10 Most Disturbing 2010s Songs Because of What We Know Now

“TiK ToK” (2010)

Kesha
Wake up in the morning feeling like… wait, who?! Long before we were made aware of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ literal dozens of assault charges, he was a freewheeling, seemingly ubiquitous hip hop mogul. Music, movies, brand deals, you name it — Diddy was everywhere. It made sense, then, that emerging pop singer Kesha name-dropped the rapper-producer in the opening line of her breakthrough hit. After Combs was arrested on racketeering and sex trafficking charges in 2024, “Tik Tok” threatened to disappear from the public consciousness entirely due to its association with the performer. Thankfully, Kesha had already changed the song’s lyrics to denounce Combs in live performances, with plans for a full studio rerecording in the works.

“Pumped Up Kicks” (2011)

Foster the People
This seemingly breezy indie-pop tune was inescapable in the early 2010s, playing at every mall food court, dentist’s office, and children’s birthday party. What we all failed to consider at the time, though, was the song’s pitch-dark lyrics, which detail the inner life of a fictional mass shooter. Lead singer/songwriter Mark Foster has said that the song stemmed from his desire to raise awareness for gun control, expressing his feeling that “mental illness among youth had skyrocketed in the last decade.” With such violence an epidemic that has continued to plague the United States, “Pumped Up Kicks” remains an unfortunately timely anthem over a decade after its initial release.

“Blurred Lines” (2013)

Robin Thicke featuring Pharrell & T.I.
Admittedly, “Blurred Lines” felt uncomfortable right from the start. Critics praised its funky, danceable sound—courtesy of featured artist Pharrell Williams—but they condemned the song for its ambiguous stance on the necessity of consent in intimate encounters. Despite being pop veteran Thicke’s mainstream breakthrough and reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, the song faced significant backlash. The true turning point wasn’t the lawsuit by Marvin Gaye’s estate, which successfully argued that Thicke and Williams had plagiarized Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up.” Rather, it was model and actor Emily Ratajkowski’s 2021 revelation that Thicke had groped her on the set of the “Blurred Lines” music video.

“Do What U Want” (2013)

Lady Gaga featuring R. Kelly
In what seemed like an inherently questionable decision, Gaga recruited the already-disgraced R&B mainstay R. Kelly because, as she explained, 'This is a real R&B song, and I have to call the king of R&B for his blessing.' At that time, Kelly was already embroiled in legal troubles and was later convicted of sex trafficking charges in 2019. It’s more than a little cringeworthy to hear him sing about 'doing whatever he wants' with someone’s body. After the release of “Surviving R. Kelly,” Gaga publicly apologized for collaborating with him and replaced his version of the song on streaming services with a remix featuring Christina Aguilera.

“I Took a Pill in Ibiza” (2015)

Mike Posner featuring Seeb
On the face of it, there doesn’t seem to be anything particularly disturbing about the “Cooler Than Me” hitmaker’s tropical house banger. However, like “Pumped Up Kicks,” listen a little closer to the song’s vulnerable lyrics and you’ll find a raw, heartbreaking indictment of fame. Posner laments the hollow nature of what it means to be a celebrity, and just how false and fleeting Hollywood success can be. Somehow, that’s not even the most disturbing part — that would be the fact that name-dropped Avicii would take his own life in 2018. Knowing that turns a dance-floor anthem into an uneasy tribute to the Swedish DJ, who had reportedly struggled with mental illness and substance use disorder for years.

“Blackstar” (2016)

David Bowie
Leave it to David Bowie to do everything with a tantalizing dash of mystery — even his own death. Bowie released the “Blackstar” album on January 8, 2016, preceded by its title track and “Lazarus” as singles. Little did the public know about his valiant battle with liver cancer, which would claim his life on January 10th… merely two days after the album’s debut. Little by little, devastated Bowie fans realized that the song, its music video, and accompanying album contained hints and easter eggs that seemed to allude to his impending death. Pay close attention to “Blackstar’s” cryptic, morbid lyrics if you don’t believe us.

“One More Light” (2017)

Linkin Park
It’s unlikely that fans of nu metal stalwarts Linkin Park were at all surprised to hear them experimenting with new genres of music on their “One More Light” album. That said, one song that might’ve caught them off-guard was the record’s title track, an uncharacteristically mellow, affecting ballad that finds frontman Chester Bennington expressing solidarity with those suffering privately. The song turned into a moving tribute after Bennington took his own life in 2017 — it’s the last single Linkin Park released with Bennington as their lead singer, nearly three months after his July 20th passing.

“Legends” (2018)

Juice WRLD
Almost everything about this emo-rap classic could send a chill down your spine. Juice WRLD, born Jarad Higgins, was just 21 at the time of his death, the result of a December 2019 oxycodone and codeine overdose. Looking back, it’s clear that the Chicago native had a certain preoccupation with death and dying: in some ways, the concept permeated nearly every song the rapper wrote. This is perhaps no more apparent than on “Legends,” in which Higgins accurately predicts his own death… down to the age he’d be when it would happen. Even creepier? Higgins recorded the song as a tribute to already-deceased rappers Lil Peep and XXXTentacion.

“Nice for What” (2018)

Drake
Canadian rapper Aubrey “Drake” Graham has consistently maintained a reputation as hip hop’s resident lover boy, incorporating once-unconventional themes into his music — these included highly vulnerable accounts of his experiences with women. It was this reputation, though, that served as fodder for his fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar, who engaged in a widely-publicized beef with Drake in early 2024. Most damningly of all, Lamar accused Graham of inappropriate conduct with underage girls. This charge causes a particular line in “Nice for What” to take on an entirely new context. She was bad even then?!

“Murder on My Mind” (2018)

YNW Melly
On its own, “Murder on My Mind” serves as a catchy, if painfully dark, meditation on inner-city gang violence. Melly spins a descriptive, first-person tale about what it means to take a life. While this was mere fiction at the time of its writing in 2016, “Murder on My Mind” was subject to renewed attention when its performer was charged with double homicide in February 2019. Posting to his official Instagram account shortly after turning himself in, Melly reassured fans that “unfortunately a lot of rumors and lies are being said but no worries god is with me and my brother.” The Florida native, whose first trial ended with a deadlocked jury, is set to be tried again in September 2025.

Which 2010s song is hard for you to listen to nowadays? Let us know in the comments below!