It’s been 10 years since 2015 … unbelievable. A decade ago, popular music was peaking, with songs like The Weeknd’s “Can’t Feel My Face” and Adele’s “Hello” dominating the radio. Not only was 2015 impactful on the world of music, it was the year I learned music could be an emotional outlet.
In 2015, I was in seventh grade. I wore black eyeliner and a fully beat face every day, Aéropostale was my favorite store and I never went without a pair of high-top Vans on my feet. You could catch me in the hallway with green and black Skull Candy earbuds constantly plugged into my school-provided iPad.
It was in 2015 that I first understood I could escape from my mind through music. Seventh grade was so hard for me mentally that I have since blocked most of it from my memory. What I do remember is discovering some of my lifelong favorite artists and making it through the year to a soundtrack that sticks with me to this day.
To reminisce on such a profound year in music, here are 15 of the most noteworthy albums of 2015. Sorry everyone, I tried to keep it to 10, but I have too many favorites to share. You can listen to the 2015 Flashback Playlist here.
“To Pimp A Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar
“TPAB” cemented Lamar’s burgeoning place in rap music by displaying his lyrical range. Following “good kid, m.A.A.d city,” the young Lamar showed the world that his potential didn’t stop at “Swimming Pools (Drank)” and “B—-, Don’t Kill My Vibe.” Lamar’s flow and lyrical expertise were ready for the long game.
“TPAB” gave us the hubristic, hard-hitting “King Kunta” and the timeless, socially conscious hype song “Alright.” “How Much A Dollar Cost” shows the depth of Lamar’s mind in a narrative form, similar to “reincarnated” on “GNX.”
“25” by Adele
This British pop princess produced an album worth belting in 2015. With sweeping, passionate vocals and showstopping hits, Adele won Album of the Year at the Grammys for “25.”
“Hello” shows Adele’s vocal excellence with a heart-wrenching performance. “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” and “Water Under the Bridge” should be on everyone’s breakup playlist as goodbye songs with feel-good production.
“If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late” by Drake
Times were simpler in 2015, long before Lamar debuted his “Everybody Hates Drake” campaign. “IYRTITL” was the middle album in Drake’s prime, coming on the heels of “Take Care” and “Nothing Was The Same.” Where those two albums supplied fans with a variety of lonely boy vibes and upbeat bops, “IYRTITL” was a more aggressive, masculine album.
In 2015, Drake was right to open the album with “Legend,” as the standing king of pop-rap. “Now & Forever” shows he knew his place in pop culture, and “Jungle” became an influential slow jam.
“Currents” by Tame Impala
With “Currents,” Tame Impala casts an ethereal spell, summoning the feeling of euphorically spinning through a discotheque. I have only recently come to appreciate this album, but the fact that I am still learning about it 10 years later should show its significance.
“Let It Happen” flourishes as probably the only successful eight-minute-long opener in the history of the universe. “The Less I Know The Better” brings infectious guitar and cheery vocals, and “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” captures the dizzying feeling of trying to evolve and falling into the same old patterns.
“SremmLife” by Rae Sremmurd
Twelve-year-old me was in the metaphorical club to this album. If we ignore the first two songs, the rest of the album has no skips and lives on as a close-to-classic party playlist necessity.
Picking just three songs worth mentioning is an injustice, but “This Could Be Us,” “No Type” and “Come Get Her” find the perfect balance between male manipulator music and social anthems. I know every word to all three of these songs, and I refuse to use that brain space for anything else.
“Beauty Behind The Madness” by The Weeknd
I was WAY too young to be exposed to this after-dark, behind-closed-doors masterpiece of an album, but I have been obsessed with this record since “Can’t Feel My Face” came on the radio for the first time. When I saw The Weeknd on the “After Hours Til Dawn Tour” in 2021, I simultaneously boiled over and melted into a puddle when he played these songs.
“Often” is deliciously steamy, and “The Hills” is an intense trip into The Weeknd’s dark thoughts. “In the Night” gives a more upbeat disco sound with a male-gazey storyline.
“DS2” by Future
As a longtime heavyweight in trap music, “DS2” continued to define Future’s dominance in Atlanta hip hop. “DS2” earned revere as Future’s best album and a masterclass in Atlanta hip hop sound.
From the club hit “F— Up Some Commas” to trap classic “Trap N—–,” Future’s rich, grungy street vocals and quintessential Atlanta production on “DS2” can still be found in music today –just spin some Lil Baby or Playboi Carti. “Stick Talk” is an iconic 2010s hype song for any workout playlist.
“AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP” by A$AP Rocky
I listen to this album from top to bottom at least once every season. “AT.LONG.LAST.A$AP” has been in rotation since I was 12 and gave me some of my all-time favorite songs. Not only did A$AP Rocky beat the sophomore slump with this no-skips album, but he took a firm stance as the new leader of New York hip hop.
A$AP Rocky serves woozy flow on a slower beat in “Canal St.,” where “Everyday” will bring confidence to your walk. “L$D” could give any listener a synesthetic experience, as this iconic love song creates a visual trip through sound.
“Sound and Color” by Alabama Shakes
Every time I hear this album, I go back to the backseat of my mom’s Ford Freestyle, playing this CD back-to-back between spins of Maroon 5’s “Songs About Jane” and Duffy’s “Rockferry.” I feel youthful and innocent each time I listen to this blues rock crew.
While “This Feeling” has the delicate production of a lullaby, “Don’t Wanna Fight” and “Future People” are sure to unleash smiles and welcome summer into your soul.
“Summertime ‘06” by Vince Staples
I will fight to the death: Vince Staples is the most underrated rapper of this generation, and “Summertime ‘06” is why. Known for his unhinged expression of life in Long Beach, California, Staples explores the dichotomy between growing up too fast and enjoying youth.
“Lift Me Up” sounds like the theme song to a hip hop horror flick, and “Norf Norf” is a club jam against a beat that sounds like reverbed sirens. “Summertime” — one of my favorite songs of all time — is a slow jam with bass that encapsulates the energy of waves crashing against a rocky coastline.
“Honeymoon” by Lana Del Rey
I wouldn’t describe myself as a Lana Del Rey stan, but I do adore her unparalleled sound. Lana Del Rey stands out in pop music for her soft, regal vocals. She offers a dramatic and more mysterious idea of pop music, contrasting with the upbeat, bubbly vibes of other pop powerhouses.
“Honeymoon” feels as though film noir swirled with the secrets of Lana Del Rey’s diary to make a melancholy Hollywood score. “Art Deco,” “Freak” and “Music To Watch Boys To” show a consistent theme of who Lana Del Rey is as an artist — feminine, seductive and theatrical.
“Dark Sky Paradise” by Big Sean
The full picture of 2015 music would be incomplete without Big Sean’s greatest work. There is not one song on this album I don’t love. Big Sean delves into a multitude of emotions with “Dark Sky Paradise.”
I could rap “Blessings” bar-for-bar as a pre-teen, and “Research” is a cutesy duet that reminds us of Big Sean and Ariana Grande’s little love affair (oof). “I Don’t F— With You” will still get a crowd of people energized at any group event.
“When It’s Dark Out” by G-Eazy
I must include this no-skips album, although its pop culture moment didn’t extend much beyond one song. “When It’s Dark Out” sparked my forbidden love affair with G-Eazy music.
“Me, Myself & I” owned on the radio, garnering almost 1.5 billion Spotify streams over the decade. “Drifting” was my favorite song as a lonely seventh grader, and I cried many nights while listening to “Everything Will Be OK,” the heartbreaking story of G-Eazy’s childhood.
“BADLANDS” by Halsey
Hot take, but Halsey’s music went hard in middle school (long before her toxic relationship with G-Eazy and her subsequent crazy behavior). Her resonant, warbling vocals are unrivaled by any big pop singer yet.
I fully admit “BADLANDS” sounded a lot better as a boyfriend-less 12-year-old, but “Colors,” “Castle” and “Hurricane” somehow reassured me that I was the center of my own story, and all my mental health issues were just character development.
“The Incredible True Story” by Logic
I have a love-hate relationship with Logic music, mostly because I thoroughly enjoy Logic, and pop culture clowns him constantly. Logic knows exactly who he is as an artist — a guy who makes nerdy rap concept albums — which is why “The Incredible True Story” works so well. Logic takes us on a journey through space, reflecting on his musical influences, specifically Big Sean and Kanye West.
One of my go-to songs for locking in and making progress is “Fade Away,” and “Stainless” is a quick-stepping confidence booster. “City of Stars” provides a cinematic, orchestral midpoint to the album.
Graphic by Olivia Davis.