2010s
2010 in British Music
Tinie Tempah, Plan B, and the year British urban music went mainstream.
The Story of 2010
The decade began with Adele's '21' still a year away, but her '19' was still selling and her star was rising. The year's big British stories: Plan B's 'The Defamation of Strickland Banks' was a brilliant concept album that mixed soul with storytelling, 'She Said' a huge hit. Mumford & Sons' 'Sigh No More' was still selling, 'Little Lion Man' and 'The Cave' making banjo-led indie surprisingly popular. The xx's debut was continuing to build. Tinie Tempah's 'Disc-Overy' made him the face of British hip-hop, 'Pass Out' and 'Frisky' massive hits. Professor Green's 'Read All About It' was a street poet's breakthrough. CeeLo Green's 'Forget You' was everywhere. Katy Perry dominated pop. The X Factor's 'Heroes' by the finalists was Christmas number one. But the real story was the rise of streaming – Spotify was growing rapidly, and the old model of buying singles and albums was dying. The NME was struggling. Music magazines were closing. The British music industry was adapting grudgingly to a digital future.
Key Events
Tinie Tempah's 'Pass Out' takes grime-influenced pop to #1
Plan B's The Defamation of Strickland Banks — soul storytelling triumphs
Rihanna and Eminem dominate globally, Adele's 21 teasers emerge
Dominant Genres
Notable Trends
- →British urban music crosses fully into pop mainstream
- →Festival culture becomes a dominant force in British summer life
- →Digital downloads peak — streaming is still growing
Key Artists of 2010
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