Have you ever heard a song that just won’t get out of your brain? You try to get rid of it but it just won’t budge. Like that earworm in Spongebob Squarepants.
The only way to survive is to listen and sing it every other minute until it drives you and others crazy. People at this point tend to call you obsessed.
Well, I am not ashamed to say it. I was obsessed in 2016. With not one, or three, but ten different songs. The best part is they were all ear-catching in their unique way.
Let’s take a walk down memory lane. Here are 10 songs that made 2016 great (again).
1. Adventure Of A Lifetime
This was the first single off Coldplay’s seventh album A Head Full of Dreams. And it blew my socks away. From the well-choreographed apes to the old-school disco sound, it was that feel-good song that made you wanna stand up and dance.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtXby3twMmI]
2. Death Of A Bachelor
Panic! at the Disco, please come and receive your award for the most addictive song of 206. I seriously thought I was going crazy as I couldn’t go a day without listening to or singing this song in my head.
P.S. Hunky Brendon Urie is unconditionally bae.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R03cqGg40GU]
3. Down In The DM
Most ratchet song of 2016, no? Even though you are a saint and the complete opposite of player, you couldn’t help but jam to this catchy song and hilarious video by Yo Gotti.
It truly goes down in the DM.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXSpXO4N-tI]
4. Stressed Out
This unexpected hit song reminded the world that an American rock duo called Twenty One Pilots exists. And not every artist sings about the same old love themes we hear on the radio.
Stressed Out has a message that most of us newly recruited adults can seriously relate to. Growing up is hard!
It even compelled some of us to listen to their glorious album Blurryface.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXRviuL6vMY]
5. Back To Sleep
This was probably the sexiest song of the year. It was a winner with the old school vibe that Chris Brown stuck to in his 2015 Royalty album, and the seductive lyrics to top it off.
I bet many lovers had fun with this sultry song.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQLuhelCaDQ?rel=0]
6. Hold Up
During my first watch of the 2016 visual album Lemonade, I knew this was a great song. And it still is.
The slow tempo beat – a unique fusion of R&B and Caribbean – brings the focus to Queen Bey’s raspy voice and heartfelt lyrics. And the part she does a short Countdown preview just kills it. “Hold Up” is no doubt my favourite song off her sixth album. I even did a short cover of it.
Her favourite is “All Night”, understandably.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeonBmeFR8o?rel=0]
It’s true Bey, they don’t love you like I love you.
7. Wherever I Go
This was the 2016 comeback song of one of the coolest bands on the planet. There was a time I was convinced “Wherever I Go” was the song of the year, just by how obsessed I was by this lively song and video by OneRepublic. It definitely wins song of the summer for me.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXWrjWDQh7Q?rel=0]
No easy love could ever make me feel the same.
8. I Remember
2016 was also the year of AlunaGeorge. The UK duo released hit after hit song that played all over the world, but I Remember – the title track of their sophomore album – was my favourite of all of them.
Is it Aluna’s sweet mellow voice? Flume’s beautiful beats? Or the relatable lyrics? Maybe it’s all of the above.
If you ever need a song to remind you of a past love, this is it.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCSpXp8s2Qo?rel=0]
9. Feeling Irie
Yup, LaMusicJunkie went rasta this year, with the help of Jamaican singer Jah9. She even came all the way to Nairobi Kenya in September to perform her conscious reggae music. This particular song makes you feel all kinds of irie inside (that means better than good).
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4cewEb8x2Y?rel=0]
* Books next flight to Jamaica *
10. Never Be Like You
Flume showed the world why we need to pay attention to his experimental music. 2016 will be remembered as the year the Australian producer broke out with his first single featuring Canadian singer Kai. This song is enchanting in so many ways, I suspect some drugs may have been slipped into it.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KPnyf8vwXI?rel=0]
Now, which of these 2016 hit songs won’t get out of your brain?