Timeless Tunes: 10 Tracks Turning 10 This February
As the hands of the clock continue to march forward, the soundtracks of our lives remain an indelible marker of the moments that shape us. As February unfolds, we find ourselves on the brink of commemorating milestones for a selection of tracks that first graced the airwaves a whole decade ago. From anthems that defined an era to hidden gems that deserve a second listen, it’s time to wind up the time machine and rediscover the tunes that continue to resonate nearly a decade later.
She Looks So Perfect – 5 Seconds of Summer
When the Australian group released their first single in 2014, they were far less known than they are today, now with 11.5 million followers on Instagram. The single, which peaked at number 24 on Billboard’s Hot 100 took the band into the stratospheric mainstream they are now synonymous with. This song, in addition to other hits throughout the years lead 5SOS to over 471,000 saves on Spotify. 5SOS also signed with Capitol Records and opened for One Direction on their Take Me Home and Where We Are tours, as both groups rose to fame.
Fancy – Iggy Azalea and Charli XCX
The second song featured in our list is the 2015 Grammy Award-winning Fancy by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea and English singer Charli XCX. The music video for the song includes inspiration from the cult 90s movie, Clueless. The song hit number one on Billboard’s Hot 100 and remained on top for seven weeks. While Iggy Azalea had already created a name for herself in the modelling industry, this was her major break into music, that ultimately led her to success.
Boy In Luv – BTS
With just under 600 million plays, Boy in Luv was released in 2014. The song was later re-released in 2019 featuring American singer/songwriter, Halsey. The music video that accompanied this version of the song broke three Guinness World Records, in the categories of Most Viewed YouTube Video in 24 Hours, Most Viewed Music YouTube Yideo in 24 Hours, and Most Viewed YouTube video in 24 Hours by a K-Pop Group. The original version was released early in the group’s career, but BTS have only risen in popularity since then.
Ain’t It Fun – Paramore
Off of their self-titled album Paramore, the American rock band’s song Ain’t it Fun is already a decade old. Like many of the other songs on the album, Ain’t it Fun was a favourite of many with sixty million plays on YouTube Music, with the song even winning a Grammy in 2015 – a year after it was released. The group continues to grow with 3.5 million Instagram followers and a supporting slot on the upcoming European leg of Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour.
Partition – Beyonce
We couldn’t make this list without including Partition by Beyonce! Starting at a young age, the American singer has had many hits, both from the early days of her career to now, including her most recent album, Renaissance. Her hits additionally include those from her time in the R&B group Destiny’s Child, and her current solo career. Parts of the music video for Partition were filmed in a club in Paris and featured American rapper Jay-Z.
Delete – DMAs
The Australian band, DMA’s formed in 2012, and shortly released their self-titled album. The album featured their debut single, Delete which placed on the ARIA charts and received several ARIA Awards and nominations. Delete has 3.5 million views on YouTube and the band has reached 172,000 Instagram followers.
Settle Down – The 1975
With seven million views on YouTube, Settle Down, with its catchy and now signature The 1975 sound made Settle Down an instant hit. Like many of the songs on this list, Settle Down was a crucial piece in the group’s rise to fame, gaining them popularity as the song permeated pop culture worldwide and cultivated a loyal fanbase. Following the song’s release and despite lead singer Matty’s often questionable comments, The 1975 have received many awards and nominations, including several Brit Awards.
My Love – Route 94
My Love is a single by Route 94, featuring vocals from Jess Glynne, an English singer and songwriter who got her start in music with help from the song. As a young artist, Glynne was also notably featured on Rather Be by Clean Bandit. My Love appeared on charts throughout the UK in 2014, now being just shy of 500,000 views on YouTube. The music video, which was directed by Ryan Staake, stood out when it was released for its unique use of infrared light.
Noah – Amber Run
Noah, taken from the 2014 debut album, 5AM, was the eponymous track on Amber Run’s first EP, Noah. The lyrics are introspective and explore themes of self-discovery, identity, and personal growth, showcasing Joe Keogh’s distinctive vocals and the band’s ability to create powerful, dynamic arrangements. The band has an impressive 2.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify and continues to turn out music today.
Coming Home – Kaiser Chiefs
Finishing off our list is Kaiser Chiefs with their song, Coming Home. The hit has just over seven million views on YouTube. The indie rock group originated in England and came together after leaving their studies behind to pursue music. The music video for the song was filmed in Yorkshire Dales and created by James Slater, before featuring on the band’s fifth album, Education, Education, Education & War which was released in March of 2024. Kaiser Chiefs now have over 100,000 followers on Instagram and are heading out on tour throughout the UK to start 2024 stronger than ever before.
