Best 2010s Albums That Won the Grammy for Album of the Year

Handing a golden gramophone to one single artist while millions of fiercely loyal fans watch is a dangerous game. The Recording Academy spent the 2010s navigating a rapidly fracturing music landscape. Physical CDs collected dust. Streaming platforms conquered the globe. Amidst all that industry chaos, ten specific projects managed to claw their way to the top and claim Album of the Year. Some of those victories caused absolute meltdowns across social media. A few felt like long-overdue apologies to overlooked genres. Others were simply undeniable artistic triumphs.

The Top Ten

  1. Random Access Memories - Daft Punk

    Random Access Memories is the fourth studio album by French electronic duo Daft Punk, released on May 17, 2013, through Columbia Records. The album includes the singles "Get Lucky," "Lose Yourself to Dance," and "Instant Crush," and features collaborators such as Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers, and Julian Casablancas.

    I agree, this album was great. Also, even if the 2010s Album of the Year winners weren't necessarily the best, would you argue if I said they seem to make way more sense overall than the 2000s winners?

    As much as I enjoyed both Red and GKMC, this is the album that needed to win, both in terms of the artist's relevance and the quality of the album.

  2. 21 - Adele

    21 is the second studio album by English singer-songwriter Adele, released on January 24, 2011, by XL Recordings and Columbia Records. It produced singles including "Rolling in the Deep," "Someone Like You," and "Set Fire to the Rain," all of which became major chart hits in multiple countries.

    I just listened to this album (I don't listen to many albums), and despite its flaws, the biggest probably being a lack of variance, I really liked it. The amazing thing I realized, though, is that I actually already knew all but two of the songs.

    Basically, the most successful album of the decade. It might not be the best one from the winners, but it is still an iconic one and also the best Adele album to date.

  3. The Suburbs - Arcade Fire

    The Suburbs is the third studio album by Canadian indie rock band Arcade Fire, released on August 2, 2010, by Merge Records. The record was inspired in part by suburban life and includes tracks such as "Ready to Start," "We Used to Wait," and the title song "The Suburbs."

    Probably the most surprising one from the list, especially compared to how successful the other nominees were (Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Eminem).

    The perfect choice for that year. Too bad Funeral didn't get one.

  4. 24K Magic - Bruno Mars

    24K Magic is the third studio album by American singer Bruno Mars, released on November 18, 2016, through Atlantic Records. Its singles include "24K Magic," "That's What I Like," and "Versace on the Floor," with the album drawing from funk, R&B, and pop influences.

    Despite not being as good as the other nominees (Lorde, especially), I still enjoy this album. The 2018 nominees were actually really good, to be honest.

  5. 25 - Adele

    25 is the third studio album by Adele, released on November 20, 2015, by XL Recordings and Columbia Records. The album debuted with the single "Hello" and also includes tracks such as "When We Were Young" and "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)."

    Not a bad option. However, Lemonade and ASGTE were more interesting. Also, it's not as good as 21 was.

  6. Golden Hour - Kacey Musgraves

    Golden Hour is the fourth studio album by American country singer-songwriter Kacey Musgraves, released on March 30, 2018, by MCA Nashville. The album features songs such as "Butterflies," "Space Cowboy," and "Rainbow," and blends country with pop and disco elements.

    I give this one the edge here not only for the quality, but also for being one of the only two albums that were decent in that nomination lineup, alongside Dirty Computer.

    It's really good, but I think Dirty Computer is slightly better. Most of the songs are just a little more memorable.

  7. 1989 - Taylor Swift

    1989 is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, released on October 27, 2014, through Big Machine Records. It marked her first official pop-focused studio album and included singles such as "Shake It Off," "Blank Space," and "Bad Blood."

    It has some truly amazing pop songs, but I guess it won't necessarily have that great of a cultural impact. Of course, it was also pretty uneven.

    Not a bad choice and arguably the best Taylor Swift album, but it was nominated alongside TPAB by Kendrick Lamar, which was superior in every way.

  8. When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? - Billie Eilish

    When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? is the debut studio album by American singer Billie Eilish, released on March 29, 2019, by Darkroom and Interscope Records. The project was created primarily with her brother Finneas and includes songs such as "Bad Guy," "Bury a Friend," and "When the Party's Over."

    "Please don't be me" - Billie Eilish. Honestly, I'm much more worried about putting too much pressure on Billie Eilish at such a young age than I am about the thought that she maybe doesn't deserve the recognition. Hell, I would say this album is better than "Father of the Bride" and "NFR."

  9. Morning Phase - Beck

    Morning Phase is the twelfth studio album by American musician Beck, released on February 21, 2014, by Capitol Records. It follows the acoustic and reflective style associated with his 2002 album Sea Change and includes tracks such as "Blue Moon" and "Heart Is a Drum."

  10. Babel - Mumford & Sons

    Babel is the second studio album by British folk rock band Mumford & Sons, released on September 21, 2012, through Island Records. The album contains singles including "I Will Wait," "Lover of the Light," and "Whispers in the Dark."

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