(If you want to read this in chronological order, starting with the earliest, then please read from the bottom up)

2016 - Heightened political tension, the culmination of rising political tensions... EDM at its peak, hipster starting to show signs of decline (but still there), trap rap still a thing. BLM and ISIS are still dominating the headlines.
2015 - More tensions and fear mongering rampant, ISIS now garnering fear from the masses while BLM continues to be a topic of discussion. Mass shootings galore, with the shootings in Charleston and San Bernardino tying right back into the hot-button issues of the year. Indie/hipster music, EDM and trap rap remain popular. Teen pop also a fad for the third year in a row.
2014 - The official start of the mid 2010s. Terrorism, health scares, racial tensions and (in general) just a lot of unnecessary fear-mongering is on the rise. Indie/hipster music is immensely popular, as is EDM. Teen pop remains popular with Ariana Grande and 1D making the rounds big-time.
2013 - Transition between the early and mid 2010s. Electropop is dying, teen pop and "bro-country" are rising, selfies and twerking become well-known to the masses, but also note that this is the last true year of political innocence. The Boston Marathon bombing occurs during this year, as does the Zimmerman trial, and the general public suddenly builds a strange but brief fascination with true crime (read: the Jodi Arias, Aaron Hernandez and George Zimmerman trials). Instagram booms in popularity this year.
2012 - Quite the wild year. Zombie attacks in Miami, high-profile bloody shooting rampages in two states, gun-control gains traction because of this.  Electropop is still popular, and EDM is on a gradual rise in popularity. Indie is also on the rise.
2011 - The peak of the electropop craze, an eventful year with Occupy Wall Street gaining headlines, a sense of vibrancy unseen for a while. Alt-rock and post-grunge are close to death, and the emo trend is about to bite the dust as well (for now).

(If you want to read this in chronological order, starting with the earliest, then please read from the bottom up)

2016 - Heightened political tension, the culmination of rising political tensions... EDM at its peak, hipster starting to show signs of decline (but still there), trap rap still a thing. BLM and ISIS are still dominating the headlines.
2015 - More tensions and fear mongering rampant, ISIS now garnering fear from the masses while BLM continues to be a topic of discussion. Mass shootings galore, with the shootings in Charleston and San Bernardino tying right back into the hot-button issues of the year. Indie/hipster music, EDM and trap rap remain popular. Teen pop also a fad for the third year in a row.
2014 - The official start of the mid 2010s. Terrorism, health scares, racial tensions and (in general) just a lot of unnecessary fear-mongering is on the rise. Indie/hipster music is immensely popular, as is EDM. Teen pop remains popular with Ariana Grande and 1D making the rounds big-time.
2013 - Transition between the early and mid 2010s. Electropop is dying, teen pop and "bro-country" are rising, selfies and twerking become well-known to the masses, but also note that this is the last true year of political innocence. The Boston Marathon bombing occurs during this year, as does the Zimmerman trial, and the general public suddenly builds a strange but brief fascination with true crime (read: the Jodi Arias, Aaron Hernandez and George Zimmerman trials). Instagram booms in popularity this year.
2012 - Quite the wild year. Zombie attacks in Miami, high-profile bloody shooting rampages in two states, gun-control gains traction because of this.  Electropop is still popular, and EDM is on a gradual rise in popularity. Indie is also on the rise.
2011 - The peak of the electropop craze, an eventful year with Occupy Wall Street gaining headlines, a sense of vibrancy unseen for a while. Alt-rock and post-grunge are close to death, and the emo trend is about to bite the dust as well (for now).


Great summary.  I would add the DOMA and Prop 8 strikedown for 2013.  That was a big deal that heavily impacted the tension between the alt-right and SJW movement.  It also set the stage for gay marriage legalization in 2015.  2013 was also the year that the synth sound (with lots of autotube) in hip-hop that dominated the late '00s and early '10s died out and the mid '10s trap sound began its stretch of dominance.  That sounds dates back to 2011, but 2013 was the year it became the dominant sound for hip-hop.

Great summary.  I would add the DOMA and Prop 8 strikedown for 2013.  That was a big deal that heavily impacted the tension between the alt-right and SJW movement.  It also set the stage for gay marriage legalization in 2015.  2013 was also the year that the synth sound (with lots of autotube) in hip-hop that dominated the late '00s and early '10s died out and the mid '10s trap sound began its stretch of dominance.  That sounds dates back to 2011, but 2013 was the year it became the dominant sound for hip-hop.


Autotube, forgot about that one