2010s Hits Essentials

The only rule for pop in the ‘10s? Trusting your instincts can do wonders for your star power. Take Lady Gaga, who shape-shifted from hard-edged diva to big-voiced balladeer multiple times during the decade, or Ariana Grande, who kept fans guessing with surprise drops and coded lyrics. The 2010s were a wild time on the charts, with pop divas, hip-hop stars and guitar-strumming crooners all making their own way to the top. Adele belted her way through heartbreak and triumph; Drake got in his feelings over street-sourced beats; Taylor Swift shared her innermost thoughts with millions; and Shawn Mendes made the leap from viral-video star to world-conquering pop icon. Groups hit it big, too, whether they were singing in sweet harmony like the boy banders of One Direction or revamping themselves alongside the times like the soul-poppers in Maroon 5.