[Bonus] Best Of The 2010's

Back in early 2016 I made a post highlighting the best picks of the first five years of the decade. And of course there was the timeline post, too. But now with the 2010's behind us, it's time to see which of the top songs of each year would come out on top in a battle of the best. To make things simple, each year brings one candidate to the table. I contemplated giving some of the runner-ups a chance (because there have been some damn good #2 picks over the years) but that wouldn't be fair to all the songs who claimed the gold medal. This was arguably the hardest song ranking piece I've ever had to write. Let's see how the stars of the 2010's match up against each other.

#10. Ailee - Heaven (2012)

Make no mistake, the fact that "Heaven" is a debut track making a top 10 such as this is impressive. Plus, it's the only debut track to have accomplished such a feat. Some debuts have been good, but never this good. "Heaven" is a sublime power ballad that showcases Ailee's technique, power, and range all in one song. Ailee's powerful vocals have always been the center of attention for obvious reasons and her career started off on quite the introduction.

#9. 2NE1 - Ugly (2011)

The only knock I really have on "Ugly" in the context of the rest of these songs is that it's decidedly safe in most respects. Don't get me wrong it's still an emphatic dance number. I also love the lyrics and message that this song delivers, but some of the traditional YG mannerisms show up - in particular the chant-esque bridge - which by themselves are not bad, but fail to stand out compared to others here.

#8. IU - Blueming (2019)

The trouble with writing a list like this so soon after 2019 ended is there hasn't been enough time for the newest song to simmer in the ol' library you know? Because while "Blueming" is brilliant, it loses out against other tracks simply because it came out the latest. Still, IU's switch of styles provides a relaxing and soothing listen. No doubt after a couple years we will look back upon its legacy like some of the other songs here but for now it'll nestle itself at 8th place.

#7. 9MUSES - Wild (2013)

I will forever die on the hill that 9MUSES were the best girl group in Kpop during 2013 and exhibit A of my argument is "Wild." Fast-paced from start to finish, featuring explosive rapping and vocals, "Wild" is their magnum opus and shows the peak of what 9M could have been if not for pathetic management out of Star Empire. Erin, Sera, and Hyuna are downright masterful with their execution and everyone else pulls their weight, too. The pair of rap breaks out of Erin and Eunji may be the best 1-2 out of any girl group song ever.

#6. EXO - Call Me Baby (2015)

With the diverse genres that appear on this list, "Call Me Baby" is the second premier dance track on the list. EXO's vocals are suave and smooth, with the highlights (across both language versions) coming from D.O, Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen. And of course you can't talk about "Call Me Baby" without talking about the choreography. It's sleek, fun, and exciting. Plenty of intricate moves to show off difficulty combined with fanservice moments as well. Out of the many songs my college dance crew has covered, this was the one I really wanted to be in.

#5. Soyu & Junggigo - Some (2014)

When talking about Kpop in 2014, there is only one thing that everyone praises: "Some." This lovely duet charmed its way into listeners ears and hearts worldwide and was pretty much a ballad phenomena. Sistar's Soyu and Junggigo's voices blend together in a delicate mixture of sweetness as they sing about some relationships. The legacy and impact of this song alone vaults "Some" into the top half, but a subpar rap showing out of Lil Boi prevents them from moving up any further.

#4. IU - Palette (2017)

Unlike "Some," the combination between singing and rapping is nothing but smooth in "Palette." Obviously, it helps when you have two paragons of the industry in IU and G-Dragon teaming together. IU's vocals are nothing short of pristine while G-Dragon delivers a smooth performance, and both are to the high standards that each member has. This song is so relaxing, it works any time, any day, anywhere. Finally, I'll never not mention IU doing GD's rap herself when discussing "Palette." That shit is simply too good to ignore.

#3. BTS - Save Me (2016)

BTS have done many, many things throughout their career. They've shattered records and sales left and right. But I've yet to see them release something as perfect as "Save Me." This has become the quintessential dance track in all of Kpop and for good reason. Structure-wise, "Save Me" is superb. It's one of those songs that uses an instrumental chorus and actually makes it work. Jungkook and V spearhead the vocal effort and Jimin provides strong secondary support. Three different styles of rapping are represented and none of them feel out of place. Throw in a clean and somber ending and you have a masterpiece.

#2. Red Velvet - Bad Boy (2018)

Velvet version of Red Velvet is unstoppable. Try to change my mind. Between songs like "Automatic," "One Of These Nights," and "Psycho," they're showing that despite the energetic addicting dance tracks, the soulful R&B side is way more dangerous. And the most dangerous song of all was 2018's best piece "Bad Boy." Classy, mature, and elegant, "Bad Boy" was absolutely stunning and highlighted by their vocal juggernaut duo. Wendy and Seulgi are divine here, with Yeri and Joy in fantastic support roles, too. Top things off with a clean English version (minus the opening line I mean seriously SM what the hell) and you've got the second best song in the last decade.

#1. IU - Good Day (2010)

Yeah, Red Velvet gave it their best, but could not best one of Kpop's golden (platinum?) children. "Good Day" transcends time and space itself with the quality and agelessness of the track. IU's vocals are so consistent that it creates a seamless transition within her discography. New listeners likely wouldn't be able to tell which songs were from earlier in her career and which came later. That final three note run is beyond description - try and sing that in one breath as cleanly as she did. Hell, if I remember correctly she straight up had to stop doing it in live performances because it'd have killed her throat or whatever. "Good Day" proves that an oldie is still a damn good goodie as it reigns above all others during the 2010's.