Ten Years Deep, Who Is The Reigning King?

Now, this debate could go on for days, months, or even years; however, this conversation has been a hot topic for a long while, but in the last 10 years we have seen a swarm of solo male artists leaving their mark. Fans have been overly spoilt by the art they produce – continually attracting millions from around the world, with their output of consistent highly-addictive chart-topping songs. So, let's delve into what makes them a contender for the throne...

Ed Sheeran

There are not enough superlatives to describe the success that this man has had in the last 10 years. It is safe to say that 2011 was the year that changed his musical career for the better, as it came with the release of his classic freshman album, "+ (plus)", which included the hit tracks: "Lego House" and "The A-Team," and gained the number 1 spot in the official charts.

Since then, he has become one of the most successful artists of his generation. Predominantly, the vocal range he uses is tenor, displaying a higher and softer side through his vocals – heard on songs such as his 2014 classic, "Thinking Out Loud". Countless number 1’s later, the chart-topping singer has been rightfully recognised, with 14 Grammy nominations and taking one home on four occasions. Ed made history when all 16 songs off his "Divide" album charted, which consequently led to the changing of the limit of entries per artist in the top 40 so this even can never be replicated again.

The Weeknd

The Weeknd has one of the softest and most unique voices around. Many people were introduced to him after his release of "Often" in 2014. Since then, The Weeknd has had an illustrious career gaining accolades from all parts of the globe. As fans continued to become hypnotised by his voice he has gained 10 Grammy nominations and three wins prior to 2020. His unique voice also earned him the main track off one of the most popular films of 2015, Fifty Shades of Grey, performing the smash-hit, "Earned It".

Following these events, he released the chart-topping album, Beauty Behind The Madness, consisting of the aforementioned two songs, "The Hills" and "Can't Feel My Face", along with many more. Most recently, he brought out his fourth studio album, "After Hours", which not only became number 1 in the official charts, but also gained the achievement of being one of the highest streamed albums on Spotify & Apple in 2020. Along with this, the trending track, "Blinding Lights" sat at the top of the official charts for over a year, breaking countless records. It is fair to say that The Weeknd has been a busy man and is only expected to get bigger in years to come.

Justin Bieber

A generational talent, Justin Bieber has been in the spotlight 24/7 from an early age. At times for the wrong reasons, but when it comes to his music he is one of the most successful artists by far. The discography that he has built over the last decade is nothing short of breath-taking, picking up two Grammys in the process. The Canadian has constantly been in the charts and graced the biggest stages of many countries to perform in front of his devoted fans.

With an output of six studio albums under his belt, JB has created his own legacy in the industry, releasing acclaimed albums, such as "Purpose", "Changes" and most recently, "Justice". All reaching the top two positions in the Official charts, with "Changes" claiming the number 1 spot – gifting us with, "E.T.A", "Intentions" and "Yummy". His talent is undeniable, which leads the subject to his highly successful album: Purpose. Having just missed out on 1st position, history was still made by being the very first artist to have three singles at 1,2 and 3 in the charts. 2016 was arguably the year of Justin Bieber, with the charting singles, "Love Yourself", "Sorry" and "What Do You Mean?" which have amassed almost 10 billion views on YouTube combined!

Any track with Justin Bieber is certainly a chart-topping success

Post Malone

Bursting onto the scene in 2015 with "White Iverson", Post Malone may not have been in the limelight as long as his peers on this list but his unique sound has contributed towards his far-reaching success. In 2016, his debut album, "Stoney", gained a top 10 spot in the official charts, offering up some of his best songs to date, for example, "Congratulations" (ft. Quavo), Go Flex, and the already mentioned, "White Iverson". In the wake of Stoney’s success, two years later was his opportunity to deliver and with "Beerbongs & Bentley’s" he did it once again.

On the surface, he doesn't come across as an award-winning artist but that all changes the very moment he steps onto the stage. His melodic tone and catchy choruses gave him a fast rise to stardom, giving him opportunities to be affiliated with massive projects, most notably Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The already nostalgic song, Sunflower (ft. SwaeLee), proved to be a huge success, bringing in over a billion views on YouTube and over two billion plays on Spotify.

Posty has done amazingly well to remain relevant and consistent, and he boasts the spectacular statistic of having one of the most streamed albums of 2020, ‘Hollywood’s Bleeding’. At only 26-years-old, the future looks more than bright for him.

Drake

Arguably the most popular rapper of his generation, the Canadian mega-star is in a complete league of his own. The titles that he possesses are almost too many to count, however, the 47-time Grammy-nominated and (shockingly) only 4-time winner has been at the very top for more than a decade and counting. With 27 top 10 hits and six number 1’s, it goes without saying that even in the winter, a Drake concert will be the hottest ticket in town.

When it comes to timeless singles, Drake is always able to deliver, to name just a few: "Back 2 Back", "Over", "God’s Plan" and "Marvin’s Room". His 6th studio album, "Certified Lover Boy" (CLB) has already broken records for being the most streamed album in a day, beating his own record that he held with "Scorpion."

Unquestionably, he is already seen as a legend in the industry, single-handedly being able to catapult a single's reach from mediocre to chart topping simply with a feature. Having already achieved GOAT status he refunded everyone who attended one of his shows in 2017 at the O2 and then in 2019 held an 11-day residency where the 02 was aptly named the '03'.

Bruno Mars

A unique personality, Bruno Mars came to prominence after his debut smash hit, "Just The Way You Are". Billions of YouTube views later, he is seen as one of the best all-round artists of the last 10 years. The ability to switch his sound for any occasion is second to none – solidifying his status as one of, if not the most impactful male vocalist of the last decade. Just like Ed Sheeran, it was his first album, "Doo-Wops & Hooligans", that accelerated him to the top in a blink of an eye. The album gave us singles that we know and love, such as: "Runaway Baby", "Marry You" and "Just The Way You Are". "Marry You" actually caused a massive wave of people using it to propose to their partners in very entertaining and public ways.

Following on from DWAH, he brought out the renowned album, "Unorthodox Jukebox". This album epitomises his showman persona, implementing additional sounds that can easily transcend most of his peers, switching from Reggae to Pop music. Recently, we’ve been witnessing magic happen before our eyes, as he develops his partnership with Anderson .Paak, creating the nostalgia propelled 70’s style band 'Silk Sonic' with their all-time good vibe track, "Leave The Door Open". This infectious track is dripping in soulful sauce, only adding to Bruno's elite hit catalogue. Bruno Mars’ natural ability to entertain, as well as his musical proficiency is the reason why he has been nominated for 27 Grammys, victorious an impressive 11 times. The silky tone of his voice is impactful enough to leave anyone in awe.

The reigning king conversation is still up for debate, the cabinet of collections that they have gained over the years is nothing short of GOAT level. There is bound to be a difference of opinions on who gets to sit on the throne; however, there is no denying the fact that any of these individuals could carry that pressure on their back and comfortably strut out with the confidence of a Lion. Saying all of this, which artist do you think ruled the past decade?