They weren’t the best decade for music, still it produced some great works that flew under the radar. Find out which ones they are right here on this post. Hello, everybody. Be welcome to my third music post of the 2025.
“I've been told, dreaming's free. Think I'll go back to sleep” – Voices by Alice in Chains
I’m so glad that the 2010s, also known as the decade where everything started to fall apart, are long gone. It was probably the worst decade in music matters we have ever seen in our lifetime. CD sales dropped while YouTube became the primary go-to place to look for music. Also streaming platforms and things like Spotify shifted, for better or worse, the way people consumed music.
That decade saw the rise of mediocre, cartoonish, so-called artists that contaminated the music landscape with noisy sounds, autotune, 10 people in the writing credits, and stupid horrible lyrics. In this nightmarish phase many wondered if rock n’ roll still had a place in music. But, against all odds, rock n’ roll soldiered on, reinvented itself, and continue pushing forward. Incredible albums were released, old legendary bands continue making good music, while other newcomers joined the rock circuit.
On this list you will find a mixture of the old and the new. Some of the songs here are from legendary bands, while others are from more recent ones. And I’m sure you missed a few of these in the past decade. But, don’t worry, after you listen to all of them, you will thank me later (or at least I hope so).
So, without further ado, let’s begin:
15- Pink Floyd – Louder Than Words (2014)
This is the only that song has lead vocals in an album full of instrumental pieces. It was also the only single released from Pink Floyd’s final album The Endless River. Written by David Gilmour and his wife, this is a kind of sad but elegiac and gorgeous song at the same time. The vocals are great and the arrangements are classic Pink Floyd’s, albeit a little meandering. It may not reach the heights of earlier Pink Floyd songs, but I love it since I discovered and haven’t stopped listening to it. For some “experts” this is Pink Floyd’s best song of the post-Roger Waters era, but I have to disagree with that (High Hopes is a better song). But anyway, let yourself be taken away by his one. RIP Richard Wright.
14- Deftones – Swerve City (2013)
The title of Deftones’ seventh album Koi No Yokan, released in 2012 takes its name from a Japanese phrase meaning "premonition of love." And there you can find this cool track as its opener. At just 2:44 long, Swerve City is explosive and subtle enough to show you these guys are still alive and kicking; plus, the vocals of Chino Moreno sound powerful. Written by Moreno and others, it was the third single of the album. In the video you can see a cool girl riding freely on a horse and traversing many places. Too bad many people didn’t got to listen this one when it came out. It is considered one of the best rock album openers of the 2010s decade.
13- Ghost – Square Hammer (2016)
Frontman and songwriter Tobias Forge said that he needed a banger as an opener for live gigs. And his solution was to come up with this infectious and catchy track. Square Hammer is considered by several magazines and websites as the best metal song of the 2010s decade. It has a killer intro and an irresistible chorus that is easy to sing along. It peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock in 2017, and it was the first time a Swedish band did so; after this, there was no doubt Ghost was a force to be reckoned with as they have proved it ever since. Square Hammer has also become their closing song for live performances. As of 2025, the video has more than 100 million views and counting. You won’t stop singing aloud with this one.
12- Alice in Chains – Voices (2013)
I didn’t pay much attention to this one when it came out; I just thought it was cool and that’s it. But I have learned to love it with the years. Written solely by Jerry Cantrell, Voices was the third single from the band’s fifth studio. It deals with internal problems that can be applied to anyone in any society. It has a cool and rather hypnotic rhythm and Jerry Cantrell sings the vocals while DuVall sings the backings. In the video you can see for a brief moment pictures of both dead legends, Layne Staley and Kurt Cobain. The acoustic version of this one is also pretty good, and reminds you the magic of the old Alice in Chains is still there and, hopefully, for many years to come.
11– Stone Temple Pilots – Between the Lines (2010)
At the end of the 2000s Scott Weiland left Velvet Revolver, got into rehab, and went back to his original band, Stone Temple Pilots. Nine years had passed since STP’s last album, and in 2010 they released what would be their final album with Scott on the vocals. Between the Lines was the first single of the band’s sixth album. It’s an explosive and catchy song, written just by Scott with lyrics that deal with his past drug problems. This song set a record when it jumped from number 42 to 2, to later reach number 1 on Billboard's Rock Songs chart; it was also nominated for the Grammys. In the video, you can see the always stylish Scott Weiland with a crazy girl while the band play in a living room. Unfortunately, Scott was fired from STP in 2013 and would die two years later of an accidental overdose. But his legacy, and the music he created with his brothers in STP, will live forever.
10- The Black Keys – Lonely Boy (2011)
This is from a band I don’t quite follow, but it blew me away when I first discovered it, and it’s practically the only song I like from these guys. The first track and lead single from the album El Camino by this duo from Ohio, it’s a great display of raw energy, big riff, hooks and vocals; the lyrics deal with not being appreciated by someone you like. This song can also boast of having one of the best videos of the entire 2010s decade, where you can see an actor doing a cool dance along with the lyrics. And may God bless his soul. This song went to win 2 Grammys and was included on the playlist of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and you can understand why since its power and rhythm can make anyone dance, including a whole stadium.
9- Stereophonics – I Wanna Get Lost with You (2015)
This Welsh band had their heyday in the early 2000s, but is well and alive until this day. In 2015 they release this cool, refreshing, and somewhat romantic track. It is the second single of Stereophonics’ ninth studio album. Written by the lead-singer and guitarist, the song is about waiting to lose yourself with somebody and then just get out there. It’s not something that reaches the heights of other bands on this list, but it’s a nice song to hear when you just want to unwind. In the colorful video, you can see a nice guy trying to convince a rather unstable girl to spend her life with him. This is probably their best since Dakota, and that guitar will make you weak.
8- The Offspring – Days Go By (2012)
I think this is the closest thing to a rock ballad The Offspring has ever produced. It was one of the best rock songs of 2012, but still remains a very underrated one; most of the people who like The Offspring don’t even know it and, as of 2025, has only been played live 159 times, the last one being in 2017. The lyrics, written just by Dexter himself, are reflective and kind of hopeful and reflect the whole feeling of the eponymous album. This one will make you smile and feel rather nostalgic. An ideal song for a road trip.
7- Greta Van Fleet – Highway Tune (2017)
I remember reading comments at the end of the last decade about a little guy whose voice sounded just like Robert Plant’s. And imagine giving birth to a whole band, yes, turns out three of the four young guys in this band are actually brothers. Written by the whole band, with great guitars and great vocals, Highway Tune became a sensation in 2017, topping Billboard Rock chart in September that year. It was the very first single of the band and the first song they ever recorded; the killer riff was composed back in 2010. I just wish this cool song it didn’t end so quickly. With a song like this the true spirit of rock n’ roll is in good hands.
6- Lenny Kravitz – The Chamber (2014)
This is a funky one, has a retro and futuristic vibe at the same time, and will make your feet and hips want to dance. It was the first single of Lenny’s 10th album Strut. I discovered it when I was perusing a list of the songs Lenny has played the most live; turns out this one has become sort of a staple in his live performances. Written by Lenny himself, it deals with lyrics of treason and deception. In the explicit video, shot in Paris, you can see Lenny flexing his great physique, some gorgeous women, and a hot femme fatale. An underrated song, but still one of his best. Hope you like it.
5- Pearl Jam – Sirens (2013)
From the much underrated 2013 album Lightning Bolt, comes this reflective power ballad by a group of wise veterans that still fill stadiums and produce great and uncompromising music. Sirens was the second single of Pearl Jam’s 10th album, and was written by singer Eddie Vedder with guitarist Mike McCready. You could say that is a modern and yet retro song, and sad but inspiring at the same time, about a man who tries to hold to his woman but knows that nothing is forever and our lives have a beginning and an ending. One of the best rock ballads of the 2010s decade, it also has a piercing guitar break, and I love how the whole band start singing at the end.
4- Metallica – Now That We're Dead (2017)
Hardwired, the great band’s tenth, has got to be one of the best and most underrated metal albums of the past decade. Too bad, because it has great tunes and sound; also, it can boast of having one of the best album covers of the entire decade. Now That We're Dead, my favorite song of Hardwired, was the fourth single and for many fans the best song of the album. It features great lyrics by both Hetfield and Ulrich about a man who mourns his dead woman and hopes to join her in the afterlife. It has a good into, nice rhythm guitar, and an explosive ending. Plus, Hetfield’s voice sounds amazing. Whether you’re a Metallica fan or not, you’d wish you would have discovered this one earlier.
3- Arcade Fire – Deep Blue (2010)
The Suburbs album won a well-deserving Grammy for Album of the Year in 2011. There you can find Deep Blue as the 12th track. The first time I heard this one was like in 2014 when I saw a documentary about the great Dutch photographer Anton Corbjin. But it finally caught my attention when Richard Linklater used it as the closing song of Boyhood, one of the best movies of the 2010s decade. This is a song that no matter how many times you listen to it it always feels like it’s the first time and really gives you the goose bumps. Written by the whole band, it deals with us, the modern people of this 21st century, technology and life itself. Too bad it was never released as a single because it’s so much better than most of the songs in the album. Close your eyes and let yourself be taken away by this one.
2- Arctic Monkeys – Do I Wanna Know? (2013)
The best rock song of the entire 2010s decade, of course it had to be here. Written by frontman Alex Turner, Do I Wanna Know? was released as the second single of the English band’s fifth studio album. It blew me away the first time I heard it. Mixing psychedelia, blues, and alternative rock, it also has probably the best opening riff of the decade. It’s sexy and depressing, beautiful and decadent, all at the same time, and deals with a guy in his settee, drinking and obsessing about a woman that doesn’t seem to care about him. The video is also pretty cool, and features great animated images that convey what the mind of the depressed guy is thinking of. Too bad these guys haven’t topped something like this; their two subsequent albums are kind of irregular and pretentious. But at least we’ll always have this great tune to sing aloud.
1- U2 – Song for Someone (2015)
The thirteenth studio album by Irish rockers U2 caused and major backlash in 2014 when it appeared for free in all of Apple devices. The guys had to apologize later, and Songs of Innocence now holds the record of being the most deleted album in music history. Since this controversy the album has suffered a bad reputation over the years.
But I’m here to tell you to give it a try. It’s a good and solid album, has great sound and arrangements, and a few songs are truly remarkable, Song for Someone is one of them. It’s the fourth track and the third and final single of the album. A cool and subtle ballad with great vocals and a soft epilogue written by Bono as a dedication to his wife. In the long video you can see Woody Harrelson as an inmate who is released from prison. You will not stop singing this cool love song.
Conclusion
James Hetfield in the 2010s (via: pitchfork.com)
So there you have it guys, I hope you have like this post. Rock music, our favorite music, really suffered in the past decade, but as you’ve seen it also continued fighting and produced great works of music. It has many years left for it.
Now, I want to hear from you. Which one of these great songs did you like the most? Have you ever listened to some of them? Did I miss another song you like? I’ll be waiting for your answers in the comment section. Since you’re here, check now 10 great old songs I discovered in 2023 right here:
@thereadingman/12-great-old-songs-i
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Orlando Caine.