People On Reddit Shared What Song They Thought Defined The 2010s And OMG The Nostalgia

Get ready to feel nostalgic.

Reddit user totallyjack asked the community to define the 2010s in five songs, and here's what people said were absolute earworms.

Farrah Penn / BuzzFeed

1. Kesha, "TiK ToK"

SME (on behalf of Rodeo Media) / Via youtube.com

"This song captures the pop presence of the early 2010s, when party music was taking over." —totallyjack

Why it's iconic: Listen, we know this music video was out in 2009, but this straight bop absolutely carried over into 2010. You couldn't turn on the radio without hearing it. It was the song we NEEDED to bring us into this new decade.

2. Gotye feat. Kimbra, "Somebody That I Used to Know"

V2 Records / Via youtube.com

—GreenRicky

Why it's iconic: This indie hit seemed to take off out of nowhere, which led to tons of people online covering it. It's raw and catchy as hell. Currently, it has 1.2 BILLION views on YouTube. You probably sing-screamed it in your car post-breakup, when you were really going through it.

3. Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris, "We Found Love"

UMG / Via youtube.com

"This was the EDM pop crossover moment that showed the direction pop music could go in." —enecks

Why it's iconic: THIS SONG MAKES YOU WANNA GET UP AND DANCE AND TYPE IN ALL CAPS. Queen Rihanna had so many bops throughout the 2010s, but "We Found Love" was true perfection during 2011–2012.

4. LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett, GoonRock, "Party Rock Anthem"

Interscope / Via youtube.com

—SethRogensManboobs

Why it's iconic: This was THE song of 2011, probably. It's catchy as hell and super upbeat, and you're lying if you say you and your friends never danced to it at a house party.

5. Nicki Minaj, "Super Bass"

CMRRA / Via youtube.com

—totallyjack

Why it's iconic: If you were an overachiever, you probably tried to learn all the lyrics so you could attempt to fast-rap them as well as Nicki. This song TOOK. OVER. 2011. And it'll always and forever be iconic.

6. Psy, "Gangnam Style"

YG Entertainment Inc. / Via youtube.com

"This was the first large-scale viral video on YouTube and the first to reach 100 million views. It basically broke the internet." —Jerry1014

Why it's iconic: SURPRISE, BITCH. Bet you thought you'd seen the last of this song in 2012, but it makes the cut because it was such a phenomenon. Sorry not sorry it's now stuck in your head. (*Whispers* "HEYYY SEXY LADY.")

7. Britney Spears, "Hold It Against Me"

Jive Records / Via youtube.com

—Anticonformitea

Why it's iconic: It's Britney. Do we need to say more? Listen, dubstep was certainly having its moment between 2010 and 2013, and Britney jumped on that train in Femme Fatale. It HITS.

8. Foster the People, "Pumped Up Kicks"

SME / Via youtube.com

—thatgreekguyraul

Why it's iconic: This song was everywhere in 2011 and 2012. It's exceptionally catchy, despite the dark lyrics, which makes it a great earworm.

9. Carly Rae Jepsen, "Call Me Maybe"

604 Records / Via youtube.com

—ratherscootthansmoke

Why it's iconic: This is the bop that brought Carly fame in 2012, and it seemed like EVERY celebrity was jamming to it. (Remember this Justin-Selena-Ashley collab? What a time.) Carly basically continued to kill it in the 2010s. I mean, have you heard Emotion???

10. Fun feat. Janelle Monáe, "We Are Young"

WMG / Via youtube.com

—owenmpowell

Why it's iconic: Post–the Format and pre-Bleachers, Nate Ruess and Jack Antonoff were part of Fun, which created a few hits (see also: "Some Nights") in the '10s, but "We Are Young" was most definitely an anthem.

11. Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z, "Drunk in Love"

SME / Via youtube.com

—biogyal33

Why it's iconic: Dear lord, it is so difficult to choose a Beyoncé song that dominated the last decade, but "Drunk in Love" will never not be incredible. It had a big moment in 2013, for sure. Long live our queen.

12. Miley Cyrus, "Wrecking Ball"

SME / Via youtube.com

—walman93

Why it's iconic: If you didn't scream the words to the chorus when you were alone in your car, then who even are you? This mega-smash led to tons of ~inspired~ Halloween costumes in 2013. Don't tell me it wasn't a movement.

13. Daft Punk feat. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers, "Get Lucky"

SME / Via youtube.com

"A true gem of the early 2010s. As disco, funk, and house have become much more ~in~ in the past three to four years as the genres have evolved, I can't help but look back at this song as one of the best dance songs of the decade among a sea of EDM mainstays." —joeyy_1995

Why it's iconic: In 2013, we couldn't get this funky earworm out of our heads. It's hooky as hell and honestly, you know you're just gonna have a good time when you hear it.

14. DJ Snake and Lil Jon, "Turn Down for What"

Atlantic Records / Via youtube.com

—joeyy_1995

Why it's iconic: *SCREAMS* "ANOTHER ROUND OF SHOTS." Is this song giving you flashbacks to the time you blacked out for the first time after leaving the club at 3 a.m.? It certainly was a hit in 2014, and it's hard NOT to go wild when you hear it today.

15. Lorde, "Royals"

Universal Music / Via youtube.com

"An evident mole in the mainstream. The song that would go on to change the melodic structure and lyrical approach of mainstream pop music, thus helping to popularize the careers of Halsey, Alessia Cara, Troye Sivan, and Billie Eilish, among others." —thatgreekguyraul

Why it's iconic: Lorde's sound was unique when she first broke out, and "Royals" came out in full force throughout 2013 and 2014. You couldn't go to the grocery store without hearing this song, and that was OK. It's a song you enjoyed jamming to every time it came on.

16. Lana Del Rey, "Summertime Sadness"

UMG / Via youtube.com

—totallyjack

Why it's iconic: Lana Del Rey is another artist who is unique in her sound, and "Summertime Sadness" lives on famously even now. (It reached popularity in 2013.) It's dark with a hint of sweetness and hope, and it absolutely made you FEEL THINGS.

17. Taylor Swift, "Shake It Off"

Big Machine Records / Via youtube.com

—ljmcc21

Why it's iconic: Taylor Swift announced her 1989 album/era with this super earworm, and it's been stuck in our heads since 2014. It's bouncy, poppy, and just full-on GOOD.

18. Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars, "Uptown Funk"

SME / Via youtube.com

"It was on the radio for what seemed like forever and split the decade in two." —Jerry1014

Why it's iconic: I'm sorry, but it's truly impossible not to dance in your seat when you hear this song. "Uptown Funk" really brought it in 2015. The bass slaps. The beat hits. It's uplifting. What's not to like!!!!

19. Fetty Wap, "Trap Queen"

300 Entertainment / Via youtube.com

"This song charted at No. 2 with streaming and was the first sign of rap's takeover back in 2015." —sleepyGary96

Why it's iconic: "I'm like, 'Hey, what's up? Hello.'" You couldn't scan past any radio station in 2014–2015 without hearing this earworm blasting. Just try not to dance when you hear it again now. I dare you.

20. Justin Bieber, "Sorry"

Def Jam Records / Via youtube.com

—owenmpowell

Why it's iconic: With its catchy hooks and Justin's smooth vocals, it's no wonder everyone went crazy over this song in 2015. No matter how far you ran, no matter how carefully you hid, you could not escape this bop.

21. Major Lazer and DJ Snake feat. MØ, "Lean On"

WMG / Via youtube.com

—navigatingtracker

Why it's iconic: This dance-electronic-house bop took over in 2015, and we couldn't get enough of it. It was EVERYWHERE, and it was pure goodness.

22. Adele, "Hello"

SME / Via youtube.com

—SamuelCiv

Why it's iconic: Adele made an incredible follow-up album to 21 in 2015, and "Hello" was the first single. When you heard the chorus hit for the first time, her vocals gave you goosebumps. She's a legend.

23. Drake feat. WizKid and Kyla, "One Dance"

UMG / Via youtube.com

"This and 'Work' were a punch of tropical pop that defined 2016. This is Drake's first No. 1 in the US. This is where he finally became the biggest act in pop." —enecks

Why it's iconic: Drake had many, MANY hits throughout the 2010s, but in 2016 "One Dance" was huge. And for good reason. This song makes you wanna shoulder-shimmy alone in the room while you mouth the lyrics.

24. Luis Fonsi feat. Daddy Yankee, "Despacito"

Universal Music / Via youtube.com

—sleaz-e

Why it's iconic: If you don't remember, this was THE song of the summer in 2017. It's so feel-good that you can't help turning it up and dance when you hear it. You bump it loud or you don't bump at all. What an absolute hit.

25. Kendrick Lamar, "Humble"

UMG / Via youtube.com

—jainthevirgin

Why it's iconic: This is the kind of song that gets you FREAKIN' AMPED. Kendrick Lamar had a lot of hits throughout the '10s, but this is one of his best. It was all over in 2017, and it's still a banger now.

26. Cardi B, "Bodak Yellow"

SME / Via youtube.com

—enecks

Why it's iconic: Cardi B truly blessed us with tons of music in the late '10s, and we'd be remiss if we didn't bow down to the song that BLEW UP in 2017. It's the kind of song you can't help blasting when it comes on. A QUEEN.

27. Ariana Grande, "No Tears Left to Cry"

Republic Records / Via youtube.com

—walman93

Why it's iconic: It's also hard to select ONE Ariana Grande song of the last decade because she had a ton, but "No Tears Left to Cry" is a solid selection. Her angelic vocals and pop beats made this song a hit in 2018.

28. Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, "Shallow"

UMG / Via youtube.com

—walman93

Why it's iconic: This song won a Grammy. Do we need to say more? We will. Gaga slays the vocals and hooks of this song, delivering a truly powerful performance. It shook 2018 to its core.

29. BTS, "Fake Love"

BigHit Entertainment

—anonymous

Why it's iconic: With BTS leading the explosion of K-pop in Western culture, we couldn't NOT mention them. While they had many grand-slam bops, "Fake Love" is an A-plus choice for 2018, as one could argue it took them from K-pop stars to international sensation. The rap is on point, the beat makes you FEEL your feelings, and the production is beautiful.

30. Lizzo, "Juice"

WMG / Via youtube.com

"Juice, released this year, will help dictate the kind of music for the early part of the next decade." —ComeOnPupperfish

Why it's iconic: Of course we had to end with an artist who will carry us into 2020 by continuing to slay 2019: Lizzo. This song is SO good. It's happy, catchy, and absolutely danceable. While Lizzo put out "Truth Hurts" in 2017, "Juice" is just as confident, positive, and unapologetic.

Now, I know you may want to listen to this playlist when we end 2019 later this year and ring in 2020, so I've linked it below. Enjoy!

Via embed.spotify.com

Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.