The 2010s was an era when dance songs were produced at lightning speed. The decade is seen as a turning point for music, and amazing artists released popular songs with viral dance moves. Here are 21 dance songs from the 2010s that have been notably memorable and defined the decade.
1. Born This Way – Lady Gaga
“Born This Way” by Lady Gaga was inspired by 1990s music to empower people of color, women, and the LGBT community. The lyrics revolve around self-empowerment and quickly became known as a “club-ready anthem.” This dance song has synth sounds, a strong bass, and additional drums throughout the chorus. In the end, it also features an organ.
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2. Shake It Off – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” was released in 2014. It features an uptempo beat along with a saxophone line. The dance-pop song focuses on Swift’s feelings towards negative views toward her. The song spent 50 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and is known as Swift’s transition from country music to pop.
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3. We Found Love – Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris
“We Found Love” by Rihanna is a song written and produced by DJ Calvin Harris. The song premiered in 2011 as an uptempo electro house song. It features elements of multiple genres, such as dance-pop, techno, and Europop.
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4. Telephone – Lady Gaga Featuring Beyoncé
Lady Gaga’s “Telephone” with Beyoncé is a dance song that came on her third album. It is about preferring to be on the dance floor rather than answering her lover’s call. It is said to be a metaphor for people who criticize Lady Gaga for not having to work hard enough. The song was originally written for Britney Spears, who turned it down.
5. Look What You Made Me Do – Taylor Swift
“Look What You Made Me Do” by Taylor Swift was written and produced by Jack Antonoff. The song was released after she took a one-year hiatus and is known as one of the most memorable comebacks in pop music. The song features dance-pop, electropop, and progressive pop aspects.
6. Only Girl (In the World) – Rihanna
Released in 2010, Rihanna’s “Only Girl (In the World)” is a song that features an uptempo and lively beat. It includes a strong bass and a noticeable synthesizer. It has an electronic composition but it is still considered a dance-pop song.
7. Havana – Camila Cabello Featuring Young Thug
“Havana” by Camila Cabello was initially released as a promotional single but was later released as a single on her debut album. The song became a global hit and reached number one in 23 countries.
8. Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
Canadian artist Carly Rae Jepsen released “Call Me Maybe” in Canada in 2011 and in America a year later. The song was originally written as a folk song but was later produced as a dance-pop song. It is seen as a bubblegum pop track that centers around love at first sight.
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9. Get Lucky – Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams And Nile Rodgers
“Get Lucky” by the duo Daft Punk was released in 2013 and features the singer Pharrell Williams along with guitarist Nile Rodgers. It was co-written by all four artists. This song was inspired by house, disco, and funk music, creating a dance-pop track.
10. Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO Featuring Lauren Bennett And GoonRock
“Party Rock Anthem” by the music duo LMFAO with musicians Lauren Bennett and GoonRock. This 2011 single reached number one on the charts in the summer. The song is almost entirely an electronic composition with an uptempo beat.
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11. OMG – Usher Featuring Will.i.Am
Usher’s song “OMG” with will.i.am features auto-tune in several lines. It also includes a sports arena chanting, and while the song had a mixed reception among critics, it quickly became a public hit. It used dance and club aspects to create a dance-pop song.
12. Lights – Ellie Goulding
“Lights” by Ellie Goulding was released in 2011 and spent over a year on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is known as a sleeper hit since it reached number two on the Hot 100 after 33 weeks. It is praised for its production and Goulding’s vocals.
13. Uptown Funk – Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars
Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk” was released in 2014 and features Bruno Mars. The song’s composition started as a freestyle session in a studio while Ronson and Mars were working together. It showcases many styles, such as funk-pop, soul, disco-pop, and boogie.
14. California Gurls – Katy Perry featuring Snoop Dogg
“California Gurls” by Katy Perry became her lead single off of her third studio album. The song features the rapper Snoop Dogg and includes disco-pop and funk-pop compositions with electropop influences. It quickly became labeled as a “summer anthem” and became a global success.
15. Super Bass – Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass” was released on her debut studio album, Pink Friday. The song centers around romance and features electronic influences and hip-hop beats. It was praised and quickly received positive reviews, noting that it “defined” the decade.
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16. Latch – Disclosure featuring Sam Smith
“Latch” by the music duo Disclosure features vocals from Sam Smith. The song was released in 2012 and debuted on their studio album in 2013. It was first released in the UK and became an immediate hit. In the United States, the song was a sleeper hit, slowly reaching the peak of the charts in August 2014.
17. Closer – The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey
The music duo the Chainsmokers released “Closer” in 2016, which featured vocals from the singer Halsey. The song uses elements of future bass and pop genres while also using a retro-style synthesizer.
18. The Edge of Glory – Lady Gaga
“The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga was released on her second studio album. This 2011 single became a quick success. The song features pop, electro-rock, and disco elements that focus on the last moments of life. It became critically acclaimed and was noted as a highlight of the album.
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19. Fancy – Iggy Azalea featuring Charli XCX
“Fancy” by Iggy Azalea was released as a single on her debut album. The song features vocals from Charli XCX and was written by the two artists. It quickly reached number on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for seven weeks.
20. Anaconda – Nicki Minaj
“Anaconda” by Nicki Minaj was released in 2014 and became her highest charting single on the Billboard Hot 100. The single features samples from “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-a-Lot and broke a 24-hour streaming record on Vevo by gaining over 19 million views on the day of its release.
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21. What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction
One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful” was the boy band’s debut single. The song features an uptempo beat along with guitar riffs throughout the song. It easily became a commercial success and made the English-Irish pop band noticed by all audiences.
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As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.