10 Definitive Pop Music Songs Of The 2010s
6. Lorde - Royals
Sixteen-year-old New Zealand indie singer, Lorde, debuted with her eerie and haunting smash hit Royals in 2013. Lorde disregarded the conventional pop formula by incorporating evocative lyrics with simplistic backing sounds, where she redefined pop music for the following years of the 2010s.
The theme of Royals is that not everyone can afford glamour and jewels, and some of us will never be able to live a life of luxury. Breaking the mould of traditional mainstream music, Lorde addresses social realities rather than bragging about affluence. This new switch-up of pop music seemed to be a success with audiences, as seen by Lorde's rapid ascendance to the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100.
After winning song of the year and best solo performance at the 56th Grammy awards, Lorde struck back in 2017 with her second indie album Melodrama. This album proved as successful as her first, with songs such as Green Light and Liability. Unfortunately, her third 2021 album Solar Power fell short of the expectations set by her previous albums, leaving many fans underwhelmed and disappointed. However, there's no disputing that Lorde is one of the decade's biggest talents, and we're looking forward to her fourth album in the future.