Featured Image: (Pacer Graphic / Darby Self)
This article was written in collaboration between staff writers Lauren Davis, Bryant Steele and Ethan Tanner.
“7 Years” (Lukas Graham)
It’s hard to believe a song titled “7 years“ is now 10 years old. This song was released by Danish pop band Lukas Graham and ended up topping the Danish singles chart and reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard’s Hot 100 in April 2016.
This song is best remembered for its catchy tune and bittersweet lyrics that help reflect on how quickly life goes by. Its themes resonate with listeners so well that I cannot see it dying any time soon. Even when it’s 60 years old, this song will be remembered by older generations and discovered by new ones.
“Don’t Let Me Down” (The Chainsmokers ft. Daya)
Another chart-topping hit would be “Don’t Let Me Down“ by the Chainsmokers. Having been written by a popular electronic duo and pop star, it’s not hard to see that this song was and still is pretty popular to this day.
From Daya’s memorable chorus of “I need ya, I need ya, I need ya right now/I need you right now” to The Chainsmokers’ funky instrumentation, all aspects of the song blend together to make a memorable listen with an odd, yet appealing, music video. This song won’t let you down.
“Humble and Kind” (Tim McGraw)
Here’s a song that is slow, sentimental and might just bring a tear to your eye. This decade-old classic won a Grammy for Best Country Song and was even nominated for Best Song when it was released.
This song was written by Lori McKenna and teaches the listener to live a life of humility and kindness because that is all that matters in the end. The slow and strong guitar really helps the listener grasp onto the emotions behind the song, securing its position as a modern country classic.
“Starboy” (the Weeknd)
The Weeknd dropped his iconic “Starboy” album on Nov. 25, 2016. With notable songs on the “Starboy” album such as, “I Feel it Coming” and “Party Monster”, the song “Starboy” resonated with audiences who already loved his work and had never heard his music before.
This album didn’t have a full party vibe to it, but had diverse sounding tracks on it with a nice mesh of artists added onto it. The song “Starboy” had a very mellow, slow beat too it with consistent vocal from the Weeknd himself.
“Can’t stop the feeling” (Justin Timberlake)
This pop sensation made its rounds for sure with the “Trolls” fandom, coming out on May 6, 2016 with a bang.
It was the lead song to come out with the “Trolls” movie, aiding in its popularity in 2016. The song itself has a very poppy (pun intended) feel to it with Justin Timberlake’s powerful voice giving it life.
“Heathens” (Twenty One Pilots)
2016 was a big year for movie track songs. “Heathens” came out along with the Suicide Squad movie and both became a smash hit.
You could hear it anywhere on the radio, TV and at the movies. It was an earworm that you couldn’t get away from, just like the “Stressed Out” track from Twenty One Pilots in the same time frame.
“Heathens” features recognizable background music that could wake someone in a cold sweat with cheesy lyrics sung by “edge-lords” for years to come.
“Redbone” (Childish Gambino)
Childish Gambino’s ‘Redbone’ has become an iconic track to listen to on a day to day basis. Gambino surprises listeners by trading out his usual upbeat rap tracks by taking on a calmer R&B tone for his “Awaken, My Love!” studio album.
He especially shocks fans by singing in a higher pitch than usual. “Redbone” became Gambino’s first number-one single on the Adult R&B chart. It would gain popularity on the internet as a meme that Gambino would acknowledge on stage during a concert. It also gained traction in Hollywood after being used in Jordan Peele’s “Get Out.”
The clear tribute to 1970s R&B will always be a standout song in the illustrious musical career of Childish Gambino.
“No Problem” (Chance The Rapper, Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz)
Chance the Rapper was on top of the world in 2016 and that all began with the release of his “Coloring Book” mixtape. One of the tracks on “Coloring Book” was “No Problem”, a collaboration song that Chance created with fellow rappers Lil Wayne and 2 Chainz.
In the song, the three men explain how their blessings are plentiful. Their prideful tone backed by a gospel choir allows for an enjoyable listen every time this song makes its way on the airwaves.
“24k Magic” (Bruno Mars)
One could call “24k Magic” the theme of 2016. There wasn’t a school assembly, birthday party or family reunion you could go to without hearing this song.
Bruno Mars struck a gold mine with this track and the album that it’s on. The single peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in late November 2016. It reached critical acclaim across the board, even winning the Record of the Year award at the Emmy Awards.
Listening to “24k Magic” now causes a nostalgic feeling to wash over those who were able to experience it early after its initial release.
