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Social media platforms such as TikTok have greatly influenced the musical landscape of the 2020s. For Gen Z and Gen Alpha, TikTok served as a musical taste maker because of the app's utilization of music and short form video content. The platform's emphasis on user-generated content also fostered a participatory culture where listeners became active participants in shaping musical trends. From choreographed dance routines to comedic skits and lip-syncing challenges, TikTok encouraged users to engage with songs by producing video content, effectively turning music consumption into a form of entertainment in itself. This symbiotic relationship between music and user-generated content fueled a feedback loop of virality, perpetuating the cycle of discovery and amplification. Furthermore, TikTok served as a powerful marketing tool for established artists seeking to maintain relevance in an increasingly fragmented media landscape. In the case of the 2024 song "Looking for a Man in Finance", the creator Megan Boni created the video as a joke, and when it became viral, she launched her music career.[5] Major labels and artists quickly recognized the platform's potential to amplify their reach and connect with younger audiences.
Strategic collaborations with popular TikTok creators, sponsored hashtag challenges, and the use of licensed music in viral videos became integral components of contemporary musicmarketing strategies. The TikTok Billboard chart was created in September 2023 to meet the demand for a Viral Audios from the platform.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
In 2020, LP records surpassed compact disc (CD) sales for the first time since 1986, LP records 28.7% ($619.6 million) with the rapid decline in CD sales by 23% ($483 million), with 62% ($1.1 billion) of revenue derived from physical music sales across the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), 2020 Year-End Music Industry Revenue Report.[12][13][14][15][16]
The drive for nostalgia and desire to return to pre-pandemic life has played a role in the shift toward older music. According to data observed throughout 2021 and 2022, 70% of music demand is for old songs and it is increasing every year. The top 200 most popular songs only accounted for 5% of total streams — and that small percentage has fallen by half over the last three years. Older musicians such as Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, and Bruce Springsteen were selling their music rights for hundreds of millions of dollars. These big names have always been popular, but according to some research, the vast majority of new downloads today are songs that are at least two years old.[27][28] Other journalists have pointed out that the Gen Z demographic are more likely to listen to self-published and obscure acts due to the accessibility of the internet landscape, and even then acts such as Billie Eilish, Justin Bieber, Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat and Lil Nas X remained popular within that demographic thanks to their major label support systems.[29] Gen Z had a fondness for shoegaze, a subgenre that peaked in the early 1990s, as well as other music from the 1970s and 1980s during the pandemic.[30][31][32][33][34]
In 2023, the music Industry recorded its highest revenue of all time, with over $8.4 Billion in the first half of 2023. The RIAA reported that the number of people with streaming subscriptions has more than doubled since 2019.[35]The Eras Tour, Swift's sixth headlining concert tour, became a cultural and economic phenomenon as well.[36][37][38][39]
In the early 2020s, pop music saw its massive decline of the new rise of popstars compared to the 2010s. Billboard noted that Olivia Rodrigo and Ice Spice were the last successful breakthrough artists of the 2020s. Many were dominated by established pop acts from the previous decade and generation, with Taylor Swift being the most noticeable act.[40][41][42][43][44]
On July 5, 2022, American music magazine Billboard published an article listing "The 25 Musical Moments That Defined the First Quarter of the 2020s" in chronological order.[45] They are:
"Essence" (2020) by Nigerian singer Wizkid entering the top 10 region of the US Hot 100
Stampede at the opening night of Astroworld Festival, a concert by American rapper Travis Scott, killing 10 attendees and injuring hundreds—the deadliest concert tragedy in nearly two decades; it resulted in around 400 lawsuits.
Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo, Harry Styles, Doja Cat, the Weeknd, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Lil Nas X are some of the best-selling pop artists of the decade.[46][47][48] Several music executives and journalists projected Adele's 30 to sell over a million albums in its opening week in the US.[49] However, when the album fell short of the one-million mark, selling 692,000 albums, The New York Times asked "if Adele couldn't sell more than a million albums in a single week, could any artist?" In October 2022, Swift's Midnights (2022) opened with over 1.1 million pure albums, with Rolling Stone asserting that Swift "has once again moved the goalposts regarding what the music industry can see as possible from a major pop star".[50] Pop music continued to be successful in the 2020s, propelled by albums like Midnights, Sour, After Hours, Future Nostalgia, and Renaissance, the first of which found an exemplary, ubiquitous success across all formats of music consumption "unseen" since the 1990s.[51][52][53]
The 2020s in music have provided heavily to the resurgence of musical elements brought to life in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.[54]
Motivated by early 1970s experimental and synth pop music, albums such as Harry Styles' Harry's House and Swift's Midnights drew influences from this era. Their respective lead singles "As It Was" and "Anti-Hero", both of which incorporated vintage synthesizers, were met with critical acclaim and instant commercial success.[55] "As It Was" remained at number-one for 15 non-consecutive weeks on the Hot 100, becoming the longest-reigning solo song in history.[56] Swift became the first artist ever to occupy the Hot 100's entire top 10 simultaneously with "Anti-Hero" at number-one.[57]Harry's House and Midnights went on to win both Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Albumatthe 65th and 66th Annual Grammy Awards, respectively.[58][59][60]
Influenced by the 1980s retro musical elements, Dua Lipa, Lizzo, and The Weeknd incorporated heavy disco, funk, and synth-pop influences in their works such as Future Nostalgia, Special, and After Hours, respectively; all albums were met with commercial and critical acclaim.[61][62] Lipa's singles "Don't Start Now" and "Levitating", Lizzo's "About Damn Time", and the Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" and "Save Your Tears" were commercially successful.[63][64] "Blinding Lights" went on to become the biggest BillboardHot 100 song of all time, spending 90 weeks on the chart—the most for any song.[65] Future Nostalgia won Best Pop Vocal Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[66] "About Damn Time" went on to win Record of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.[67]
Swift's re-recording of her fifth studio album, 1989 (Taylor's Version), was released in October 2023. The original album was inspired heavily by 1980s synth pop, and the re-record scored the highest first-week sales of 2023.[68]
Miley Cyrus' seventh studio album, Plastic Hearts, was credited as a front-runner to the resurgence of pop-rock music, especially that of the 1970s-1980s.[69] Critics claimed her transition from pop music to rock brought forth a nostalgic feel, one that will seemingly become a trend this decade.[70] Her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, was preceded by the single, "Flowers", which was met with instant commercial success, becoming the fastest song to reach 100 million streams on Spotify—within a week.[71]
With its nostalgic presence for younger audiences, sounds from the early 2000s resurge into today's music with elements of indie rock, post-punk, and post-grunge.[79]
Beginning in the late 2010s, the term "bedroom pop" gained greater exposure, and was frequently used to describe home-recorded DIY music that often featured downtempo, soft, and lo-fi characteristics. Songs dubbed "bedroom pop" often contained elements of vulnerability, honesty, and relatability to younger audiences.[80] This new era of sounds brought many artists into the spotlight. Musicians such as Clairo, Gus Dapperton, Still Woozy, Cavetown, Wallows, Cuco, Beabadoobee, Hemlocke Springs, Chappell Roan, Conan Gray, and Girl in Red became popular through their social media presence.[81] Songs such as Clairo's "Sofia", Beabadoobee's "Coffee", Springs' "Girlfriend" and Gray's "Heather" were commercially successful due to the prominence of TikTok, where all of the previously listed songs went viral. The use of TikTok has helped many bedroom pop artists rise to fame due to its easy-access and widespread audio listening availability.[82][83] Some of these musicians writing music about lesbian relationships led to the term sapphic pop being coined.[84][85][86][87]
Paramore released their first album in six years, This Is Why, to commercial acclaim, with the album debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. The band is considered to have brought pop-punk back into the mainstream, a genre in which they were a major part of in the late 2000s.[109]
In another crossover phenomenon of the early 2020s several established rap artists released pop punk material, including Machine Gun Kelly, The Kid Laroi, Blackbear and Mod Sun.[112]
The 2020s also marked the reunion of My Chemical Romance; in addition to their reunion tour, they released their new single The Foundations Of Decay.[113] The bands Panic! At The Disco and Fall Out Boy also made comebacks with the former's album Viva Las Vengeance[114] and the latter released their album So Much (For) Stardust after going on the Hella Mega Tour with Green Day and Weezer.[115] Veteran punk bands Blink-182 and Simple Plan have also released their new music.[116][117]
Megan Thee Stallion had two number one hits in the early half of the decade, including her collaboration with Cardi B titled "WAP"[128][129] and her hit single "Savage".
Doja Cat quickly became one of the best-selling artists of the decade, despite her breakthrough being in late 2019.[130] Her first number-one single, "Say So", aided this process, as it brought the public's attention to her work.[131] In early 2021, Doja released the lead single "Kiss Me More" to her third studio album, Planet Her. The song received instant acclaim, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.[132] After the release of Planet Her, Doja secured two more top-ten hits, with "Need To Know" and "Woman", peaking at number eight and seven, respectively.[133]Planet Her became one of the best-selling albums of the decade, spending 26 weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart.[134] Her fourth studio album, Scarlet, debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, and was preceded by the number-one single, "Paint the Town Red".[135]
Ice Spice reached popularity with the release of her debut EP, Like...?, launching her into commercial success. She was featured on PinkPantheress' "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2", giving both artists their first top ten hit.[136] Spice's song, "Princess Diana" reached the top ten after a remix with Nicki Minaj was released.[137] Taylor Swift released a remix with Spice on her song "Karma", which resulted in a peak of number two on the Hot 100 chart.[138] Spice and Minaj collaborated once again for the Barbie soundtrack with their single "Barbie World", which samples "Barbie Girl" by Aqua—the song also charted within the top ten.[139]
Nicki Minaj released her fifth studio album, Pink Friday 2. The album is a direct sequel to her Billboard 200 chart-topping debut album, Pink Friday. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, with 14 of the songs charting on the Hot 100 chart.[140]
In December 2022, SZA released her second studio album, SOS, which became her first number-one on the Billboard 200,[145] and spent ten weeks atop the chart—the most weeks of any female artist since 2016, with Adele's 25.[146] All of its 23 tracks charted on the Hot 100, becoming the second artist after Swift to chart 20 songs in a single week.[147] One of its singles, "Kill Bill",[148] was a major commercial success, peaking at number one on the Hot 100 chart, becoming her first song to do so.[149] Another single, "Snooze", reached a new peak of number two on the chart almost ten months after its release.[150] American singer Steve Lacy earned his first number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Bad Habit".[151]
In 2020, TikTok popularized the hip hop style drift phonk—a genre that was generally explored by music producers in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.[152] In May 2021, following the rise in popularity of the genre Spotify released an official curated phonk playlist.[citation needed]
Jersey club is a fast, aggressive dance music style rooted in Baltimore's fusion of house and hip hop. It features harder kick sounds and chopped samples, with a distinctive "bounciness" due to its triplet percussive pattern. Common audio programs used in Jersey club's include Sony Acid Pro and FL Studio.[157] 2018-2020 saw the resurgence of Jersey club music as artists like Unicorn151, Chad B, DJ Jay Hood, Cookiee Kawaii, and Uniiqu3 created original rap songs using Jersey club beats. This format allowed radio stations like Hot 97, Z100, Power 105.1, and Sirius XM to play these records regularly, gaining a wider audience.[158][159][160][161][162] In 2022, Lil Uzi Vert released their song "Just Wanna Rock" which incorporates elements of Jersey Club and has since peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.[163] In 2023, many commercially successful K-pop songs began using elements of the Jersey Club drum pattern such as "Ditto" and "Super Shy" by NewJeans, and "Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard's wife" by Le Sserafim.[164][165]
Indie singers Steve Lacy(left) and PinkPantheress(right) garnered their first top-three singles on the Hot 100.
Influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists created unplugged, "stripped-down" music mainly driven by acoustic or classical music instruments and melancholic subject matter. Taylor Swift shifted from mainstream pop to adopt indie folk, alternative rock, and chamber pop styles. She released two of the best selling albums of 2020, Folklore and Evermore.[166][167] Both debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, with their respective lead singles, "Cardigan" and "Willow" doing the same on the Hot 100 chart.[168][169]Folklore spent a record eight weeks atop the Billboard 200,[170] and won the Album of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.[171] Journalists contextualized both the albums as timely "pandemic projects", exploring the period's struggles through introspective and escapist themes.[172][173]
Glass Animals' breakout song "Heat Waves" stayed number one on the Billboard Alternative Charts for seven weeks in 2021, making it one of the most successful singles of the year.[188] English singer-songwriter PinkPantheress released her debut mixtapeTo Hell with It, which received widespread acclaim in reviews from music critics upon release. To Hell with It was named the third best album of 2021 by Time and the fifth best album of the year by The New York Times'sJon Caramanica and Gigwise.[189][190][191]Joji's "Glimpse of Us" peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart upon its release, marking the singer-first songwriter's visit to the region.[192] The song, which was released on June 10, 2022, received almost immediate acclaim, rocketing up the Official Singles Chart and also debuting straight inside the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100.[193]
Dangerous: The Double Album by American country singer Morgan Wallen became the first country album to spend its first four weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart since Shania Twain's Up! did so in January 2003.[196] In 2023, Wallen's One Thing at a Time lead the Billboard 200 for nine consecutive weeks following its release.[197] Having finished third on American Idol, country artist Gabby Barrett released her debut single "I Hope" in 2019. It reached number one on the BillboardCountry Airplay chart dated April 25, 2020,[198] and eventually topped the Hot Country Songs chart dated July 25, 2020, making it the first debut single by a female artist to top the latter since 2006.[199]
Swift's re-recordings, Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version), were the top two best-selling country albums of 2021.[200] Her decision to re-record her masters sparked worldwide interest, making Swift the first artist to have a re-recorded album reach number one on the Billboard 200, with Fearless (Taylor's Version).[201] Her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version) also debuted at number one.[202] The latter included "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)", a non-single at just over ten minutes, that became the longest song in history to chart at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[203] Her third re-recording, Speak Now (Taylor's Version) was released in 2023 to instant critical and commercial acclaim, becoming the most streamed country album in a single day in Spotify history.[204]
Kacey Musgraves' fourth studio album Star-Crossed received attention for its inclusion of disco and dance-pop, but sparked a genre categorization controversy with the Grammy Awards. After her submission to the Recording Academy in the country categories, her album was seemingly left out from any nominations, despite its positive reviews in contrast to other country albums released during the eligibility period.[208] The academy stated that her record failed to include enough country material to be considered for country categories at the award ceremony. Musgraves questioned their judgment, after her previous album, Golden Hour included just as much influence from pop music, yet was nominated for, and won all awards that year, including Best Country Album, and Album of the Year.[209]
In 2023, country-folk singer-songwriter Oliver Anthony became the male solo act with the most entries in the history of the top 50 Digital Song Sales in a single week at once while still alive, charting 13 songs simultaneously—Prince and Michael Jackson had exceeded that count only following their deaths.[210]
The unexpected growth of Regional Mexican music was seen on the 2023 Billboard charts, even in English-speaking markets such as the United States. Artists such as Peso Pluma, Junior H, Christian Nodal, Natanael Cano, Eslabon Armado, DannyLux, Ivan Cornejo, Jasiel Nuñez, Fuerza Regida, Grupo Frontera, Marca MP, Luis R. Conriquez, Carin Leon, Yahritza y Su Esencia, among others have seen success in international markets. Their songs have charted on the Spotify charts and have gained millions of streams on popular music platforms, proving that regional Mexican music has transcended language barriers and resonated with listeners worldwide. This surge in popularity has not only opened doors for these artists but has also brought attention to the rich cultural heritage and diverse musical traditions of Mexico.[211][212][213][214][215][216]
The genres hard rock and heavy metal had declined in mainstream popularity by the early 2020s. However, Italian hard rock band Måneskin rose to worldwide prominence following the band's win at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with their song "Zitti e buoni".[217]The Four Seasons' "Beggin'" covered by Måneskin reached the top ten on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. and was ranked 66 in Billboard Year-End Hot 100 chart of 2021.[218] Several veteran acts have continued to maintain popularity worldwide, including AC/DC, whose 2020 album Power Up reached number one on the charts across the globe (including the United States, United Kingdom and their homeland Australia),[219] while Iron Maiden earned their first top-five album on the Billboard 200, Senjutsu, for the first time in its 41-year recording career.[220] Other veteran heavy metal acts, including Testament and Dream Theater, debuted on the inside of top 100 on the Billboard 200 with their respective albums Titans of Creation and A View from the Top of the World.[221][222]
Power UpbyAC/DC (pictured left) and SenjutsubyIron Maiden were among the successful hard rock and heavy metal albums of the 2020s.
Supergroup Boygenius released their debut album, The Record, to instant acclaim. The Record became the highest-charting album for any of the members thus far, debuting at number one on the UK Album Chart, and number four on the US Billboard 200.[225][226]
In 2023, Paul McCartney announced plans to release "the final Beatles record" later in the year with the assistance of an AI de-mixing technology previously used for Beatles documentary Get Back to be used on a demo John Lennon recorded shortly before his death.[227] The track, "Now and Then", was released on November 2, 2023.[228] Also in 2023, The Rolling Stones made a comeback with Hackney Diamonds, a new original studio album that topped the charts in 20 countries.[229]
Hardcore punk scene blew up in the early 2020s with considerable commercial and critical success. Turnstile and Knocked Loose were the most popular acts of this wave. Turnstile are the first rock act to join Rolling Loud and Knocked Loose was booked to play on Coachella.[233][234][235]
After a period of relative obscurity in the 2000s and early 2010s, Shoegaze experienced a resurgence in the mid-2010s and early 2020's with the emergence of new bands like DIIV, Nothing, and Whirr, who drew inspiration from the classic Shoegaze sound while incorporating modern production techniques and songwriting sensibilities. In the 2020s, this revival continued to gain momentum, with a growing number of contemporary bands incorporating Shoegaze elements into their music. Additionally, social media platforms like TikTok have helped to raise the profile of Shoegaze among Zoomer audiences, introducing the genre to a new generation of listeners. Contemporary Artists such as Wisp, Julie,[236]Narrow Head, DIIV, Quannnic, FlyingFish, Jane Remover, Glare and Modern Color gained prominence in online music discussion circles.[237][238][239][240]
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In the 2020s, Breakcore underwent a revival, bringing a different sound than the songs that were previously produced in the 1990's. It also added a new aesthetic focus on anime, 2010s nostalgia, video games and internet culture. Machine Girl and Goreshit were considered to be influential to the revival's new sound and aesthetic. [241]
Movie soundtrack albums have been receiving newfound attention, recently coined "The Barbie Effect", due to the profound impact from movies like Barbie.[242] Multiple songs from the film went viral, and charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was preceded by hit singles like Eilish's "What Was I Made For?", as well as Charli XCX's "Speed Drive", both charting on the Hot 100. Songs that reached the top ten included Lipa's "Dance the Night", and Minaj and Ice Spice's "Barbie World", which featured the original singers of "Barbie Girl", Aqua. Barbie the Album debuted at number two of the Billboard 200, becoming the highest charting soundtrack album of 2023.[243]
The 2020s have featured some heavily successful group debuts. In November 2020, BTS became the first Korean pop artist to be recognized by the Recording Academy when "Dynamite" received a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards; they were again nominated the following year with "Butter".[245][246] On April 16, 2022, 2NE1 reunited after 6 years with a surprise performance on the main stage of Coachella,[247] with Aespa also performing on the same stage the following weekend.[248] During the same year, several top second generation artists made an official comeback after years of inactivity, including BigBang, Girls' Generation, and Kara.[249] Blackpink's 2022 album Born Pink became the first album by a female group to top the chart since Danity Kane's Welcome to the Dollhouse in 2008. In addition, it marked the first time a girl group simultaneously topped the album charts in the United States and United Kingdom in 21 years, since Destiny's Child's Survivor in 2001.[250]
The sales of K-pop albums continued to show strong performance in the American market in 2023, with 7 of the 10 best-selling CD albums in the US being K-pop albums.[251] Four K-pop groups were named amongst the top-ten best-selling artists worldwide in 2023 by the IFPI, including Seventeen, Stray Kids, TXT, and NewJeans.[252]
Latin pop and other Latin music genres such as reggaeton continue to be successful in the 2020s.[255]Anitta's "Envolver" song became the first song by a Latin female act to reach the number one on Spotify Global Daily chart,[256][257][258] reaching the number two on the Billboard Global 200 and the number one in Billboard Global Excl. U.S.[259][260][261]
The late 2010s saw a major cultural resurgence in Latin dance music with hip hop influences which carried throughout the 2020s, especially throughout 2022 and 2023, when the interest in Spanish-language songs in North America grew rapidly. Initially, artists such as Bad Bunny, Chencho Corleone, Ozuna, Karol G and Rauw Alejandro saw crossover success in the United States while remaining popular internationally.[262][263][264][265] After the success of Bad Bunny's 2022 album Un Verano Sin Ti, which had already become the most streamed Spanish-language album on Spotify within the first few months of release,[266] Spanish-language songs started occupying at least 20-25% of the Billboard Hot 100 on an average week, compared to about 5-10% in 2020, with artists such as Bizarrap, Grupo Frontera, Peso Pluma, and Shakira being among the most popular during this new wave. Released in May 2022, Manuel Turizo's single "La Bachata" achieved commercial success, spending 26 weeks at number-one on the Billboard Latin charts.
In the 2020s, several Afrobeat-influenced songs and artists have achieved notable success on various Billboard charts, particularly the World Digital Song Sales chart and the World Albums chart. These charts track the sales and performance of music from around the world, including genres like Afrobeat.
Burna Boy's album "African Giant" and Wizkid's album "Made in Lagos" both received critical acclaim and achieved significant chart success on the Billboard World Albums chart. Additionally, songs like Burna Boy's "Ye," Wizkid's "Essence," and Davido's "Fall" have garnered millions of streams and downloads worldwide, contributing to the genre's growing presence on streaming platforms and the Billboard charts.[267][268][269][270]
^Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (December 2, 2021). "Best Albums of 2021". The New York Times. ISSN0362-4331. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
^Billboard Hot 100, February 21, 1981. [1]. Parton was No. 1 on February 21, 1981, before Eddie Rabbitt was No. 1 on February 28 and March 7, 1981, with Parton at No. 2 both weeks.
^Lee, Jae-hoon (September 25, 2022). "블랙핑크, 곧K팝 걸그룹의 역사…방탄소년단 명성 잇는다" [Blackpink, the history of K-pop girl groups ... BTS' fame continues]. Newsis (in Korean). Naver. Archived from the original on September 29, 2022. Retrieved September 25, 2022.