2010 Music Hits: Top Songs, Radio Favorites, and Pop Classics

2010 music was loud, bright, digital, and built for the party-pop era. Katy Perry, Rihanna, Ke$ha, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Eminem, Black Eyed Peas, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Train, and David Guetta helped shape a year where pop radio leaned heavily into dance beats, big choruses, Auto-Tune, club hooks, and songs that sounded ready for both radio and ringtone life.

This PopCultureMadness guide starts with the Top 10 songs of 2010, then groups more 2010 music hits by style so you can browse the year by sound, mood, and memory. It was the kind of year where pop stars, rappers, country acts, emo bands, TV casts, and internet novelty songs all shared the same cultural playlist. Subtle? Not really. Memorable? Absolutely.

Quick Answer: What Music Was Popular in 2010?

Popular music in 2010 included dance-pop, electro-pop, hip-hop, pop-rap, country-pop, alternative rock, teen pop, TV soundtrack songs, and big radio ballads. Songs like Firework, California Gurls, Love the Way You Lie, Dynamite, Need You Now, Hey, Soul Sister, and Bad Romance-era pop helped define the sound around 2010.

Top 10 Songs of 2010

1. Firework – Katy Perry
2. We R Who We R – Ke$ha
3. The Time (Dirty Bit) – Black Eyed Peas
4. Dynamite – Taio Cruz
5. California Gurls – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
6. Teenage Dream – Katy Perry
7. Only Girl (In the World) – Rihanna
8. Love the Way You Lie – Eminem featuring Rihanna
9. Airplanes – B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore
10. Raise Your Glass – Pink

More 2010 Music Hits by Style

Beyond the Top 10, 2010 music gets more interesting when grouped by style. The year was dominated by dance-pop and pop-rap, but country, alternative rock, emo, Christian music, TV cast recordings, comedy songs, and viral pop culture moments all helped shape the sound of the year.

2010 Dance-Pop, Electro-Pop, Club, and Party Hits

Dance-pop and electro-pop were everywhere in 2010. Katy Perry, Ke$ha, Rihanna, Black Eyed Peas, Taio Cruz, Flo Rida, David Guetta, Pitbull, LMFAO, La Roux, and Far East Movement helped make the year sound like one long party playlist. This was music for clubs, gyms, school dances, radio countdowns, and people yelling “turn it up” from the passenger seat.

Last Friday Night – Katy Perry
Tik Tok – Ke$ha
Club Can’t Handle Me – Flo Rida featuring David Guetta
Your Love Is My Drug – Ke$ha
Rock That Party – Black Eyed Peas
Bon, Bon – Pitbull
We No Speak Americano – Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
I Like It – Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull
Shots – LMFAO featuring Lil Jon
My First Kiss – 3OH!3 featuring Ke$ha
Break Your Heart – Taio Cruz
Alejandro – Lady Gaga
Telephone – Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé
OMG – Usher featuring will.i.am
Sexy Chick – David Guetta featuring Akon
Bulletproof – La Roux
Gettin’ Over You – David Guetta, Chris Willis, Fergie & LMFAO
Blah Blah Blah – Ke$ha featuring 3OH!3
Memories – David Guetta featuring Kid Cudi
Rude Boy – Rihanna
Like a G6 – Far East Movement featuring The Cataracs & Dev

2010 Pop, Teen Pop, and Big Radio Favorites

Mainstream pop in 2010 was huge, polished, and extremely catchy. Katy Perry, Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, Pink, Train, Mike Posner, Michael Bublé, Big Time Rush, Miley Cyrus, and Taylor Swift all helped shape the year’s radio-friendly side. A lot of these songs were built for mass singalongs, whether or not everyone involved knew the lyrics beyond the chorus.

Baby – Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris
Hey, Soul Sister – Train
The Lazy Song – Bruno Mars
Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
Never Say Never – Justin Bieber
What’s My Name? – Rihanna
Mine – Taylor Swift
Somebody to Love – Justin Bieber
King of Anything – Sara Bareilles
Someday – Rob Thomas
Smile – Uncle Kracker
Cooler Than Me – Mike Posner
Haven’t Met You Yet – Michael Bublé
Big Time Rush – Big Time Rush
Today Was a Fairytale – Taylor Swift
Billionaire – Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars
All the Right Moves – OneRepublic
Whip My Hair – Willow
Glitter in the Air – Pink
Famous – Big Time Rush
Kissin U – Miranda Cosgrove
Angel – Akon
Peacock – Katy Perry
Til I Forget About You – Big Time Rush
Can’t Be Tamed – Miley Cyrus

2010 Hip-Hop, Rap, Pop-Rap, and R&B Favorites

Hip-hop and pop-rap were central to 2010, with Eminem, B.o.B, DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Travie McCoy, Lloyd Banks, Sean Kingston, Nicki Minaj, Usher, and Akon bringing rap and R&B hooks deep into pop radio. This was the era when rap verses, giant choruses, and glossy production could turn almost anything into a crossover hit.

Love the Way You Lie – Eminem featuring Rihanna
Airplanes – B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore
All I Do Is Win – DJ Khaled featuring T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg & Rick Ross
Do You Remember – Jay Sean featuring Sean Paul & Lil Jon
Hard – Rihanna featuring Jeezy
Shut It Down – Pitbull featuring Akon
Nothin’ on You – B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars
How Low – Ludacris
Not Afraid – Eminem
Beamer, Benz or Bentley – Lloyd Banks featuring Juelz Santana
Letting Go (Dutty Love) – Sean Kingston featuring Nicki Minaj
Champagne Life – Ne-Yo

2010 Country, Country-Pop, and Roots-Leaning Hits

Country had a strong presence in 2010, especially through country-pop ballads, crossover-friendly radio hits, and songs that worked outside traditional country circles. Lady Antebellum, The Band Perry, Taylor Swift, Josh Turner, Eric Church, and Shakira’s World Cup anthem all helped give the year a more rootsy and global side. Not every 2010 hit needed a synth drop; some just needed a story, a hook, and maybe a porch somewhere.

If I Die Young – The Band Perry
Mine – Taylor Swift
Need You Now – Lady Antebellum
Why Don’t We Just Dance – Josh Turner
Smoke a Little Smoke – Eric Church
One Day – Matisyahu
Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) – Shakira featuring Freshlyground

2010 Alternative Rock, Pop-Rock, Emo, and Modern Rock Hits

Alternative rock, pop-rock, emo, and modern rock were still very active in 2010. Pearl Jam, Paramore, Muse, Phoenix, Florence + The Machine, Rise Against, My Chemical Romance, Vampire Weekend, Lifehouse, and Kings of Leon gave the year a guitar-driven edge. This was the side of 2010 where festival stages, college radio, and dramatic MySpace-era leftovers all met in the same hallway.

Just Breathe – Pearl Jam
Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap
Breakeven – The Script
Dog Days Are Over – Florence + The Machine
Savior – Rise Against
Lay Me Down – The Dirty Heads featuring Rome
Like We Used To – A Rocket to the Moon
1901 – Phoenix
Halfway Gone – Lifehouse
Resistance – Muse
Lisztomania – Phoenix
The Only Exception – Paramore
Boys in the Summer – Jessie James
Crossfire – Brandon Flowers
Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) – My Chemical Romance
Horchata – Vampire Weekend
Porn Star Dancing – My Darkest Days featuring Zakk Wylde
The Good Life – Three Days Grace
Radioactive – Kings of Leon
Home – Goo Goo Dolls

2010 Ballads, Adult Contemporary, and Emotional Radio Songs

2010 still had plenty of emotional pop and adult contemporary songs, even with dance-pop dominating the year. Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Shontelle, Lady Antebellum, The Script, Michael Bublé, Paramore, and Pink helped make room for ballads, big vocals, and songs designed for dramatic TV montages. Some years whisper their feelings. 2010 Auto-Tuned them, then added a chorus.

Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
Impossible – Shontelle
Need You Now – Lady Antebellum
Breakeven – The Script
Haven’t Met You Yet – Michael Bublé
The Only Exception – Paramore
Glitter in the Air – Pink
King of Anything – Sara Bareilles
One Day – Matisyahu
Smile – Uncle Kracker

2010 TV, Teen Shows, Soundtracks, and Pop Culture Favorites

TV and teen entertainment had a very visible place in 2010 music. Glee, Big Time Rush, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove, and Justin Bieber all helped connect music with television, teen fandom, and internet-era celebrity culture. This section is where pop charts started feeling less like just radio and more like a full media ecosystem wearing skinny jeans.

Time Warp – Glee Cast
Big Time Rush – Big Time Rush
Famous – Big Time Rush
Kissin U – Miranda Cosgrove
Til I Forget About You – Big Time Rush
Can’t Be Tamed – Miley Cyrus
Never Say Never – Justin Bieber

2010 Novelty, Viral, Comedy, and Pop Culture Curveballs

2010 had its share of internet-driven and novelty-leaning moments. The Bed Intruder Song became a viral sensation, I’m Awesome turned self-deprecation into a hook, and several songs lived somewhere between comedy, meme culture, and radio curiosity. The internet was not just changing music promotion by 2010; it was sneaking directly into the charts.

Bed Intruder Song – Antoine Dodson & The Gregory Brothers
I’m Awesome – Spose
Peacock – Katy Perry
We No Speak Americano – Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) – Shakira featuring Freshlyground

2010 Christian, Inspirational, and Faith-Based Hits

Faith-based and inspirational music also had a place in 2010, especially through Chris Tomlin and uplifting crossover songs. These tracks gave the year a reflective, church-radio, and encouragement-focused lane next to the louder pop and club hits.

Our God – Chris Tomlin
One Day – Matisyahu
Need You Now – Lady Antebellum

PCM’s Top 100 Songs of 2010

1. 1. Firework – Katy Perry
   2. We R Who We R – Ke$ha
   3. The Time (Dirty Bit) – Black Eyed Peas
   4. Dynamite – Taio Cruz
   5. California Gurls – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
   6. Teenage Dream – Katy Perry
   7. Only Girl (In the World) – Rihanna
   8. Love the Way You Lie – Eminem featuring Rihanna
   9. Airplanes – B.o.B featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore
   10. Raise Your Glass – Pink
   11. Baby – Justin Bieber featuring Ludacris
   12. Last Friday Night – Katy Perry
   13. Tik Tok – Ke$ha
   14. Hey, Soul Sister – Train
   15. The Lazy Song – Bruno Mars
   16. Club Can’t Handle Me – Flo Rida featuring David Guetta
   17. Your Love Is My Drug – Ke$ha
   18. Rock That Party – Black Eyed Peas
   19. Just the Way You Are – Bruno Mars
   20. Bon, Bon – Pitbull
   21. If I Die Young – The Band Perry
   22. We No Speak Americano – Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP
   23. E.T. – Katy Perry
   24. Just Breathe – Pearl Jam
   25. I Like It – Enrique Iglesias featuring Pitbull
   26. All I Do Is Win – DJ Khaled featuring T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg & Rick Ross
   27. Never Say Never – Justin Bieber
   28. Sweet Disposition – The Temper Trap
   29. What’s My Name? – Rihanna
   30. Do You Remember – Jay Sean featuring Sean Paul & Lil Jon
   31. Mine – Taylor Swift
   32. Breakeven – The Script
   33. Shots – LMFAO featuring Lil Jon
   34. My First Kiss – 3OH!3 featuring Ke$ha
   35. Break Your Heart – Taio Cruz
   36. Somebody to Love – Justin Bieber
   37. Hard – Rihanna featuring Jeezy
   38. Alejandro – Lady Gaga
   39. King of Anything – Sara Bareilles
   40. Dog Days Are Over – Florence + The Machine
   41. Shut It Down – Pitbull featuring Akon
   42. Savior – Rise Against
   43. Impossible – Shontelle
   44. Lay Me Down – The Dirty Heads featuring Rome
   45. Like We Used To – A Rocket to the Moon
   46. Our God – Chris Tomlin
   47. Need You Now – Lady Antebellum
   48. 1901 – Phoenix
   49. Somebody to Love – Justin Bieber
   50. Someday – Rob Thomas
   51. Telephone – Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé
   52. Smile – Uncle Kracker
   53. Time Warp – Glee Cast
   54. Cooler Than Me – Mike Posner
   55. Haven’t Met You Yet – Michael Bublé
   56. OMG – Usher featuring will.i.am
   57. Halfway Gone – Lifehouse
   58. Sexy Chick – David Guetta featuring Akon
   59. Resistance – Muse
   60. Bulletproof – La Roux
   61. Big Time Rush – Big Time Rush
   62. Nothin’ on You – B.o.B featuring Bruno Mars
   63. Lisztomania – Phoenix
   64. Today Was a Fairytale – Taylor Swift
   65. Gettin’ Over You – David Guetta, Chris Willis, Fergie & LMFAO
   66. Blah Blah Blah – Ke$ha featuring 3OH!3
   67. The Only Exception – Paramore
   68. Billionaire – Travie McCoy featuring Bruno Mars
   69. Boys in the Summer – Jessie James
   70. All the Right Moves – OneRepublic
   71. Memories – David Guetta featuring Kid Cudi
   72. Rude Boy – Rihanna
   73. Why Don’t We Just Dance – Josh Turner
   74. Whip My Hair – Willow
   75. Not Afraid – Eminem
   76. How Low – Ludacris
   77. Crossfire – Brandon Flowers
   78. Hard – Rihanna
   79. Na Na Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na) – My Chemical Romance
   80. Like a G6 – Far East Movement featuring The Cataracs & Dev
   81. Horchata – Vampire Weekend
   82. Glitter in the Air – Pink
   83. Beamer, Benz or Bentley – Lloyd Banks featuring Juelz Santana
   84. Porn Star Dancing – My Darkest Days featuring Zakk Wylde
   85. Famous – Big Time Rush
   86. Kissin U – Miranda Cosgrove
   87. I’m Awesome – Spose
   88. The Good Life – Three Days Grace
   89. Angel – Akon
   90. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) – Shakira featuring Freshlyground
   91. Bed Intruder Song – Antoine Dodson & The Gregory Brothers
   92. Radioactive – Kings of Leon
   93. Home – Goo Goo Dolls
   94. One Day – Matisyahu
   95. Peacock – Katy Perry
   96. Champagne Life – Ne-Yo
   97. Til I Forget About You – Big Time Rush
   98. Letting Go (Dutty Love) – Sean Kingston featuring Nicki Minaj
   99. Can’t Be Tamed – Miley Cyrus
   100. Smoke a Little Smoke – Eric Church