Pitchfork Names the Best Songs and Albums of the 2010s
If an album I love is given a positive review by Pitchfork, it’s a badge of honor. Such was the case for The Greatest, Invasion of Privacy, and Honey. But when an album I love is given a bad review (like a 4.8/10 for Madame X — yikes) they’re wrong, pretentious, how dare they, what do they know, etc. Nevertheless, for better or worse, the dominion they hold over the music world is undeniable. And alas, they have released their comprehensive guide to the best songs and albums of the past decade.
There are some obvious frontrunners (Frank Ocean, arguably the decade’s most critically beloved singer-songwriter, ranks towards the top on both) but the list is a fairly sensible ranking of songs that have had the biggest impact on popular music in and outside the mainstream. Here are Pitchfork’s top 10 songs and albums of the 2010s.
- Blonde – Frank Ocean
- My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy – Kanye West
- Beyoncé – Beyoncé
- To Pimp a Butterfly – Kendrick Lamar
- The Idler Wheel... – Fiona Apple
- A Seat at the Table – Solange
- Modern Vampires of the City – Vampire Weekend
- Body Talk – Robyn
- Black Messiah – D’Angelo & the Vanguard
- Channel Orange – Frank Ocean
- “Alright” – Kendrick Lamar
- “Oblivion” – Grimes
- “Dancing on my Own” – Robyn
- “Formation” – Beyoncé
- “Thinkin Bout You” – Frank Ocean
- “212” – Azealia Banks
- “Your Best American Girl” – Mitski
- “Cranes in the Sky” – Solange
- “Video Games” – Lana Del Rey
- “XO TOUR Llif3” – Lil Uzi Vert
