I generally dislike thinking back of what songs were best for a period of time. I'm usually one that listens to a full album at once. I lean back in amazement when I’m done listening to a special album. I prefer listening to full-length albums at a time so I can get the overall vibe of the band at the time of their recording. I've been thinking for a while. What were some of the best songs of the decade? It brings me back to a point in time that I was a different person. This is a sacrament of the strength of music on our lives over time. Many people have favorite songs of the decade scattered throughout, but the question at large, what is the band of the decade?
Some questions to consider are: How big of a global impact has the artist shown? What defines their music? What defines music in general? Since it is such a vast field, it’s just impossible to put one band on top of another weighing on just the music alone. You can’t compare genres via apples to apples.
Coldplay. They’re the band of the decade. With hits such as “Clocks,” “Yellow” and “Viva La Vida,” the global impact of the songs alone says a lot. But with a deeper look into their social activism, it shows that the music alone is not their only driving force. They don’t live solely off of their music. They want to change a generation at large. They do care about their music and, they won’t license their songs for commercials. Vocalist and pianist Chris Martin says, "We wouldn't be able to live with ourselves if we sold the songs' meanings like that." Coldplay donates 10% of their profits to charity. Not because of the monetary value, but to increase global awareness of the charities. When a band sells over 32 million albums, the money no longer matters. It’s what they’re doing with the timeless music they’ve sculpted. Coldplay has spent the 2000s boosting social activism through the impact and success of their four studio albums.