let's unpack my unhealthy obsession with 2010s club music

yes, i am specifically talking about the black eyed peas' just can't get enough.

all of these songs have one thing in common – i should be hearing them in a club.

the pandemic has stripped away one of the best things about my college town, which is the gay club down the street from my old apartment complex. something about hearing ms. grande’s thank u, next about 4x a night was riveting. honestly though, i miss clubs, but i’m partying in an imaginative club in my head and the soundtrack to my metaphorical girls’ night out is this playlist.

if you’re familiar with the vampire diaries, i am longing to experience that scene. to be fair, that’s vague and can describe a lot of memorable scenes. but, in this instance, i’m talking about the scene of damon and elena in 4x04.

oh, to be two angsty vampires dancing to calvin harris at a dimly-lit party.

i find music from the 2010s era to be an addictive listen, and i’m actually getting nervous for my spotify charts of 2021. in 2020, i embarrassingly had pop as my #1 genre after constantly telling others that i have an unique music taste. my superiority complex and i were humbled very quickly.

i’ve been trying to expand my taste in music while simultaneously expand my word choices in the world of music journalism. i realized that pop comes in many forms, like synth-pop, bedroom pop and electro-pop. it’s visible that songs like i gotta feeling and we r who we r did not have the most captivating lyrics, but let’s talk about that unmatched cultural impact that they (and many others) share.

there’s just something emotionally moving about a group of songs that immediately places you in a club in 2010. picture flo rida’s club can’t even handle me right now beginning as you’re making your way through a club. can you even remember what a club looks like anymore? it’s been so long. focus! this imaginary club solely plays songs from the 2000s-2010s, and i can’t tell if it’s my vodka cran or the nostalgia – but i’m having a good time. i’m convinced that clubs that play 2010s pop don’t exist, but i’m crossing my fingers that tiktok will revive the genre just in time for clubs to safely be reopened.

overall, there’s something addictive about 2010s pop music and its shitty, oddly similar cover art. i hope this resonates with someone else too, and if you couldn’t relate to it, play one of will.i.am’s iconic collaborations from this era of pop and check back in. while the pandemic is (hopefully) wrapping up, i’ll be jamming to this playlist in my house with my led strip lights.

ps: if you can think of any songs to add to this playlist, please share with me!