Top 10 Best Hit Songs Of 2016

     Alright, one list down, one more to go, and this time, we get to look at the good that 2016 had to offer. Yeah, I know, I came down really hard on this year, and I still stand by this year not being good at all, but that doesn't mean it's devoid of quality completely, and that's what we're here to look at today, so without further adieu, let's hop right in, shall we?

10

    It seems like a lot of people have really soured on this song a lot, and honestly, that's kind of a shame because if you ask me, it still holds up incredibly well. Also, you know how I said in my worst list the one song I heard with Daya that I liked was the one where she was the featured artist? Well......

10) Song: Don't Let Me Down

    Artist: The Chainsmokers feat. Daya

    Year-End Position:  8

     So......people hate this song? That's a shame.
I remember when The Chainsmokers first burst onto the scene in 2014 with that godawful #SELFIE song, and I gotta say, you have no idea how glad I was that that unfunny, ugly, grating-ass piece of music was not a hit. Then they came back this year with Roses, which was actually really good, and I was certain that that was gonna make the list, probably even top it. Granted, it did wear off on me after a while, but it's still a good song. Then they made this, and dear lord, this is a masterpiece. For one thing, the plucky, liquid guitar is anchored in a pretty solid melody, and it sound gorgeous. It fits perfectly with the light percussion and Daya's vocals, who, speaking of which, actually sounds like she gives a damn on this song. Who knew she could actually emote? You certainly wouldn't know that from Hide Away or Sit Still, Look Pretty. She is just pouring her heart out on this song, and if she did more stuff like this, more people would probably like her, or at least I like to think they would. Then we get to that drop, and yeah, I get why people hate how nasal and thudding it is, but as for me, I just can't help but enjoy how wild, how chaotic, how just......I don't know what draws me to it, exactly. It just works. Lyrically, this song is simply about just wanting to not be let down and feeling lonely in a relationship, and...yeah, that's about it, but for what we get, it's surprisingly well done. Oh, and the payoff on that final chorus is just magnificent. It's kind of a shame that The Chainsmokers went back to sucking after this and that people are seriously turning on this song, but whatever, I still love it.

9

     Here's an artist I'm glad had staying power.

9) Song: Let Me Love You

    Artist: DJ Snake feat. Justin Bieber

    Year-End Position: 47

     DJ Snake is quite the anomaly, isn't he? He has a knack for constructing some really ear-wormy, catchy pop songs that at their core are really basic yet at the same time very well constructed, and this song right here is no exception. Lyrically, it's pretty basic stuff about wanting to save a relationship that seems like it's teetering on the verge of ending. Nothing special, but pretty harmless. However, that's not what makes this song so great. No, that comes in the production and vocals. Now, is this song a musical retread of Lean On? Well, sure, I'll be the first to admit that. That being said, if there was any song to try and copy, it would be that one, and Let Me Love You has a lot of the same elements that made Lean On work on a musical level. The pulsing synths, the textured rattling pattern of the drum machine, the infectious looping vocal fragment for the drop, it all culminates to create a really pleasant listening experience. Also worth noting is this building sense of tension that progresses throughout the verses that makes the song feel bigger than it really is. I don't know why that works so well for me, it just does. And then we come to Justin Bieber's vocals, and not gonna lie, they are fantastic. This guy has definitely been improving. I've really enjoyed quite a bit of his singles ever since Where Are Ü Now, and yeah, I'll say it: this is easily some of his best vocal work to date. He sounds really good here, and he's able to sell the emotion as well as match the intensity put off by the production. Nothing else to say, really. It's just a really well made pop song.

8

     Oh, hey, I finally get to talk about Coldplay.

8) Song: Hymn For The Weekend
    Artist: Coldplay (feat. Beyonce)
    Year-End Position: 73

      Yeah, I've always liked Coldplay. I may not have loved them as much as other people have, necessarily, but when they have songs that are as grandiose as Viva La Vida, as sweeping as Clocks, as powerful as Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall, and heck, even as upbeat and fun as Adventure Of A Lifetime (which was so close to being an HM on this list), is it any wonder that people like them? And yeah, this song is no exception. This song is just so happy and fun and larger than life. The shimmering piano line plays off of the handclaps and what sounds like clinking glasses really well, the horns and guitar have a bunch of swell to them, and they build up perfectly to that chorus, which just explodes which an uber abundant collection of joyous noises that sound wonderful. On top of that, Chris Martin just sounds like he's having the time of his life on this song. Seriously, he just sounds so happy to be alive and well and it's hard to be mad at the guy. Props also go to Beyonce, who, yeah, is kind of a glorified back up vocalist on the track, still manages to shine through. She sounds great, as do her harmonizations with Martin. Lyrically, this song is just about going out on the weekend, getting drunk, and having a good time, but framed as though the Gods have blessed you with such an opportunity to have an amazing time. It's simple yet effective, and the music definitely matches that feeling. The upbeat, dreamy feeling it gives off definitely fits the "hymn" part of the title, but not in the typical sense. Instead of in the boring church music sense, it fits it in that it sounds just so heavenly and spiritual and oh sweet Jesus, it sounds good. Oh, and I guess I should also mention the SeeB remix of this song. I don't hate it, but I don't know, it feels pretty underwhelming. It kind of undercuts what the intent of the original was going for, and it feels kinda cheap to me. Don't get me wrong, SeeB is a great producer (trust me, that'll be proven in a few spots), but his remix of this song just didn't do it for me. As for the original, oh fuck yeah, it did. Fantastic work, guys (and Beyonce).

7

     We can all agree that The Weeknd is great, right?

7) Song: In The Night

    Artist: The Weeknd

    Year-End Position: 61

    We didn't get a lot from The Weeknd this year, and most of the songs from him on the year-end chart are leftovers from last year's YE, but from the ones we did get from him that debuted and were hits this year were pretty damn solid, two in particular sticking out. We'll be dealing with one now and one later. We start off with what is easily the best track from his last album, Beauty Behind The Madness. If there's one thing that's to note about The Weeknd, it's that there's two sides to him: the side that makes bright, happy pop music that wavers between retro throwback and modern electropop sounds, and then there's the darker, more serious sound where he revels in his hedonism and reveals the true monster lying beneath. For this song, he kinda combines the two, and it works extraordinarily. The faded, colorful synths against the backbeat that has a ton of groove to it, the twinkly keys, and The Weeknd just putting his all into the vocals on this song. Seriously, just on pure sound alone, this song is amazing. But, then we dig into the content, and it gets even better. This is a song about a woman whose experiences with sexual abuse has lead her down a path of stripping and various other activities that anyone who just looked at the surface would see her as deplorable, and yet, it wouldn't be right to judge her for no one can truly understand all that's she's gone through in her life. It's a pretty heavy topic, and there's so much nuance and detail that carries the song quite well. Nothing more to say, really. Great song, glad it was a hit.

6

     It's Adele. You didn't think I'd leave her off the best list, did you?

6) Song: When We Were Young

    Artist: Adele

    Year-End Position: 83

    Adele is a godsend to the world of pop music. She has made some a lot of the best songs of this decade. Her material is just so rich, so full, so emotionally captivating, it's pretty much adult contemporary music done right. Heck, even though her stab at at a regular ol' pop song with Send My Love (To Your New Lover) is easily the weakest song she's made to date, it still winds up being pretty decent. This brings us to When We Were Young, and yeah, unsurprisingly, it's fantastic. The reverb-tinged gospel elements, subtle bass line, somber piano keys, hints of tambourine, it all combines to create a solid melodic foundation, and how much swell it has is just incredible, especially when those heavier drums come in on the final chorus. Then, of course, we have Adele showing off her vocal range and amazing ability to emote with her great as usual voice. Not really much to say there. And like many of the songs on this list, the content is absolutely superb. Essentially, this is a song about meeting up with an old friend who seems to have changed a lot whilst Adele herself has stayed pretty much the same, and while their differences have driven them apart, it's not quite something she's really ready to let go of yet, and with as lonely as she's been over the years because of them going their separate ways, she hopes desperately to rekindle that magical bond they used to have, if only for one night because if she doesn't now, it could be too late. It's a heartbreaking song that's executed really well, and is all the more reason that we need more acts like Adele in the mainstream. If there was anymore reason as to why she's awesome, this would be it right here.

5

     My only regret is that I wasn't able to place this song any higher. Eh, oh well. At least Mike Posner is good now.

5) Song: I Took A Pill In Ibiza (SeeB Remix)

    Artist: Mike Posner

    Year-End Position: 15

     Hey, remember back in 2010 when everyone remembered Posner as the dork who wrote the lame, arrogant as hell, though admittedly solidly produced Cooler Than Me? I like to think half of people do and half of people don't, and most of the people that fall on the side of remembering it are embarrassed of its existence, and apparently that group involves Posner, surprisingly. This is his anthem about how fame has its limitations and one can only be so happy with all it provides. Granted, there are quite a few of those songs that exist in the world, so what makes I Took A Pill In Ibiza so special? Well, the twist is that not only is this a song about being sad in spite of fame, this is a song about being sad in spite of fame because of everyone forgetting your very existence and who you are as a person. Now that is what I call a twist. Like, yeah, on the one hand, that one hit probably brought him a ton of money, fame, and women. But at the same time, who really remembers that song? And who really would want to be associated with something so pathetic as Cooler Than Me? I mean, yeah, he had Please Don't Go, but people remember that song even less than Cooler Than Me, so that only further drives the point of the song home. So yeah, the content of the song is great, we've established that, but what about the instrumentation and production? Well, despite how well written it is, it originally started out as a boring as piss acoustic guitar ballad with a third verse that's actually really condescending to a portion of his fanbase (more specifically, his fans from Lafayette). Luckily, in swoop Norwegian production duo SeeB to vamp this song up, and man, did they do a good job or what? They scrapped the extraneous, awful third verse and gave this song the oomph that it needed with the twinkly keys, pulsing synths, and backing percussion that has just some really amazing pacing to it, not to mention that amazing drop. Seriously, that drop is breathtaking. Now, I know that some will say that making this song a dance remix undercuts the emotion of what the song was going for, but honestly, I think it enhances it because it shows that on his own, Posner is nothing, and besides, part of what all he has left in his life in the song is clubbing, so why not ramp up the irony and make it a dance song? And I haven't even mentioned how much Posner is selling it with the vocals. Normally, his weak, breathy vocals are just incredibly limp and hard to listen to because they sound bad, but this time, they're hard to listen to because they only accentuate how broken and alone he feels. So yeah, not really much else to say here. Moving on.

4

     Okay, I've had a lot of fluctuating musical opinions over the years, but this might actually be my biggest 180 on a song to date. You wanna see what was originally #3 on my worst list?

Fuck you, past me.

4) Song: Ride

    Artist: twenty one pilots

    Year-End Position: 20

      I like tøp. They're a band that while I get why many people don't like them, they have a good chunk of songs that I find myself enjoying. Their last album Blurryface was a pretty solid pop record, and this is definitely one of the standout tracks. And I gotta say, it feels a bit weird that I'm saying that consider that pretty much all of 2016, I was pretty much adamant in my hatred for this song. I found it a blaring mess of a song with grating vocals and messy, generic lyrics that were structured badly. It took a long, long, loooooong time, but my thoughts on it have flipped entirely. I'm not sure what exactly caused that change of my view of the song, but I'm glad the switch finally flipped because I've always wanted to like this song for the longest time. For starters, I love this production. The sandy symbols and pounding drums, the plinking reggae keys and the low-fi bassline paired with the ghostly, choppy synths, and the way it explodes into this cacophonous crescendo on the chorus as well as these gospel touches on the bridge that sound so beautiful and emotional. On top of that, Tyler Joseph is just putting his all into his performance on this song, and the way he shreds his vocal chords on that last chorus is absolutely killer. But all of that pales in comparison to the lyrics, and wow, where to even start? It's a bit jumbled and all over the place, but from what I can decode, this is about Tyler Joseph's battles with his own inner thoughts and insecurities that make him question his own self worth and ability to maintain relationships with the people most important to him. These thoughts constantly eat away at him, and he's terrified as hell about confronting them, but he's still willing to confront them nonetheless, and by being willing to live his life in spite of the demons that so desperately want to control him, even with him admitting that he's been thinking about it far too much, he comes out the victor in the end by showing that despite the constant questioning of his own existence, he will let nothing stand in his way. It's subtle yet powerful, and that translates exceedingly well into the perfect combination of subdued yet grandiose and epic instrumentation and vocal delivery. Fantastic job, twenty one pilots. Keep up the good work.

3

     Damn, Ariana was great this year.

3) Song: Into You

    Artist: Ariana Grande

    Year-End Position: 51

     Seriously, Ariana is one of the few artists if not the only artist to put out consistently likable music this year. Dangerous Woman (the album) is a stunning album with pretty much all but one or two songs were excellent, and this is widely considered by many, myself included, as the best song from that album, and for damn good reason because holy shit, this song is stupendous. The best way I can describe this song's sound is massive. The ebbing synths, the low grind during the verses, that explosive as hell chorus, the bridge where those walls of synths provide an excellent transition between the bridge and the final chorus, it all just sounds so huge and epic. Then of course, we have Ariana Grande transitioning between coy and cooing and singing her heart out. Seriously, when does this woman not sound amazing. Lyrically, this song is pretty light on content, really being nothing more than a simple song about being head over heels in love with a guy, but really, that's all it needs to be, and if you ask me, the execution was flawless. Not really a lot to say here. It's a damn great song. Like In The Night and Beauty Behind The Madness from The Weeknd before it, I am so glad that the best song from Dangerous Woman was a hit. Oh, and speaking of which.....................

2

     Hey, look, The Weeknd's on the list again. And look, he's giving Daft Punk another year-end song after Get Lucky in 2013. Awesome.

2) Song: Starboy

    Artist: The Weeknd feat. Daft Punk

    Year-End Position: 58

     It's surprising to think that Daft Punk of all people have only had two songs that were big enough to make year-end charts, the only other one aside from this being with Pharrell for Get Lucky in 2013. Sure, a ton of people know their name and love a bunch of their songs, but yet the charts don't seem to reflect that that much, or at least not the year-end charts, and really, I just find that to be a goddamn crime because they truly are that excellent and have made some of the best electronic music over the years. So if someone like The Weeknd is willing to give them that extra push they need to break through and achieve a second hit, as odd of a pairing as it seems, I'd be on board with that, and what do you know, it turned out to be just as spectacular as everyone thought it'd be, probably even more so. The spaced out piano keys, the thumping bass, the synths creeping around the edges, and that mid-chorus drop that is just thunderous, it's got such a great groove and atmosphere to it that's incredibly hard to deny, and DP's vocoders thrown in as a bonus only add to the greatness. Then we have the weekend giving a more refined and toned down performance, and honestly, I think he might sound better here than on In The Night, amazing as that song is. Of course, the reason this song is up so high is because of, what else, the content. Essentially, this is a song where The Weeknd gives a giant middle finger to the audience that helped him achieve his success. On the surface, it seems pretty insulting, but then you dig into the raw, unfiltered details provided, and it becomes true that we had a part in him becoming the monster that he is now. We made our bed, and now we gotta lay in it. It's really a song that gets the gears in peoples' brains turning, and there's so much nuance and detail that it really does work in a stunningly effective way. I was so tempted to place this song at the top, but we have one more song to go, and oh boy, is it a real doozy.

But before we tackle that beast, here are some quick honorable mentions.

HM1) Song: Broccoli

           Artist: D.R.A.M. feat. Lil Yachty

           Year-End Position: 34

Lil Yachty keeps this song off this list, especially with that Columbine line, but outside of him, this is a fun, bouncy song with great production, D.R.A.M. has a ton of charisma and energy, and the whole song is just so jovial to listen to.

HM2) Song: Humble & Kind

           Artist: Tim McGraw

           Year-End Position: 96

This is a really sweet country song with a lush, expansive mix and Tim McGraw's tender vocals that really does feel like you're getting a comforting, warm hug from your dad.

HM3) Song: Say It

           Artist: Tory Lanez

           Year-End Position: 74

This one snuck up on me how great it was, but yeah, I really dig this song. The sample is interpolated incredibly well, the bass hits, rattling percussion, beeping synths, and smooth keys all have a nice balance to them, and they fit Tory Lanez's light, breezy vocals and the content of how he still wants to spend time with this girl despite the fact that she's really only in the relationship because of how much she likes his car. Color me impressed, I really dig this song.

HM4) Song: All The Way Up

           Artist: Fat Joe & Remy Ma feat. French Montana & Infared

           Year-End Position: 87

Performances full of charisma, energy, and bravado, a plethora of clever punchlines, and the way the haunting hornline plays off of the thicker bass and skittering trap elements, this is a really fun brag rap song that bangs hard, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

HM5) Song: Cake By The Ocean

           Artist: DNCE

           Year-End Position: 18

This is just a ridiculously fun, admittedly incredibly stupid song about having sex on the beach. Nothing more, nothing less.

HM6) Song: Side To Side

           Artist: Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj

           Year-End Position: 77

 

Definitely glad this perky, vibrant, fun reggae song followed into you. Ariana sounds amazing, handles the pretty explicit subject matter fairly well, and the Nicki Minaj verse is just so goofy and enjoyable. Really good song.

HM7) Song: Heathens

           Artist: twenty one pilots

           Year-End Position: 21

Like I said, I like twenty one pilots, and this dark, macabre song about one's own insecurities and trust issues even among one's own friend circle (or, at least, suspected friend circle) with an explosive chorus is a prime example as to why. I know many of you were probably expecting Stressed Out to take this spot, but honestly, of all the tøp songs to become hits, I think this might be my favorite (outside of Ride, of course).

HM8) Song: Stressed Out

           Artist: twenty one pilots

           Year-End Position: 5

Of course, that doesn't mean Stressed Out is any less amazing with its murky, bass heavy beat that still manages to have a solid melodic foundation, good vocal delivery from Tyler Joseph, and lyrics about calling back to a simpler time before having to face adulthood. It's some powerful stuff.

Alright, we're at the end, so time to finish off with............

1

     This is gonna come off as an......odd choice for #1, and I know very few of you are gonna like the fact that this song is on the list at all, let alone right at the top of it. That being said, I asked myself, could I really justify put anywhere but #1 on the list? In the end, the answer turned out to be no, I couldn't. This is the song that I kept coming back to the most all year for a reason, and it just got better with each subsequent listen. I guess all that's left to say is......welcome back, Justin Timberlake.

1) Song: Can't Stop The Feeling

    Artist: Justin Timberlake

    Year-End Position: 9

 

     Let me just state for the record, right here, right now, that I get why so many people might not like this song. It's stagnant as all hell, some of the lyrics are pretty questionable, and at the end of the day, it's nothing but generic dance fluff that really only serves to be played at weddings, dances, and other various social events. That said, if you can look me in the face and tell me that you wouldn't dance to this song, you are lying through your teeth because even with all that I just noted about this song, this is Justin freakin' Timberlake we're talking about. He could pretty much record the sounds of him taking a shit and turn it in to something amazing. He has vocal chops, and he brings it on this song with so much charisma and energy that it's just impeccable. The instrumentation, as stagnant as it is, is very vibrant and colorful with the washed out piano melody, sandy cymbals, snaps, claps, plucky guitar, horns, synths, it all just melds into this glorious mesh of just pure pop fun. But the main reason that this tops my best list is because out of all the songs on this list, this is the song that gave the fewest damns and proved that a pop song could be about absolutely nothing and doesn't really need to be to be absolutely amazing. Sure, there are plenty of other bright, happy pop hits that we got this year, many of which wound up on this very list, but even then, they all felt the need to try and sprinkle in some sort of lyrical complexity, and while that's all fine and dandy, it isn't always necessary. Hell, as basic as Into You's lyrics are, even it was still about something. Can't Stop The Feeling just says "fuck that noise, just dance to your heart's content," and really, that's all that needs to be done sometimes, and if you ask me, it did it in the best of ways. Timberlake asks me to dance dance dance, and that's exactly what I'm doing each and every time I hear this song, and besides, in a year that dragged on as much as 2016 did and with as much crap as we got, we really needed this breath of fresh air. So I'm gonna give this the highest honor it deserves: it is my favorite hit song of 2016.

Link to what the scores I gave each song on the year-end chart will be here. Hope to see you guys next year, but until then, merry Christmas, happy holidays, happy New Year, and I will see you guys later.