Timeline

 
In January 2010 the annual Pazz and Jop poll of music critics conducted by The Village Voice ranked "Empire State of Mind" as the #1 song of 2009.
 

 
First released August 20 exclusively at Target stores and independent retailers.
 

 
First released August 20 exclusively at Target stores and independent retailers.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
A career-defining #1 country hit, her third single from the "Revolution" album, Miranda was named Female Vocalist of 2010 by the Country Music Association.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Robyn released three EPs during 2010 (Body Talk Pts. 1, 2, and 3) and then one full album at the end of the year (Body Talk), which was essentially a "greatest hits" of all three of them. A major international star from Sweden, Robyn`s release schedule varied by country.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
This song (without video) was first posted to YouTube Aug 19, 2010 and immediately went viral, receiving 2 million plays the first week. It`s sequenced in the Timeline as of the end of that week. The official video was posted Sept 1. The song was listed on print charts as F**k You. The radio version is "Forget You," which is also the version done on TV by the Glee cast. On year-end critics` lists, "Fuck You" was the consensus #1 single of 2010. It peaked on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 2011, holding at #2 four consecutive weeks while "Born This Way" blocked its further ascent.
 

 

 

 

 

 
All Day was an unannounced free download November 15, 2010, when it became an instant hit. It is a seamless 71-minute mash-up mixtape, intended to be listened to as a whole, segmented into 12 titles only for navigtion purposes. On and On is the sixth track.
 

 
The 23 songs first officially released on this 2-CD set were all written in 1977 and 1978. This album was compiled for release as part of a deluxe package subtitled, "The Darkness on the Edge of Town Story," which thoroughly documents the process behind the recording of the Darkness album, but "The Promise" was also sold separately.
 

 
At launch time, still an "unknown" act which I`ve followed through a personal connection. Check them out on YouTube. CD release date 11/23/10.
 

 

 

 
Highlight is extended rap by Nicki Minaj.
 

 
I edited Runaway to 5:30 for my own listening pleasure by cutting the first three bars of monotone piano notes at the beginnng and fading before the moment of silence that precedes the long ending.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Rolling in the Deep was released in November 2010 but didn`t attract a wide audience until Adele`s "21" album arrived in February. Both album and song eventually became the biggest pop chart hits of 2011. The song was also the end-of-year critical consensus #1 by a wide margin. The "21" album returned to #1 on the charts in January 2012 when its fourth hit single took off.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
"Party Rock Anthem" was the #2 best-selling song of 2011, still charting in the national top 10 as late as January 2012.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
#1 for 8 weeks from October through mid-December, then back up to #1 to begin 2012 for a total of 10 weeks. Calvin Harris is given Featured status for arranging and producing the sound, not for any vocal contribution.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Countdown was released to radio in early October as the third single from Beyoncé`s "4" album, which had been out since June 28. It reached #1 on the Hot Dance Club chart in mid-December.
 

 
Chosen as #1 single of 2011 by editors of both Pitchfork and Pop Matters.
 

 

 

 
An "answer record" of sorts to (I Can`t Get No) Satisfaction, this song not only name-checks Jagger and Richards but also features Keef himself on guitar.
 

 

 

 

 

 
The "Watch the Throne" album spawned several singles. This one was the top chart hit and year-end critical favorite.
 

 

 

 

 

 
The lead single, released two months in advance of the Wrecking Ball album, never charted pop but was ranked #19 of the year in the Pazz+Jop critics poll.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Best-selling single of 2012, 2 months at #1, 24 weeks in the top 10; also Grammy for record of the year.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Ubiquitous: This summer`s biggest hit, 5 months in the top 10, #2 in pop sales for the whole year, and the #1 single in the Pazz+Jop critics` poll.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Never charted on the Hot 100 but was chosen by Rolling Stone Magazine as the #1 single of the year.
 

 

 

 
In every critics` poll, the runaway consensus #1 album of 2012.
 

 
This second single from Channel ORANGE was voted the #10 track of 2012 on Pazz+Jop critics` consensus list.
 

 

 

 
Cover of The Clash original from London Calling
 

 

 

 
Taylor Swift`s Red album, released in late October, was the #2 best-selling pop album of 2012.
 

 
Adorn spent eleven weeks at #1 on the Mainstream R&B/Hip-Hop chart.
 

 

 

 

 

 
On December 21, 2012, Gangnam Style became the first video in the history of the internet to reach One Billion views.