Social media users have been throwing it back a decade with the 10-year challenge, sharing photos and videos of themselves from 2026. The trend, which first became popular in 2019, offers friends and fans a glimpse into the past with a slice of nostalgia.
Today, we’re doing the challenge with the No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 from this week and this week a decade ago.
First up, a look at the past.
Justin Bieber’s fourth studio album, “Purpose,” spawned four singles: “Company,” “Love Yourself,” “What Do You Mean,” and “Sorry.” “Sorry” spent seven consecutive weeks at No. 2 before toppling Adele’s comeback hit “Hello,” and spent three weeks on top of the charts. This ascent made for Billboard history.
“With its eight total weeks at No. 2 before hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100, ‘Sorry’ ties for the most weeks spent at the runner-up spot before reaching the summit,” they shared. It would spend a total of 21 weeks on the Hot 100.
Written by Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter, the song redefined Bieber’s image from a bubblegum pop star to a dance-floor fixture, due in part to its “tropical house” sound, says Rolling Stone Australia.
“‘Sorry’ was classic mid-2010’s post-EDM boom pop record-making, with Skrillex, who provided the breezy drop, pitching up Michaels’ demo vocal to create the vocal riff that kicks off the song,” they write.
Check out the music video for “Sorry” and study the sheet music (by ijuclouds):
Where Latin beats dominated the pop airwaves in 2016, classic R&B and soul have seen a resurgence in 2026. No one has brought the vintage vibes quite like Bruno Mars, who has just hit No 1 on the Hot 100 with his latest hit, “I Just Might,” marking the first single from an upcoming album titled “The Romance.”
Coincidentally, it’s his first solo music in ten years.
With grooves that call back to bands like The Isley Brothers and Redbone, “I Just Might” has an infectious groove that incorporates fuzzy guitar tones and a full horn section. The verse rock between an F chord and Gmin – the ii of the key – with a pentatonic bass line that gets your feet moving.
The chorus takes things up a step to Amin7 and Gmin7, building tension before a diatonic walk up to a Bb/C chord. This suspended sound is a hallmark of 70s pop and was used by artists like Joni Mitchell, Carole King, Chicago, and Stevie Wonder.
Mars mirrors the old school aesthetic in the music video. Check it out and follow along with the score (by dave2f):
The 10-year Challenge gives everyone a good chance to look back and see how far we’ve come. Strangely enough, pop music has actually reverted to the soulful sounds of the ’60s and ’70s, but no matter the decade, there’s always music for dancing.
