This Weeks Deep-Dives: Two of the Biggest Pop Anthems of the 2010s

When you think about the 2010s, two songs echo louder than almost anything else: Adele’s powerhouse breakup anthem Rolling in the Deep and Gotye’s quirky alt-pop smash Somebody That I Used to Know.

Both tracks did more than top charts — they defined what pop could sound like in a decade obsessed with raw emotion, unique production, and instant, viral hooks.

💔 Adele’s Raw Reinvention

Rolling in the Deep wasn’t just a song — it was Adele’s thunderous answer to heartbreak. Recorded with Paul Epworth, it mixed gospel handclaps, blues grit, and her fearless vocal power into a universal breakup anthem.
The world responded in kind: seven weeks at #1 on Billboard, Record of the Year at the Grammys, and a legacy that still echoes in karaoke bars and movie trailers today.

Check-out the in-depth analysis of Rolling in the Deep Here.

🎭 Gotye’s One-Hit Wonder That Refused to Fade

Meanwhile, Somebody That I Used to Know brought a completely different vibe — sparse, hypnotic, and haunting.
Gotye and Kimbra turned a messy breakup into a chart-topping art-pop masterpiece with a sticky marimba riff and unforgettable chorus that wormed its way into your head (and your ex’s, too).

It’s the song that turned Gotye into a household name — and then back into a mysterious, mythic figure when he stepped away from pop’s spotlight.

Check-out the in-depth analysis of Gotyes one-hit-wonder here.

✨ Why These Songs Still Matter

Both tracks remind us why pop in the 2010s felt so personal — big feelings, stripped-down honesty, and unforgettable hooks that stick with you long after the last chorus fades.

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🗂️ Related Reads

• Rolling in the Deep Song Meaning

• Somebody That I Used to Know Song Meaning

• Song Meanings Library

• Song-List Library

• Albums Deep-dive Library