This post marks a bit of housekeeping and, hopefully, a new tradition. 2010 was the first year I began to cover hip-hop music comprehensively without being limited to a certain sector (underground hip-hop, for example) or city (when I lived in Atlanta or other places). (It’s a nice coincidence that 2010 was the start of a new decade as well.) Due to my new job as hip-hop editor for Rhapsody, I listened to every rap album of note, not just the most critically-acclaimed or the ones I thought would fit my personal tastes. My perspective on which artists are the most important from an industry standpoint include quite a few that I normally wouldn’t give attention. These artists are listed in alphabetical order, and shouldn’t be confused with a list of my favorite albums from that year.
I’ve learned to grow wary of “top” and “best of” lists after years of making them both privately and for various publications. Eventually, personal bias becomes the point of the list instead of a useful guide to the best of a certain form or art. But a collection of newsmakers and noisemakers seems agnostic enough. Or maybe that’s just a cowardly response to the problem. I didn’t use any mathematical formulas to compile this particular list, so it is still just an opinion masquerading as an objective analysis. It is not a list of the top Billboard sellers from 2010, but a vague yet informed look at the ones who achieved a combination of cultural and commercial impact.
Having said that, these are the 25 noteworthy artists of 2010, along with a brief summary of recorded highlights. Honorable mentions include Lil B, Gucci Mane, Onra, Ana Tijoux, Reflection Eternal, Lloyd Banks, Travie McCoy, and Soulja Boy.