Mumford & Sons — "The Cave"

Recorded in 2009 for the debut album Sigh No More, 'The Cave' was released February 26, 2010, as the album's third single. The song opens on a guitar tuned to open D with a capo on the second fret, fingerpicked so soft you might miss it, then the arrangement builds: drums, bass, banjo, all rising toward a full gallop that became the band's signature formula in the years that followed. Markus Dravs produced the track; it had the shape of something inevitable, like watching a wave form and crest.

In the UK, 'The Cave' peaked at number 31 — solid but not explosive. In America, though, it out-charted 'Little Lion Man.' It reached number 27 on the Hot 100 and climbed to number two on Adult Alternative airplay, a slow-burn crossover that told you everything about where FM radio was heading. At the 54th Grammy Awards in February 2012 — more than two years after it was recorded — 'The Cave' earned four nominations, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year, plus Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song. By April 2013, the song had sold 1,778,000 copies in the US alone, achieving two-times platinum status in both the UK and the US.

'The Cave' became inescapable: dorm rooms, coffee shops, every television sync that wanted to signal instant sincerity and emotional weight. It paired with 'Little Lion Man' as the twin pillars of Sigh No More, the same album, the same seam between the 2000s and the 2010s — but where 'Little Lion Man' burst through with anger and urgency, 'The Cave' did it with patience, letting the song unfold until it owned the room.