Rev Roundtable: Best albums of the 2010s, from Kendrick Lamar to Taylor Swift to Harry Styles

Rev Roundtable: Best albums of the 2010s, from Kendrick Lamar to Taylor Swift to Harry Styles
Bank Image

With so many albums to choose from, it’s hard to pick the album of the year. It’s even harder to pick the album of the decade.

Don’t worry though, we narrowed down the list for you. Reveille staff members picked their favorite album of each decade from 1960 through 2010. From The Beatles to Harry Styles, we covered every era of music.

Today is the last piece in the series. It’s 2010s day. 


Will Nickel 

“Helplessness Blues” by Fleet Foxes

This might be a bit of a surprising pick, but “Helplessness Blues” is one of the most underrated albums of the 2010s. I had to have at least one hot take on these lists. 

A lot of people love this album. It’s still underrated. 

Fleet Foxes made one of the most beautiful folk albums of all time. The lyrics are poetic and the instrumentation is gorgeous. Even if you aren’t a fan of folk music, you should still listen to “Helplessness Blues” at least once.


Olivia Tomlinson

“Blonde” by Frank Ocean

From “Nikes” to “Futura Free,” Frank Ocean takes you through the ups and downs of his past relationship in this album. 

The album dropped in 2016, four years after “Channel Orange” – another fan favorite. The entire album is symbolic of growing older. The blonde hair seen in the cover art, as well as the title, represent the youth of blonde hair; however, over time, blonde hair darkens. “Pink + White” and “Ivy” are two of the many songs that explore the coming of age theme. 

With the upcoming album being long awaited, now is the time to reflect on Ocean’s past work. 


Jayden Nguyen

“All This Bad Blood” by Bastille  

With so many albums to choose from, it’s hard to pick the album of the year. It’s even harder to pick the album of the decade.

Although it is best known for the lead single, “Pompeii,” this album is so much more than that. From start to finish, Bastille delivers original concepts and storylines track after track. The lyricism of this album is incredibly well-done, using deeply depressing lines over a blend of electronic pop and classic indie rock instrumentals.

This album defined the UK indie pop scene in the 2010s and is one of the first albums I think of when I think of music from the early 2010s. Bastille are best-known for this album and for good reason: the band’s cohesive sound and ability to tell innovative stories with its songs make it one of the best albums of all time.


Madison Heydari

“1989” by Taylor Swift

It is difficult for me to explain my reasoning for this other than this is the “poppiest” pop album of all time. The pop genre consists of music that is catchy and fun, and this album is POP. Equipped with standard heartfelt ballads and synth masterpieces that are sure to stay in your head, this album just hits every mark. 

The media was tearing her apart and making her out to be this clingy, psycho girlfriend that traps every guy she dates, but she felt inspired by this character and wrote the pop classic that is “Blank Space.” I know there are a number of phenomenal pop albums released during this era, but none of them are quite as highly addictive and polished as this one. 

I often find myself listening to this music when I am going through a major change in my life because the tone and lyrics and melodies let me forget about everything around me and enjoy life.


John Buzbee

Self titled by The Symposium 

Embracing elements of alternative rock and synth wave, The Symposium is a band that’s neither popular nor obscure, so I think that makes it cool to mention when someone asks, ‘what are you listening to these days?’

Its self-titled debut album is more atmospheric than any other adjective and functions more like a bloated E.P. than a traditional album. It’s a collection of relatively unsynced but exceptional singles.

Whatever you do, start by listening to “The Physical Attractions.” Branch out from there. There’s a decent variety of inspiration to be taken: “Creeper” sounds like it could be on a Foster the People album, “Based” borrows inspiration from The Strokes and the melodies of “Soft Love” might just be based on TV Girl.

The single coolest (and weirdest?) element of a song by The Symposium is the secondary melody that comes after the main song. They all have a wordless, catchy and thought provoking melody. I don’t know if there’s a reason behind this, but I think it adds lots of depth and potential meaning.


Alison Agena

“Eureka” by Mother Mother

From the 2010s there are so many great albums to pick from. However, I think the best album to come out of this decade is “Eureka” by Mother Mother. While it may not have been mainstream at the time of its release, when I found this album I listened to it on repeat for weeks. 

There is not a single song on this album I dislike. If I had to pick, my favorite song from this album would probably be “Aspiring Fires”. This bands one of a kind alternative style really appeals to m


Nyx Crooks

“To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar


Rev Roundtable: Best albums of the '90s, from Nirvana to Modest Mouse

With so many albums to choose from, it’s hard to pick the album of the year. It’s even harder to pick the album of the decade.

This album literally changed rap forever. The features are amazing, and Kendrick is truly at his best here. The painstakingly crafted story of the album is slowly revealed after each song that show Kendrick’s lyrical genius. There’s really just never been an album that hit me like this one did.

Kendrick delves deep into his past and pulls an emotionally compelling look into race, class and American society through the lens of his own life. 

The album has aggressiveness with “u” and “The Blacker the Berry,” but also contemplation with “How Much a Dollar Cost” and “You Ain’t Gotta Lie (Momma Said).”

It is a perfect balance of all of Kendrick’s best qualities. 


Emily Poirrier 

Self titled by Harry Styles 

Of all three Harry Styles’ albums, this one has to be the best. This album was his debut after leaving One Direction, so he had a lot riding on how fans would criticize it. The album opens and ends with two sad sultry ballads, but the songs in between, with notes of rock ‘n’ roll, country and pop, are what make it so special.

My favorite song on this album is “Only Angel”. I find myself listening to it all the time to hype myself up and get ready for the day.

Source

About Mary Weyand 15921 Articles
Mary founded Scoop Tour with an aim to bring relevant and unaltered news to the general public with a specific view point for each story catered by the team. She is a proficient journalist who holds a reputable portfolio with proficiency in content analysis and research. With ample knowledge about the Automobile industry, she also contributes her knowledge for the Automobile section of the website.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*