Adele's 25 Tops Decade's Best
Quartz ranks the 10 most culturally impactful pop albums, with Beyoncé's Lemonade and a 3.38 million-copy record breaker making the cut
The last decade saw a significant shift in the music industry, with streaming overtaking physical sales as the dominant currency in music. Amidst this change, some pop albums stood out for their cultural impact, influencing conversations beyond sales and charts. Quartz has ranked the 10 best pop albums of the last decade by cultural impact, and Adele's 25 tops the list.
Adele's 25, released in November 2015, sold 3.38 million copies in the U.S. in its first week, setting the record for the biggest album sales week in history. This record has yet to be topped, with no album selling more than 3.38 million copies in a single week since Nielsen started tracking music purchases in 1991.
The list also includes other notable albums, such as Beyoncé's Lemonade and Charli XCX's Brat. These albums have had a significant impact on the music industry and beyond. For example, one of the albums on the list became shorthand for a U.S. presidential campaign's entire online strategy, while another pushed the Recording Academy to create new Grammy categories.
One of the albums on the list also turned a home recording made by a teenager into the youngest Grammy sweep of the show's Big Four categories in history. This highlights the changing landscape of the music industry, where artists can now achieve success without traditional industry support.
## What changed The last decade saw a significant shift in how music is produced, released, and consumed. Streaming overtook physical sales as the dominant currency in music, and surprise midnight drops replaced months of promotional rollout. This change has allowed artists to respond to the shift in their own way, with some leaning into it and others betting against it.
## Why it matters The ranking of the 10 best pop albums of the last decade by cultural impact highlights the significance of these albums in shaping cultural conversations and pushing boundaries in music production. These albums have had a lasting impact on the music industry and beyond, and their influence can still be seen today.
The list also highlights the changing landscape of the music industry, where artists can now achieve success without traditional industry support. With the rise of streaming and social media, artists can now reach a wider audience and build a following without the need for traditional industry backing.
In conclusion, the 10 best pop albums of the last decade, as ranked by Quartz, have had a significant impact on the music industry and beyond. These albums have shaped cultural conversations, pushed boundaries in music production, and broken records in sales and streaming. As the music industry continues to evolve, it will be interesting to see how future albums are produced, released, and consumed, and what impact they will have on the industry and beyond.
