In 2010, niche genres like moombahton made their mark and EDM gained renewed appeal among young people who related to its themes of partying and personal empowerment.
Dubstep quickly evolved from underground sound to main stage banger, while electro exploded onto the scene with deadmau5’s 4×12 = 12. Pop artists also began blurring boundaries between traditional pop and dance music genres.
1. Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance”
Gaga first made her mark on dance culture with an unconventional performance and provocative fashions in 2010, and has become one of the most successful female artists of all time. Drawing inspiration from performers like David Bowie during his Ziggy Stardust period and New York Dolls singer Grace Slick as well as musicians Freddie Mercury and Clarence Clemons of the E Street Band; Gaga fused synthesized dance music with provocative costumes (wigs, space-age bodysuits) for an innovative new pop style that combined in-depth storytelling with provocative fashions; creating her signature style of in-depth storytelling with seductive swagger all in her unique neo-pop style that blends deep storytelling with seductive swagger.
Gaga made waves with her debut album, including popular tracks like “Poker Face” and “Just Dance.” Since then, she has sold more than 125 million albums worldwide and become a major film actress.
Australian group Pendulum made waves on the dance scene in 2010 with their album ‘Immersion.’ Tracks such as ‘Witchcraft, Watercolour and The Island’ became major hits; but one remix by Steve Angello, AN21 & Max Vangeli made an even greater impact, played by major DJ’s such as Tiesto across the globe and becoming an unprecedented worldwide success story.
The 2010s witnessed an expansion of dance music into mainstream pop, as rappers such as Iggy Azalea and Ed Sheeran collaborated with superstar DJs to craft massive dance anthems like “Clarity”. Its club-ready beats and drop are representative of this trend while its lyrics express frustration over failed summer romances.
Swedish House Mafia returned to their roots on this single with an irresistible piano and vocal hook, featuring elements of EDM to ensure its success as an irresistible pop-EDM hybrid. As the decade closed out, dance music continued its rise around the globe thanks to artists like Bad Bunny and PSY proving beat-heavy pop as an international language.
2. LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem”
When most people think of dance music in 2010, their minds might not immediately turn to images depicting drunken clubgoers gyrating drunkenly while wearing neon spandex and clutching beer bottles while singing songs like “Hieroglyphics in your eyes!,” yet that was exactly what made this duo’s infectious single so special – with its irresistibly catchy synth-squeaking shuffle and nonsensically romantic lyrics (“Hieroglyphics in your eyes, they’re just hieroglyphics”) making this irresistibly catchy song top the Hot 100 chart for six weeks in 2011 before being named Song of Summer 2011.
Now, eight years later, “Party Rock Anthem” sounds like something from another time; an era when top charts had more rapid rotation and people could wear tank tops that read “Everyday I’m Shufflin.” Yet despite its relative obscurity, “Party Rock Anthem” remains an enduring club classic thanks to its upbeat hook that still manages to stand out amid today’s more subdued music production and stand out as fun and exuberantly catchy!
LMFAO was formed by rapper Redfoo and producer SkyBlu of Los Angeles club-kid scene; their style owed much to dance-rap groups such as Fannypack and Ninjasonik. However, this duo also embraced trends from blog-house and electronic worlds, producing songs which blended elements of hip hop with 1980s synthpop music and jungle drum ‘n bass into songs that reached worldwide charts with success, earning itself rare diamond certification status in its album Sorry For Party Rocking.
Today, their signature track is still popular with wedding DJs who need something memorable for wedding receptions – as well as being a reminder of an era when EDM was the go-to choice in pop music. “Party Rock Anthem” serves as a powerful anthem that reminds listeners exactly what makes for a good dance song!
3. Usher’s “OMG”
Usher’s hit from 2010 that bridged EDM and pop music is unquestionable: his track featuring an acrobatic bassline, soaring vocals and pulsing house beats is sure to get bodies moving! Additionally, this song helped Usher reclaim his place as the premier male R&B artist in America, leading him to perform at Super Bowl LVIII halftime show alongside will.i.am two years later.
2010 saw many mainstream dance hits emerge thanks to EDM’s meteoric rise, with more club tracks making their way onto chart music than ever before – such as Zedd teaming up with A-list artists for massive hits like Miami 2 Ibiza by Swedish House Mafia which introduced everyone to their commercial sound and set off an uptick of hip/hop and dance production collaborations.
Nicky Romero achieved unprecedented success with “Toulouse.” The track’s catchy hook and nuanced groove set off a revival of radio-ready deep house, turning Romero into an instant star. Remixes by Steve Angello and Madeon ensured its lasting relevance within dance music culture.
Porter Robinson made headlines in 2010 with the release of his debut album ‘Virtual Self’ that served as an ode to early 2000s rave culture. Its combination of tempos, synth sounds, visuals and rave culture elements formed an intoxicating futuristic love story while opening doors for new subgenres of electronic music such as psytrance and jungle drum’n’bass.
As part of their debut album “Immersion”, Pendulum released their album ‘Immersion” featuring tracks such as ‘Witchcraft,” Watercolour,” and “The Island,” all of which received remixes by big names including Steve Angello and AN21.
4. Skrillex’s “Cinema”
Skrillex made his mark in EDM during the 2010s by revolutionising it with his signature screeching synths and wobbly basslines, inspired by UK drum ‘n’ bass and dub sound. These sounds stirred something visceral among American youth; suddenly electronic music had moved beyond clubs into popular culture as never before; over time he went from underground producer to global icon and one who has expanded recorded sound limits like no one before him in dance music history.
Skrillex’s remix of Benny Benassi’s “Cinema” introduced dance music to a wider audience while cementing his position as one of the premier producers in dance music. Additionally, this official hit on Billboard charts saw its original version reach number one on Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart and top 10 on Pop Hits; since then many versions of it have been reworked by artists like RL Grime and Baauer while its timeless synths remain.
With its signature breakbeats and dramatic drop, this track was the first anthem to reach number one on the U.K. dance charts and quickly become a festival classic. Alana Watson’s beautiful vocals remain undamaged even though its popularity has seen various remakes from Skrillex’s fellow producers reaching new audiences through various mediums.
As a result of its success, “Levels” became an integral part of Skrillex’s live shows around the globe – even making an appearance at my show in San Francisco! Recently I even witnessed Dave Chappelle crowd-surf to an Inception-esque mix of “Levels” into “Cinema” at one show; I will always cherish this memory! Skrillex delivered an outstanding performance; this first gig marked his journey across multiple states including larger venues like The Independent in downtown San Francisco!