2020s in music

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For music from a year in the 2020s, see 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25

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This article outlines trends in popular music during the 2020s, primarily in The United States and English-speaking countries. The early years of the decade were particularly challenging for the music industry, as the COVID-19 pandemic forced widespread concert cancellations and disrupted traditional live performances. In response, video platforms like TikTok quickly rose to prominence, becoming key tastemakers and driving musical trends by launching viral hits. By mid-2023, the industry recorded its highest annual revenue to date ($8.4 billion), partly due to the growth of streaming subscriptions. Key artists in the 2020s included Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Nicki Minaj, Lady Gaga, Billie Eilish, Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar, Olivia Rodrigo, The Weeknd, Megan Thee Stallion, Sabrina Carpenter, Tate McRae, SZA, BTS, Blackpink, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Tame Impala, Morgan Wallen, Doechii, Harry Styles, Bad Bunny, JPEGMafia, Danny Brown, Travis Scott, Doja Cat, Tyla, Black Country, New Road, Playboi Carti, Phoebe Bridgers, Benson Boone, Alex Warren and Tyler, the Creator.

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the cancellation or postponement of numerous music-related events scheduled to take place in the early 2020s, including major tours, festivals, and television appearances. Due to the restrictions, many artists conducted virtual experiences as an alternative to live events (e.g. Dua Lipa's Studio 2054 and Taylor Swift's Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions).^[1] The COVID-19 pandemic has also resorted artists to postponements or rescheduling of major tours to at least a year or two from their initially scheduled tour dates, examples including The Stadium Tour (co-headlined by Mötley Crüe and Def Leppard), Ozzy Osbourne's headlining tour No More Tours II and Rage Against the Machine's reunion tour.^[2][3][4] 2020s also marked the massive rise of genreless music and fragmentation of music thanks to COVID-19 lockdowns for isolation and loneliness, and the use of internet, streaming media, TikTok with its algorithm, playlists and unlimited access. Katy Perry's concert residency, Play happened during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

TikTok emerged as a key musical tastemaker for Generation Z during their adolescence and Generation Alpha in their early childhood, shaping their music tastes through viral songs and trends. Similar to short-form video platforms of the 2010s like Vine, TikTok's interactive content—such as comedy skits, fan edits, memes, dance routines, and makeup tutorials—helped songs gain popularity as users incorporated them into their videos. While viral success on TikTok didn't always translate to lasting success on the Billboard Hot 100, it had a unique ability to pull relatively unknown artists out of obscurity. These artists built impressive fanbases and often attracted attention from major labels, leading to opportunities to sign record deals. TikTok's focus on music, niche communities and pop culture fandoms allowed these artists to thrive within specific subcultures and subgenres.

Strategic collaborations with popular TikTok creators, sponsored hashtag challenges, and the use of licensed music in viral videos became integral components of contemporary music marketing strategies. The TikTok Billboard chart was created in September 2023 to meet the demand for viral audios from the platform.^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]}

In 2020, LP records surpassed compact disc (CD) sales for the first time since 1986, LP records 28.7% ($619.6 million) with the rapid decline in CD sales by 23% ($483 million), with 62% ($1.1 billion) of revenue derived from physical music sales across the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) 2020 Year-End Music Industry Revenue Report.^{[11][12][13][14][15]}

The 2020s saw the continued impact of streaming on the record industry, a trend that began in the 2010s. Platforms like Spotify played a central role in shaping music trends, driving the success of both mainstream and emerging genres. Social media, particularly TikTok, further amplified music with viral trends, while popular genres like pop, hip hop, r&b, rock music including pop punk and shoegaze, country, k-pop and indie music dominated the Billboard Hot 100 charts. At the same time, underground genres like hyperpop, plugg, jersey club, phonk and rage thrived in niche communities.^{[16][17][18][19][20]}

British rock magazine Kerrang! wrote that Olivia Rodrigo's "Good 4 U" (2021) led the commercial comeback of rock music in 2020–2021, noting how it is the first rock song since Evanescence's "Bring Me to Life" (2003) to spend four or more weeks atop the UK Singles chart, alongside chart success of other rock-adjacent artists, such as Willow Smith, Machine Gun Kelly, Måneskin, and Miley Cyrus.^[21] Slate proclaimed that Rodrigo "might be the dying genre's best hope", pinpointing that "Good 4 U" is the "most up-the-middle rock song to top the [U.S.] Hot 100 in a decade or more".^[22]

Media outlets and fans online observed a music trend called "Sad Girl Autumn" or "Sad Girl Fall" in the early 2020s, which refers to the release of melancholic and introspective music by female artists during autumn, such as Swift's Red (Taylor's Version), Adele's 30, Clairo's Sling, Phoebe Bridgers' Punisher, and Mitski's Laurel Hell; it is a counterpart to "Hot Girl Summer", a catchphrase coined by American rapper Megan Thee Stallion with her 2019 song of the same name.^[23]

The drive for nostalgia and the desire to return to pre-pandemic life significantly influenced the shift toward older music, particularly in 2022. Data from 2021 and 2022 showed that 70% of music demand was for songs from the past, a trend that continued to grow each year.^[24][25] The top 200 most popular songs accounted for only 5% of total streams, with that percentage halving over the previous three years. In 2022, older musicians like Bob Dylan, Stevie Nicks, and Bruce Springsteen sold their music rights for hundreds of millions of dollars, capitalizing on this nostalgia-driven demand.^{[26][27][28][29]} While these iconic names had long enjoyed popularity, research indicated that the vast majority of new downloads in 2022 were songs at least two years old. Established artists from the previous decade, such as Taylor Swift, Drake, The Weeknd, Ariana Grande, Kendrick Lamar, Bad Bunny, Harry Styles, and Justin Bieber, continued to dominate the charts, benefiting from their strong fanbases and major label support.^{[30][31][32][33]} During the early half of the decade, mainstream artists such as Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, and Lil Nas X remained popular, thanks to their major label backing. In 2022, fans of indie and alternative music embraced a critical reappraisal of shoegaze. This revival, driven by online music communities, also spurred a renewed interest in music from the 1980s and 1990s. The trend reflects a broader cultural shift during the pandemic era, where listeners turned to older music.^{[24][25][34][35][36]}

In the 2020s, Christmas music not only dominated the Billboard charts every December, but it also consistently took over the Top 10, year after year, thanks to streaming. These chart-topping hits were mostly "legacy songs"—timeless holiday classics that had been around for decades. A prime example is Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas Is You," which repeatedly reached No. 1 and remained in the Top 10 throughout the decade.^[37][38][39] Streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music helped these songs surge in popularity every holiday season, with algorithms favoring nostalgic tracks. The rise of streaming changed how people consumed music, allowing Christmas classics like Carey's hit, Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," and Wham!'s "Last Christmas" to not only chart but dominate the Billboard Top 10 for several years in a row. This shift solidified the presence of Christmas music at the forefront of the holiday season in the 2020s.^[40][41]

In 2023, the music industry recorded its highest revenue of all time, with over $8.4 billion in the first half of 2023. The RIAA reported that the number of people with streaming subscriptions had more than doubled since 2019.^[42] The Eras Tour, Taylor Swift's sixth headlining concert tour, became a cultural and economic phenomenon as well.^{[43][44][45][46]}

Around 2024, AI-generated music created with tools like Udio or Suno became sophisticated and popularized.^{[47][48][49][50]}

On July 5, 2022, American music magazine Billboard published an article listing "The 25 Musical Moments That Defined the First Quarter of the 2020s" in chronological order.^[51] They are:

• Controversy regarding American music executive Deborah Dugan's position as the Recording Academy president/CEO
• Murder of American rapper Pop Smoke
• Cancellation of Austin music festival South by Southwest 2020
• Release of both Folklore (2020) and Evermore (2020), the eighth and ninth studio albums by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, as a surprise
• Billboard Hot 100 number-one debut of "Dynamite", a 2020 single by South Korean pop group BTS
• Sale of American musician Bob Dylan's music catalog to Universal Music Group
• Billboard 200 number-one debut of El Ultimo Tour del Mundo (2020), the third studio album of Puerto Rican rapper-singer Bad Bunny
• Release of "Drivers License" (2021), the debut single of American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo
• Release of "Montero (Call Me by Your Name)", a 2021 single by American rapper Lil Nas X, and its music video
• A concert at Madison Square Garden by American rock band Foo Fighters after a 15-month lockdown
• Release of "WAP", the 2020 single by American rappers Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, and its music video
• "Blinding Lights" (2019) by Canadian singer the Weeknd becoming the longest charting song of all time on the Hot 100
• Universal Music Group becoming a public company
• "Essence" (2020) by Nigerian singer Wizkid entering the top 10 region of the US Hot 100
• Stampede at the opening night of Astroworld Festival, a concert by American rapper Travis Scott, killing 10 attendees and injuring hundreds—the deadliest concert tragedy in nearly two decades; it resulted in around 400 lawsuits.
• Hot 100 number-one debut of Swift's 2021 song "All Too Well (10-Minute Version) (Taylor's Version) (From the Vault)" being the longest duration number-one song on this chart.
• A Los Angeles concert in support of former gang leader Larry Hoover by Canadian musician Drake and American rapper Kanye West
• Release of Encanto, a 2021 animated musical fantasy film by Disney
• Vinyl LPs surpassing CDs in annual sales (2021) for the first time since 1991
• Unanticipated popularity and commercial resurgence of "Running Up That Hill", the 1985 single by British singer-songwriter Kate Bush, following its usage in science fiction horror television series Stranger Things
• Death of Taylor Hawkins, the drummer of Foo Fighters, in March 2022
• Songs from Taylor Swift's Midnights monopolizing the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 on the week of 5 November 2022

At the beginning of the 2020s, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Olivia Rodrigo, Harry Styles, Bruno Mars, Doja Cat, The Weeknd, Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, and Lil Nas X emerged as some of the top-selling pop contemporary acts.^[52][53][54] In the early years of the decade, several music executives and journalists projected Adele's album 30 to sell over a million copies in its opening week in the US.^[55] However, when the album sold 692,000 copies instead, The New York Times questioned, "If Adele couldn't sell more than a million albums in a single week, could any artist?" In October 2022, Taylor Swift's Midnights debuted with over 1.1 million pure album sales, leading Rolling Stone to declare that Swift had "once again moved the goalposts regarding what the music industry can see as possible from a major pop star."^[56][57][58]

Alongside these major stars, artists like Sabrina Carpenter, Charli XCX and Chappell Roan also gained popularity during this time, marking their own rise in the music scene. Although they were not as commercially dominant, they became increasingly influential within pop music culture.

This period in pop music marked a time of remarkable success, with albums like Midnights, Sour, After Hours, Future Nostalgia, and Renaissance achieving widespread success, with Midnights standing out for its extraordinary, cross-format success—something not seen since the 1990s.

Olivia Rodrigo is widely considered the biggest breakthrough act of this decade.^[59] She is regularly praised for her revival of pop-punk, along with her diaristic songwriting that is especially relatable to younger generations.^[60] Released to instant critical and commercial acclaim, her debut album, Sour spent multiple weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart in 2021.^[61] Rodrigo's singles "Drivers License" and "Good 4 U" became commercially successful, with both topping the Billboard Hot 100 in their debut weeks.^[62] Rodrigo went on to win Best Pop Solo Performance for "Drivers License", and Best Pop Vocal Album for Sour at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. The momentum she received the year prior also awarded her with Best New Artist at the ceremony.^[63] Rodrigo released her sophomore studio album, Guts, to instant acclaim. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, and the lead single to the album, "Vampire", spent multiple weeks atop the Hot 100 chart.^[64][65] She ventured on the Sour Tour and the Guts World Tour, with the latter becoming one of the highest-grossing arena tours of 2024.^[66]

Sabrina Carpenter had a massive breakthrough in pop music in 2024 after opening for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour.^[67] Following the success of her fifth studio album, Emails I Can't Send in 2022, Carpenter began to gain momentum with pop hits like "Nonsense" and "Feather".^[68] In 2024, Carpenter released her sixth studio album, Short n' Sweet to massive critical and commercial acclaim, with the album debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.^[69] The album contained hits "Espresso", "Please Please Please", and "Taste", with all three songs peaking in the top three of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[70] In this decade, Carpenter embarked on the Emails I Can't Send Tour, as well as the Short n' Sweet Tour, with the latter being her first arena tour.^[71] Carpenter went on to win Best Pop Solo Performance for "Espresso", and Best Pop Vocal Album for Short n' Sweet at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.^[72]

Chappell Roan reached newfound success in 2024 following the success of her single "Good Luck, Babe!".^[73] Her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess was met with critical and commercial acclaim after many of its tracks went viral, including "Pink Pony Club", "Red Wine Supernova", and "Hot to Go!", with the latter having a viral crowd-friendly dance associated with it.^[74] Her success was assisted by her notorious Coachella and Lollapalooza sets, with the latter performance becoming the most attended set in the festival's history.^[75] Roan also opened for Olivia Rodrigo's Guts World Tour earlier in the year.^[76] Her music resonates most with queer people due to her relatable lyricism regarding sapphic relationships and the tribulations that come with growing up in rural America.^[77] Roan was awarded Best New Artist at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.^[78]

Tate McRae released her debut album I Used to Think I Could Fly in 2022 to acclaim.^[79] In 2023, McRae released her single, "Greedy" to instant commercial success, with the song peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.^[80] Her second studio album, Think Later was released later that year to critical commercial acclaim.^[81] Her third studio album, So Close to What, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, her first to do so.^[82] McRae is praised for her choreography, and is often compared to Britney Spears when performing live.^[83]

Gracie Abrams released her first two albums, Good Riddance and The Secret of Us, in 2023 and 2024, respectively. After opening for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour, Abrams' songs "I Love You, I'm Sorry" and "That's So True" became commercially successful, with the latter reaching the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[84]

Miley Cyrus' seventh studio album, Plastic Hearts, was credited as a front-runner to the resurgence of pop-rock music, especially that of the 1970s-1980s.^[85] Critics claimed her transition from pop music to rock brought forth a nostalgic feel, one that will seemingly become a trend this decade.^[86] Her eighth studio album, Endless Summer Vacation, was preceded by the number one single, "Flowers", which was met with instant commercial success, becoming the fastest song to reach 100 million streams on Spotify—within a week.^[87] At the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, Cyrus was awarded with Record of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Flowers", marking her first wins at the ceremony.^[88] Cyrus won Best Country Duo/Group Performance at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards for her collaboration with Beyoncé, "II Most Wanted".^[89]

Billie Eilish released her second studio album, Happier Than Ever, to critical acclaim in 2021. The follow-up to her 2019 commercial breakthrough, When We all Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, Happier Than Ever was received extremely well by critics for its inclusion of stadium rock hits, such as "Happier Than Ever", and more intimate ballads, such as "Male Fantasy".^[90] The album went on to be nominated for Album of the Year, as well as Best Pop Vocal Album at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. In 2023, Eilish was featured on the Barbie movie soundtrack, with her song "What Was I Made For?". The song became an instant success, and allowed Eilish to win her second Academy Award for Best Original Song.^[91] In 2024, Eilish released her third studio album to instant critical and commercial acclaim, titled Hit Me Hard and Soft. The album featured hits such as "Birds of a Feather" and "Lunch", with both peaking in the top five of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[92] This decade, Eilish ventured on Happier Than Ever, The World Tour and Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour. The former allowed Eilish to become the youngest touring artist to gross over 100 million a single tour.^[93]

Ariana Grande found continued success in the 2020s with her sixth and seventh studio albums, titled Positions and Eternal Sunshine, respectively. Both reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart for multiple weeks each.^[94][95] Positions uses heavy 1990s R&B and pop elements, crediting samples from popular artists from that decade, such as Aaliyah.^[96] This album spawned the hits "Positions" and "34+35", with the former topping the Hot 100 chart.^[97] Eternal Sunshine gave Grande two more number one hits, with "Yes, And?", and the critically acclaimed "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)"^[98] In 2024, Grande also starred as Glinda in Wicked, her biggest role to date.^[99]

Lady Gaga released her sixth studio album, Chromatica, to instant acclaim in 2020.^[100] The album spawned number one single "Rain on Me" with Ariana Grande,^[101] as well as "Stupid Love", which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.^[102] At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, "Rain on Me" won Best Pop Duo/Group Performance.^[103] In 2021, Gaga released her second and final collaborative album with Tony Bennett, Love for Sale, which was his last album before his death in 2023.^[104][105] Gaga collaborated with Bruno Mars on number one single "Die with a Smile" in 2024,^[106] which won them Best Pop/Duo Group Performance at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards.^[107] In 2025, Gaga released her seventh studio album, Mayhem, to instant acclaim, with the album debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.^[108]

Dua Lipa became a force in pop music after the success of her second studio album, Future Nostalgia.^[109] The album spawned massive hits, such as "Don't Start Now" and "Levitating", with both peaking at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.^[110] The album went on to win Best Pop Vocal Album at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.^[111] In 2023, Lipa was featured on the Barbie movie soundtrack, with her hit "Dance the Night", peaking at number six on the Hot 100 chart.^[112] In 2024, Lipa released her third studio album, Radical Optimism to acclaim, with the album garnering her highest sales week ever on the Billboard 200 chart.^[113] This decade, Lipa ventured on the Future Nostalgia Tour, her first arena tour, and her Radical Optimism Tour.^[114][115]

Harry Styles garnered his first Billboard Hot 100 number one hit in 2020, "Watermelon Sugar", after the success of his 2019 album, Fine Line.^[116] He went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards for the song.^[117] In 2022, his third studio album, Harry's House, was released to instant acclaim, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200 chart with over half a million sales.^[118] The album spawned the singles "As It Was" and "Late Night Talking", with the former remaining at number-one for 15 non-consecutive weeks on the Hot 100.^[119] Harry's House went on to win Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.^[120] From 2021 to 2023, Styles embarked on the Love On Tour, which would become one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time, peaking at number four.^[121]

The 2020s in music have been heavily influenced by a resurgence of musical elements brought to life in the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s.^[122][123]

• Motivated by early 1970s experimental and synth pop music, Taylor Swift's Midnights drew influences from this era. Her lead single "Anti-Hero" incorporated vintage synthesizers, and was met with critical acclaim and instant commercial success.^[124] Swift became the first artist ever to occupy the Hot 100's entire top 10 simultaneously with "Anti-Hero" at number-one.^[125] Midnights went on to win both Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.^[126] Swift's re-recording of her fifth studio album, 1989 (Taylor's Version), was released in October 2023. The original album was inspired heavily by 1980s synth pop, and the re-record scored the highest first-week sales of 2023.^[127]
• Influenced by the 1980s retro musical elements, Lizzo and The Weeknd incorporated heavy disco, funk, and synth-pop influences in their works such as Special and After Hours, respectively; all albums were met with commercial and critical acclaim.^[128] Lizzo's single "About Damn Time", and the Weeknd's "Blinding Lights" and "Save Your Tears" were commercially successful.^[129][130] "Blinding Lights" went on to become the biggest Billboard Hot 100 song of all time, spending 90 weeks on the chart—the most for any song.^[131] "About Damn Time" went on to win Record of the Year at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards.^[132]
• Kate Bush's song "Running Up That Hill", which was actually released in the 1980s, gained a massive following after having a pivotal role in the fourth season of Stranger Things.^[133] Metallica's 1986 single "Master of Puppets" also saw a revival because of its inclusion in the show.

Selena Gomez released her first Spanish-language project, Revelación, in March 2021. It incorporated urbano influences.^[134]

The soundtrack of Encanto, Disney's 2021 animated fantasy film, written and produced by American playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda, was a viral phenomenon, enjoying widespread popularity on the internet. It has spent multiple weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart. Far Out called the phenomenon "Encanto-mania".^[135] The TikTok videos tagged with the hashtag "#encanto" have received more than 11.5 billion views in total, as of January 23, 2022.^[136][137] The most popular song of the soundtrack was "We Don't Talk About Bruno", a salsa tune which experienced widespread commercial success in 2022.^[138] "Dos Oruguitas" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 94th Academy Awards.^[139]

On September 29, 2022, Aguilera performed "La Reina" at the 2022 Billboard Latin Music Awards and received the Billboard Spirit of Hope Award.^[140] La Luz, the third and final EP from Christina Aguilera, was released that same day and featured a spoken intro by Aguilera and "No Es Que Te Extrañe".^[141][142]

Even though hip hop/rap music saw a subtle decline in streaming popularity, established artists such as Drake, Tyler The Creator, Nicki Minaj, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar maintained their presence with successful album rollouts that garnered significant Billboard chart success throughout 2020–2024.^{[143][144][145][146]} Rappers such as Drake, Nicki Minaj, Metro Boomin, Post Malone, J Cole, Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, Lil Durk, JID, NLE Choppa, Chris Brown, Lil Baby, 21 Savage, Gunna, Rod Wave, YoungBoy Never Broke Again, Future, and Playboi Carti dominated mainstream hip hop discussions. In 2022, Nicki Minaj became the first female rapper to debut at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with Super Freaky Girl since Lauryn Hill’s Doo Wop (That Thing) in 1998. Her album Pink Friday 2 debuted atop the Billboard 200 charts with 228,000 sales in its first week, the highest for a female rapper to date this decade. In 2024, Kendrick Lamar's song "Not Like Us" had a notable impact on the Billboard charts. It entered the Billboard Hot 100 and achieved a high ranking, reflecting its commercial success. The track also performed well on various genre-specific charts, such as Billboard's Hip-Hop/R&B Songs chart. Its strong debut and sustained presence on the charts highlighted its popularity and resonance with listeners during that period.^{[147][148][149]} Additionally, Kendrick Lamar achieved six number-one hits in 2024.^[150]

Michigan rap, particularly from Detroit, had a significant influence on hip-hop in the 2020s. Detroit's style, which combined elements of trap and gangsta rap, played a role in shaping both underground and mainstream rap. Artists such as Tee Grizzley, Sada Baby, Babyface Ray, Veeze, Polo G, Icewear Vezzo, Babytron, and 42 Dugg blended street stories with trap-influenced beats, creating a unique sound that resonated across the U.S. Many of these artists appeared on the Billboard Hip-Hop charts, which helped establish Michigan's presence in national hip-hop.

Late in the 2010s and early 2020s, a generation of artists emerged with party rap music that emphasizes feminism and queer empowerment. Artists such as Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, Doechii, Doja Cat, BIA, City Girls, Baby Tate, Saweetie, GloRilla, Sexyy Red, Flo Mili, Lil Nas X, Latto, Rico Nasty, and Ice Spice became prominent hip hop artists. Nicki Minaj has been atop of the highest selling female rappers of the 2010s and 2020s, with her fifth studio album Pink Friday 2 becoming the first female rap album to debut at number one on the Billboard 200 chart this decade. Female rappers achieved widespread popularity and helped create the market for women in the predominantly male mainstream hip-hop genre thanks to their openly sexual lyrics and danceable instrumentation.

Artists such as JPEGMafia, Clipping, Danny Brown, Run the Jewels, Moor Mother, Jungle Pussy and Genesis Owusu dominated the industrial hip hop scene in the early 2020s. Visions of Bodies Being Burned, the fourth studio album by American hip hop group Clipping, was released on October 23, 2020, through Sub Pop and received positive reviews from music critics.^[151][152]

The feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar emerged as a major mainstream hip hop event during the mid-2020s, influencing multiple facets of American hip hop culture throughout the rest of the decade. Lamar's diss tracks, particularly "Not Like Us," released in 2024, directly challenged Drake's position in the genre.^[153][154] This came amid the resurfacing of allegations against Drake, including claims of grooming underage fans, which added complexity to the public narrative. "Not Like Us" amplified the scrutiny surrounding Drake, affecting his public image.^[155] In 2024, the rivalry played a significant role in shaping the Billboard Hip Hop charts, with Lamar dominating the top spots.^[156][157] Drake's "Push Ups", "Like That" and Lamar's "Meet the Grahams" alongside "Euphoria" performed well commercially.^[158][159] As the feud unfolded, the mainstream hip hop community largely sided with Lamar, viewing him as the more authentic and socially conscious artist. Many fans and industry figures rallied behind Lamar's stance, praising his lyricism and political awareness. In contrast, Drake faced growing disdain due to not only the resurfacing allegations but also the "culture vulture" accusations. Critics accused Drake of appropriating hip hop culture for commercial gain, borrowing from various styles and trends without fully contributing to the culture's roots.^[160] This perception, combined with the ongoing allegations, further soured his relationship with much of the American hip hop community. The media played a significant role in amplifying this division, often framing Lamar as the voice of the culture and questioning Drake's authenticity. As the feud between Drake and Lamar grew, things became more heated when Drake filed a court petition against his and Lamar's record label, Universal Music Group(UMG), in late 2024. Drake accused the label of artificially inflating Lamar's streaming numbers on Spotify, claiming this made the charts unfair and hurt his position in the music industry.^{[161][162][163]} At the 67th Grammy Awards, Kendrick Lamar won the Record of the Year and Song of the Year award for Not Like Us.^{[164][165][166]} The song "Not Like Us" saw another resurgence following Kendrick Lamar's explosive halftime performance with SZA, where he performed several diss tracks aimed at Drake, including the fan-favorite.^{[167][168][169]}

Megan Thee Stallion had two number one hits in the early half of the decade, including her collaboration with Cardi B titled "WAP"^[170][171] and her hit single "Savage". She released her debut album, Good News, to acclaim.^[172] At the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, Megan was awarded with Best New Artist, and her collaboration with Beyonce on "Savage" won both Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance.^[173] In 2022 and 2024, Megan released her albums Traumazine and Megan, respectively. In 2024, her single, "Hiss", debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[174]

Doja Cat quickly became one of the best-selling artists of the decade, with her breakthrough in late 2019.^[175] Her first number-one single, "Say So", aided this process, as it brought the public's attention to her work.^[176] In early 2021, Doja released the lead single "Kiss Me More" to her third studio album, Planet Her. The song received instant acclaim, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100.^[177] After the release of Planet Her, Doja secured two more top-ten hits, with "Need to Know" and "Woman", peaking at number eight and seven, respectively.^[178] Planet Her became one of the best-selling albums of the decade, spending 26 weeks in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 chart.^[179] Her fourth studio album, Scarlet, debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart, and was preceded by the number-one single, "Paint the Town Red".^[180]

Doechii reached newfound success in 2024 after the release of her critically acclaimed mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal.^[181] The mixtape spawned multiple viral hits, such as "Nissan Altima" and "Denial is a River".^[182] At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Doechii became the third woman to ever win Best Rap Album, doing so for Alligator Bites Never Heal.^[183]

Ice Spice reached popularity with the release of her debut EP, Like...?, launching her into commercial success. She was featured on PinkPantheress' "Boy's a Liar Pt. 2", giving both artists their first top ten hit.^[184] Spice's song, "Princess Diana" reached the top ten after a remix with Nicki Minaj was released.^[185] Taylor Swift released a remix with Spice on her song "Karma", which resulted in a peak of number two on the Hot 100 chart.^[186] Spice and Minaj collaborated once again for the Barbie soundtrack with their single "Barbie World", which samples "Barbie Girl" by Aqua—the song also charted within the top ten.^[187] Spice was nominated for Best New Artist at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.^[188]

Rage rap, which emerged in the late 2010s and continued into the 2020s, represented a significant shift in the evolution of hip-hop, characterized by high-energy performances and intense, aggressive soundscapes. This subgenre relied on distorted beats, fast tempos, and emotionally charged lyrics to create an atmosphere of chaos and raw aggression. The genre's intensity was reflected in both the production and vocal delivery, with artists pushing boundaries in rhythm, tone, and overall sound.^[189][190]

The development of rage rap was influenced by a blend of underground hip-hop movements, including cloud rap, plugg music, experimental hip-hop, and southern hip-hop, all of which helped shape its unique sonic characteristics. Playboi Carti was a pivotal figure in the rise of rage rap. His 2020 album Whole Lotta Red encapsulated the genre's essence with its high-energy beats and abrasive vocals. Carti's influence extended beyond his music as he became a leader within the Opium label, which played a significant role in the genre's growth. By supporting artists like Destroy Lonely and Ken Carson, Carti helped maintain the genre's momentum.^[191] The Opium label itself became a key institution for rage rap, with its distinct "Opium look" reflecting the experimental nature of the music.

Other artists, such as Yeat, Summrs, Nettspend, Rich Amiri, Ian, SoFaygo, 2hollis, OsamaSon, Cochise, TyFontaine, Lancey Foux, and KanKan, also played important roles in defining and diversifying rage rap.^[192][193] While these artists brought their own influences to the genre, they maintained its core principles of intensity, aggression, and chaotic energy, helping rage rap gain wider recognition, particularly in underground hip-hop circles.^[194][195]

In 2020, TikTok popularized the hip hop style drift phonk—a genre that was generally explored by music producers in Ukraine, Russia and Belarus.^[196] In May 2021, following the rise in popularity of the genre Spotify released an official curated phonk playlist.^{[citation needed]}

Musicians such as The Weeknd, SZA, Bruno Mars, H.E.R., Bryson Tiller, Muni Long, Summer Walker, Jhené Aiko, Silk Sonic, Victoria Monét, Khalid, Daniel Caesar, PinkPantheress, Miguel and Chris Brown dominated the 2023 R&B Billboard charts.^[197][198]

SZA released her second studio album, SOS, which became her first number one on the Billboard 200,^[199] and spent twelve weeks atop the chart—the most weeks of any female R&B artist since 1986, with Whitney Houston's self-titled album.^[200] All of its 23 tracks charted on the Hot 100, becoming the second artist after Swift to chart 20 songs in a single week.^[201] One of its singles, "Kill Bill",^[202] was a major commercial success, peaking at number one on the Hot 100 chart, becoming her first song to do so.^[203] Another single, "Snooze", reached a new peak of number two on the chart almost ten months after its release.^[204] SZA was the recipient of three Grammy awards at the 66th Annual event, including Best Progressive R&B Album for SOS, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Ghost in the Machine" with Phoebe Bridgers, and Best R&B Song for "Snooze".^[205] SZA embarked on her first arena tour, the SOS Tour, in 2023.^[206] In 2024, SZA released Lana, a reissue of her sophomore album, SOS.^[207] The album was preceded by the single "Saturn", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[208] At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, SZA won Best R&B Song for "Saturn".^[209]

Steve Lacy earned his first number-one song on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Bad Habit".^[210]

Victoria Monét reached newfound success in 2023 after the release of her debut studio album, Jaguar II, a direct follow up to her 2020 EP, Jaguar.^[211] Her single "On My Mama" became her highest-charting song on the Billboard Hot 100.^[212] Monét was the recipient of Best New Artist at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, along with Best R&B Album and Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical for Jaguar II.^[213]

The 2010s saw the rise of "poptimism" within the indie and alternative music scene, a trend that continued into the 2020s.^[214] Alternative music audiences embraced alternative artists who incorporated pop production and pop song structures, blending Lofi sensibilities with mainstream appeal.^[215][216] Artists like Mitski, Clairo, TV Girl, Boygenius, The 1975, Tame Impala, Wallows, Steve Lacy, Hemlocke Springs, Lana Del Rey, Lorde, Girl in Red, D4vd, Beabadoobee, and Cavetown became key figures on the Spotify Indie/Alternative charts.^[217][218] This group of artists exemplifies the blurring of genre lines in the streaming era, where even mainstream acts like Billie Eilish, Melanie Martinez, and Twenty One Pilots are often classified as indie or alternative, despite being signed to major labels and receiving regular airplay on pop radio.^[219] Subgenres of indie music such as indie pop, bedroom pop, and sapphic pop remained the culturally dominant subgenres throughout most of the 2020s.^{[220][221][222]}

Influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, many artists created unplugged, "stripped-down" music mainly driven by acoustic or classical music instruments and melancholic subject matter. Taylor Swift shifted from mainstream pop to adopt indie folk, alternative rock, and chamber pop styles. She released two of the best-selling albums of 2020, Folklore and Evermore.^[223][224] Both debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, with their respective lead singles, "Cardigan" and "Willow" doing the same on the Hot 100 chart.^[225][226] Folklore spent a record eight weeks atop the Billboard 200,^[227] and won the Album of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards.^[228] Journalists contextualized both the albums as timely "pandemic projects", exploring the period's struggles through introspective and escapist themes.^[229][230]

Lana Del Rey released two folk-inspired studio albums in 2021: Chemtrails over the Country Club and Blue Banisters.^[231][232] Her ninth album, Did You Know That There's A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd, was released in 2023 to instant acclaim.^[233] The album was nominated for Album of the Year at the 66th Grammy Awards, with single "A&W" being nominated for Song of the Year, among other things.^[234]

Lorde ventured into psychedelic folk-pop in her third studio album, Solar Power, an apparent contrast to her previous album Melodrama.^[235][236] This transition from dance pop and electropop into indie and folk-pop has garnered the term "solar powerification", as many other artists have also made this shift. A prominent example includes Carly Rae Jepsen, with her changeover from her disco-infused albums Dedicated and Dedicated Side B into her stripped back, synth-based record The Loneliest Time.^[237][238]

Boygenius released their debut album, The Record, to instant acclaim. The Record became the highest-charting album for any of the members thus far, debuting at number one on the UK Album Chart, and number four on the US Billboard 200.^[239][240] The band went on to win three awards at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards, including Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for "Not Strong Enough" as well as Best Alternative Music Album for The Record.^[11]

Hozier released his third studio album, Unreal Unearth to instant acclaim. The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, and two of the singles preceding the album, "Eat Your Young" and "Francesca" reached the number one spot on Billboard's Adult Alternative chart.^[241] In a reissue of the album, Hozier released the song "Too Sweet" to instant acclaim, with the song becoming his first number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.^[242]

Social media expanded the exposure of indie artists for established acts such as Tame Impala, Arctic Monkeys, The 1975, Steve Lacy, Rex Orange County, Mac Demarco, d4vd, TV Girl, Clairo, Laufey, Girl In Red, Men I Trust, Alex G, Lana Del Rey, Wallows, Beach Bunny, Phoebe Bridgers, Boygenius, Beabadoobee, Faye Webster, Her's, Dayglow, Current Joys, The Neighbourhood, Cigarettes After Sex, Joji, Boy Pablo, Beach House, and Mitski to lesser known artists like Black Country, New Road, Ethel Cain, Hemlocke Springs and Black Midi.^{[243][244][245][246]}

Glass Animals' breakout song "Heat Waves" stayed number one on the Billboard Alternative Charts for seven weeks in 2021, making it one of the most successful singles of the year.^[247] English singer-songwriter PinkPantheress released her debut mixtape To Hell with It, which received widespread acclaim in reviews from music critics upon release. To Hell with It was named the third best album of 2021 by Time and the fifth best album of the year by The New York Times's Jon Caramanica and Gigwise.^{[248][249][250]} Joji's "Glimpse of Us" peaked at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart upon its release, marking the singer-first songwriter's visit to the region.^[251] The song, which was released on June 10, 2022, received almost immediate acclaim, rocketing up the Official Singles Chart and also debuting straight inside the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100.^[252]

The Billboard Hot 100 in the early 2020s was dominated by American country music. Luke Combs, Morgan Wallen, Zach Bryan, The Red Clays, Whiskey Myers, Kacey Musgraves, Lainey Wilson, Kane Brown, Shaboozey, Chris Stapleton, Jelly Roll, Warren Zeiders and Tyler Childers were just a few of the musicians that achieved success outside of the Nashville bubble and found mainstream music.^[253][254]

Dangerous: The Double Album by American country singer Morgan Wallen became the first country album to spend its first four weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart since Shania Twain's Up! did so in January 2003.^[255] In 2023, Wallen's One Thing at a Time lead the Billboard 200 for nine consecutive weeks following its release.^[256] Having finished third on American Idol, country artist Gabby Barrett released her debut single "I Hope" in 2019. It reached number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart dated April 25, 2020,^[257] and eventually topped the Hot Country Songs chart dated July 25, 2020, making it the first debut single by a female artist to top the latter since 2006.^[258]

Swift's re-recordings, Fearless (Taylor's Version) and Red (Taylor's Version), were the top two best-selling country albums of 2021.^[259] Her decision to re-record her masters sparked worldwide interest, making Swift the first artist to have a re-recorded album reach number one on the Billboard 200, with Fearless (Taylor's Version).^[260] Her second re-recorded album, Red (Taylor's Version) also debuted at number one.^[261] The latter included "All Too Well (Taylor's Version)", a non-single at just over ten minutes, that became the longest song in history to chart at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.^[262] Her third re-recording, Speak Now (Taylor's Version) was released in 2023 to instant critical and commercial acclaim, becoming the most streamed country album in a single day in Spotify history.^[263]

Beyoncé released her first country album, Cowboy Carter, in 2024, to instant critical and commercial acclaim.^[264] The album was preceded by number one single "Texas Hold 'Em",^[265] and followed up with Miley Cyrus collaboration "II Most Wanted", which reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100.^[266] The album sparked controversy, mainly due to a long history of anti-Blackness in the country music industry, resulting in Beyonce receiving zero nominations at the 58th Annual Country Music Association Awards.^[267] At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, Beyonce was the most nominated artist with eleven nominations.^[268] She went on to win Album of the Year and Best Country Album for Cowboy Carter, and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for "II Most Wanted".^[269]

Country music's crossover appeal continued to grow during the early part of the decade, and it reached its zenith so far in the decade in August 2023, when for the first time since the inception of the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, the top three spots were occupied by country songs. At number one was "Try That in a Small Town" by Jason Aldean, followed by Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" at number two and Luke Combs' "Fast Car".^[270] This bested an occurrence that happened twice previously wherein the top two songs on the Hot 100 were country songs: May 31, 1975, by "Before the Next Teardrop Falls" by Freddy Fender and "Thank God I'm a Country Boy" by John Denver;^[271] and during a three-week span from February 21 to March 7, 1981, "9 to 5" by Dolly Parton and "I Love a Rainy Night" by Eddie Rabbitt.^[272]

Kacey Musgraves' fourth studio album Star-Crossed received attention for its inclusion of disco and dance-pop, but sparked a genre categorization controversy with the Grammy Awards regarding its status as a "country album".^[273][274] Musgraves released her fifth studio album, Deeper Well, to acclaim, with the album marking her highest sales week to date.^[275] The album was praised for its return to a more country sound.^[276] Musgraves won the Grammy Award for Best Country Song at the 67th Annual Awards for "The Architect".^[277]

In 2023, country-folk singer-songwriter Oliver Anthony became the male solo act with the most entries in the history of the top 50 Digital Song Sales in a single week at once while still alive, charting 13 songs simultaneously—Prince and Michael Jackson had exceeded that count only following their deaths.^[278]

Regional Mexican music began to receive significant mainstream attention in the early 2020s. It was around 2021 that regional Mexican artists began to crack the Billboard 200 charts, marking a significant milestone for the genre as it gained visibility in the broader U.S. music scene, traditionally dominated by English-language music. Artists like Natanael Cano and Peso Pluma played key roles in this shift, incorporating modern sounds like trap and reggaeton into traditional regional Mexican styles.^[279][280]

By 2023, Regional Mexican music experienced an unprecedented surge in popularity, achieving remarkable success on the Billboard Hot 100 and other major charts. Key artists such as Peso Pluma, Junior H, Christian Nodal, Natanael Cano, Eslabon Armado, Fuerza Regida, and Grupo Frontera were at the forefront of this movement. These artists not only saw their music dominate streaming platforms, radio stations, and digital music charts but also developed massive fanbases across various regions, marking a significant milestone in the genre's rise to mainstream recognition. Subgenres of regional Mexican music, including corridos tumbados, sierreño, norteño, and ranchera, made notable appearances on the Billboard Hot 100 from 2020 to 2024, reflecting the genre's growing influence.^{[281][282][283][284][285][286]}

The genre's growing presence at major music festivals, award shows, and in the media further solidified its importance within the global music landscape. Collaborations between regional Mexican artists and musicians from other genres helped amplify the genre's reach, bringing it to new audiences and reinforcing its growing influence worldwide.^[287]

The genres hard rock and heavy metal had declined in mainstream popularity by the early 2020s. However, Italian hard rock band Måneskin rose to worldwide prominence following the band's win at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with their song "Zitti e buoni".^[288] The Four Seasons' "Beggin'" covered by Måneskin reached the top ten on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. and was ranked 66 in Billboard Year-End Hot 100 chart of 2021.^[289] Several veteran acts have continued to maintain popularity worldwide, including AC/DC, whose 2020 album Power Up reached number one on the charts across the globe (including the United States, United Kingdom and their homeland Australia),^[290] while Iron Maiden earned their first top-five album on the Billboard 200, Senjutsu, for the first time in its 41-year recording career.^[291] Other veteran heavy metal acts, including Testament and Dream Theater, debuted on the inside of top 100 on the Billboard 200 with their respective albums Titans of Creation and A View from the Top of the World.^[292][293]

Soft rock is showcased through albums like Haim's Women In Music Pt. III, released to critical acclaim, the album received a nomination for Album of the Year at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards, making them the first all-female band to be nominated for this award. Their single "The Steps" also received a nomination for Best Rock Performance.^[294][295]

Nu metal saw its resurgence and the interest is at its highest since Google Trends started tracking searches in 2004. Deftones, Slipknot, Korn, Limp Bizkit had gone viral on the internet and gained popularity among Generation Z.^{[296][297][298]}

Hardcore punk scene blew up in the early 2020s with considerable commercial and critical success. Turnstile and Knocked Loose were the most popular acts of this wave. Turnstile are the first rock act to join Rolling Loud, and Knocked Loose was booked to play at Coachella.^{[299][300][301]}

The early 2020s have seen a clear resurgence of 2000s alt-pop and pop-punk, which has been embraced by rock music circles.^[302][303] Olivia Rodrigo is a pop artist who incorporated pop-punk elements into her music in the 2020s.^{[304][305][306]}

Paramore released their first album in six years, This Is Why, to commercial acclaim, with the album debuting at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. The band is considered to have brought pop-punk back into the mainstream, a genre in which they were a major part of in the late 2000s.^[307] The album went on to win Best Rock Album at the 66th Grammy Awards, with the song "This Is Why" winning Best Alternative Music Performance.^[308]

• Artists such as Machine Gun Kelly, Willow Smith, Maggie Lindemann, Meet Me @ the Altar,^[309] Kenny Hoopla, Origami Angel, Waterparks, Magnolia Park and Travis Barker released tracks that achieved general praise from the public. Tickets to My Downfall by Machine Gun Kelly reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart in 2020. Willow Smith collaborated with Travis Barker from Blink-182 on the song "Transparent Soul" which reached the top 10 on the rock charts. Avril Lavigne also returned to the genre in collaborations with Barker and Mod Sun. The Chaos Chapter: Freeze and the repackage Fight or Escape by the Korean boyband Tomorrow X Together brought pop punk and emocore references, mainly on their lead singles "0X1=Lovesong (I Know I Love You)" and "Loser=Lover".^[310]
• In another crossover phenomenon of the early 2020s several established rap artists released pop punk material, including Machine Gun Kelly, The Kid Laroi, Blackbear and Mod Sun.^[311]
• The 2020s also marked the reunion of My Chemical Romance; in addition to their reunion tour, they released their new single The Foundations Of Decay.^[312] The bands Panic! At The Disco and Fall Out Boy also made comebacks with the former's album Viva Las Vengeance^[313] and the latter released their album So Much (For) Stardust after going on the Hella Mega Tour with Green Day and Weezer.^[314] Veteran punk bands Blink-182 and Simple Plan have also released new music.^[315][316]

After a period of relative obscurity in the 2000s and early 2010s, Shoegaze experienced a resurgence in the mid-2010s and early 2020s with the emergence of new bands like DIIV, Nothing, and Whirr, who drew inspiration from the classic Shoegaze sound while incorporating modern production techniques and songwriting sensibilities. In the 2020s, this revival continued to gain momentum, with a growing number of contemporary bands incorporating Shoegaze elements into their music. Additionally, social media platforms like TikTok have helped to raise the profile of Shoegaze among Zoomer audiences, introducing the genre to a new generation of listeners. Contemporary Artists such as Wisp, Julie,^[317] Narrow Head, DIIV, Quannnic, FlyingFish, Jane Remover, Glare and Modern Color gained prominence in online music discussion circles.^{[318][319][320][321]}

Hyperpop is a subgenre of electronic music that combines experimental dance production with pop songwriting. Hyperpop-adjacent musicians such as Charli XCX, Ayesha Erotica,^[322] Dorian Electra, Odetari, Slayyyter, A.G Cook, Quinn, Alice Longyu Gao, Gupi, Hannah Diamond, Yung Lean, Midwxst, Arca, Ericdoa, Frost Children, underscores, 6arelyhuman, Glaive, Kim Petras, Jane Remover, Alice Glass, ElyOtto, Ecco2k, That Kid,^[323] Bladee, and 100 gecs produced songs that were well received and became popular in niche LGBT music circles.^[324]

Scottish musician Sophie, who revolutionized avant-pop and experimental pop genres and represented transgender people in the electronic music scene, died on January 31, 2021.^[325]

Charli XCX is considered the front-runner in bringing the hyperpop genre to mainstream listeners.^[326] In 2020 and 2022 she released her albums how i'm feeling now and Crash, respectively. The former connected with listeners during the COVID-19 pandemic due to its themes of self-reflection and isolation.^[327] In 2024, her sixth studio album Brat was released to critical and commercial acclaim, becoming a new peak for XCX in terms of album sales.^[328] The album rollout sparked a major internet trend, known as "Brat Summer", which brought a newfound spotlight onto XCX and her past projects.^[329] Many of the singles from this album went viral, namely tracks like "360", "Girl, So Confusing", "Guess", and "Apple", with the latter having a popular dance on TikTok attached to it.^[330] XCX embarked on her first arena tour in 2024, Sweat, which was co-headlined with Troye Sivan.^[331] At the 67th Annual Grammy Awards, XCX won Best Dance/Electronic Album for Brat, as well as Best Dance Pop Recording for "Von Dutch".^[332]

Beyoncé ventured into house music with her 2022 album, Renaissance.^[333] The album was met with instant critical and commercial acclaim, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.^[334] The album was preceded by number one single, "Break My Soul",^[335] and was followed with "Cuff It", which reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100.^[336] At the 65th Annual Grammy Awards, she won Best Dance/Electronic Album for Renaissance, Best R&B Song for "Cuff It", and Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Plastic Off the Sofa".^[337]

Jersey club is a fast, aggressive dance music style rooted in Baltimore's fusion of house and hip hop. It features harder kick sounds and chopped samples, with a distinctive "bounciness" due to its triplet percussive pattern. Common audio programs used in Jersey club's include Sony Acid Pro and FL Studio.^[338] 2018-2020 saw the resurgence of Jersey club music as artists like Unicorn151, Chad B, DJ Jay Hood, Cookiee Kawaii, and Uniiqu3 created original rap songs using Jersey club beats. This format allowed radio stations like Hot 97, Z100, Power 105.1, and Sirius XM to play these records regularly, gaining a wider audience.^{[339][340][341][342][343]} In 2022, Lil Uzi Vert released their song "Just Wanna Rock" which incorporates elements of Jersey Club and has since peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.^[344] In 2023, many commercially successful K-pop songs began using elements of the Jersey Club drum pattern such as "Ditto" and "Super Shy" by NewJeans, and "Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's Wife" by Le Sserafim.^[345][346]

In the 2020s, breakcore underwent a revival, bringing a different sound than the songs that were previously produced in the 1990s. It also added a new aesthetic focus on anime, 2010s nostalgia, video games and internet culture. Machine Girl and Goreshit were considered to be influential to the revival's new sound and aesthetic.^[347]

Movie soundtrack albums have been receiving newfound attention, recently coined "The Barbie Effect", due to the profound impact from movies like Barbie.^[348] Multiple songs from the film went viral, and charted on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was preceded by hit singles like Eilish's "What Was I Made For?", as well as Charli XCX's "Speed Drive", both charting on the Hot 100. Songs that reached the top ten included Lipa's "Dance the Night", and Minaj and Ice Spice's "Barbie World", which featured the original singers of "Barbie Girl", Aqua. Barbie the Album debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, becoming the highest-charting soundtrack album of 2023.^[349]

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The 2020s have featured some heavily successful group debuts. In November 2020, BTS became the first Korean pop artist to be recognized by the Recording Academy when "Dynamite" received a nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards; they were again nominated the following year with "Butter".^[350][351] On April 16, 2022, 2NE1 reunited after 6 years with a surprise performance on the main stage of Coachella,^[352] with Aespa also performing on the same stage the following weekend.^[353] During the same year, several top second generation artists made an official comeback after years of inactivity, including BigBang, Girls' Generation, and Kara.^[354] Blackpink's 2022 album Born Pink became the first album by a female group to top the chart since Danity Kane's Welcome to the Dollhouse in 2008. In addition, it marked the first time a girl group simultaneously topped the album charts in the United States and United Kingdom in 21 years, since Destiny's Child's Survivor in 2001.^[355]

The sales of K-pop albums continued to show strong performance in the American market in 2023, with 7 of the 10 best-selling CD albums in the US being K-pop albums.^[356] Four K-pop groups were named amongst the top-ten best-selling artists worldwide in 2023 by the IFPI, including Seventeen, Stray Kids, TXT, and NewJeans.^[357]

In the 2020s, Korean hip hop and Korean R&B continued to sustain popularity on the Spotify charts, with artists such as Jay Park, Tiger JK, J-Hope, Changmo, DPR Live, DPR Ian, Dean, Bibi, Zico, and Jessi attracting mainstream audiences with their blend of Korean and Western musical styles. Their music has not only gained recognition domestically, but also internationally. Other notable K-hip-hop and R&B artists include Epik High, Sik-K, Big Naughty, E Sens, PH-1, Kid Milli, Leellamarz, Yang Hong-won, Beenzio, and Heize. Their diverse styles have contributed to the genre's growing success and appeal for a global audience.^[358][359]

As of 2023, Japan still remains the second largest music market by revenue.^[360] Physical music still dominates the market holding a 65.5% market share by value as of 2023.^[361] Since the start of the decade J-pop has begun to appear in global charts, although it had not had such global popularity before.^[362][363] Japanese pop duo Yoasobi, formed in 2019, enjoyed further breakthrough success in the 2020s. Their song "Idol" became the first Japanese-language song to reach number one on the Billboard Global Excl. US,^[364] and the highest ranked Japanese song on the Billboard Global 200 at number 7.^[365] Domestically, Oricon and Billboard Japan placed it as the best-performing song of 2023.^[366][367] Anime songs, a genre originating directly from J-Pop would also continue growing in global popularity during the decade.^[368] Japanese pop — anime song artists that lead the genres during the decade include Creepy Nuts, Ado, Fujii Kaze, LiSA, and King Gnu.^[369]

In the early 2020s, long-time artists such as Jay Chou and JJ Lin still dominate music being the most streamed mandopop artists of 2023 on Spotify.^[370] Within Asia, they also remain hugely popular with their Carnival World Tour and JJ20 World Tour concert tours respectively.^[371][372]

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Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran, Adele, and Dua Lipa have been some of the most popular European musicians.^{[373][374][375]}

Dua Lipa established herself as the biggest British female popstar since Adele, with her third album Radical Optimism debuting at No.1 on the UK Albums Chart, with the highest first week sales for a British female artist since Adele's 30.^[376] Lipa became the only solo female UK star to sell out multiple dates at Wembley Stadium for her Radical Optimism Tour and booked immense success with the singles from her sophomore album Future Nostalgia, whose singles experienced great success on European radio.

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In England, the 2020s saw the development of the Windmill scene: a musical scene centered around the Windmill pub in Brixton, often associated with post-punk and experimental rock as well as a spoken vocal style and progressive rock influence. Described by the Ramapo College of New Jersey's Ramapo News in 2025 as "the most significant movement in rock music in the past decade", among the bands described as being part of the Windmill Scene are Black Midi, Black Country, New Road, Squid, Fontaines D.C., and Maruja.^{[377][378][379]} Other notable European rock acts of the decade include Måneskin, Viagra Boys, IDLES, King Krule and The 1975.

In 2023, Paul McCartney announced plans to release "the final Beatles record" later in the year with the assistance of an AI de-mixing technology previously used for Beatles documentary Get Back to be used on a demo John Lennon recorded shortly before his death.^[380] The track, "Now and Then", was released on November 2, 2023.^[381] Also in 2023, The Rolling Stones made a comeback with Hackney Diamonds, a new original studio album that topped the charts in 20 countries.^[382] In 2024, Oasis announced their reunion in the form of the Oasis Live '25 Tour, eliciting historic demand for tickets and controversy regarding the Noel and Liam Gallagher's relationship, and a revival of lad culture.^[383][384]

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At the 42nd Brit Awards, the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) brought back their Best British Dance Act category, which had been revived following the removal of gendered awards and was first presented in 2022 to Becky Hill, who then took the award once again in 2023; Calvin Harris won in 2024. Other electronic acts that gained a nomination include Fred Again, Joel Corry, RAYE, Bonobo, Eliza Rose, Barry Can't Swim and Romy.

In 2023, DJ Calvin Harris and electropop singer-songwriter Ellie Goulding released their third collaboration, "Miracle", a trance song inspired by Eurodance and techno, which received widespread critical acclaim,^[385] as well as commercial success, topping the UK Singles Charts for eight non-consecutive weeks^[386] and earning a Grammy Award nomination.

A commercial renaissance of drum and bass took place in 2023, thanks to the likes of Kenya Grace, whose single "Strangers" was a commercial success, including the UK Singles Chart,^[387] and Cassö, whose remix of "Ferrari Horses" by D-Block Europe and RAYE, "Prada", dominated the charts. Luude, PinkPantheress, Chases & Status, Nia Archives, Pendulum were also part of the comeback of drum and bass.^[388]

At the 2023 Grammy Awards ceremony, on the inaugural Best Dance Pop Recording category, seven out of the eight nominees were European, including: Australians singers Kylie Minogue (for "Padam Padam") and Troye Sivan (for "Rush"), American singer Bebe Rexha (for "One in a Million"), British singers Ellie Goulding (for "Miracle") and Anne-Marie (for "Baby Don't Hurt Me"), French DJ David Guetta (for "Baby Don't Hurt Me" and "One in a Million"), and Scottish DJ Calvin Harris (for "Miracle").

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Latin pop and other Latin music genres such as reggaeton continue to be successful in the 2020s.^[389] Anitta's "Envolver" song became the first song by a Latin female act to reach the number one on Spotify Global Daily chart,^{[390][391][392]} reaching the number two on the Billboard Global 200 and the number one in Billboard Global Excl. U.S.^{[393][394][395]}

The late 2010s saw a major cultural resurgence in Latin dance music with hip hop influences which carried throughout the 2020s, especially throughout 2022 and 2023, when the interest in Spanish-language songs in North America grew rapidly. Initially, artists such as Bad Bunny, Chencho Corleone, Ozuna, Karol G and Rauw Alejandro saw crossover success in the United States while remaining popular internationally.^{[396][397][398][399]} After the success of Bad Bunny's 2022 album Un Verano Sin Ti, which had already become the most streamed Spanish-language album on Spotify within the first few months of release,^[400] Spanish-language songs started occupying at least 20-25% of the Billboard Hot 100 on an average week, compared to about 5-10% in 2020, with artists such as Bizarrap, Grupo Frontera, Peso Pluma, and Shakira being among the most popular during this new wave. Released in May 2022, Manuel Turizo's single "La Bachata" achieved commercial success, spending 26 weeks at number one on the Billboard Latin charts.^{[citation needed]}

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2024)

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (February 2024)

Nigeria undoubtly has been the leader in Afrobeats and many of their artists such as Tems, who has been one of the primary innovators of the genre's popularity in the decade. "Calm Down" (2022) by Nigerian rapper Rema, featuring Selena Gomez, found global success and became the best-selling Afrobeats song of all time.^[401] "Water" (2023) by South African singer Tyla also found international success.^[402] Burna Boy's album African Giant and Wizkid's album Made in Lagos received critical acclaim and achieved significant chart success on the Billboard World Albums chart. Songs like Burna Boy's "Ye," Wizkid's "Essence," and Davido's "Fall" have garnered millions of streams and downloads worldwide, contributing to the genre's growing presence on streaming platforms and the Billboard charts.^{[403][404][405][406]}

• 2010s in music