Your list of best and worst music of 2016

[StrawberryBlond 14,296]

So, here once again is my annual list of my best and worst singles and albums of the year. A bit earlier than when I usually do it. So many music publications put their lists out on November, it's crazy. The year isn't over until it's over, so I don't take things into consideration until it's officially January 1st. So, I listen to lots of music every year and I provide a top 40 best/worst singles and a top 20 best/worst albums every year here, for those who don't know. I am not a professional critic, I just review music for the sheer joy of it. Please don't take things too seriously if I don't like your fave.

So, I say this every year since I started the reviews, but it's been another bad year. The caliber of albums this year was really bad so you'll see a lot of albums that only had a 50% positive approval rating this year and it was very difficult to rank them. As is always the rule for my singles lists, it's very difficult to rate all 40, so the top 10 of each list is the only ones you should really pick apart with scrutiny as I really do try to rank them in a specific order. There was so much mediocrity this year that I had to put in some not necessarily bad choices in the worst of lists, so don't get too offended, I had to extend things to a top 40. I try to avoid including promo singles wherever possible, however, due to visual albums projects, a lot of non-singles have videos these days and can gain success, so it's hard to judge what could be regarded as a single in some cases but I think I've done it right.

So, here's my list, in reverse chronological order, with the best or worst being at the bottom of the list. I only give ratings for the albums as basically all the singles are roughly the same rating.

 

Top 40 best singles of 2016
 

Spoiler

 

40. Sia fea.t Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills

39. Shakira feat. Maluma - Chantaje

38. AURORA - Night Bird

37. Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj - Side To Side

36. Brandy Clark - Girl Next Door

35. Britney Spears feat. Tinashe - Slumber Party

34. Zayn feat. Kehlani - Wrong

33. Clean Bandit feat. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie - Rockabye

32. Beyonce - Daddy Lessons

31. Taylor Swift - New Romantics

30. Demi Lovato - Body Say

29. Fifth Harmony - That's My Girl

28. Demi Loavto - Stone Cold

27. Nick Jonas feat. Tove Lo - Close

26. Snoop Dogg feat. Wiz Khalifa - Kush Ups

25. Lady Gaga - Perfect Illusion

24. Ariana Grande - Into You

23. Beyonce feat. Kendrick Lamar - Freedom

22. Little Mix - Shout Out To My Ex

21. Kehlani - Gangsta

20. Carrie Underwood - Dirty Laundry

19. Zayn - Pillowtalk

18. Leonard Cohen - You Want It Darker

17. Tegan And Sara - Stop Desire

16. Katy Perry - Rise

15. MØ - Final Song

14. Mike Posner - I Took A Pill In Ibiza (original acoustic version)

13. Robbie Williams - Party Like A Russian

12. Robbie Williams - Love My Life

11. Taylor Swift - Out Of The Woods

10. Iggy Azalea - Team

09. Rachel Platten - Better Place

08. Emeli Sande - Hurts

07. Lady Gaga - Million Reasons

06. Bat For Lashes - Joe's Dream

05. Rihanna - Love On The Brain

04. Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons, Logic, Ty Dolla $ign & X Ambassadors - Sucker For Pain

03. Carrie Underwood - Church Bells

02. Lana Del Rey - Freak

01. Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman

 

 

Top 40 worst singles of 2016
 

Spoiler

 

40. Banks - F**k With Myself

39. Radiohead - Burn The Witch

38. Usher feat. Future - Rivals

37. Tove Lo - True Disaster

36. Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane - Black Beatles

35. Meghan Trainor - NO 

34. Adele - Send My Love (To Your New Lover)

33. Bruno Mars - 24K Magic

32. Rihanna - Needed Me

31. Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop The Feeling!

30. Alicia Keys - Blended Family (What You Do For Love)

29. Bastille - Good Grief

28. KT Tunstall - Love Is An Ocean

27. The 1975 - UGH!

26. Sophie Ellis Bextor - Come With Us

25. Chris Brown - Grass Ain't Greener

24. John Legend feat. Chance The Rapper - Penthouse Floor

23. KT Tunstall - Maybe It's A Good Thing

22. Biffy Clyro - Re-Arrange

21. Nick Jonas feat. Ty Dolla $ign - Bacon

20. Beyonce - Sorry

19. Fifth Harmony feat. Fetty Wap - All In My Head (Flex)

18. Drake - Controlla

17. Die Antwoord - Banana Brain

16. M.I.A. - Borders

15. Drake feat. Rihanna - Too Good

14. Jennifer Lopez - Ain't Your Mama

13. Die Antwoord - We Have Candy

12. Meghan Trainor - Me Too

11. Gwen Stefani - Make Me Like You

10. Fergie - MILF $

09. Die Antwoord feat. Dita Von Teese - Gucci Coochie

08. Rihanna feat. Drake - Work

07.  M.I.A. feat. Zayn - Freedun

06. Frank Ocean - Nikes

05. Calvin Harris - My Way

04. Beyonce - Formation

03. Die Antwoord - Fat Faded F**k Face

02. Drake - feat. Wizkid & Kyla - One Dance

01. Big Baby D.R.A.M feat. Lil Yachty - Broccoli

 

 

Top 20 best albums of 2016
 

Spoiler

 

20. Garbage - Strange Little Birds - 3/5

19. Lucinda Williams - The Ghosts Of Highway 20 - 3/5

18. Metallica - Hardwired...to Self-Destruct - 3/5

17. Britney Spears - Glory - 3/5

16. Emeli Sande - Long Live The Angels - 3/5

15. Miranda Lambert - The Weight Of These Wings - 3/5

14. Alicia Keys - Here - 3/5

13. Little Mix - Glory Days - 3/5

12. Common - Black America Again - 3/5

11. Robbie Williams - The Heavy Entertainment Show - 3/5

10. Rihanna - Anti - 3/5

09. Beyonce - Lemonade - 3/5

08. Rachel Platten - Wildfire - 3.5/5

07. AURORA - All My Demons Greeting Me As A Friend - 3.5/5

06. JoJo - Mad Love - 3.5/5

05. Brandy Clark - Big Day In A Small Town - 3.5/5

04. Bat For Lashes - The Bride - 3.5/5

03. Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman - 3.5/5

02. The Pretty Reckless - Who You Selling For - 4/5

01. Lady Gaga - Joanne - 4.5/5

 

 

Top 20 worst albums of 2016
 

Spoiler

 

20. Fifth Harmony - 7/27 - 2/5

19. Solange - A Seat At The Table - 2/5

18. Die Antwoord - Mount Ninji and Da Nice Time Kid - 2/5

17. Busted - Night Driver - 2/5

16. Wiz Khalifa - Khalifa - 2/5

15. DNCE - DNCE - 2/5

14. Usher - Hard II Love - 2/5

13. Shawn Mendes - Illuminate - 2/5

12. Bruno Mars - 24K Magic - 2/5

11. Meghan Trainor - Thank You - 1.5/5

10. KT Tunstall - KIN - 1.5/5

09. Blink-182 - California - 1.5/5

08. Future - EVOL - 1.5/5

07. M.I.A. - AIM - 1.5/5

06. Craig David - Following My Intuition - 1.5/5

05. Kings of Leon - WALLS - 1.5/5

04. Frank Ocean - Blond - 1/5

03. Roisin Murphy - Take Her Up To Monto - 1/5

02. Biffy Clyro - Ellipsis - 1/5

01. Drake - Views - 1/5

 

 

So, that's it. Very extensive taste, as you can tell. Understand that it's all opinion. Now, post your own lists and let's share tastes.

[Fernster7 7,857]

I think Dangerous Woman the song did not deserve that spot and the album should at least be rated with a 4. It's so good.

I agree with Joanne but I'm biased because this is exactly the kind of music I wanted Gaga to make, and in my opinion Million Reasons should be higher. 

[n0ne 13,105]

I don't think there can be a bad year in music, maybe top 40/100 music, but there's too music out there for a whole year to be horrible. 

Imo 2016 was an awesome year in music; in and out of top 40/100 music.

I'll try to post lists later.

[Bio 23,538]

I'm just gonna say it's VERY different than yours and leave it at that 

[sillynate 6,170]

I can't do a list  I'll just do 1 & 1 and 1 & 1

Best Single:

Spoiler

I bop to this so hard. I might start stanning him

Least Best Single:

Spoiler

Best Album:

Spoiler

Least Best Album:

Spoiler

I left out Gags because this is a fan site. Of course her work tops everything 

[boobtank 9,090]

38 minutes ago, StrawberryBlond said:

Top 20 worst albums of 2016

19. Solange - A Seat At The Table - 2/5

2

[SirLudicopro 1,351]

Best singles:

Beyoncé - All Night (it became a single at the end of the year )

Rihanna - Kiss It Better

Ariana Grande - Into You

Lady Gaga - Perfect Illusion

The Weeknd - Starboy

Beyoncé - Formation

The Weeknd - I Feel It Coming

Lady Gaga - Million Reasons

The Weeknd - Party Monster

Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman

Rihanna - Needed Me

Beyoncé - Sorry

Lana Del Rey - Freak

(you can tell what artists I like )

 

Worst singles: idk like almost everything that was in the top 40 except the songs I mentioned

 

Albums: I only listened to Anti, Lemonade, Dangerous Woman, Joanne and Starboy in full and I thought they were all amazing, Anti being fifth and the other four being tied for first place.

[Yuuri 21,636]

Best Albums of 2016

ANTi- Rihanna

Are some of the best albums of 2016 with the last being highly underrated by the media.

[PartySick 148,320]

My list is pretty simple.

Joanne > Glory > everything else > Anything by the Chainsmokers

[n0ne 13,105]

*All the lists are done in no particular order*

 

Top 20 Best Albums/EPs of 2016

Spoiler

Death of a Bachelor - Panic! at the Disco

I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it - The 1975

The Life of Pablo - Kanye West

Mind of Mine - ZAYN

I Will Be Nothing Without Your Love - The Ready Set

Dangerous Woman - Ariana Grande

Last Year Was Complicated - Nick Jonas

Majid Jordan - Majid Jordan

Home of the Strange - Young the Giant

How to Be a Human Being - Glass Animals

Wild World - Bastille

Disappear Here - Bad Suns

Joanne - Lady Gaga

kinda - LANY

Nemesis - Bridgit Mendler

Starboy - The Weeknd

Passion, Pain & Demon Slayin' - Kid Cudi

"Awaken, My Love!" - Childish Gambino

The Altar - Banks

GENERATIONWHY - ZHU

Top 50 Best Singles of 2016

Spoiler

Work - Rihanna

Father Stretch My Hands Pt.1/Pt. 2 - Kanye West

Fade - Kanye West

The Sound - The 1975

Somebody Else - The 1975

Something New - Zendaya

Team - Iggy Azalea

LIKE I WOULD - ZAYN

Enemiez - Keke Palmer

Hands Free - Keke Palmer

I Took a Pill in Ibiza (Seeb Remix) - Mike Posner

Disappearing Act - The Ready Set

Swim - The Ready Set

This Is What You Came For - Calvin Harris

My Way - Calvin Harris

Me Too - Meghan Trainor

Dammn Baby - Janet Jackson

In Common - Alicia Keys

Wherever I Go - OneRepublic

Into You - Ariana Grande

Bacon - Nick Jonas

Thru the Speakers - Shake

Purse First - Bob the Drag Queen

Gimme the Love - Jake Bugg

Every Step Every Way - Majid Jordan

Make It Work - Majid Jordan

Small Talk - Majid Jordan

Cool Girl - Tove Lo

Amerika - Young the Giant

Silvertongue - Young the Giant

The Greatest - Sia

Life Itself - Glass Animals

WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS - LANY

Betrayed by the Game - Dance Gavin Dance

Young Robot - Dance Gavin Dance

Heartbreaker - Bad Suns

Daft Pretty Boys - Bad Suns

Read U Wrote U - RuPaul

Perfect Illusion - Lady Gaga

Million Reasons - Lady Gaga

Gemini Feed - Banks

Starboy - The Weeknd

Party Monster - The Weeknd

I Feel It Coming - The Weeknd

Atlantis - Bridgit Mendler

Do You Miss Me at All - Bridgit Mendler

Me and Your Mama - Childish Gambino

Redbone - Childish Gambino

Icarus - R3hab

Surfin' - Kid Cudi

Top 100 Best Music Videos of 2016

Spoiler

Hymn for the Weekend - Coldplay

PILLOWTALK - ZAYN

The Right Song - Tiësto & Oliver Heldens

Freak - Lana Del Rey

The Sound - The 1975

YOUTH - Troye Sivan

Work From Home - Fifth Harmony

Desire (ft. Tove Lo) - Years & Years

MAD AT YOU - 3OH!3

Team (Dance Video) - Iggy Azalea

I Took A Pill In Ibiza (Seeb Remix) - Mike Posner

Something In The Way You Move - Ellie Goulding

Close - Nick Jonas

Birch Tree - Foals

Cheap Thrills - Sia

Boys & Girls - will.i.am

Fool's Gold - Aaron Carter

WHERE THE HELL ARE MY FRIENDS - LANY

Dammn Baby - Janet Jackson

Daddy Issues - The Neighbourhood

If It Ain't Love - Jason Derulo

LIKE I WOULD - ZAYN

Don't Threaten Me With A Good Time - Panic! at the Disco

The Realness - RuPaul

Up&Up - Coldplay

Wherever I Go - OneRepublic

Let Me Love You - Ariana Grande

Into You - Ariana Grande

In Common - Alicia Keys

Purse First - Bob the Drag Queen

Every Step Every Way - Majid Jordan

Thru the Speakers - Shake

Alphabet Boy - Melanie Martinez

Kill Em With Kindness - Selena Gomez

Company - Justin Bieber

Let's Run Away - Matt and Kim

Hummingbird - Kyla La Grange

Sucker for Pain - Suicide Squad Soundtrack

M.I.L.F. $ - Fergie

Worship - Years & Years

Tears - Clean Bandit

Something to Believe in - Young the Giant

Wrong Bitch - Todrick Hall

Somebody Else - The 1975

**** with Myself - Banks

Youth - Glass Animals

FREAK YOUR MIND - 3OH!3

Wolves - Kanye West

In the Morning - ZHU

Take it From Me - KONGOS

Silvertongue - Young the Giant

Hollywoodn't - Sharon Needles

Amerika - Young the Giant

Jungle Youth - Young the Giant

Titus Was Born - Young the Giant

Cruel - Snakehips

Disappear Here - Bad Suns

Gemini Feed - Banks

Chief Don't Run - Jidenna

A Head Full of Dreams - Coldplay

Cool Girl - Tove Lo

Tag, You're it/Milk and Cookies - Melanie Martinez

Small Talk - Majid Jordan

Grass Ain't Greener - Chris Brown

Palm of My Hand - ZHU

Side to Side - Ariana Grande

The Greatest - Sia

Reverse Psychology - Keke Palmer

Blame it on My Heart - Karmin

Puppet - Alaska Thunder****

Perfect Illusion - Lady Gaga

La Devotee - Panic! at the Disco

Starboy - The Weeknd

Meteorite - Years & Years

Young Robot - Dance Gavin Dance

Send Them Off! - Bastille

Boss - Bear Hands

Season 2 Episode 3 - Glass Animals 

Body Moves - DNCE

The T - Alaska Thunder****

False Alarm - The Weeknd

The Stage - Avenge Sevenfold

Don't Wanna Know - Maroon 5

Shelter - Porter Robinson & Madeon

Generationwhy - ZHU

Rockabye - Clean Bandit

My Way - Calvin Harris

Surfin' - Kid Cudi

After the Afterparty - Charli XCX

Champagne Problems - Nick Jonas

Hands Free - Keke Palmer

M A N I A - The Weeknd

True Disaster - Tove Lo

Mrs. Potato Head - Melanie Martinez

Ride 'Em on Down - The Rolling Stones

Million Reasons - Lady Gaga

Blame - Bastille

Formation - Beyoncé

Finest Girl - The Lonely Island

Blue Neighbourhood (Director's Cut) - Troye Sivan

There isn't a lot of music that hated because I tend to listen to music/Artists I know I'll like or am interested in. Plus don't listen to the radio too often. But the following is what I can surmise:

Worst/Most Overrated Singles and Songs of  2016:

Private Show - Britney Spears

24K Magic - Bruno Mars

Panda - Desiigner

Can't Stop the Feeling - Justin Timberlake

Closer - The Chainsmokers

Make Me - Britney Spears

[n0ne 13,105]

Accidentally quoted myself and don't know how to delete a post lol

[Irrelevant 20,280]

11 minutes ago, lilmonster93 said:

Me Too - Meghan Trainor

 

Ok 

Spoiler

Tbh its not that bad, but its just so cheesy 

 

[n0ne 13,105]

1 minute ago, redhoodieslime said:

Ok 

  Hide contents

Tbh its not that bad, but its just so cheesy 

 

It ain't a lyrical masterpiece, but it's a catchy bop 

[Irrelevant 20,280]

Just now, lilmonster93 said:

It ain't a lyrical masterpiece, but it's a catchy bop 

I would take NO over it any day  

[n0ne 13,105]

2 minutes ago, redhoodieslime said:

I would take NO over it any day  

Most people would lmao, but NO doesn't do it for me like Me Too does.