Needless to say, it’s been a time. Here’s SCAD Radio’s 10 favorite albums of the decade. Also, don’t forget to disagree with our Top 10 Song of the Decade list and our 2019 lists on the best songs and albums from this year.

#10 The Suburbs– Arcade Fire (2010)

“You only get one childhood.” Every Grandpa was onto something. Now we’re stuck reminiscing on our youth just like the Montreal collective, but with a fitting mix of good and bad recollections. Sure, you hated Middle School, but that doesn’t mean you wouldn’t pounce on the opportunity to go back and play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with your friends again. It’s this love/hate relationship we hold with our childhood that Arcade Fire dug up in a way only they could.

#9 Good Kid, M.A.A.D City– Kendrick Lamar (2012)

By the time 2012 rolled around, hip-hop had seen its fair share of hood-set origin stories. That didn’t stop Kendrick Lamar from making an album with a sprawling cast to detail his upbringing. Good Kid, M.A.A.D City plays like a biopic of the man behind it as a teen born into the violence and poverty of Compton. Its resonance comes in the LP’s ability to reach those beyond Section 8. Sure, it’s a tale of a kid coming up through the ghetto on the surface, but it’s a coming-of-age tale on the fight to fit in, a war the youth inevitably enter no matter their background.

#8 Electra Heart– Marina and the Diamonds (2012)

The artist of the alt-pop aesthetic back at a time when Billie Eilish was busy watching Saturday morning cartoons, Marina Diamandis’ soapy tale of the tragic titular starlet flashes a wider lens of commentary than its genre would have you believe. Electra may not have received as much mainstream recognition as Taylor or Katy- the LP’s themes were far too mature for family-friendly radio. That’s part of the appeal to Diamandis’ second full-length: it harbors the sound of our other pop heroes, but dares to go darker than your niece’s beloved boy bands.

#7 Blackstar– David Bowie (2016)

The world may have lost Ziggy back in 2016, though he got around to one final release two days before riding a tiger made of lightning into the afterlife. Blackstar makes up for Bowie’s 21st century hiatus, a swan song equivalent to Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” from an icon who proved to be a music genius ‘til the day he died.

#6 Blonde– Frank Ocean (2016)

The trademark example of “there’s no way it’s gonna be better than the debut” turned “holy sh*t, this is better than the debut,” Frank Ocean’s creamy style of sonically downbeat complexities is even more alluring than 2012’s Channel Orange. The gentle record dove deeper into Christopher Breaux’s fragile alter ego, one of the decade’s most fascinating enigmas.

#5 Lemonade– Beyoncé (2016)

First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes Blue Ivy in a baby carriage. Then comes Solange ambushing Hov in an elevator, and the saga is on. Lemonade was the precise type of medicine the A-list pair needed, but also a reminder to crumbling couples that love can conquer all. Not even Nicolas Sparks could craft such an authentic telling of the confusion, ire, and forgiveness of a love story rocked by infidelity. 

#4 Contra– Vampire Weekend (2010)

Unless you’re the woman who never consented to be used as the LP’s cover model, what’s not to like about Ezra Koenig & co’s second effort? Released all the way back in early January of 2010, the first great album of the decade elaborated on the chamber pop perfection of their eponymous debut, capitalizing on a VW trademark of upbeat sounds contrasting heavy lyrics. 

#3 To Pimp a Butterfly– Kendrick Lamar (2015)

Call Kendrick Lamar’s 2015 opus what you want: a dig on institutional racism, a gaze through the eyes of a celebrity headed for a downward spiral, a call to action for black communities, any of those and more are right. Every word from the Compton MC’s pen seeps into your soul, so much so that it’s impossible to gain everything without multiple respins. He hits with the smash of a slam poet and the layers of a Christopher Nolan film in hip-hop’s most epic adventure to date.

#2 AM– Arctic Monkeys (2013)

The official album of kids who were “too cool” to give in to the One Direction hysteria of 2013, the British rockers’ fifth effort is easily one of the most purely listenable LPs ever. The villain-intro riff to begin “Do I Wanna Know?,” the raging solo on “Arabella”, so many moments that have cemented a legacy to this generation, as well as good old rock ’n’ roll.

#1 Because the Internet– Childish Gambino (2013)

This LP holds the power to invoke cherished iPhone 5 playlist memories with the utterance of any of its quirky phrases. It was some kind of universal language to reference quips like the many puns or the monumentally simplistic Chance the Rapper feature. And my, how fitting the title is. One can imagine all the traffic Urban Dictionary must’ve picked up from awkward 14-year-olds wondering what a “GPOY” was. It’s got music for casual ears (“3005”), Monster-chugging teens cutting class (“Worldstar”), and Summer beach parties (“The Worst Guys”), all told from the perspective of its resident insecure weirdo. The dude even wrote a screenplay for it. If that doesn’t scream art school for you, I don’t know what does.  No wonder SCAD kids voted it the best album of the 2010s.

#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.

#10 III– The Lumineers

Run the Jewels and The Weeknd had successes this decade crafting trilogies, and The Lumineers added themselves to the list with one single album. III is an epic spanning three generations of a family ravaged by addiction. In the heat of the opioids crisis, the folk-rock band’s release is cinematic excellency aided by music videos pumping even more life to their universe that sadly isn’t unfamiliar.

#9 thank u, next– Ariana Grande

If a pop album has its playlist in all lowercase these days, that’s an inexplicable indication it’s gonna be great. What’s not inexplicable is that barely six months off of Sweetener, the former Nickelodeon star added another dose of sugar with thank u, next. Emanating as much fearsomeness as humility, it hosts different aspects of Grande’s worldview to the steamy (friends with benefits-ballad “bloodline”) to the serious (lowkey feminist anthem “fake smile”). The final trio is the dessert, a spicy Sound of Music mix in “7 rings,” the deliriously trappy “break up with your girlfriend, i’m bored,” and of course, the title track: an antithesis from the sappy heartbroken heroine cliché to cement Ari as one of pop’s most forward-thinking delights.

#8 Father of the Bride– Vampire Weekend

The flappy sounds of Vampire Weekend’s fourth LP mimic the pleasantness of your wedding day, but Koenig & co’s dark lyrics give the fear your loved one’s skeptical father would subliminally emit. The six-year hiatus taken by the band proved to be no downgrade whatsoever, even with the departure of one of their members.

#7 Cuz I Love You– Lizzo

With depression on the rise and the world seemingly crashing down for many people, Lizzo was the musical Prozac we needed. Though “Truth Hurts” and “Good as Hell” exploded this year, her debut offering is destined to go down as one of the most quotable albums ever. “Slow songs are for skinny hoes,” “only exes that I care about are in my f**king chromosomes,” just a few of the treasured chants for your shower concerts.

#6 Zuu– Denzel Curry

What Illmatic is for New York hip-hop, Zuu is where Miami throws their hat in the rap ring. This Zuu is where Curry showcases his roar. He’s an aggressive force on the mic with anecdotes of a place proven to be more than a flamboyant Spring break spot. You could call it one of the most well-written hip-hop albums of the era- until you find out Curry freestyled the entire thing.

#5 Dedicated– Carly Rae Jepsen

E•MO•TION catapulted Carly Rae Jepsen beyond just being the lady behind “Call Me Maybe,” and Dedicated proves her pop music alternative is here to stay. It’s caressing, but never feels too mushy with some slamming production here (“Now That I Found You”) and moderate hip-swaying there (“Want You In My Room”).

Read our review of Dedicated here.

#4- Norman F**king Rockwell!– Lana Del Rey

From Pepsi cola-flavored privates to erotic duets with The Weeknd, Lizzy Grant’s journey has been one of a kind. On her complex fifth album, she enters her final form as a sorrowful savant. Rockwell’s writing channels some of Lana’s finest work yet and has a heavier focus on piano than you’d ever hear from the Born to Die era. It’s stripped down compared to its predecessors, but moments like the outro on “The greatest” and the silky “doin’ time” cover helped Lana own 2019- let’s just forget about that Charlie’s Angels song…

Check out our review for this landmark album here.

#3- Igor– Tyler, the Creator

Once envisioned solely as a rapper, Tyler, the Creator dips his feet into some retro funk, a similar road Childish Gambino took with “Awaken, My Love!”. Igor plays like some kind of R&B opera, Jerrod Carmichael narrating the title goblin’s soupy love triangle that sonically speaking, is as abstract as the man behind it. 

#2 Better Oblivion Community Center– Better Oblivion Community Center

Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus weren’t the only duo to dominate 2019: Phoebe Bridgers and Conor Oberst’s terrific collaboration is as odd as their namesake would suggest. The pair fuses their powers marvelously, creating a dynamic with Oberst as the indie rock veteran and Bridgers as a rising star, but neither of them tries to outdo each other. This is their first collab (save for his feature on Bridgers’ 2017 debut), and tricks you into thinking they’ve been playing with each other for years- almost a modern-day Sonny and Cher.

#1 WHEN WE ALL FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?– Billie Eilish

It’s the culmination of the pop music redrawing that’s dominated this decade. Artists like Lana and Marina flipped the script with an authentic sound of their own, and Eilish and her brother’s craft is a clearly distinguishable method in their weird world. Finneas’ sunken set pieces, Billie’s ominously muffled vocals, it all may as well have a “TM” printed next to it. She isn’t one to try to baffle you with her enigma, rather one aware of her surroundings and wholly in touch with today’s youth- equal parts sarcastic (dad seducing on “bad guy”), swaggering (fiery “you should see me in a crown”), and self-depreciative (suicidal “listen before i go”). Every generation has a beloved musician journaling the era they were raised in- now Gen Z has Billie Eilish.

Regardless of your personal taste, everyone can appreciate a strong movie score. Different from the soundtrack, the score is the original music composed to set the mood. And there aren’t many genres that allow the freedom for experimental scores the same way horror does.

So whether you’re looking to get pumped for Halloween, something to listen to while reading a Stephen King novel, or something to fall asleep to—no one’s judging—here’s a list of top 10 horror movie scores that might be of some use.

10. Insidious (2010)

Composer: Joseph Bishara

The pluck, pluck, pluck, the distant whining—Insidious sets out to make you uncomfortable, afraid of what’s behind you,  (it’s probably that red-faced demon.) Its experimental cacophony of frantic strings and ghostly whaling dipping in and out is a textbook example of a score that supports whats on screen without distracting from the terror of the story.  It is both atmospheric and wildly entertaining on and off screen.

9. We Are What We Are (2013)

Composer: Philip Mossman & Darren Morris, Nick Garrie and Jeff Grace

A slow burn movie about a disturbed family of cannibals, We Are What We Are doesn’t require anything flashy. It excels at building dread.  With a gentle whirring, crickets, whispers, and a tragic piano, the soundtrack as a whole has such a strong sense of place. Where are you? You don’t know, but you’re standing in a field, overcast just after rainfall. Something’s wrong, but you can’t say what.  Less is absolutely more.

8. Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
   Composer: Charles Bernstein 

A classic for a reason, Nightmare on Elm Street’s soundtrack posses all of the terrifying fun of the movie.  It’s 80’s synth-flare never stopped being blood-pumping, and—in today’s age of 80’s nostalgia—creepily charming, for the lack of a better word. Filled with surprises, you’re not sleeping. Which, of course, is the point.

7. The Exorcist (1973)

Composer: Various Artists

While some may say, “the scariest movie of all time” doesn’t hold up—which is arguably not true—The Exorcist soundtrack absolutely does.  It makes you wait,  playing with your anticipation. Every track ebbs and flows, confusing you. Understanding that the scariest part of horror is the unexpected, The Exorcist exploits it. Serving as inspiration for many of the scores on this list, The Exorcist simply does it best.

6. The Witch (2015)

Composer: Mark Koven

A slow burn in the style of We Are What We Are, albeit more successful, The Witch does not require anything flashy either. With inspiration from many of the scores before it, The Witch finds a way to seamlessly combine them while simultaneously fusing a historical sense of place with modern familiarity. Feeling as if something is toying with you, the soundtrack is haunting with its sudden clacking, melodies, and chanting. Somehow, it’s terrifying and beautiful.

5. Halloween (1978)

Composer: John Carpenter

Absolutely iconic, the score itself feels like October, trick-or-treating, watching horror movies in the dead of night. We can all recognize the theme, but every track shines. It begs to be listened to with it’s building dread, frantic melodies. And while its tropes are very familiar, its sound is so closely tied to the late 70s-80s style of filmmaking and the fun of slashers, it is uniquely its own. Nothing says Halloween like Halloween.

4. The Omen (1976)

Composer: Jerry Goldsmith

The Omen will instill the fear of God into you.  Something evil, stronger than us brews beneath every track. Frightening, twisted and demented, the score grows and grows to terrifying heights. Rightfully so, the Catholic motifs of the movie are infused into its score. With the occasional gentle track, the score itself flows like the calm before the storm, only to damn you to hell.

3. Amityville Horror (1979)

Composer: Lalo Schifrin

Possessing some kind of child-like quality, Amityville Horror’s score feels very much of its time. With almost playful ghostlike voices and piano, there is a dreadful curiosity. The entire score feels like the feeling in your gut as you descend the stairs to a dark basement. You know you need to investigate, but it just might kill you.  It is the musical embodiment of yelling at the screen, “Turn around!  Go back home!”

It’s a surprising choice for a haunted house movie, but perfectly fitting.

2. Suspiria (1977)

Composer: Goblin

Composed by Italian prog-rock group, Goblin, Suspiria morphs the Tubular Bells melody of The Exorcist with the disturbed whispers, chantings and the screaming of “Witch!” to create something uniquely horrifying.  It is an assault, frightful and demented. You are being dragged to hell as the skies open up to the heavens.  It is the cornerstone of horror scores. You simply do not feel safe.

1. It Follows (2014)

Composer: Disasterpeace

It’s hard to pick a score better than Suspiria, and while It Follows may not be “better,” it is most definitely different.  And in this case, different goes a long way.  While there isn’t anything revolutionary, It Follows stands out from the crowd of horror scores. It doesn’t set out for the scares–although it does excel–but instead captures a haunting coming of age. Feeling painfully familiar and odd, Disasterpeace has somehow managed to exploit a shared nightmare. It is a score absolutely worth listening to and picking apart.