more varied selection of songs than those released by Oasis and Blur. Whether you’re listening to the decade’s most streamed song - The Shape of You by Ed Sheeran, watching Stormzy rule Glastonbury, enjoying a folk-rock vibe with Mumford and Sons or pogoing along to Idles, you’ll agree that British artists have put their stamp on the decade.
All the World's a Stage
As we become ever more connected we’re privileged to discover music we might not have come across before. We’ve seen K-Pop storm the charts with Gangnam Style and dare I say it Baby Shark, Latin hits from Bad Bunny and acts from Africa such as Davido and Wizkid - raise the roof on venues and make their mark in the charts.
To stream or not stream
One of the biggest changes in the way that we listen to music is the rise of the streaming service - with Spotify being the most popular and allowing you to listen to music almost anywhere. Despite this vinyl sales have never been stronger, with new record shops opening up and supermarkets selling LPs. The cassette has even made a comeback with Coldplay and Robbie Williams releasing tracks on the medium this year!
Thank you for the Music
Finally - a round-up of the decade wouldn’t be complete without a shout out to the dearly loved stars we’ve lost over the years - Lena Horne, Ari Up, Gil Scott Heron, Amy Winehouse, Adam Yauch, Donna Summer, Robin Gibb, Ben E King, Errol Brown, BB King, James Brown, David Bowie, Prince, Aretha Franklin, Pete Shelley, Keith Flint and many, many other artists who have made music for our enjoyment.
Reflect on the best musical moments from the twenty-tens by listenting to the Imagesound Playlist of the Decade - here!
If you fancy a sparkling new soundtrack in your venue in the New Year - or even help us break a big star in your stores like Lewis Capaldi then give us a call... New Year, New Decade, New Music!