100 DEFINING MUSICIANS OF THE 2010'S

(By Matthew Werner)

The 2010's sucked, just as every decade has. That said, it takes a slight bit of the sting away to celebrate some of the great achievements we've seen in the arts. This time, I'd like to give a spotlight to 100 of the most defining musicians/music groups we saw last decade. I'll be focusing on other mediums occasionally, as I find the time and inspiration to.

A few things to take note of: this is NOT a list of my most favorite artists from the 2010's. This is a list of the musical projects that I think will be remembered, for how they influence works in the 2020's. That does not mean I even like their music personally. These artists could be definitive for how innovative they've been, or how they standardized matters, or how they unearthed new and shitty trends for record companies to milk some of that Spotify green off of, or for how they keep "dead" genres alive. Oh, and this is in no particular order.

1. Kendrick Lamar
2. Ghost
3. Brockhampton
4. Lizzo
5. King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard
6. Volkor X
7. Tyler, the Creator
8. Run the Jewels
9. Zeal & Ardor
10. SOPHIE
11. Blu
12. Poppy
13. SZA
14. Meteor
15. Carly Rae Jepsen
16. Sudan Archives
17. Moon Tooth
18. Noname
19. Johnny Manchild & The Poor Bastards
20. Mick Gordon
21. Kero Kero Bonito
22. Fleet Foxes
23. Janelle Monáe
24. Algiers
25. YG
26. Moron Police
27. Father John Misty
28. Purple Mountains
29. Sturgill Simpson
30. PSY
31. Kamasi Washington
32. Little Simz
33. THE FEVER 333
34. Call Me Milo
35. bignic
36. Kanye West
37. Swain
38. Reason Define
39. Beyoncé
40. Fiona Apple
41. The Midnight
42. Big K.R.I.T.
43. Danny Brown
44. Vampire Weekend
45. The Highwomen
46. Arca
47. Death Grips
48. 100 gecs
49. Ab-Soul
50. Charli XCX
51. Weyes Blood
52. Billie Eilish
53. Jake Kaufman
54. Lorde
55. Young Thug
56. Rihanna
57. Travis Scott
58. Anamanaguchi
59. Deftones
60. BTS
61. Lil Nas X
62. Cardi B
63. Pusha T
64. Billy Woods
65. Power Trip
66. Fire From the Gods
67. Daughters
68. Logic
69. CHVRCHES
70. Björk
71. Earl Sweatshirt
72. Lana Del Rey
73. Quelle Chris
74. clipping.
75. Kacey Musgraves
76. Ariana Grande
77. Skepta
78. IDLES
79. ScHoolboy Q
80. Polyphia
81. Skrillex
82. Mount Eerie
83. Childish Gambino
84. Joji
85. Kenny Beats
86. DJ Avicii
87. Lady Gaga
88. Moor Mother
89. Code Orange
90. Against Me!
91. Playboi Carti
92. Rival Sons
93. Bring Me the Horizon
94. Mac Miller
95. The 1975
96. PVRIS
97. The Strokes
98. Protest The Hero
99. Tkay Maidza
100. Juice WRLD