2010 was a great year. It's only cringeworthy in ATRL's standards.
2009-2010 holds the most childhood memories of any period in music for me atleast. The Fame / Monster, The E.N.D., Recovery, the girls obsession with Justin Bieber, Susan Boyle's breakout, Animal, Teenage Dream, etc.
There was lots of huge eras during that period in music.