Kid Cudi - Man On the Moon II: The Legend of Mr. Rager
Favorite Tracks: Scott Mescudi Vs. The World, REVOFEV, Don’t Play This Song, We Aite (Wake Your Mind Up), Marijuana, Mojo So Dope, Ashin’ Kusher, Erase Me, Wild’n Cuz I’m Young, MANIAC, Mr. Rager
(Released November 9, 2010)
With his work on Kanye West and Jay-Z albums as well as the release of his debut album, Kid Cudi was firmly established as a leader of the new school alongside contemporaries such as Drake and J. Cole, yet with his second project, he began a pivot into left field territory. Was this even still a rapper? When “Erase Me” first came out I remember this girl at school saying how his new music is weird. I personally had never enjoyed his music more. He began establishing a cult following with this Man on the Moon series. Frequent collaborations with alternative artists as well as odes to smoking made him a favorite amongst stoners and hipsters alike. The iconic album cover and imagery was all over early 2010s tumblr as well. This album represents the feeling of embracing your interests and allowing it to help you find who you truly are.
Katy Perry - Teenage Dream
Favorite Tracks: Teenage Dream, Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.), California Gurls, Firework, Circle The Drain, The One That Got Away, E.T., Not Like The Movies
(Released August 24, 2010)
Filled to the brim with number one singles, this album completed Katy Perry’s ascent into Number One Superstar Pop Girl territory. Between the iconic imagery and some of the catchiest hooks of the century so far, this album kickstarted 2010s pop and set an incredibly high standard for success in that decade.
BROCKHAMPTON - SATURATION II
Favorite Tracks: Gummy, Queer, Swamp, Tokyo, Jesus, Junky, Sweet, Gamba, Sunny, Summer
(Released August 25, 2017)
Not since the days of Wu-Tang Clan, Cash Money Records, or Odd Future have we seen a hip-hop collective come out and saturate the music landscape with seemingly endless releases and star marking performances from all of its members. The Saturation trilogy marked a key moment in the development of independent DIY musicians in the late 2010s. For an independent group to release a trilogy of albums in just under half a year and for the trilogy to be so well received gave Brockhampton an unbelieveable amount of hype and success early. While some events have led to this time being looked at in a not so fond manner, it is undeniable the impact that they made in such a short span of time. Most independent musicians out right now can thank Brockhampton for their formula to success, and inspiration to follow their dreams.
Travis Scott - Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight
Favorite Tracks: The Ends, Way Back, Coordinate, Through The Late Night, SDP Interlude, Sweet Sweet, Goosebumps, Pick Up The Phone, Lose, Wonderful
(Released September 2, 2016)
Following 2015's "Rodeo" firmly establishing Travis Scott as a big time player in hip-hop, he continued to expand on his sound and began crafting some of the most unique, sonically captivating, audible aesthetics I can recall ever seeing. Travis is very much an album artist. His singles and features are great but he puts time and effort into crafting something that is meant to be played through in one listen. This album dominated clubs, parties and locker rooms during my time in college and set the stage for what was still to come from La Flame.
Kendrick Lamar - Section.80
Favorite Tracks: Fuck Your Ethnicity, Hol Up, A.D.H.D., Tammy's Song, Chapter Six, Ronald Reagan Era, Poe Mans Dreams, The Spiteful Chant, Rigamortis, HiiiPoWeR
(Released July 2, 2011)
If you look at hip-hop in 2011, we had hip-hop heaviweights such as Kanye West & Lil Wayne in the midst of their primes, burgeoning stars or tomorrow like Drake and J. Cole firmly establishing themselves with big industry co-signs, then out of nowhere some kid from Compton delivered a conscious concept album about people born in innerc city neighborhoods during the Reagan administration and all of a sudden there was a new heir to the throne. Kendrick Lamar's debut album details interwoven stroies about the hardships of Keisha and Tammy and in the process paints a picture of the intricate struggles many people face within his reality. His storytelling prowess foreshadowed the classic that were to follow this landmark debut, and with this album he showed that for the next decade, Hip-Hop would belong to him.
Tears For Fears - Songs From The Big Chair
Favorite Tracks: Shout, Everybody Wats to Rule The World, Mothers Talk, I Believe, Broken, Head Over Heels/Broken (Reprise)
(Released February 25, 1985)
A masterpiece filled front to back with some of the most anthemic hooks, sparkling production and pristine new wave pop sounds of the 80s. At just over 40 minutes, it's a worthwhile listen from two pioneers of 80s pop rock.
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me
Favorite Tracks: Don't Know Why, Seven Years, Cold Cold Heart, Come Away With Me, Shoot The Moon, Painter Song, One Flight Down, Nightingale, The Nearness of You
(Released February 26, 2002)
A beautifully intimate record carried by the vocal performance, Norah shows how simplistic, warm and soothing an album can be while keeping the listener engaged throughout. Influencing an entire generation of singer songwriters with delicate, gentle tones, this is easy listening at its finest.
The Internet - Ego Death
Favorite Tracks: Get Away, Gabby, Under Control, Girl, Special Affair, Something's Missing, Palace/Curse
(Released June 26, 2015)
In the early 2010s, Odd Future was a collective of some of the great young minds in Southern California and as their sounds continued to expand, we saw some of the pioneers of music over the next decade in Tyler the Creator, Earl Sweatshirt and Frank Ocean. One of the biggest success stories was the band, The Internet which began as a collaboration between singer Syd and producer Matt Martians. As they expanded into a full band, they began making some of the best music in the burgeoning LA Alternative Hip-Hop & R&B scene. Their third album Ego Death saw the introduction of high schooler Steve Lacy and along with the rest of the band, they created a project that would go on to shape what music has become today.
Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion
Favorite Tracks: Run Away With Me, Emotion, I Really Like You, Boy Problems, Your Type, Warm Blood, Favourite Colour
(Released June 24, 2015)
Despite the landmark success of earlier singles such as Call Me Maybe and Good Time, Carly Rae Jepsen abandoned commercial sensibilities and partnered with some of alternative music's top producers such as Dev Hynes, Ariel Rechtshaid and Rostam Batmanglij to reinvigorate her career and make a cult classic. Some of the best indie pop songs of the decade can be found on this project, which also served as the launch point for Carly's second act. She found her voice, her fanbase and her place in music on this project.
Drake - Views
Favorite Tracks: 9, U with Me?, Feel No Ways, Hype, Weston Road Flows, Redemption, With You, Faithful, Still Here, Controlla, One Dance, Grammys, Childs Play, Pop Style, Too Good, Hotline Bling
(Released April 29, 2016)
Up until this point in his career, Drake was the golden child who could do no wrong. After building hype over the span of a few years, this was one of the most anticipated albums in the history of hip hop. And thus began one of the most perpetual trends in hip hop: lukewarm reactions to a Drake record upon it's release before then realizing years later that the project its filled front to back with hits. Songs such as One Dance and Hotline bling are among the biggest of the decade while cuts like Feel No Ways and Weston Road Flows remain among his best work. All in all, eventually people will see this album for the classic it always has been.
Taylor Swift - Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)
Favorite Tracks: Mine, Sparks Fly, Back To December, Speak Now, Dear John, Mean, The Story of Us, Enchanted, Electric Touch, When Emma Falls In Love, Foolish One
(Released July 7, 2023)
Taylor Swift is a marketing genius. The unfortunate masters dispute with Scooter Braun has led to her rerecording her early material and other than new unreleased songs from her vault, she gifts the audience that grew up with her music the nostalgia of her older songs, while also giving versions recorded by a more mature and adult Taylor that can relate to where her audience is at this point in their lives. Between her studio albums, live recordings and re-releases she has released eight projects since 2020. Not to mention timing this up with her record breaking Era's tour. She's currently on a run unlike anything we've seen in recent years and it is a joy to watch.
Future - DS2
Favorite Tracks: Thought It Was A Drought, I Serve the Base, Where Ya At, Stick Talk, Rotation, Slave Master, Blow A Bag, Rich Sex, Trap Niggas, The Percocet & Stripper Joint, Real Sisters, Fuck Up Some Commas
(Released July 17, 2015)
In the early 2010s Future developed a strong following and his first two albums were huge successes, but the Future we know today really came into his own following a run of mixtapes starting with 2014's Monster. Along with it's follow ups Beast Mode & 56 Nights, anticipation was at an all time high for his third Studio album. What followed in summer 2015 was an album that became the archetype for Trap as an entire genre: One which remained at the forefront of hip-hop, influenced a plethora of copycats, and took this artist to new stratospheres. DS2 is a landmark moment in the history of not only hip-hop, but all of popular music. From the mid 2010s onward, Hip-Hop has remained arguably the most popular musical genre in the world, and this album played a huge role in pushing it to that level.
Young Thug - Jeffery
Favorite Tracks: Wyclef Jean, Floyd Mayweather, RiRi, Guwop, Harambe, Webbie, Kanye West, Pick Up the Phone
(Released August 26, 2016)
In the mid 2010s the rise of streaming platforms led to the practice of commercial mixtapes becoming more common. As we moved away from DatPiff, Soundcloud and Spinrilla, many of the artists that dominated those platforms began falling off, but one that stepped up in a Major way was Young Thug. For years there was the criticism that he was just mumbling and no one could understand him, but if you were paying attention you could see an artist with a seemingly never-ending catalog of new flows, delivery styles and commercial sensibility finding his voice. He was taking risks: Naming each song after well known artists that he drew inspiration from, wearing a dress on the cover... But he was delivering at such a level, no one could question him after this release.
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
Favorite Tracks: Second Hand News, Dreams, Never Going Back Again, Don't Stop, Go Your Own Way, The Chain, You Make Loving Fun, Gold Dust Woman
(Released February 4, 1977)
Drama, infighting, copious amounts of substance abuse, all playing out on stage and on wax. In 1977 Fleetwood Mac was among the most internally disfunction bands the world had ever seen, but the way they were able to take all of these raw feelings and emotions and turn them into one of the greatest works of art this world has ever seen is beyond admirable. It helps to have 3 of the greatest songwriters of all time at your disposal, but if their previous album had represented a coming out party for this classic era of the band, this album is the one that forever etched their names in the history books.
Outkast - Aquemini
Favorite Tracks: Return of the "G", Rosa Parks, Skew It on the Bar-B, Aquemini, Synthesizer, West Savannah, Da Art of Storytellin' (Pt. 1), SpottieOttieDopaliscious, Chonkyfire
(Released September 29, 1998)
Southern Hip-Hop Pioneers Outkast started their career making music that while innovative was more in line with what was the norm in Hip-Hop at the time. As they continued evolving, their taste became more experimental, bohemian and futuristic. Here on their third release we see glimpses of what was to come from hip-hop's resident weirdos. Big Boi and Dre with their signature southern drawls, flows and storytelling created what has since become recognized as one of the greatest albums of all time.
Lorde - Pure Heroine
Favorite Tracks: Tennis Court, 400 Lux, Royals, Ribs, Team, Glory and Gore, A World Alone
(Released September 27, 2013)
Another banger album from 2013. As previously mentioned in this series, a lot of music that year resonated with me due to my age at the time. Lorde being the same age as me made her music resonate that much more. Not only did her messages seem like she was speaking directly from the world I lived in, but it also showed me that it was possible for me to pursue music. This album represents the moment in time where I began viewing music differently. The angst of adolescents growing disillusioned with capitalism and the materialism of the world surrounding us was perfectly personified through Lorde's debut.
Sufjan Stevens - Carrie & Lowell
Favorite Tracks: Death With Dignity, Should Have Known Better, All of Me Wants All of You, Eugene, Fourth of July, Carrie & Lowell, John My Beloved, No Shade In The Shadow of The Cross, Blue Bucket of Gold
(Released March 31, 2015)
In 2012, Sufjan lost his mother Carrie, and in his next full length release he found a way to perfectly encapsulate the feeling of loss, despair and uncertainty on wax. Carrie and Lowell is an 11 track ode to his mother, their strained relationship, his childhood, and uncomfortable truths about love and forgiveness. Some of the most heartbreaking moments I've ever experienced as a music listener fall on this album.
Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Favorite Tracks: Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding, Candle In The Wind, Bennie & the Jets, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Saturday Night's Alright (for Fighting), Harmony
(Released October 5, 1973)
One of the seminal works of the 1970s, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is Elton John's magnum opus. Stuffed end to end with some of the greatest songs of all time, many of his signature classics can be found here on this project. Released at a point in his career when he and writing partner Bernie Taupin were firing on all cylinders, this was Elton at his peak.
Weezer - Weezer (White Album)
Favorite Tracks: California Kids, Wind in Our Sail, Thank God For Girls, (Girl We Got A) Good Thing, Do You Wanna Get High?, King of the World, Summer Elaine & Drunk Dori, Jacked Up
(Released April 1, 2016)
Weezer sits in a weird spot in music history where they undoubtedly have some albums that are amongst the best ever created, and some that are... not. There is no doubt that this 2016 addition to their self titled series is among their high water marks. This feels like a 2016 Beach Boys album in the best possible way. Every song has this sunshine-y summer pop feeling, while also bringing about a feeling of nostalgia and freshness. This is the best they have sounded in years and among their top 3 albums ever.
Frank Ocean - Blonde
Favorite Tracks: Nikes, Ivy, Pink + White, Solo, Self Control, Nights, Solo (Reprise), Pretty Sweet, White Ferrari, Seigfried, Futura Free
(Released August 20, 2016)
Blonde was a cultural reset. Frank Ocean is one of the most mysterious figures in the history of music. He releases classic album then disappears from the public eye for years. When Blonde finally released no one knew what to expect or how it would differ from Channel Orange, but what we got was one of the seminal projects of the 2010s. An Avant-R&B masterpiece showcasing deeply personal tales and stories from the life of a man we barely know. His ability to show us so much of himself without truly opening up to the world not only makes his work more mysterious, but also more cherished as we never know when we may be blessed with new music from him again.