All songs on this list were released as singles in 2016, or 2015 but didn’t make an impact until 2016.
1. Kiiara – “Gold” – An ingenious production trick wins the top spot. The best music in the world rewires your brain.
2. Beyoncé ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Freedom” – Beyoncé BUSTS out every emotion of the year.
3. Phantogram – “You Don’t Get Me High Anymore” – I can feel myself dissolving in the despair.
4. Lady GaGa – “Perfect Illusion” – GaGa’s crying out in beautiful pain.
5. Kanye West – “Fade” – From another dimension.
6. Rag‘n’Bone Man – “Human” – The blues are alive and kicking.
7. Sia – “The Greatest” – Sia’s career is the soundtrack for perseverance.
8. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful” – What could have been an anodyne message piece instead infuses an influx of attitude.
9. Flume ft. Tove Lo – “Say It” – An airy, effervescent blast from 2016’s top DJ.
10. Childish Gambino – “Me and Your Mama” – Where did this burst of neo-P-Funk come from?!
11. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles” – This sounds like nostalgia and the future.
12. Glass Animals – “Life Itself” – Alternative quirk’s top spot of the year.
13. Bishop Briggs – “River” – I need at least one lady rocker belting it out like this per annum.
14. Beyoncé – “Formation” – The production is so much more adventurous and more mature from Queen Bey than ever before.
15. BANKS – “Gemini Feed” – Icy and boopy, with attitude to spare.
16. Leonard Cohen – “You Want It Darker” – I’m vociferously nodding along to every declaration Mr. Cohen makes.
17. Kaleo – “Way Down We Go” – That title is sort of like musical onomatopoeia.
18. Highly Suspect – “My Name is Human” – These guys from Cape Cod ought to be rocking stadiums to their core.
19. Beck – “Wow” – Beck’s gonna keep uncovering these strange corners in the aural landscape.
20. Kongos – “Take It From Me” – These South African rockers are totally in control.
21. Tove Lo – “Cool Girl” – Tove keeps freaking up the airwaves.
22. A Tribe Called Quest – “We the People” – A necessary anthem.
23. Sia ft. Sean Paul – “Cheap Thrills” – Bounce along when you’re looking for fun.
24. Ariana Grande – “Into You” – Features the year’s most killer opening line
25. Rihanna ft. Drake – “Work” – One of those great songs that defy natural analysis.
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
2. Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
3. Zayn and Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
4. Lady GaGa – “Million Reasons”
5. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
6. Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
7. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
8. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
9. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
10. The Chainsmokers – “Paris”
11. Drake – “Fake Love”
12. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
13. Rihanna – “Love on the Brain”
14. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
15. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
16. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “I Feel It Coming”
17. Aminé – “Caroline”
18. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
19. Shawn Mendes – “Mercy”
20. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Scars to Your Beautiful
2. Black Beatles
3. Starboy
4. Side to Side
5. I Feel It Coming
6. Love on the Brain
7. Closer
8. Million Reasons
9. Shape of You
10. 24K Magic
11. Paris
12 Bad and Boujee
13. Bounce Back
14. I Don’t Wanna Live (Fifty Shades Darker)
15. Bad Things
16. Let Me Love You
17. Caroline
18. Fake Love
19. Don’t Wanna Know
20. Mercy
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
2. Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
3. Zayn and Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
4. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
5. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
6. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
7. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
8. Drake – “Fake Love”
9. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
10. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
11. The Chainsmokers – “Paris”
12. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
13. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
14. Rihanna – “Love on the Brain”
15. Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
16. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “I Feel It Coming”
17. Aminé – “Caroline”
18. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
19. Migos – “T-Shirt”
20. Jon Bellion – “All Time Low”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Scars to Your Beautiful
2. Black Beatles
3. Starboy
4. Side by Side
5. I Feel It Coming
6. Love on the Brain
7. T-Shirt
8. Closer
9. Shape of You
10. 24K Magic
11. Paris
12. Bad and Boujee
13. Bounce Back
14. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)
15. All Time Low
16. Bad Things
17. Let Me Love You
18. Caroline
19. Fake Love
20. Don’t Wanna Know
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE — “Kristen Stewart” Episode 1717 — Pictured: (l-r) Host Kristen Stewart, Vanessa Bayer during the “Totinos” sketch on January 31, 2017 — (Photo by: Rosalind O’Connor/NBC)
This review was originally posted on News Cult in February 2017.
Love It
Meet Cute – In this filmed piece, Kristen Stewart and Pete Davidson have the titular encounter at a coffee shop, and the unlikelihood of an immediate development into a relationship is examined, poked, and prodded. It is not really the case that in most cinematic meet-cutes someone fails to give out enough relevant information, but it is true that they are just too fast to truly be meaningful. So we should all relate to Pete’s struggle on a spiritual (not literal) level. Oh, and his confusion over how to spell Manhattan (it’s 2 T’s, not 2 D’s) is a marvelous detail.
When Robert Mugabe earns the big applause, as in the Oval Office Phone Calls cold open, you know you’ve got something … let’s call it “special.”
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
2. Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
3. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
4. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
5. Zayn and Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
6. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
7. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
8. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
9. Drake – “Fake Love”
10. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
11. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
12. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
13. The Chainsmokers – “Paris”
14. Rihanna – “Love on the Brain”
15. Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
16. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
17. Aminé – “Caroline”
18. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “I Feel It Coming”
19. Jon Bellion – “All Time Low”
20. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey ft. Zedd – “Starving”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Scars to Your Beautiful
2. Black Beatles
3. Starboy
4. Side to Side
5. I Feel It Coming
6. Love on the Brain
7. Closer
8. Shape of You
9. 24K Magic
10. Starving
11. Paris
12. Bad and Boujee
13. Bounce Back
14. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)
15. All Time Low
16. Bad Things
17. Let Me Love You
18. Caroline
19. Fake Love
20. Don’t Wanna Know
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
2. Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
3. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
4. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
5. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
6. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
7. The Chainsmokers – “Paris”
8. Zayn and Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
9. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
10. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
11. Drake – “Fake Love”
12. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
13. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
14. Aminé – “Caroline”
15. Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
16. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
17. Rihanna – “Love on the Brain”
18. Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall – “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”
19. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “I Feel It Coming”
20. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Scars to Your Beautiful
2. Black Beatles
3. Starboy
4. Side to Side
5. I Feel It Coming
6. Love on the Brain
7. Closer
8. Shape of You
9. 24K Magic
10. Paris
11. Heathens
12. Bad and Boujee
13. Bounce Back
14. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)
15. Bad Things
16. Let Me Love You
17. Caroline
18. Fake Love
19. Don’t Wanna Know
20. Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Ed Sheeran – “Shape of You”
2. Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
3. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
4. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
5. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
6. Ed Sheeran – “Castle on the Hill”
7. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
8. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
9. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
10. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
11. Drake – “Fake Love”
12. Zayn and Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
13. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
14. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
15. Aminé – “Caroline”
16. Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
17. Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall – “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”
18. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
19. Rihanna – “Love on the Brain”
20. D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Scars to Your Beautiful
2. Black Beatles
3. Starboy
4. Side to Side
5. Broccoli
6. Love on the Brain
7. Closer
8. Shape of You
9. 24K Magic
10. Heathens
11. Bad and Boujee
12. Bounce Back
13. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)
14. Bad Things
15. Let Me Love You
16. Caroline
17. Castle on the Hill
18. Fake Love
19. Don’t Wanna Know
20. Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
2. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
3. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
4. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
5. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
6. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
7. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
8. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
9. Drake – “Fake Love”
10. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
11. Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall – “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”
12. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
13. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
14. Zayn and Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
15. D.R.A.M. ft Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
16. Aminé – “Caroline”
17. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey ft. Zedd – “Starving”
18. Big Sean – “Bounce Back”
19. Shawn Mendes – “Mercy”
20. Justin Timberlake – “Can’t Stop the Feeling!”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Scars to Your Beautiful
2. Black Beatles
3. Starboy
4. Side to Side
5. Broccoli
6. Closer
7. 24K Magic
8. Heathens
9. Starving
10. Bad and Boujee
11. Can’t Stop the Feeling!
12. Bounce Back
13. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)
14. Bad Things
15. Let Me Love You
16. Caroline
17. Fake Love
18. Don’t Wanna Know
19. Mercy
20. Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
2. Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
3. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
4. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
5. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
6. Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall – “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”
7. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
8. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
9. Drake – “Fake Love”
10. D.R.A.M. ft Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
11. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
12. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
13. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
14. Aminé – “Caroline”
15. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
16. Jon Bellion – “All Time Low”
17. Shawn Mendes – “Mercy”
18. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey ft. Zedd – “Starving”
19. Young M.A. – “OOOUUU”
20. Niall Horan – “This Town”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Scars to Your Beautiful
2. OOOUUU
3. Black Beatles
4. Starboy
5. Side to Side
6. Broccoli
7. Closer
8. 24K Magic
9. Heathens
10. Starving
11. Bad and Boujee
12. All Time Low
13. Bad Things
14. Let Me Love You
15. Caroline
16. Fake Love
17. This Town
18. Don’t Wanna Know
19. Mercy
20. Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)
Each week, I check out the Billboard Hot 100, and then I rearrange the top 20 based on my estimation of their quality.
Original Version
1. The Weeknd ft. Daft Punk – “Starboy”
2. Rae Sremmurd ft. Gucci Mane – “Black Beatles”
3. The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”
4. Bruno Mars – “24K Magic”
5. Zay Hilfigerrr and Zayion McCall – “Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)”
6. Ariana Grande ft. Nicki Minaj – “Side to Side”
7. DJ Snake ft. Justin Bieber – “Let Me Love You”
8. Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar – “Don’t Wanna Know”
9. Machine Gun Kelly x Camila Cabello – “Bad Things”
10. Drake – “Fake Love”
11. Aminé – “Caroline”
12. twenty one pilots – “Heathens”
13. Migos ft. Lil Uzi Vert – “Bad and Boujee”
14. Alessia Cara – “Scars to Your Beautiful”
15. D.R.A.M. ft. Lil Yachty – “Broccoli”
16. Mariah Carey – “All I Want for Christmas is You”
17. Hailee Steinfeld & Grey ft. Zedd – “Starving”
18. Zayn and Taylor Swift – “I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)”
19. Young M.A. – “OOOUUU”
20. Rihanna – “Love on the Brain”
Jmunney’s Revision
1. Scars to Your Beautiful
2. OOOUUU
3. Starboy
4. Black Beatles
5. Side to Side
6. Broccoli
7. Love on the Brain
8. Closer
9. 24K Magic
10. Heathens
11. Starving
12. All I Want for Christmas is You
13. Bad and Boujee
14. I Don’t Wanna Live Forever (Fifty Shades Darker)
15. Bad Things
16. Let Me Love You
17. Caroline
18. Fake Love
19. Don’t Wanna Know
20. Juju on That Beat (TZ Anthem)
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