#10 “Take Me to Church”- Hozier

“Separation of Church and state.” A phrase that’s been under fire since Thomas Jefferson, up until the fight for marriage equality has engulfed the world. Hozier’s political ballad isn’t just a battle for gay rights, but a battle against government’s praise for the crucifix long before the American Constitution was even penned. His vocals roar like he’s singing in a massive cathedral, but only one in a world of equality- not religious restraints.

#9 “Video Games”- Lana Del Rey

The alt-pop movement of this decade to the likes of Billie Eilish and Lorde can be traced back to a single launching point. The nostalgic backdrop, grainy video, and willowy textures of Lizzy Grant’s alter ego exploded with this monumental single, one of the decade’s first viral music videos. Say what you want about her love-it-or-hate-it Born to Die, but “Video Games” complimented every trademark of the gangster Nancy Sinatra.

#8 “Still Into You”- Paramore

Enter Hayley Williams, an auteur of the alternative pop star brigade. Her band is one of the earliest invaders of an iPod shuffle for hits like “Misery Business,” and their pop punk persona continued well into the 2010’s with this fruity track about as colorful as Williams’ hair.

#7 “Formation”- Beyoncé

Despite being the only Lemonade cut off the beaten path from its dramatic narrative, the final track from the 2016 masterpiece is the dessert you’ll want to eat after taking your man to Red Lobster. Those instantly recognizable beginning zigzag chords flaunt Bey’s black pride anthem, oozing with lyrics ripe for an elaborate music video, a symbolic symphony of her heritage, and arguably music’s finest visual component to date. 

#6 “High Horse”- Kacey Musgraves

If John Wayne and KC & the Sunshine Band had a child, it would be Kacey Musgraves’ disco-country banger. A sneer at pretentious people that’s also a midwestern roadhouse’s dance night necessity, “High Horse” saddles up everything that’s made the Texas native’s take on country a thrill, even to those with more Rihanna than Reba in their blood. 

#5 “Somebody That I Used to Know”- Gotye feat. Kimbra

Aside from the knee-slapper jab “Now Gotye is just somebody that we used to know” currently flooding the comment section of its radiant music video, the pair’s breakup classic still holds a seismic impact, chugging well past a billion views. It’s not hard to see why, from the Australian singer’s subtle buildup leading into the iconic chorus. Then Kimbra emerges with an equally enticing backstory, securing the pair a deserved Record of the Year Grammy.

#4 “Pompeii”- Bastille

In an age of Katy Perry and Robin Thicke dominating radio, it was unusual to hear a Gregorian chant that started Bastille’s swing for the charts. Yet another track immediately recalled from its opening, the world through Bastille’s eyes was crashing down like the historical city of its namesake. The single erupted the charts, despite not being your typical Top 40 radio choice.

#3 “Alright”- Kendrick Lamar

It may be #3 on our list, but “Alright” is the most 2010s track of the decade. What our elders would say about the work of the Simon and Garfunkels of their day- “it’s more than a song.” That’s what this era will say for Kendrick Lamar’s fight song that became a Black Lives Matter anthem. Within the context of its album, 2015 landmark To Pimp a Butterfly, “Alright” is set the morning after a drunken night in a hotel room contemplating suicide. But the simple yet powerful message was a rallying cry for social justice that dominated the latter half of the 2010s.

#2 “Pumped Up Kicks”- Foster the People

A clear option for all of those “jumpy songs with dark lyrics” lists for the Buzzfeeds of the internet, Foster the People’s breakthrough is another track written by the headlines. This list has made it obvious we hold a liking for songs that tell of our age, and this epic that’s aged too well is an easy pick for the present’s musical time capsule.

#1 “Do I Wanna Know?”- Arctic Monkeys

Whether you first heard it from a Bacardi commercial or that hipster girl at school who showed you all the bands that’d eventually cram your playlist, “Do I Wanna Know?” brought Alex Turner’s crew higher than anyone labeled as “indie” could dream of. Unlike the ‘Creep by Radioheads’ of the world, it catered to the band’s core fans as well as that group of listeners who aren’t as cultured as you are.

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The first track, “Nina Cried Power”, flies you through a world of history and activism and ends with a strong sense of hope. Dropping names like John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, B.B. King and so many others, here Hozier gives us an anthem for freedom and uprising. Civil rights activist and gospel singer Mavis Staples fits perfectly on this track with her remarkable voice. It has the choir feel and deep lyrics of Hozier’s other hits, but something in the drum pitch and scattered melody gives it a different sense. I’d definitely recommend watching the music video to get the full feel of this track!

The second track “NFWMB”, is an acronym for the main line of the chorus “Nothing f*cks with my baby”. The guitar intro immediately brought me back to “It Will Come Back” from his first album. With a softer sound, biblical references, and a romanticizing of darkness and death, this track brings us back to why we fell in love with Hozier.

Next, “Moment’s Silence (Common Tongue)” sticks to that sense of rebellion we get in “Nina Cried Power”, but this time with sex. It opens with a hard bluesy riff and moves us through a story of rebelling against a conservative view on sex. The melody in the verses follows the guitar riff pretty spot on but feels slightly forced in some lines. This, as well as the two prior tracks, ends on an abrupt note that makes it feel a little rushed.

Finally, the most “Hozier-sounding” track, “Shrike”. All at once this track is heavy and endlessly elegant. Opening with a folky Irish guitar riff, the singer speaks of a lost relationship, reminiscing in it, and takes the metaphor of the bird, a shrike, to bring it to us. The only track that doesn’t end abruptly, this gorgeous melody throws us into a world of cozy melancholy. His Irish accent strong and clear, the singer opens with lines of regret: “I couldn’t utter my love when it counted/ but I’m singing like a bird about it now” and hopes this lover won’t forget in the lines “Remember me, love when I’m reborn/ As a shrike to your sharp and glorious thorn.” Hozier does an amazing job of not only telling us a story here, but also wading us through the water in lines drenched in poetry.

I love Hozier, but I honestly didn’t think too much of the EP right away. But after listening to it again and focusing on the lyrics a bit more, I certainly feel closer to loving it now.

SCAD Radio gives the EP a 4.5/ 5.

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