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This article is an overview of the major events and trends inpopular music in the 2010s.

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By the mid-2010s, the hushed style of vocal delivery commonly used in indie music garnered widespread popularity among pop artists, used often bySelena Gomez,Lana Del Rey,Lorde andBirdy.The Guardian dubbed this style "whisperpop", characterized by subdued vocals, muted notes and breathy intensity.^[1][2]

Traditional instruments, such as the mandolin, dulcimer, ukulele, bongos, and accordion, were used more often, especially byindie rock musicians and singer-songwriters, includingMumford and Sons,Vance Joy,Phillip Phillips, andthe Lumineers, along with country players, such asChris Stapleton andZac Brown Band.^[3]

Adult contemporary music was successful on the charts. Pop acts likeTaylor Swift,Justin Bieber,Bruno Mars,Ed Sheeran,Adele,P!nk,Shawn Mendes,Kelly Clarkson, andMaroon 5 achieved a No. 1 single during the decade. Artists likeSara Bareilles,Jason Mraz,Michael Bublé,Charlie Puth,Colbie Caillat,Christina Perri,CeeLo Green, andShawn Mendes all incorporated soul, pop rock, and folk into their music.^[4]

Throughout the 2010s,hip-hop grew as a genre. In 2017, with the increase in streaming services influence over theBillboard Hot 100, rap music became the most popular genre in the US in its 4th decade of growth, surpassing rock and pop music.^[5] Artists likeDrake,Kendrick Lamar,Future,Chance the Rapper,Nicki Minaj,Travis Scott,Playboi Carti,J. Cole,Gucci Mane,Migos,Young Thug,Lil B,Tyler, the Creator,ASAP Rocky,21 Savage,Cardi B,Big Sean,Lil Uzi Vert,Lil Yachty,XXXTentacion andJuice WRLD all rose to prominence in this decade. In the decade, movements liketrap music,cloud rap,drill music, andemo hip hop became mainstream.^[6] The 2010s are also notable for the increasing prominence of rap producers; examples beingYoung Chop,Sonny Digital,DJ Mustard,DJ Khaled andPi'erre Bourne.

Progressive andexperimental rock enjoyed some popularity, mainly in the second half of the decade. Artists such asNothing More,Highly Suspect,Twelve Foot Ninja,Dead Letter Circus, andMarmozets, and DIY ethic bands, includingBad Omens,Sylar, Æges, and Silver Snakes, enjoyed success through concerts and streaming services.^{[citation needed]}

EDM became more mainstream mostly due to the release ofJustin Timberlake'sFutureSex/LoveSounds (2006); some 2010s successes includeDavid Guetta,Skrillex,Steve Aoki,Swedish House Mafia,Headhunterz,Wildstylez, Da Tweekaz,Clean Bandit,Major Lazer,DVBBS,Avicii,Alesso,Owl City,the Chainsmokers,Calvin Harris,DJ Snake,Diplo,ShockOne,Drumsound & Bassline Smith,Blasterjaxx,Martin Garrix,Marshmello,Alan Walker andZedd. The prominence of novel EDM genres in the pop sphere likefuture bass andEDM trap resulted in newer styles and innovations within the dance-pop sound, though house genres likefuture house,tropical house, andelectro house remained the most common regardless. The latter was especially popular in the early part of the decade continuing from the late 2000s.Reggaetón anddancehall were other major influences for many dance-pop hits.^{[citation needed]}

The genres ofEuropop andEurodance also achieved commercial success, evidenced by Swedish producerMax Martin's ubiquity in the decade's most successful pop albums.Katy Perry'sTeenage Dream (2010) drew heavily from this style and became the first album by a female artist in history to release five number one U.S. singles. Europop and electronica were used more extensively in the early 2010s as a result of the success ofLady Gaga and disk jockeys likeDavid Guetta andCalvin Harris also influencing the work of female solo acts likeRihanna,Robyn, andKesha. Some of the best-selling songs of the decade, including "Only Girl (In the World)" and "S&M" byRihanna, were strongly influenced by Eurodance.^{[citation needed]} In 2012, a large number of songs by American instrumentalists featured quintessential Eurodance elements, especially synthesizer and strong beats during thechorus mixed withrapping or vocals for verses.Flo Rida,Pitbull,LMFAO, andBlack Eyed Peas were popular hip-house acts from the early half of the 2010s.

Teen pop made a comeback throughout the decade, with the likes ofMiley Cyrus,Demi Lovato,Selena Gomez,Justin Bieber andAriana Grande. Like their predecessorsBritney Spears,Christina Aguilera, and Justin Timberlake, who rose to fame in the late 1990s and early 2000s, most of these stars were associated withDisney Channel andNickelodeon at the genesis of their careers. An exception is Canadian artist Justin Bieber who rose to fame throughYouTube and social media.^[7] Throughout the 2010s, they expanded control over their careers and came of age with their music to varying degrees of success, and many teen pop musicians outside the former companies have continued to launch promising careers.

Throughout the 2010s, different movements in music and the music industry were formed because of the rise of social media such asYouTube,TikTok, andSoundCloud. Some new genres of music were introduced, such asvaporwave, whilst other previously "underground" genres such aslofi hip-hop andbedroom pop received increased mainstream exposure. Vaporwave music is one of the first genres of music that has an aesthetic heavily influenced by elements from the 1980s and 1990s. Bedroom pop grew in popularity in the mid to late 2010s on platforms such as YouTube with amateur artists rising to fame making pop music from their bedroom using inexpensive music creation equipment and software such asGarageBand. Elements of some of these genres began influencing more mainstream pop music by the late 2010s, continuing into the 2020s.

Since 2011,boy bands andgirl groups have returned to mainstream popularity for the first time after the early 2000s, with the most popular examples being British-Irish boy bandOne Direction and American boy bandBig Time Rush. A new generation of successful girl groups was ushered in by acts such asLittle Mix andFifth Harmony. In addition to this,K-Pop groups, benefiting from high visibility on social media and video sharing sites likeYouTube, began to capitalize on their viral power and monetize overseas markets by conducting sold-out tours in Western markets during the mid-2010s.^[8] Korean acts such asBigBang,Exo, andBTS sold out US tours with little to no promotion or support from mainstream media sources like TV or radio airplay.^[9]

In Latin America,Latin pop remained the main subgenre.Tropical,reggaeton,moombahton, andsoca were also popular genres while pop rock continued to be successful. In December 2016,Billboard magazine namedEnrique Iglesias the 14th most successful and top male dance club artist of all time.^[10] "Despacito" byLuis Fonsi andDaddy Yankee became the highest-certified song of all-time in the United States after receiving a13× platinum certification by theRecording Industry Association of America for units of over 13 million sales plus track-equivalent streams.^[11][12]

Soundtracks from films topped the charts this decade as well, with number 1 singles fromLady Gaga,Bradley Cooper,Wiz Khalifa,Charlie Puth,Justin Timberlake andPharrell Williams.^{[citation needed]}

Dubstep anddrumstep became widespread subgenres in the early 2010s on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, especially in its nativeUnited Kingdom. There, other electronic subgenres, likegrime,footwork andtrap, also grew in popularity. Drumstep continued its success whilehardstyle became mainstream inAustralia andUnited States due to the success of music festivals, such as The Sound of Q-dance andDefqon 1.^[13][14][15] Grime experienced a resurgence beginning in 2014, initiated by the success ofMeridian Dan's "German Whip" featuringBig H andJme.^{[16][17][18][19]}

InAsia, popular music continued to be influenced by Western pop music. As with the past several decades,C-pop,J-pop andK-pop continued to be successful in the Far East. In J-pop,image songs and the influence ofanime on widespread music grew since the late 2000s. K-pop's popularity continued to increase around the world throughout the decade and found wider recognition in Western markets.^[20] The media entertainment brandBillboard, responsible for tabulating theBillboard Hot 100 and 200, inaugurated its own K-Pop chart and column presented weekly on its Billboard.com site.^[21] TheBillboard K-Town column, launched in 2013, continues to report on K-pop music; artists, concerts, chart information and news events. In 2015, the USiTunes store added a K-Pop genre category.^[22] Major streaming services such asApple Music andSpotify both added K-pop categories to their repertoire to cater demand.^[23] In 2018, some K-pop artists from theRepublic of Korea likeRed Velvet even made a performance at theEast Pyongyang Grand Theatre in theDemocratic People's Republic of Korea.^[24][25][26] In India,Indian pop,rock, andfilmi continued to be mainstream. In the United Arab Emirates,Arabic pop,Arabic hip-hop,rock andmetal continued in popularity.

Artists likeEllie Goulding,Sam Smith,Jessie J, andEmeli Sandé from the U.K. started to become highly successful and gained popularity from crossover hits in the U.S. Ed Sheeran's "Shape of You" and "Perfect" and Adele's "Rolling in the Deep", "Someone Like You", and "Set Fire to the Rain" all reached the No. 1 spot of theBillboard Hot 100 in this decade.^{[27][28][29][30][31]}Taio Cruz also garnered successful hits. "Dynamite" and "Break Your Heart" were successful singles with the latter reaching the top spot of theBillboard Hot 100.^[32]

Some of the most successful North American pop artists of the decade includeLady Gaga,Taylor Swift,Bruno Mars,Rihanna,Justin Bieber,Katy Perry andAriana Grande; Swift was named the Artist of the Decade by theAmerican Music Awards.

Pop music remained popular in this decade due todance-pop,electropop andsynth-pop. Artists likeLady Gaga,Taylor Swift,Katy Perry,Maroon 5,Justin Bieber,Ariana Grande,Miley Cyrus,Kesha,Selena Gomez andRihanna were very popular. Chart-topping pop songs this decade includeBritney Spears' "Hold It Against Me", Gaga's "Born This Way", Rihanna's "We Found Love", Swift's "Shake It Off", Bieber's "Sorry",Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe", Grande's "Thank U, Next",Billie Eilish's "Bad Guy", and Gomez's "Lose You to Love Me".

Canadian singerShawn Mendes was another artist who dominated the pop charts in the US this decade.Jonas Brothers made a successful comeback in 2019. Also from this decade were critically acclaimed works fromBeyoncé,Lana Del Rey,Bruno Mars,Taylor Swift,Kendrick Lamar, andKanye West among others. New pop artists that emerged in that decade wereMike Posner,Ariana Grande,Maroon 5,Halsey,Meghan Trainor,Bebe Rexha,Tori Kelly,Alessia Cara,Adam Lambert,Charlie Puth,Shawn Mendes,Omi,Kiiara,Jon Bellion,Julia Michaels,Rachel Platten,Maggie Rogers,Hailee Steinfeld,Lauv,Daya,Camila Cabello,Fun,Bonnie McKee,Bazzi,Alec Benjamin,Billie Eilish, andAva Max.

Teenage Dream, Katy Perry's sophomore album, released on August 24, 2010, spawned 5 consecutive number-one singles. It was the second album in history to produce 5 number-one singles, the first by a woman to achieve this. Those number-one singles were "California Gurls", "Teenage Dream", "Firework", "E.T.", and "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)".

Rihanna earned the most No. 1 singles in the decade (nine), spending 41 weeks at the top of the chart, followed by Katy Perry with 8 No. 1 singles at a 26-week reign and Bruno Mars with 7 No. 1 singles leading 32 weeks. Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift both had five No. 1 singles this decade, Bieber spending 23 weeks at No. 1 and Swift 18 weeks. Adele followed with four No. 1 singles at her name spending 24 weeks at the top.Kesha earned three No. 1 singles in this decade, spending 13 weeks at the top of theBillboard Hot 100. Among all those songs who reached No. 1 singles this decade "Tik Tok", "Rolling in the Deep", "Just the Way You Are", "Poker Face", "Shake It Off", and "Dark Horse" were some of the best-selling singles in the digital era.

Taylor Swift became the first artist in history to have four albums debut on theBillboard 200 with each selling over 1 million copies; they are:Speak Now (2010),Red (2012),1989 (2014) andReputation (2017); withLover (2019), Swift became the first female artist to debut six albums on the chart, each opening with more than 500,000 copies. TheAmerican Music Awards crowned Swift as theArtist of the Decade, whileBillboard named her theWoman of the Decade.

In this decade, Swift andBeyoncé became the only two female acts in history to achieve six consecutive number-one debuts on theBillboard 200 chart; Swift did it withFearless (2008),Speak Now,Red,1989,Reputation andLover, while Beyoncé withDangerously in Love (2003),B'Day (2006),I Am... Sasha Fierce (2008),4 (2011),Beyoncé (2013) andLemonade (2016).

Madonna became the first artist to achieve 50 number-one songs on anyBillboard chart, in theDance Club Songs chart, pulling ahead of runner-up,George Strait, who has 44 number-one songs on theHot Country Songs chart.

Ariana Grande became the first solo artist to occupy the top three spots on theBillboard Hot 100 with "7 Rings" at number one, "Break Up with Your Girlfriend, I'm Bored" debuting at number two, and "Thank U, Next" rising to number three, and the overall second artist to do so sincethe Beatles did in 1964 when they occupied the top five spots.

Comebacks were also made in the pop industry with acts such as theBackstreet Boys whose albumDNA topped theBillboard Charts the week it was released.Big Time Rush rose to prominence during this decade.

Rock remained popular in the 2010s, despite having declined in chart presence since the late 2000s alongside changes in radio format. These changes were driven by the decline in compact discs and the rise of downloads in the music industry, which prompted a focus ontop 40 music.^[33][34][35] Mainstream rock since the early 2010s became softer and more refined because of indie rock. Rock was reportedly still the most widely consumed genre in the United States during 2014 and 2015.^[36] The decade also saw the return of successful rock artists from the past, includingAC/DC,David Bowie,Metallica,Stone Temple Pilots,Red Hot Chili Peppers,Pearl Jam,Nine Inch Nails,Blink-182,Radiohead, andGreen Day. All of these acts had albums debut within the top 5. In particular, English rock artistDavid Bowie experienced his most commercially successful period since the 1980s with two U.S. top 5 albums,The Next Day (2013) andBlackstar (2016), the latter being released shortly before his death.

Successful alternative rock artists in this decade wereImagine Dragons,Linkin Park,Muse,Coldplay,Foo Fighters,Weezer,Kasabian,Thirty Seconds To Mars,Kongos,Cage the Elephant,Evanescence,Metric,Nickelback,Arctic Monkeys,the Black Keys,Gorillaz,Red Hot Chili Peppers,Three Days Grace,the War on Drugs,Pearl Jam,Queens of the Stone Age,Panic! at the Disco,Kaleo,Hozier,Fall Out Boy,Royal Blood,Twenty One Pilots,Jack Johnson,Death from Above 1979,Paramore,Biffy Clyro,Bring Me the Horizon andNothing but Thieves. All of these bands had albums debut in the top 5, withFall Out Boy scoring 3 number 1 albums in a row on theBillboard 200 album chart in 2013, 2015, and 2018.

The decade saw the revival ofpsychedelic rock as a popular genre for the first time since the 1970s. Bands of the decade used synths and electronic sounds within the genre. Techniques seen in other genres such asshoegaze were also employed to create walls of sound and distortion. Popular acts in the decade wereAnimal Collective,Tame Impala,Unknown Mortal Orchestra,Mac DeMarco,Ariel Pink,Connan Mockasin,Homeshake,King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard,Portugal. The Man,Thee Oh Sees,Pond,Temples,MGMT,Allah-Las,Ty Segall,Samsara Blues Experiment andthe Black Angels.

A renaissance inprogressive rock occurred in the 2010s. One of the key forms of progressive music in the early 2010s wasdjent. Guitarists such asMisha Mansoor, Justin Lowe, andTosin Abasi made use ofseven-string,eight-string, andnine-string guitars and mainly relied onpolyrhythms,palm-muting, andsyncopated guitar riffs, as well as melodic guitar solos. Some of the most popular and influential djent bands werePeriphery,After the Burial,Animals as Leaders,Tesseract andBorn of Osiris.

Another form of progressive rock in this decade waspost-progressive, which drew influences from bands such asRadiohead andPorcupine Tree. This genre relies more on simple melodic patterns combined with complex structure, texture and harmonies to create deep, emotionally driven, musical journeys. Some newer progressive rock bands that were considered a part of this renaissance wereHaken,Leprous,Riverside,Public Service Broadcasting, andiamthemorning. In addition, the 2010s also saw the return of some older artists includingOpeth,Devin Townsend,Anathema,Pain of Salvation andSteven Wilson, who had a mainstream breakthrough with his studio albumsHand. Cannot. Erase. andTo the Bone. In 2019,Tool experienced a major comeback with their first studio album in 13 years,Fear Inoculum.

In the later part of the decade, this revival led to progressive rock crossing over with an indie-and-metal approach which became popular. Many of these bands were diverse in sound, influenced by genres likepost-hardcore,math rock, andpost-rock. Artists that were part of this genre and made successful albums includeNothing More,Being as an Ocean,Circa Survive,Highly Suspect,Dredg,the Color Morale,Twelve Foot Ninja,The Mars Volta,Hands Like Houses,Code Orange,Sleepwave,Dayshell,Sworn in,Dead Letter Circus,Thank You Scientist,Turbowolf,Letlive,Marmozets,Black Map,Biffy Clyro,Night Verses,Thrice,the Word Alive,Dance Gavin Dance,Shining,Mutoid Man,Arcane Roots andA Perfect Circle.^{[citation needed]}

With a few exceptions (includingGreen Day,the Offspring,Fall Out Boy, andBlink-182),pop-punk decreased in mainstream popularity during the 2010s and did not enjoy the success that it had in the late 1990s and early 2000s.Emo, which had gained success between 2004 and 2008, declined in popularity by the early 2010s, withMy Chemical Romance breaking up in 2013. Early 1990s punk rock bands, likeBad Religion,NOFX, andPennywise, did not have mainstream success but still enjoyed heavy touring. Second wave pop punk acts, includingGood Charlotte,Sum 41,Simple Plan, andNew Found Glory, declined in popularity. However,DIY punk rock had seen somewhat of a cult resurgence with bands such asMartha,the Spook School,Neck Deep,the Story So Far, andJoanna Gruesome growing in popularity and being played on radio stations likeBBC Radio 6 Music. Garage punk bands such asWavves,FIDLAR,PUP,Best Coast,the Growlers,Bass Drum of Death,the Garden,Ty Segall,Cherry Glazerr, andThee Oh Sees gained popularity, especially in Southern California. Many of these garage punk bands had signed toBurger Records, who are known for their DIY ethos and releasing albums oncassette tape.

Some of the most successful North American hard rock and heavy metal bands of the decade wereMetallica,Disturbed,Five Finger Death Punch andSlipknot.

During the 2010s, popular hard rock and heavy metal bands, such asFive Finger Death Punch,Avenged Sevenfold,Disturbed,Asking Alexandria,Breaking Benjamin,Slipknot,Shinedown,A Day to Remember,Royal Blood,Ghost,Halestorm,Volbeat,Papa Roach,Chevelle,Black Veil Brides,Nothing More,Parkway Drive, andSeether, released successful albums. With many newer hard rock and heavy metal acts from this decade getting more success (especially with the streaming service success of progressive and experimental rock and metal music), the decade also saw the return of older hard rock and heavy metal acts; some of which include bands that were previously on hiatus, or had not achieved mainstream popularity in years, likeDeftones,Megadeth,Rush,Iron Maiden, andDream Theater.Guns N' Roses also experienced a major comeback during the mid-to-late 2010s with theNot in This Lifetime... Tour, which saw a reunion of three-fifths of their classic lineup (Axl Rose,Slash andDuff McKagan) and went on to become one of the highest-grossing tours of the decade.

Thrash metal was not as popular in the 2010s as it was during the 1980s and early-to-mid-1990s, when the genre declined in popularity with the rising success ofgrunge andalternative music. However, the decade saw several veteran thrash metal bands continue to maintain considerable popularity in the United States, particularly on theBillboard 200 chart. Each of "the big four" of the genre (Metallica,Megadeth,Slayer andAnthrax) released albums that debuted on the top ten on theBillboard 200,^{[37][38][39][40][41][42]} while other veteran thrash acts – includingTestament,Overkill,Exodus,Metal Church andDeath Angel – achieved greater success on the same chart.^{[43][44][45][46][47]} Newer bands associated with the "thrash metal revival movement" also gained popularity throughout the 2010s, includingBonded by Blood,Evile,Gama Bomb,Havok,Municipal Waste,Power Trip,Suicidal Angels,Vektor andWarbringer.

The decade also saw the revival ofalternative metal, with two veteran Seattle acts,Soundgarden andAlice in Chains, cracking the top five on theBillboard 200 with their respective albumsKing Animal (2012) andThe Devil Put Dinosaurs Here (2013).^[48][49] In addition, some of the most successful alternative metal bands that were broken up in the 1990s or 2000s, such asPrimus,Jane's Addiction,Faith No More,Helmet andBiohazard, released comeback albums in the 2010s. Other popular new "classic rock" themed hard rock bands gained popularity later in the mid to late 2010s, includingGreta Van Fleet,the Struts, andthe Record Company.

Althoughpop rock was not as popular as it was during the 1990s and early-to-mid-2000s, major pop rock acts in this decade includedTrain,OneRepublic,Maroon 5,DNCE,Pink,Adam Lambert,Kelly Clarkson,Lady Gaga with the soundtrack ofA Star Is Born, andAvril Lavigne, while acts likethe Fray andDaughtry had lesser hits. Breakthrough acts includedAmerican Authors andWalk the Moon. Pop-punk-rooted actsPanic! at the Disco andParamore had pop rock hits. Pop artists who rose in the 2010s who drew significantly on pop rock or rock includedAlessia Cara,Billie Eilish, andHalsey.Taylor Swift collaborated with alternative rock artists in the late 2010s and would enter the alternative rock charts in 2020.

Contemporary R&B was not as prominent in the early 2010s as it was from the late 1980s to the mid-2000s whennew jack swing was a fixture in popular music.Slow jams were largely replaced by dance numbers and pop ballads. Contemporary R&B began to influence hipster musicians, creating a new genre calledalternative R&B. New players emerged from this subgenre, likethe Weeknd,Solange,Blood Orange,SZA,the Internet,Steve Lacy,Kali Uchis,Syd,How to Dress Well,Kilo Kish,Lion Babe,Jhene Aiko,Normani,Ravyn Lenae,Kehlani,Tinashe,Sabrina Claudio,Jason Derulo,H.E.R.,Tory Lanez,Gallant,Daniel Caesar,King,Moses Sumney,Kelela,dvsn,PartyNextDoor,Jeremih,Khalid,Bryson Tiller,Summer Walker, andGiveon.

A few top mainstream contemporary R&B artists of the 2010s wereBeyoncé,Trey Songz,Miguel,Alicia Keys,Justin Timberlake andRobin Thicke. There was also a slight revival of soul during the early 2010s, with artists such asCeeLo Green andJanelle Monáe.

Due to the domination of electro and dance-pop, contemporary R&B became more influenced by dance and electropop, and many musicians that were typically contemporary R&B artists started to release pop. This is notable in players, including Ne-Yo,Usher,Chris Brown, andRihanna, with songs like "Let Me Love You (Until You Learn to Love Yourself)" and "Forever Now", "Scream" and "OMG", "Don't Wake Me Up" and "Turn Up The Music", and "We Found Love" and "Where Have You Been".Dancehall, a form of R&B, also became popular on the charts in the mid to late 2010s with songs such as "Lean On" byMajor Lazer, "One Dance" byDrake, and "Work" byRihanna.^[51]

There was also a resurgence of contemporary R&B acts from the 1990s and 2000s who achieved commercial success during the 2010s, such asMaxwell, andD'Angelo.

While some contemporary R&B artists transitioned to a more dance and electropop sound, many artists still achieved success while still remaining true to contemporary R&B. Songs, including "Everything to Me" byMonica, "Refill" by Elle Varner, "Thinking Bout You" byFrank Ocean, "Motivation" byKelly Rowland, "Put It Down" byBrandy, and "No Sleeep" byJanet Jackson, are notable for being contemporary R&B and popular hits while still obtaining an authentic contemporary R&B sound.

Beyoncé became the first artist inBillboard chart history to have her first six albums debut at number-one on theBillboard 200 chart in 2016. Additionally, Beyoncé also became the first artist to place 12 tracks from one album within the Hot 100 simultaneously. Continuing her success from the 1990s and 2000s, Beyoncé received theBillboard Millennium Award at the2011Billboard Music Awards, theMichael Jackson Video Vanguard Award at the2014 MTV Video Music Awards, the Fashion Icon Award from theCouncil of Fashion Designers of America in 2016, and aPeabody Award for her universally acclaimed sixth studio albumLemonade in 2017. In 2016, Beyoncé surpassedMadonna as the most-awarded artist at the MTV Video Music Awards (24 wins). In 2018, herCoachella performance made history as the most watched live-streamed performance of all time, and was also called "historic" and dubbed the single best performance of all time by many newspapers.

The late 2010s saw a resurgence of mainstream popularity in R&B, with albums such as24K Magic byBruno Mars andHeartbreak on a Full Moon by Chris Brown, as well as songs such as "Redbone" byChildish Gambino and "Boo'd Up" byElla Mai.

On 17 July 2017,Forbes reported thathip-hop/R&B (whichNielsen SoundScan classifies as the same genre) had recently usurpedrock as the most consumedmusic genre for the first time in U.S. history.^[52][53][54]

TheBillboard Hot 100 reflected hip-hop and rap's surge with many prominent chart-topping artists includingDrake,^[55]Post Malone,^[56]Travis Scott,^[57]Eminem,^[58]Wiz Khalifa,^[59]Childish Gambino,^[60] andLizzo.^[61] The decade also featured some of the most critically acclaimed rap and hip-hop albums of all time, notablyKendrick Lamar'sTo Pimp a Butterfly, which became a cultural touchstone addressing issues of racial identity and empowerment.^[62] Lamar's prominence in the decade continued as he won the 2018Pulitzer prize for Music for his following albumDamn. The album was acclaimed for his storytelling on personal struggles, African American identity, and rap culture.^[63][64] Other milestones include women's rising success in rap and hip-hop in the mainstream. Additionally, there were progressions in experimental hip-hop and other non-mainstream genres.

In the 2010s social media platforms likeInstagram,Twitter,TikTok,Vine, andSoundCloud helped artists build personal brands and virally promote their music. TikTok in particular became a launchpad for artists likeLil Nas X and his song "Old Town Road", becoming a viral hit from the success of TikTok.^[65] Memes and internet trends would boost the virality of songs. Some of the most notable examples are the use ofRae Sremmurd's song "Black Beatles" as the background track for themannequin challenge.^[66] The lyrics "rain drop, drop top"^[67] fromMigos's "Bad and Boujee" inspired many memes parodying the lyrics.^[68] SoundCloud influenced the popularity and success of rappersLil Uzi Vert,XXXTentacion,Playboi Carti,Juice WRLD,Trippie Redd, and more. Gaining massive followings, they created a new pipeline for underground artists to achieve success while still remaining underground.^[69] The advances in technology and music production made it easier for independent artists to create quality music at a low cost and promote it to a wider audience. Hip-hop acts that had gained fame via the social mediumVine wereT-Wayne,iLoveMakonnen,Silento,Bobby Shmurda,Desiigner andiLoveMemphis.^[70][71]

The 2010s saw many women in hip-hop and rap break through and rise in popularity.Nicki Minaj set the stage in 2010 with a guest feature onKanye West's albumMy Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy before she released her debut album. Her energy-packed verse on the song "Monster" was alongside other guest rappersJAY-Z andRick Ross. This feature introduced her to many in the rap world and her debut album,Pink Friday, followed a few months later. More female rappers rose in the 2010s, likeCardi B who wonBest Rap Album at the2019 Grammy Awards, being the second woman to achieve this afterLauryn Hill. Songs "Bodak Yellow", "I Like It", and "Girls Like You" all hit number one on theBillboard Hot 100. BothDoja Cat andMegan Thee Stallion entered theBillboard Top 100 in 2019 and climbed the charts further in the2020s.^{[72][73][74][75][76]}

Experimental hip-hop artists such asDeath Grips,JPEGMafia, andClipping. have incorporated elements ofexperimental rock andindustrial music into their sound, gaining notoriety in underground music circles and online.Kanye West's albumYeezus has been compared to this sound.^[77]

A number of hip-hop labels also grew influential during this decade, such asGrand Hustle Records,GOOD Music,Cash Money Records,Roc Nation,Maybach Music Group,Top Dawg Entertainment, andDef Jam Recordings.

Hip-hop acts that were introduced to mainstream in the beginning of the decade includedJ. Cole,Kid Cudi,Big Sean,Meek Mill,ASAP Rocky,Tyler, The Creator,Azealia Banks,Future,Schoolboy Q,Wale,YG,2 Chainz,Waka Flocka Flame,French Montana,Macklemore,Machine Gun Kelly,Chief Keef, andA$AP Ferg. Hip-hop acts that were introduced to mainstream during mid-late part of the decade includedFetty Wap,Ty Dolla Sign,NF,G-Eazy,Logic,Lil Pump,Youngboy Never Broke Again,Yo Gotti,Lil Yachty,Mac Miller,Brockhampton,B.o.B,Ugly God,Rich the Kid,Gunna,6ix9ine,Blueface,BlocBoy JB,Lil Xan,NLE Choppa,DaBaby,YBN Cordae,YBN Nahmir,Anderson Paak and more. Hip-hop acts that started in previous decades, but continued to have commercial success in this decade includeJay Z,Sean Paul,Lil Wayne,DJ Khaled,Gucci Mane,Rick Ross,Jeezy andPusha T. Hip-hop acts that had never charted on theBillboard Hot 100 but still retained a strong fan base within the hip-hop community at large wereEarl Sweatshirt,Princess Nokia,Joey Bada$$,Denzel Curry,Maxo Kream,Vince Staples,Divine Council,Isaiah Rashad,Action Bronson, andSpaceGhostPurrp.

The early 2010sblog era of hip-hop was defined by the rise of internet platforms likeTumblr,DatPiff, and niche hip-hop blogs such as2DopeBoyz, Nah Right, and IllRoots, which became primary outlets for discovering music. This era saw a shift as artists began thriving outside traditional industry systems, using blogs and social media to connect directly with fans. Key figures likeWale,Big Sean,Joey Badass,Kendrick Lamar,Kid Cudi,J. Cole,M.I.A,ScHoolboy Q,Wiz Khalifa,Earl Sweatshirt, andTyler, the Creator flooded the scene with mixtapes and releases that garnered massive attention. These artists embraced a DIY approach, blending soul samples,lo-fi beats, experimental sounds, and personal, reflective lyrics.^[78][79]

Mixtapes likeK.I.D.S. byMac Miller,Kush & Orange Juice byWiz Khalifa, andAcid Rap byChance the Rapper helped shape the movement. The aesthetic of blog rap reflectedskate culture, individuality, and a rebellious fashion style, influencing how artists marketed themselves online. This period marked a significant shift in how music was shared and consumed, with many of these blog-era artists transitioning into mainstream success by the mid-2010s. Blog rap also laid the foundation for the late 2010s SoundCloud rap era, which sometimes came to be referred to disparagingly as "mumble rap".^[80][81]

Mumble rap is arap subgenre that originated on the online audio distribution platformSoundCloud. Most successful "SoundCloud rappers" might not release all their music on the platform, opting instead for streaming servicesApple Music andSpotify but are still categorized as "SoundCloud rappers" or "Internet"/"Underground rappers" due to their aesthetics, sonics and collaborations with other rappers and producers in the scene. As the name suggests, the vocals often are perceived as unintelligible and drowned out in addition to fragmented lyrical patterns.^[82] It is characterized as simplistic, bass-heavy beats, often with hazy, lo-fi or shimmering-sounding melodies or samples, paired with lyrics that ping-pong betweenbraggadocio and nihilism, with lots of sex and odes to heavy narcotics. The subgenre began to start seeing mainstream popularity in the mid 2010s and takes sonic and aesthetic inspiration from thetrap,drill,cloud rap, and internet rap scenes that began in the late 2000s and early 2010s on websites such asDatPiff and rap blogs with artists such asLil B,Young Thug,Max B,Lil Ugly Mane,A$AP Mob,SpaceGhostPurrp andChief Keef. The subgenre was met with some criticism for having less emphasis on lyricism, and the problematic nature of the artists to arise from it.^[83]

Influential SoundCloud rappers includeKodak Black,Yung Bans,Lil Pump,Nav,Lil Uzi Vert,Travis Scott,Uno The Activist,Lil Yachty,Smokepurpp,ThouxanBanFauni,XXXTentacion,21 Savage,6ix9ine,Trippie Redd,Denzel Curry,Lucki,Warhol.SS,Maxo Kream,Young Nudy,Ugly God,Playboi Carti,Bones and$uicideboy$.

Trap music is a style ofSouthern hip-hop andgangsta rap that was developed in the late 1990s to early 2000s in theSouthern United States.^[84][85] In the 2010s, artists crossbred trap withdubstep to createtrap EDM. It also influencedLatin trap music.

Prominent rappers of the trap music subgenre during the 2010s includeGucci Mane,Young Thug,21 Savage,Kodak Black,Cardi B,Nasty C andLil Baby, among several others. Trap music during the 2010s also helped record producers rise to prominence such asMike Will Made It,Lex Luger,Southside,Metro Boomin,London on da Track, andMurda Beatz.

Trap metal (not to be confused withnu metal) is a fusion genre that started in the 2010s, combining elements oftrap music andheavy metal, as well as elements of other genres, likeindustrial and nu metal. It is characterized by distorted beats, hip-hop flows, harsh vocals, and down tuned heavy metal guitars.^[86][87] British rapperScarlxrd is often associated with the genre and is considered a pioneer of trap metal.WQHT describedOG Maco's2014 eponymous EP as being a part of the genre's early development. Other artists associated with trap metal includeDropout Kings,Bone Crew,Ghostemane,ZillaKami,Fever 333,Ho99o9,City Morgue,Kid Bookie,Rico Nasty,Kim Dracula,Backxwash,Denzel Curry, and$uicideboy$, as well as the early careers ofXXXTentacion,6ix9ine andSki Mask the Slump God.^[88][89][90]

Emo rap is afusion genre ofhip-hop andemo. Originating in theSoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip-hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals commonly found in emo music.XXXTentacion,Juice Wrld, andLil Peep are some of the most notable musicians in the genre.^[91][92] Emo rap departs from the "traditional" tones found in modern mainstream hip-hop in favor of more emotional and personal lyrical content, described byThe Wall Street Journal as "giving their elders the finger." Lyrics tend to focus on topics such as depression, loneliness, anxiety, drug abuse, nihilism, suicide, heartbreak, and self-medication. The genre is characterized by its combination of musical elements commonly found inconscious hip-hop with indie rock instrumentals.Sampling often uses 2000spop punk andemo songs.^[93][94][95] Emo rap was pioneered byBones, whose VHS-recorded music videos and dark production and aesthetic were so influential on the hip-hop underground of the time thatDazed described him as the "underground rap king." In 2012, members of Thraxxhouse, a subgroup ofRaider Klan, formedGothBoiClique (GBC), with the intention of drawing connections between the emo, trap,dark wave,black metal andindie rock scenes. GBC's style of emo rap influenced swathes of artists in the underground emo and hip-hop scenes onSoundCloud, withLil Lotus,Lil Peep andLil Tracy, all citing the group as an influence and the latter-most two even eventually becoming members. During this time, aDIY ethos came to define the genre, to the extent that when Shinigami released his debut albumLuna onSpotify, he was derided as asellout, due to the streaming service's ability to monetize.^[96][97][98] In November 2017, Lil Peep died of aFentanyl overdose. Shortly afterwards, Lil Peep's debut studio albumCome Over When You're Sober, Pt. 1 and the lead single "Awful Things" charted on theBillboard charts. His death brought increased notability to the genre as a whole and particularly to artists such asTrippie Redd andLil Aaron. In June 2018, XXXTentacionwas murdered, and like Peep, his albums17 and? charted the following week, along with his hit song "SAD!" charting at 1st on theBillboardHot 100. In September 2018, a posthumous collaboration between the two artists, "Falling Down" was released and became certified Platinum in the US. The same year, emo rap was the fastest-growing genre onSpotify in 2018. In December 2019,Juice WRLD died after suffering a seizure, induced by an overdose of oxycodone and codeine. He was known to most people for the songs "All Girls Are the Same" and "Lucid Dreams", the latter peaked at number two on theBillboard Hot 100 in 2018 and returned to the chart in 2019 at number eight following his death.^{[99][100][101][102]}

Alternative hip-hop is a hip-hop subgenre that spans a wide range of genres that are not often associated with mainstream hip-hop. Artists such asClipping,Moor Mother,Dälek,Billy Woods,M.I.A.,Odd Future,Death Grips,Freddie Gibbs,Danny Brown,BROCKHAMPTON,JPEGMAFIA,Chance the Rapper andInjury Reserve flooded with scene with critically acclaimed releases that are now hailed as modern classics. Previous alternative acts such asEl-P andAesop Rock have both rejuvenated their careers throughout the 2010s, with the former releasing three albums with Atlanta rapperKiller Mike under rap groupRun the Jewels, and the latter achieving critical acclaim with both 2012'sSkelethon and 2016'sThe Impossible Kid. Death Grips' debut studio album, TheMoney Store, is their first step into the world ofexperimental hip-hop. It's the follow-up toExmilitary, their debut mixtape. The album was published on April 24, 2012, although it was leaked to YouTube on April 14, 2012. When The Money Store was first released, it earned a lot of positive press. "MC Ride, Andy Morin, and Zach Hill set out to produce an aggressive, stunning, ferocious racket and succeeded in spades," said music journalist Jim Carroll.^[103][104]Yeezus is the sixth studio album by American rapper and producerKanye West. It was released on June 18, 2013, throughDef Jam Recordings andRoc-A-Fella Records. West gathered a number of artists and close collaborators for the production, includingMike Dean,Daft Punk, Noah Goldstein,Arca,Hudson Mohawke, andTravis Scott. The album also featuresguest vocals fromJustin Vernon,Chief Keef,Kid Cudi,Assassin,King L,Charlie Wilson, andFrank Ocean. It draws from an array ofgenres, includingindustrial,acid house,electro,punk, andChicago drill. West's unconventional use ofsamples is also contained, as on "Blood on the Leaves", which contains a sample fromNina Simone's 1965 rendition of "Strange Fruit".Yeezus received widespread acclaim from critics, many of whom named it among West's best work and commended its brash direction, though public response was divided. The album was nominated forBest Rap Album at the2014 Grammy Awards. The album debuted at number one on the USBillboard 200, selling 327,000 copies in the first week of release, while also topping the charts in Australia, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand, Russia and the United Kingdom. It has since been certifieddouble platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and was named by several publications as one of the best albums of the 2010s, includingRolling Stone, who later included it at 269 on its 2020 list of the500 Greatest Albums of All Time.^{[105][106][107]}

Lo-fi hip-hop emerged in the underground beatmaking hip-hop scene of the 2000s but reached peak popularity throughout the 2010s, particularly after the release of the Roland SP-303 and Roland SP-404 samplers, both of which included a separate button for the "lo-fi" effect.^[108] YouTube started hosting live streams in 2013, resulting in 24-hour "radio stations" dedicated to the subgenre.^[109] Compilation videos also became popular, combining the music with visuals that could take the form of recorded pedestrian walks through major cities like Tokyo, looping visuals from cartoons such asThe Simpsons or Internet memes.^{[110][111][112][113]}

While dance music had periodically conquered the American pop charts, its current incursion had most likely been its deepest since the disco heyday of the 1970s. Throughout the 2010s, variouselectronic dance subgenres had conquered the music scene, such ashouse,dubstep,drumstep,hardstyle,electro house,techno,trance,synth-pop,electropop, andtrap. These genres have many musical influences from 1970s'disco, 1980s'hi-NRG,spacesynth,Italo disco, andnew wave, and 1990s' and 2000s'Eurodance,techno,house,trip hop,Europop,garage rock, andtrance. The rise of electronic dance had brought massive success to large festivals, raves, technoparades, algoraves, doofs, and teknivals that mostly take place in the United States and Europe though every year thousands of electronic focused music festivals are held throughout the world. These events are also well known for their long association with the use of recreational drugs, includingMDMA,LSD,2C-B,Ketamine, andBenzylpiperazine. The top mainstreamdisk jockeys in the 2010s wereTiësto,David Guetta,Calvin Harris,Steve Aoki,Nicky Romero,Afrojack,Deadmau5,Diplo,Skrillex,Armin Van Buuren,Avicii,Zedd,Martin Garrix,Hardwell,The Chainsmokers,Marshmello,Major Lazer,Mark Ronson,DJ Snake,Slushii, andDisclosure.

A loosely defined musical style and queer microgenre known ashyperpop was born in the UK in the early 2010s. Artists in this genre generally combinepop andavant-garde sensibilities while relying on themes found inelectronic,hip-hop, anddance music. It is distinguished by amaximalist or exaggerated take on popular music.^{[114][115][116]} Hyperpop typically uses elements like brash synth melodies,Auto-Tuned "earworm" vocals, excessive compression, anddistortion, as well as surrealist or nostalgic allusions to 2000s Internet culture and the Web 2.0 era. Hyperpop reflects an exaggerated, eclectic, and self-referential approach to pop music. Heavy processing of the voice, metallic, melodic percussion, pitch-shifted synths, catchy choruses, brief song lengths, and "shiny, cutesy aesthetics" contrasted with angst-filled lyrics are common characteristics. Mark Richardson ofThe Wall Street Journal described the genre as escalating the tropes of popular music that are "artificial", creating "a cartoonish wall of noise that embraces catchy rhythms and memorable hooks." As shimmering melodies and jumbled instrumentation combine, the music veers between the beautiful and the ugly.^[117][118]

Indie Folk is an amalgamation of independent American music formed by the diverse traditions that comprise the musical ethos of the United States, particularly sounds that emerged from theSouthern United States such asfolk,gospel,blues and other external influences.^[119] Artists such asThe Lumineers,Fleet Foxes,Mumford & Sons,Bon Iver,Phoebe Bridgers andSufjan Stevens became mainstream successes because of their organic instrumentation and rootsy production style.^[120][121]

Dreamy, nostalgic music produced from the homes of young, independent artists became hugely popular in the late2010s, particularly online. The term "bedroom pop" was popularized bySpotify to describeindie pop music withlo-fi music production,dream pop inspired guitar tones, and vintagesynthesizers.Mac DeMarco helped popularize this style, especially his 2012 studio album2 which was not only a critical success but a commercial success laying the groundwork for various other dreamy lo-fi inspired indie acts.^[122][123]Clairo appeared on the scene with her smash hit songs "Pretty Girl", 4EVER and Flaming Hot Cheetos to wide spread acclaim and become an overnight sensation, she was particularly praised for her nostalgic synth pop sound and her dream-like lo-fi aesthetic.^[124][125] Other artists that were popular at the time includeRex Orange County,Still Woozy,Boy Pablo,Cavetown,Girl in Red,Beabadoobee,Kenny Beats,Gus Dapperton,Dayglow,Cuco andLeft at London.^[126] Bedroom pop allowed for the expression of unapologetically LGBTQ+ themes in the alternative music spheres, specificallyGirl In Red andCavetown.^{[127][128][129][130][131]}

Artists such asKali Uchis,The Marias,Mon Laferte,Cuco,Omar Apollo and various other artists continued innovating the Indie landscape with there songwriting and iconic hazyLo-fi production styles.Dream pop guitars,sychedelicsynthesizers and the use of 80'sdrum machines were the go to production choices for many Latin artists in the late 2010's. Not only did these artists help create theBedroom pop genre but they also changed the entireindie pop landscape in the United States.^{[132][133][134][135]}

Country had continued to maintain its popularity both as a radio format and in retail; this is attributed both to the faithfulness of country fans and to a rise in popularity of the genre. The most popular country acts during this decade wereTaylor Swift,Zac Brown Band,Carrie Underwood,Miranda Lambert,Jason Aldean,The Band Perry,Keith Urban,Luke Bryan,Blake Shelton,Lady Antebellum,Tim McGraw,George Strait,Toby Keith,Kenny Chesney,Florida Georgia Line,Brantley Gilbert,Eric Church,Dierks Bentley,Brad Paisley,Thomas Rhett,Cole Swindell,Rascal Flatts,Kacey Musgraves,Jake Owen,Dustin Lynch,Kip Moore,Little Big Town,Chris Young,Hunter Hayes,Cam,Sam Hunt,Lee Brice,Eli Young Band,Darius Rucker,Randy Houser,Kelsea Ballerini,Maren Morris,Billy Currington,Tyler Farr,Brett Eldredge,Sturgill Simpson,Chris Stapleton,Luke Combs,Kane Brown, andBrett Young.

A large number of duos and vocal groups had begun to emerge on the charts during the 2010s, many of which feature close harmony in the lead vocals, a style that roots as far back as the 1940s and 1950s with acts, likeThe Shelton Brothers,Delmore Brothers, andEverly Brothers. It saw a resurgence in the 1980s withThe Judds andThe Bellamy Brothers although the more recent acts tend to not be related. Examples of successful duos wereFlorida Georgia Line,Love and Theft,Dan + Shay, The Howboy Catts, andThompson Square. In addition to Lady Antebellum, bands, such as The Band Perry, Gloriana, Eli Young Band, and Zac Brown Band had come to occupy a large portion of the new, popular country players. Meanwhile, artists who began their careers as far back as the 1960s and 1970s had continued to be active, includingWillie Nelson,Dolly Parton,Loretta Lynn,Kenny Rogers,Alabama,The Oak Ridge Boys,George Strait, andReba McEntire.

In September 2016, "Forever Country", a medley of three classic country songs – "Take Me Home, Country Roads", "On the Road Again" and "I Will Always Love You"—was recorded to honor the50th Annual Country Music Association Awards. A celebration of traditional country music and the genre's ongoing popularity, the song blended together 30 stars, ranging from newcomers to veteran to classic stars and acts of the genre. A similar medley, featuring many of the same stars that performed on "Forever Country" but with different songs, was performed at the CMA Awards. Both performances received widespread critical acclaim.

Several popular country songs have taken influence from 21st-century hip-hop, rock, and pop and have had themes of partying, attractive young women, blue jeans, Southern rock, and pickup trucks. These characteristics are typical in an unofficial subgenre known asbro-country. Instrumentalists embracing this trend were Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Brantley Gilbert, and several others, with songs, like "Cruise", "That's My Kind of Night", and Blake Shelton's "Boys 'Round Here" having been the most widespread songs in terms of sales and downloads. While many of the themes of bro-country songs -– in particular, women and alcohol –- have always been a part of country music (particularly since the rise of honky tonk styles in the 1940s), the new genre came under fire by listeners, music reviewers,^[136] and classic country musicians such asAlan Jackson andGary Allan,^[137] and was satirized in the song "Girl in a Country Song" by the duoMaddie & Tae.^[138] The shifting styles also played a role in a brief feud between Shelton and country legendRay Price in 2013, just months before Price's death, after Shelton remarked that "Nobody wants to listen to their grandpa's music" and that younger consumers weren't buying or downloading classic country music because the styles and sounds of songs from the past didn't appeal to them. Price –- who, unlike several of his peers, usually kept quiet in the debate on classic country vs. more modern music –- expressed his disapproval via his Facebook page, stating that it was their styles and success that helped make newer stars' careers possible and paved the way to modern country music. Shelton later retracted his statement, and Price accepted his apology.^[137]

In March 2019, the song "Old Town Road", a song performed by American rap artistLil Nas X (born Montero Hill), began gaining popularity with country music fans, particularly after a remix of the song featuring vocals byBilly Ray Cyrus was released earlier in the year. The song combined elements ofcountry rap,hip-hop,Southern hip-hop andtrap, and used themes of horseback riding and culture clash with urban America in its lyrics. The song became the first to chart on all three of the majorBillboard charts –Hot 100,Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and Hot Country Songs – in nearly 60 years, charting at No. 19 on the country chart. However, one week after its debut on the country chart,Billboard removed the song from the chart, disqualifying the song on the grounds that it did not fit thecountry genre.^[139] There was speculation that had the song remained on the chart, it would have reached No. 1 as of the chart dated April 6, 2019.^[140] Later in 2019, hip-hop music producerBlanco Brown recorded and released "The Git Up", which was called a "sequel" and "next viral country rap song".^[141][142]

The rise in use and influence of elements of hip-hop music and related styles in country music – as seen in both the "bro-country" and trap country movements – as well as issues related to Shelton's comments and continued popularity of country pop – once again sparked the longstanding debate over what defines "real" country music, an issue that has recurred since the 1970s.

The decade had also seen death and tragedy in country.Mindy McCready, a rising star of the late 1990s whose personal problems soon overshadowed her music, committed suicide during early 2013.Glen Campbell, a vastly influential country guitarist and vocalist from the 1960s onward, was diagnosed withAlzheimer's disease in late 2010 and consequently retired from show business in 2013; he died in 2017.Randy Travis, a neo-traditionalist star who helped revive the genre in the mid-to-late 1980s, had several run-ins with the law in 2012 and in 2013 suffered a massive stroke. Troy Gentry ofMontgomery Gentry, one of the genre's most popular duos, was killed in a helicopter crash in 2017. Also in 2017, 58 concertgoers at theRoute 91 Harvest festival event in Las Vegas, Nevada – where Jason Aldean was performing at the time gunfire broke out – were killed ina mass shooting; Aldean escaped the incident uninjured and a week later paid tribute to the victims onSaturday Night Live.

Prominentclassic country players who had died during the decade, besides Glen Campbell, wereCarl Smith,Jimmy Dean,Ferlin Husky,Kitty Wells,Patti Page,Jack Greene,Slim Whitman,George Jones, Ray Price,Little Jimmy Dickens,Lynn Anderson,Jim Ed Brown,Sonny James,Merle Haggard,Jean Shepard,Don Williams,Mel Tillis,Freddie Hart,Roy Clark,Dave Rowland (lead singer of the 1970s trio Dave and Sugar),Earl Thomas Conley and all three of theGlaser Brothers (Tompall in 2013, and brothersJim and Chuck in 2019). Besides Mindy McCready and Troy Gentry, several performers from the late 1980s, 1990s and later who were popular with audiences also died:Kevin Sharp,Holly Dunn,Lari White andDaryle Singletary. Also,Glenn Frey, a member ofEagles, a rock band whose style has been vastly influential in country from the 1970s onward, died during the decade. Additionally, longtime radio personalityBob Kingsley, who presented many of the above-mentioned classic artists' songs during his tenures hosting the radio programsAmerican Country Countdown andBob Kingsley's Country Top 40, died in the fall of 2019, shortly after revealing his diagnosis of cancer.^[143]

Christian music saw a rise in success during the early 2010s, with several artists debuting within the top 5 on theBillboard 200. In 2011, the Christian instrumentalistsCasting Crowns andRed both debuted at number 2 on theBillboard 200, with their respective albumsCome to the Well andUntil We Have Faces.David Crowder Band also reached number 2 withGive Us Rest during 2012.^[144][145] Today's Christian Music reported thatPassion: White Flag, a live album of the performances of various musicians at the 2012Passion Conference, debuted at number 5 on theBillboard 200.^[146] On 28 August 2012, theTobyMac albumEye on It debuted at number 1 on that chart, the first Christian album since 1997 and third overall to do so.^[147] The very next week,Christian hip-hop artistLecrae debuted at number 3 on theBillboard 200 withGravity. Additionally, both the number 1 and 2 spots on theiTunes hip-hop charts were taken by the deluxe and standard versions of the album. The commercial reception ofGravity was called "easily the biggest sales week ever for a Christian rap album."^[148] In January 2013,Chris Tomlin became the fourth Christian player to top theBillboard 200 with his seventh studio albumBurning Lights. 73,000 units were sold in its debut week.^[149] Lecrae then topped theBillboard 200 during September 2014 with his albumAnomaly, selling 88,000 units in its debut week.^[150] This not only established Lecrae as the fifth artist to top the chart, but it also marked the first time that an artist reached number 1 on both theBillboard 200 and Top Gospel charts.^[151] Following – and partially due to – Lecrae's peak on the Gospel chart,Billboard revised its standards for the chart, rendering most hip-hop releases ineligible.^[152]

The success of TobyMac and Lecrae prompted an article inTime that examined the recent upsurge in crossover success of Christian instrumentalists. The magazine referred to Rod Riley ofWord Entertainment as an indication that all of these successes could "be the tip of the iceberg."^[144] Riley had cited the increasing talent of Christian musicians and the ownership of all major Christian record labels by widespread parents as a reason for the success of Christian.^[144] According toTime, TobyMac and the rock bandSkillet had been featured inNFL telecasts, TobyMac's music was also listed byTime as a factor in the rise of Christian.^[144] ProducerMark Joseph claimed in an article byFox News that TobyMac reaching number 1 was just one more example of the mainstreaming of "'so-called Christian music that his [sic] happening all around us'". He further stated that "'the pop and rock charts are filled with artists who used to be in that industry likeKaty Perry,Switchfoot andJoy Williams ofThe Civil Wars, but also by young devout performers who in the past might have gone into that industry, likeJustin Bieber,Mumford & Sons,The Fray,Cold War Kids andTwenty One Pilots.'" Following Lecrae's performance on BET and appearance onStatik Selektah'sPopulation Control, in Chad Horton, co-owner of the websiteRapzilla, stated that "Christian hip-hop" had-in the past two years-"pushed into the mainstream more than ever before," and citing part of its cause as better music quality presentation than "any other time before" in January 2012.^[153]

Contemporary R&B, as well as classic soul, had defined much of the UK's mainstream music in the early to mid-2010s. Notable artists who encompass this sound includeJessie J andAdele. As with previous decades,pop had enjoyed chart domination, with popular instrumentalists, such asCher Lloyd,Birdy,Jessie Ware,James Blunt,Sam Smith,Rag'n'Bone Man,Calum Scott,Lily Allen,Clean Bandit,Rixton,Disclosure,La Roux,Shura,AlunaGeorge,James Blake,Róisín Murphy,Olly Murs,M.I.A.,London Grammar,FKA Twigs,Echosmith,Jamie xx,The xx,Lukas Graham,Ed Sheeran,Rita Ora,Zayn Malik,Chvrches,Years & Years,Charli XCX,Ava Max,James Bay,Dua Lipa,Jay Sean,Paloma Faith,Emeli Sandé,Taio Cruz,Florence and the Machine,Cheryl Cole,The Saturdays,Ellie Goulding,Marina and the Diamonds, andKaty B.Teen popboy bands-despite being unpopular for much of the 2000s-had returned to widespread popularity, with acts, includingOne Direction andThe Wanted, having seen major commercial success worldwide. French singerZaz was one of very few singers to have become internationally mainstream sinceVanessa Paradis. The girlbands also had success, one of them being the winners of the eighth season ofThe X Factor,Little Mix, who are credited for helping the girl band renaissance in the UK during the late 2000s and into the early 2010s.^[154]

Legendary British band Take That remained very popular, alongside its former member Robbie Williams, who released successful albums and singles.^{[155][156][157]}

• 
  Ed Sheeran performing at the V Festival in 2014
• 
  Sam Smith performing at Lollapalooza in 2015
• 
  The British boy bandOne Direction in their Up All Night Tour, 2012

English singer-songwriterAdele, after releasing herdebut album in 2008, rose to global superstardom with the release of her second studio album21 (2011), which topped the charts in over 30 countries and became one of thebiggest selling albums of all-time as well as thebest selling album of the 21st century.^[158] Her third album25 (2015), attained even further success, debuting at number one in 32 countries andbecame the fastest selling album of all-time.

Alternative rock had experienced a modest presence in the United Kingdom singles chart during the 2010s, mostly from artists originating in the previous decade, includingKasabian,Arctic Monkeys,Gorillaz,Coldplay,The Wombats,Muse,Mumford & Sons, andSnow Patrol. Bands likeTwo Door Cinema Club,Foals, andBombay Bicycle Club, which emerged in the late 2000s, had succeeded in the album chart. The genre had had a stronger presence album-wise, with acts such asThe 1975,Bastille,alt-J, andThe Vaccines enjoying success.Bastille had scored two number 2 singles on the UK chart, with their sound bordering on mainstream pop music in the charts.Royal Blood was the first band formed during the decade to win aBrit Award for the best British group in 2014, only one year after forming. Royal Blood's sound is similar to 2000s garage rock, and they received positive reviews upon the release of their debut album.

European rock had also seen the return of successful artists from the past.David Bowie-in particular had two UK number 1 albums—The Next Day andBlackstar. Upon its release,The Next Day (2013) became Bowie's most successful album in 30 years, followed byBlackstar (2016).

Acts, includingTribes,White Lies,The Maccabees,Miles Kane andHard-Fi, had also witnessed success, mostly exclusive to the album chart.

Heavy metal andhard rock had been seeing a relatively increased presence in the UK albums chart, thanks to releases byBullet For My Valentine andEnter Shikari. Many new British heavy metal bands are seeing worldwide success after years of American dominance, primarilyBring Me the Horizon andAsking Alexandria, although the latter entirely moved to the U.S. in 2009. There was also a resurgence of the German metal scene from the 1980s to achieve commercial success during the 2010s, with bands likeAccept andKreator achieving their first number one albums on the German charts.^[159][160]

A grassroots punk scene continued in the UK, mainly built around the hub of the annualRebellion Festival inBlackpool.^[161] The 2010s saw a particular profusion of youngerfemale or female-fronted bands affiliated to the punk scene.^[162]

In northern Europe, especiallySweden, 1980sglam metal had seen something of a revival from acts likeHardcore Superstar, Crazy Lixx,Crashdïet,H.E.A.T, andReckless Love. Sweden'sSabaton had also been successful, as had the Finnish symphonic metal bandNightwish.

In eastern Europe, acts likeRepetitor,Vizija, Bernays Propaganda,ZAA and Artan Lili become successful with their experimenting in the music.

Folk witnessed a large growth during the early 2010s in the UK. The most widespread British folk musician wasMumford & Sons, who won a2011 Brit Award for "Best Album" and had enjoyed commercial success in both Europe and North America. Another notable player and winner of "Best British Female" at the 2011 BRIT Awards wasLaura Marling. Other successful acts wereEd Sheeran,George Ezra,Hozier,Jake Bugg,Johnny Flynn,Noah and the Whale,Bon Iver,Ben Howard,Gabrielle Aplin,Nina Nesbitt andAlessi's Ark.

Dubstep anddrumstep started to become popular by 2010. This was particularly true in Britain, where it evolved fromUK Garage, a genre that became widespread during the early 2000s.DJ Snake is known for having introducedtrap into the mainstream in Europe during 2013.Eurodance-which has been consistently popular in Europe since the early 1990s-had become popular outside Europe, in a more modern style than the first wave into North America in the 1980s and early 1990s. The emergence and commercial success ofDutch house^[163] and the associated 'big room' house style had also brought electronic musicians from the continent to the global forefront. In the mid-2010s, further development of house subgenres^[164] had been seen in the creations offuture house andtropical house, with European players being influential figures within both. Prominent European disk jockeys during this decade wereAvicii,Martin Garrix,Nicky Romero,Tiësto,Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike,Afrojack,Kygo,Mark Ronson,Calvin Harris,David Guetta andZedd.

2014 saw the beginning of agrime revival in the UK, initiated by the success ofMeridian Dan's "German Whip" featuringBig H andJme.^{[16][17][18][19]} The song reached number 13 in the UK Singles Charts. Two months after that,Skepta reached number 21 in the UK Singles Chart with his single "That's Not Me" featuring his brother Jme.^[165][17] Two months later,Lethal Bizzle released the single "Rari WorkOut" featuring Jme andTempa T, which also charted, peaking at number 11 in the UK Singles Charts. A wave of new successful young grime MC's also began to emerge, such asStormzy,AJ Tracey,Novelist,Jammz, andLady Leshurr.^{[17][166][167][168]}

Mainstream music by Australian artists had tended to be influenced by radio broadcasting more than any other country. Australian radio stationTriple J had played a large role in promoting new Australian music, especially through theTriple J Hottest 100, a worldwide public poll on each individual's favourite music from each given year. During 2010, Australian pop instrumentalists to feature substantially in the countdown wereBirds of Tokyo,Pendulum,Washington, andTriple J Unearthed groupGypsy & The Cat. Australian acts that were placed high on the countdown wereAngus & Julia Stone,Little Red,Troye Sivan,Art vs. Science,Sia, andThe Jezabels. The correlation between the Triple J Hottest 100, theARIA singles chart, andiTunes singles chart had been distinctly evident. The number one song of 2010, "Big Jet Plane", reached number 6 on the iTunes singles chart and number 32 on the ARIA singles chart, the week following the announcement of the Hottest 100 on 26 January. In 2014,Iggy Azalea started to make hits on music charts worldwide, sparking a trend for female rappers. Sia had become one of the most famous Australian artists, since the release of "Titanium", to later become successful with her solo work, with the viral "Chandelier" music video.

During 2011, Australian musicians to feature substantially in the Hottest 100 countdown wereBoy & Bear,Gotye,360,Architecture in Helsinki, andBall Park Music. Again, the correlation between the Hottest 100 and the growth of singles on the ARIA and iTunes singles charts in the week following was strong. Rapper 360 and his song, "Boys Like You", entered the Hottest 100 at number 8, and the following week, it rose to number 2 on the iTunes singles chart and number 3 on the ARIA singles chart.^[169] A similar movement includedMatt Corby's "Brother"-number 3 in the 2011 Hottest 100 countdown-also rising to number three on the ARIA charts.^[170] The most prominent Australian song during 2011 and early 2012 was Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know" which reached number 1 in 11 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.^[171] The song also reached number 1 on theTriple J Hottest 100 of 2011 countdown and featured New Zealander pop singer,Kimbra, who also placed three times on the Triple J Hottest 100 as a solo artist.

5 Seconds of Summer's single, "Youngblood" is the fourth highest selling Australian single of the 2010s decade and is the eleventhbest-selling single in Australian history, selling over five million adjusted copies worldwide within the first six months of its release. With the release of "Youngblood", 5 Seconds of Summer became the first Australian act in 13 years to top theARIA year-end chart and remain the second longest stint at number one in ARIA chart history. 5 Seconds of Summer became the second Australian band in history to have their first five full-length studio albums debut at number one on theARIA albums chart.

• 
  Gotye was one of the most successful Australian artists of the early 2010s.
• 
  Sia, a photo taken at the We Are Born Tour during 2011
• 
  Lorde won twoGrammy Awards in 2014, includingSong of the Year forRoyals, and was one of the most successful New Zealand artists of the decade.

Electropop in Australia had been dominated by the use of synthesizers and Auto-Tune, which became popular because of newcomers, likeHavana Brown,Elen Levon,Timomatic, andJustice Crew, as well as 2000s players, such asBrian McFadden,Zoe Badwi,Natalie Bassingthwaighte,Sneaky Sound System, andThe Potbelleez. The most successful songs of this subgenre have been Brown's "We Run the Night",^[172] Timomatic's "Set It Off",^[173] Justice Crew's "Friday to Sunday",^[174] McFadden's "Just Say So",^[175] and Badwi's "Freefallin".^[176]

Contemporary R&B in Australia was not as widespread in the early 2010s as it was in the 2000s; however, artists, includingGuy Sebastian,Jessica Mauboy, andStan Walker, continued to produce music that was commercially successful. During 2010, Sebastian's single, "Who's That Girl", featuring American rapperEve, reached number 1 on the ARIA Singles Chart and became his fifth number 1 single in Australia.^[177] This made him the only Australian male instrumentalist in Australian music history to achieve five number 1 singles. Mauboy had released many commercially successful top 20 singles, like "Saturday Night" featuring American rapperLudacris, "What Happened to Us" featuring English musicianJay Sean, and "Galaxy" with Walker, all of which have been certified platinum.^[178] In August 2010, Walker's second album entitledFrom the Inside Out was released; it debuted at number 2 on the ARIA Albums chart.^[179]

Hardstyle had become more mainstream in Australia, with events, such as "Defqon 1", HSU, Powerhouse Events & "IQON", byQ-dance.^[180] Australian hardstyle players have been Code Black, Toneshifterz, Audiofreq, Kamikaze, Outbreak, and Rebourne.^[181]

This fluid and not completely defined subgenre emerged in 2009. Artists embracing it wereFlume,Hayden James, Ta-ku, Chet Faker, and Emoh Instead.^[182]

Following the success of Australianmetalcore bandParkway Drive in the late 2000s and early 2010s, band's such asNorthlane were formed and were successful in the early 2010s despite the global decline in the popularity of metalcore. In the mid-and-late 2010s Australia saw an increase in Metalcore andHardcore Punk bands as part of the hardcore revival, with new young bands such asPolaris, Thornhill, andAlpha Wolf coming onto the scene. The lyrical themes in Australian metalcore often include topics such as social justice andeco-socialism. Australian metalcore regularly incorporates aspects ofEDM orDubstep. Australia's metalcore scene is supported by the public access radio stationtriple-J, a trend that is not seen in most other scenes, as well as Australia's yearly Hard Rock festival unify gathering.

Tame Impala a band originating in Perth, led by Kevin Parker, has achieved significant recognition in the music industry. Notably, they won the 2025 Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Recording with "Neverender", a collaboration with Justice. In Australia, they've secured 13 ARIA Awards, including Album of the Year forLonerism (2013) andCurrents (2015), and Best Rock Album for both. Internationally, they received the BRIT Award for International Group in 2016. Their albums have topped charts in Australia, the UK, and the US, reflecting their global acclaim. Widely credited with the revitalisation of Australian psychedelic music and has shaped the global perception of modern Australian sound. Several artists have been influenced by Tame Impala, includingTyler, the Creator,Kanye West,Kendrick Lamar, andRihanna. Other artists who have cited Tame Impala as an influence or been recognized for similarities in their sound includeKing Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard,MGMT,Arctic Monkeys andBabe Rainbow.

InLatin America, pop,pop rock,El Pasito Duranguense, andtropical were still mainstream through the early 2010s. A newelectro subgenre emerged from reggaeton, and it became popular during late 2010. This is because of electronic and dance being widespread in the prominent markets of the world.Pitbull has been the principal representative of this subgenre.Bachata – which became mainstream in the past decade – has garnered more popularity thanks to remakes of classic songs, including "Stand by Me" byPrince Royce and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" byLeslie Grace.^[183] In addition, acts, like Royce, as well as formerAventura lead singerRomeo Santos, had crossed over different markets with bachata, such as withEnrique Iglesias' songLoco, which features Santos.^[184] Royce and Santos had the best selling Latin albums of 2011 and 2012, respectively, in the United States with their debut albums-Prince Royce andFormula, Vol. 1.Salsa However, it declined later in the early 2010s althoughMarc Anthony made an international hit with his salsa song "Vivir Mi Vida".^[185]

In 2017 theLuis Fonsi song featuringDaddy Yankee, "Despacito" was a hit, topping the charts of 47 countries and tying for the longest-reigning number-one singleBillboard's history.^[186] Since her debut in 2003,Natalia Lafourcade has been one of the most successful singers in the pop rock scene in Latin America. Foreign pop artists have had success in Mexico. In May 2013,Christina Aguilera appeared on Mexican singerAlejandro Fernández's cover of "Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti" from his albumConfidencias.^[187] On September 24, 2015 Mexican singer-songwriterCarla Morrison becomes the first female soloist in 22 weeks to enter the top 10 of Billboard Latin Digital Songs chart.^[188] "Hasta la Raíz" byNatalia Lafourcade winsSong of the Year andRecord of the Year at the16th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.^[189]¡México Por Siempre! by Mexican singerLuis Miguel winsBest Regional Mexican Music Album at the61st Annual Grammy Awards. "Me Niego" byReik featuringOzuna andWisin wins Song of the Year and Collaboration of the Year at thePremio Lo Nuestro 2019. "Mi Persona Favorita" byAlejandro Sanz andCamila Cabello winsRecord of the Year at the20th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.Los Ángeles Azules featuringNatalia Lafourcade song "Nunca Es Suficiente" was the 10 Most-streamed songs for Latin music in the United States in 2019.

In addition to Enrique Iglesias having a successful decade with his albums 'Euphoria' and 'Sex And Love', Latin veteran Ricky Martin enjoyed massive popularity with his albums 'Musica + Alma + Sexo' and 'A Quién Quiera Escuchar' and non-album singles 'Vida', 'Mr. Put It Down' featuring Pitbull, 'Vente Pa'Ca' featuring Maluma, 'Fiebre' featuring Wisin & Yandel, as well as 'Cantalo' featuring Residente and Bad Bunny which is the lead single of his 2020 EP 'Pausa'.^{[190][191][192][193][194][195][196][197][198]}

US rapperNicki Minaj became extremely popular during the early 2010s. Minaj's debut studio album,Pink Friday (2010) peaked at number 1 on theBillboard 200 a month after its release, selling 375,000 copies in its first week. This marked the second highest sales week for a female hip-hop recording artist, behindLauryn Hill'sThe Miseducation of Lauryn Hill in 1998, which sold 422,624 copies in its first week.^[199] She became the first female solo artist to have seven singles on theBillboard Hot 100 at the same time. Her seventh single, "Super Bass", has been certified Diamond by the RIAA, becoming one of the best selling singles in the United States. Minaj's second studio album,Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded (2012,) topped charts internationally, also spawning the top 10 singles "Starships" and "Pound the Alarm". The album became one of the best selling albums of 2012, according toNielsen SoundScan, selling 1 million copies worldwide, as well as "Starships" becoming one of the best selling singles of that year. She was the first female artist included onMTV's Annual Hottest MC List, withThe New York Times suggesting that some consider her "the most influential female rapper of all time."^[200]

During the early 2010s, theK-pop genre began to noticeably increase its popularity outside Asia, spreading into Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the West at an exponential rate compared to the previous decade. TheInternet served a dominant role in K-pop's rise in popularity, establishing diverse fan communities online, likening it to a netizen sub-culture.^[201][202]

In Southeast Asia, K-pop continued to increase its presence in the lexicon of Asia's popular culture, being known as part of a wider brand of exported Korean Entertainment namedHallyu. Outside Asia, social media and video sharing sites such asYouTube,Facebook,Tumblr,Reddit andTwitter had a significant influence in promulgating awareness of Korean pop to new western audiences. Shareable, high-production value music videos, eye-catching fashion and slick choreographies paired with music influenced by western pop trends helped establish K-pop as an intriguing online spectacle. The genre proved it could convert viral success into commercial success in 2012, whenPsy's "Gangnam Style" became a breakout viral hit topping the music charts of more than 30 countries including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Spain, and the United Kingdom as well as No.2 in the United States.

Globalisation had afforded K-pop groups continued expansion into the Western markets, most notably the United States, through tours, online downloads and streaming services likeSpotify andApple Music, who added more K-pop to their libraries in response to increased demand from K-fans. Korean girl group2NE1 and boy groupsExo andBTS all charted within the top half of theBillboard 200 albums chart with Korean-language albums in the 2010s, while BTS and Korean girl groupBlackpink additionally entered the USBillboard Hot 100 songs chart. These songs, although recorded in Korean, incorporated English-language phrases and slang terms into their lyrics and used popular western music trends of the time such as hip-hop, R&B, EDM, tropical house, deep house and trap music to their benefit. Similar to the bubblegum pop groups of the 1990s, K-pop occupies a predominantly youth demographic despite the language barrier.^[203] Leading K-pop acts wereGirls' Generation,2NE1,Big Bang,Super Junior,Psy,Exo,BTS,Blackpink,Twice, andRed Velvet. Despite advancements in the visibility of the genre, K-pop was yet to fully establish and solidify a Korean "East-to-West" crossover act within the global music industry, this being the dream goal of many Korean entertainment companies.

Domestically, young Korean Indie acts K-Indie as well as Korean Urban contemporary acts rose to higher prominence than ever before. The influence of North American pop and hip-hop culture remained visible through young Korean artists as K-Hip-hop and K-R&B emerged from the underground and discovered newfound commercial viability on Korea TV and Radio as well as domestic music streaming services.

• 
  In the 2010s, theK-pop groupBTS broke numerous records in South Korea and the rest of the world, with the hit songs "DNA", "Fake Love", and "Idol", and obtaining an immense fanbase globally.
• 
  Korean girl groupBlackpink broke numerous online records in the late 2010s and was dubbed the "biggest girl group in the world".
• 
  K-Pop experienced rapid growth in popularity during the decade, particularly following the international success ofPsy's hit single "Gangnam Style". The song'smusic video became the first YouTube video to surpass one billion views.

During 2010, the prominent Japanese femaleidol groupAKB48 received aGuinness World Record for being the world's "largest pop group".^[204][205]

In 2010, the Japanese boy band,Arashi, released their 1 million selling albumBoku no Miteiru Fūkei, which was named the best selling album of the year in Japan.^[206]

Indie pop androck music continued to have a dominant effect on radio stations in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Jay Chou was still the dominant force in Asian popular music, with his new albumThe Era nominated for sixGolden Melody Awards (of which it won three) and its lead single "Superman Can't Fly" hitting number two on theHit FM charts that year.

In 2013, the three-member boy bandTFBoys was established. They were known for their bubblegum-style music and choreography, such as that seen in the music video of their signature song, "Manual of Youth".^[207][208]S.H.E memberHebe Tien had her first solo hit with "A Little Happiness", which became the theme song of Taiwanese movieOur Times in 2015.

While in Hong Kong and Taiwan pop music and pop-rock music were dominant,straight-ahead jazz,jazz fusion, and classical music continued to be the most popular genres among young Singaporean musicians, especially bands. The youthfulOrchestra of the Music Makers, which took its name from a line fromthe poem by Arthur O'Shaughnessy, was the most popular youth orchestra in the region in the first half of the decade, and released their first solo album of works byGustav Mahler in 2013.

RapperShigga Shay was one of the most successful rapper in Southeast Asia, scoring a hit with his rap remake of an old Malay folk song.^[209]

By the late 2000s and early 2010s, South Africa began a great phase of high music experimentation of genres previously not very prominent in the country while maintaining its rooted music. The chart success of the2010 FIFA World Cup songWaka Waka (This Time for Africa), which featured South African bandFreshlyground-resulted in one of the country's first major chart topping hits by their own artist, launching a great amount of inspiration to other local instrumentalists. Following the success,Die Antwoord became one of the first acts of the country to obtain three albums that charted in the top 150 of theBillboard 200, marking new highs for the country's music industry.^[210] One of the band's singles, "Enter The Ninja", also obtained top 50 positions in the United Kingdom and Australia.^[211]

RapperAKA also received a high amount of recognition by 2013, becoming famous for local chart topping hits, including "Congratulate" and "All Eyes On Me". The country introduced its first official, internationally recognized music chart Mediaguide, later renamedEntertainment Monitoring Africa.^[212] The chart currently relies on airplay for its charting positions, as opposed to others that also count physical purchases, downloads, and streams. South African rapperEmtee kept working on his music throughout his late teen years. He released his hit single "Roll Up" which had gained critical success. In 2010,Emtee collaborated with South African rapper Maraza on a song titled "In It To Win It". They appeared on Channel O's showHeadRush. In 2016, he won best rap album at the 22nd South African Music Awards.Emtee had collaborated with AKA, Wizkid,Nasty C, Fifi, Cooper, A-Reece, and B3nchMArQ.

As the decade continued the rise ofAfrobeats, it had its roots in Ghana and Nigeria and the genre became more recognizable outside Africa. Such acts like Wizkid and Davido had gained major success. Wizkid had won artist of the year at the MTV Africa Music Awards in 2016 and was involved with the writing production of Drake's "One Dance". By June 2016, he had received a total of 34 awards from 106 nominations. He was also the recipient of a BET Award, two MOBO Award, five The Headies Awards, two Channel O Music Video Awards, six Nigeria Entertainment Awards, two Ghana Music Awards, two Dynamix All Youth Awards, two City People Entertainment Awards, and a Future Award. In addition, he had been nominated three times at the MTV Europe Music Awards as well as four times at the World Music Awards. Davido was the recipient of a BET Award, a Kora Award, a Channel O Music Video Award, a Ghana Music Award, a Nigeria Music Video Award, 2 MTV Africa Music Awards, 2 African Muzik Magazine Awards, 5 The Headies Awards, 7 Nigeria Entertainment Awards and 2 Dynamix All Youth Awards. Together, they are some of the best selling artists in Nigeria.

In recent years, the music industry had progress in Ghana. Ghana had many contemporary styles of music due to the geographical scale in Africa but these evolved into a much more contemporary style. Competition amongst the number of artists in Ghanaian music had emerged. One of these styles is known as the 'azonto'. Rapper Guru had produced a number of hits, including "lapaz Toyota".

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