Throughout the decades, music changes and develops new genres. With each generation, they tend to favor different kinds of music which leads to new trends within the industry. Through the 2010s, there were some trends that were much more popular than others. These are the musical trends that dominated the past decade:

Stronger Women

The 2010s saw a decade of women taking a stand for their rights and becoming the most independent they ever have been. This reflected heavily in the music industry. Not only have women dominated the music charts, but they also produced music taking ownership of their bodies, sexuality, freedom of emotion, and freedom of speech. Even more so, music by men objectifying women is branded as sexist and immediately blacklisted by the masses. Women are continuing to take lead in the music industry.

Popular Genres

At the beginning of the 2010s, there was one genre, in particular, that was charting the most. The early half of the decade was dominated by pop and dance music that was mostly inherited from the late years of the 2000s. Pop artists such as Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, and Rihanna were taking the music industry by storm. It wasn’t until in the later half of the decade that a new genre began to dominate. Emotional hip-hop and rap songs were the biggest sound of the late 2010s and are sure to stay popular through the early 2020s. 

Streaming Over CDs

It didn’t take long into the 2010s for CDs to become a thing of the past. As technology continued to advance, streaming became the most popular way to listen to and buy music. Spotify, Apple Music, and other streaming services became the biggest way to determine how popular a song or album is. Streaming services and online platforms like YouTube have also been the newest way of discovering new talent around the world. 

Now entering the 2020s, music trends are sure to shift and take on new forms. We are sure to see a great evolution of artists and rising producers change the industry.