2010s classics: A mixtape from our childhood
Graphic of some album covers or sum (The Puma Prensa / Mia Landaverde)
By Mia Landaverde, staff writer
Let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of our fondest memories from years ago; the music we all listened to whenever the radio was on. I know some of my best memories are the ones where me and my sisters sang at the top of our lungs together. Music has always connected the people of our world, so why don’t we go back to how music connected us during our childhood?
We all grew up in the 2010s, and I must say that it was a time of amazing artistry and impactful melodies. These songs have become known as classics to our generation, so here is a curated playlist of five that will always be some of my favorites.
“Outside” by Ellie Goulding and Calvin Harris
“Outside” is a song that can never be outdated. It has a catchy rhythm, thoughtful lyrics, and brings the nostalgia of 2010s electro house. Goulding’s unique voice captures everyone’s ears the second it rings through, and it pairs extremely well with Harris’ exciting beats. “Outside” continues to trend all over social media years later, which shows just how much of a commotion this song created. I rate this song a 10/10, and I recommend it if you want something upbeat and fun.
“We Found Love” by Rihanna and Calvin Harris
Calvin Harris makes his way on this list once again – he is a wonderful artist that embodies what our childhood era felt like for us. Rihanna is also an artist who’s been making great impacts on the industry for years, and her music is also a fond memory of growing up. “We Found Love” never fails to make people want to dance while also having a pull to its emotional lyrics about how love can mean hope and transformation. Many of us hope Rihanna returns to the musical world and lets us feel the joy of her music. This song also gets a 10/10, it's very captivating and a great example of amazing EDM.
“Grenade” by Bruno Mars
Definitely a switch from the other songs, but no less influential. “Grenade” is a pop song with emotional lyrics and a strong melody, which hooks the listener into the song almost immediately. I definitely recommend it if you love songs about heartbreak, which Mars embodies perfectly in a lot of his songs during the 2010s. It’s a breath of fresh air from a lot of the electro pop/EDM songs released during this era, softer on the melody but still heavy with drums and piano. 8/10, Mars was definitely an artist we all listened to constantly.
“Replay” by Zendaya
If you grew up on Disney, you definitely know about Zendaya’s musical debut. “Replay” was a sensation amongst a lot of us in our childhood and still continues to be a trending song. It’s an amazing song with great beats and catchy lyrics, and an embodiment of pop. Zendaya has had an impact on everyone’s childhood through the screen and the radio, and her music era will be missed. 9/10, I recommend a listen if you love Zendaya’s work.
“Sorry” by Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber was a hallmark of the 2010s. He’s had countless hits throughout his entire career, and one of my favorites is his legendary title “Sorry”. “Sorry” is an unforgettable song of the summer, still trending a decade after its release. A few songs from the same album went just as viral, and many people wish Bieber continued this style of music. It’s popular, catchy, memorable, and rightfully so. This song gets a 9/10, and it will always be an iconic song from the Bieber era.
Hopefully this can encourage everyone to dive back into music we all grew up listening to on the radio, and relish in the nostalgia it gives you. Music has always connected us, and it always will. On the days we smiled, cried, and danced our hearts out, these songs carried us through every emotion this era brought to us and it will always be iconic.