Earlier this week, Billboard staff ranked what they considered the top 60 dance songs the decade. Many the choices on the list were expected, but the top spot going to Todd Terje’s “Inspector Norse” definitely came as a shock to most.
Yesterday, the staff ranked their top 40 dance albums the decade — and in an era where streaming and singles became more and more powerful, these albums are truly ones that challenged the status quo and made a name for the artists who released them.
When looking back at the best albums the decade, you have to not only take into account how the album has held up, but also the impact it made at the time it was released. For that reason, albums from Calvin Harris, 18 Months, and David Guetta, Nothing But The Beat, were absolutely necessary inclusions. Choosing Justice’s album Woman Worldwide is an interesting choice, until you read how editor Kat Bein considered that it was a stunning amalgam their three albums that was transformed into something greater than the sum its parts.
Other albums like Jamie xx’s In Colour and Jack Ü’s Skrillex & Diplo Present Jack Ü were also clear choices, though I’m not sure if we would have included the latter in our own top 10 the decade.
See the top 10 below and go here to see the full list from Billboard.
1. Disclosure – Settle
2. Justice – Woman Worldwide
3. Jamie xx – In Colour
4. Calvin Harris – 18 Months
5. LCD Soundsystem – This Is Happening
6. Daft Punk – Random Access Memories
7. Avicii – True
8. David Guetta – Nothing But The Beat
9. Nicolas Jaar – Space Is Only Noise
10. Jack Ü – Skrillex & Diplo Present Jack Ü