Now that the decade is over, let’s take a look back at the most memorable live music events of the past 10 years. Not all of these videos have YouTube links.
Miley Cyrus & Robin Thicke perform “We Can’t Stop” and “Blurred Lines” at 2013 MTV VMA Awards
I’m not saying “best” performances. I’m saying most memorable, and this is definitely one of the most remembered performances of the last decade. This was the set that launched 1000 thinkpieces across the internet. Miley Cyrus was accused of everything from being vulgar, anti-feminist, to being outright racist. Robin Thicke wasn’t really accused of anything at the time, but as time has gone on both artists have been accused of stealing Black culture. Everything they’ve done since is still through the lens of this performance.
Super Bowl XLVII halftime show and Super Bowl LI halftime show
When you think of what a Super Bowl halftime show should be, you think big, over-the-top, fun and full of hits and wow! moments. You’d think superstars who headline arenas for a living could pull that off easily. But big names like Madonna, Katy Perry, and Justin Timberlake couldn’t quite do it. But Beyonce did during Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 and Lady Gaga did in 2017 at Super Bowl LI. Not only did their songs scale perfectly for the huge stage but both sets gave us defining moments. Years from now, we’ll remember these performances. Whether it is Beyoncé kicking the rest of Destiny’s Child off the stage when they couldn’t keep up with her or Lady Gaga free-falling from the top of the arena while a fleet of drones swarmed around her.
Kanye West featuring Chance the Rapper and Kirk Franklin perform “Ultra Light Beam” on SNL
I can’t really put this into words, but this was maybe the greatest SNL performance of all time. It was spectacle and bombastic, but at the same time felt almost holy. One of the defining moments of SNL music acts.
No link for this, check Hulu.
Beyonce “Beychella” 2018 Coachella Performance
Beyonce was the first Black Female artist to headline Coachella in 2018. She used this as an opportunity to celebrate her career, her collaborators and family, college marching bands, historically black colleges, and all the genres of music she’s flirted with over the years. It was incredibly produced, stylized, and choreographed for a live event. The results looked and sounded like a mix of college halftime show, a huge production number in a film musical, a neighborhood dance-off, and a giant live concert. It felt like the perfect encapsulation of her career at the time.
Grimes performs “4AEM” at the 2019 Game Awards
Calling this a “live performance” might be stretching the definition a bit. And yes, it’s technically a commercial for an videogame. But man, was this one of the best audiovisual treats in years.