100 Best Songs of 2016

We like to think our taste reflects our deep, complex souls, but 2016 was the year we realized we were just data points for an algorithm that knew our insecurities better than our therapists. Looking back at the 100 best songs of 2016, it wasn’t just about the music; it was about a collective existential crisis where we traded our autonomy for a “Bieber-sance” and a streaming titan that didn’t give a fuck about our feelings, only our attention.

Jump to:

• The Landscape: When the “Weird” Became the “Norm”
• The Top 10: Where the F*cks Were Given
• OUR PICK: “Side To Side”
• The Full 100 Best Songs of 2016 Spotify playlist
• Full 2016 Year-End Chart: The Top 100
• The Reality Check: Why 2016 Won’t Leave Us Alone

Most people remember 2016 as the year the world decided to lose its collective mind, but for those of us obsessed with the charts, it was something else entirely. It was the year that “pop” stopped being a four-letter word and started becoming an existential crisis. We were caught in this weird transition: the old world of radio and digital downloads was being smothered by the digital titan of streaming, and the Billboard Top 100 reflected that chaos perfectly.

I remember sitting in my apartment in 2016, staring at my Spotify “Discover Weekly” and realizing that for the first time in human history, we weren’t just listening to music: we were feeding an algorithm that knew our insecurities better than our therapists did. Looking back, the sheer volume of 2016 hits gave us everything from the rise of “sad boy” synth-pop to the absolute, unadulterated dominance of the “Bieber-sance.”

The Landscape: When the “Weird” Became the “Norm”

The 2016 musical landscape was a chaotic mix of legacy acts trying to stay relevant and the “SoundCloud” generation starting to kick the door down. We had the “Mannequin Challenge” turning Rae Sremmurd into stars with “Black Beatles” and the haunting rise of twenty one pilots with “Heathens.” It was a year where genre boundaries dissolved. Pop increasingly embraced elements of R&B, electronic music, and dancehall, creating a richer, more diverse soundscape in the top songs of 2016.

Music wasn’t just something you heard on the radio anymore; it was something you experienced through memes, 15-second clips, and curated mood playlists. This was the year streaming share hit approximately 50% of total consumption. The industry was changing, and we were the guinea pigs for a new way of living through sound.

The Top 10: Where the F*cks Were Given

The top 10 songs of 2016 weren’t just popular: they were the values we chose to invest our emotional energy into. Here’s the breakdown of the tracks that defined the peak of the year.

10. “Closer” – The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey

Peak Pos: 1 | Weeks: 52

There is a specific brand of nostalgia that is both sweet and incredibly irritating, and “Closer” is the poster child for it. In 2016, you couldn’t walk into a pharmacy or a party without hearing that four-chord synth line. It’s a song about two people who are clearly bad for each other but keep falling back into bed because they’re bored and lonely. It’s the musical equivalent of a Valencia filter: it looks great on the surface, but there’s no actual depth. Yet, we loved it because it captured that universal human flaw: the desire to return to a past that never actually existed.

“So baby pull me closer in the backseat of your Rover, that I know you can’t afford. Bite that tattoo on your shoulder, pull the sheets right off the corner of the mattress that you stole from your roommate back in Boulder.”¹

9. “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” – Justin Timberlake

Peak Pos: 1 | Weeks: 40

This song is the “live, laugh, love” of the 2016 charts. It was scientifically engineered to make your mom dance at a wedding. While most of the year was leaning into moody R&B, JT decided to drop a concentrated dose of sunshine. I remember feeling a weird sense of resentment toward this song because it was too happy. It felt like forced positivity in a year that felt increasingly chaotic. But look, sometimes you need to stop overthinking your existential dread and move your feet.

“I got that sunshine in my pocket, got that good soul in my feet.”

8. “Don’t Let Me Down” – The Chainsmokers feat. Daya

Peak Pos: 3 | Weeks: 52

Before they were the guys everyone loved to hate, The Chainsmokers actually knew how to build a drop that felt like a punch to the gut. This track worked because of Daya’s vocal performance, which felt desperate and raw in a way that the production usually didn’t allow. It’s a song about the fear of abandonment, wrapped in a high-energy EDM shell. It reminds me of those 2 AM drives when the city feels too big, and you’re just hoping the person you’re texting actually gives a damn.

“I need you, I need you, I need you right now. Yeah, I need you right now. So don’t let me, don’t let me, don’t let me down.”

7. “Hello” – Adele

Peak Pos: 1 | Weeks: 26

Adele is the only artist who can make a flip phone look like a profound philosophical statement. When “Hello” dropped, the internet didn’t just listen: it mourned. It’s a song about the realization that some bridges aren’t just burned, they’re gone. I remember seeing people post “Hello” lyrics in their Instagram stories, as if they were the first ever to experience a breakup. It was the collective catharsis we all needed before the year got truly weird.

“Hello from the other side. I must’ve called a thousand times to tell you I’m sorry for everything that I’ve done.”

6. “Panda” – Desiigner

Peak Pos: 1 | Weeks: 40

“Panda” was the moment 2016 officially jumped the shark, and it was glorious. Most of us had no idea what Desiigner was saying, and honestly, it didn’t matter. The beat was a sledgehammer. It was the sound of a generation that valued energy over clarity. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the “meaning” of a song isn’t in the lyrics, but in the way it makes you want to drive slightly over the speed limit for no reason.

“Panda, Panda, Panda, Panda, Panda, Panda, Panda.”

5. “Stressed Out” – twenty one pilots

Peak Pos: 2 | Weeks: 52

If “Closer” was about fake nostalgia, “Stressed Out” was about the real kind: the painful realization that adulthood is mostly just paying bills and wishing you could go back to playing Nintendo in your pajamas. This song was the anthem for every Gen Z-er and Millennial who felt the weight of expectations crushing them. It’s honest, it’s anxious, and it’s arguably the most human song on this list because it’s about accepting that life is often just a series of problems you have to solve.

“Wish we could turn back time, to the good old days, when our momma sang us to sleep but now we’re stressed out.”

4. “Work” – Rihanna feat. Drake

Peak Pos: 1 | Weeks: 36

Rihanna doesn’t care if you understand her, and that’s why she’s a queen. “Work” was a masterclass in vibe. It wasn’t about the “grind” in a corporate sense; it was about the messy, repetitive labor of keeping a relationship alive. The chemistry between her and Drake was the ultimate “are they or aren’t they” drama of the year. I remember hearing this in a club in 2016 and realizing that half the room was mumbling the chorus, and it was the most connected I’d felt to strangers in months.

“Work, work, work, work, work, work. He said me haffi work, work, work, work, work, work.”

3. “One Dance” – Drake feat. WizKid and Kyla

Peak Pos: 1 | Weeks: 36

In 2016, Drake became a global citizen, and “One Dance” was the result. It was the perfect fusion of dancehall, afrobeats, and Toronto moodiness. It’s a song about needing one last moment of connection before life pulls you away. As the soundtrack to every summer ‘situationship’ of 2016, the song’s power lay in its refusal to try too hard. Existing in such a smooth, effortless space made the surrounding chaos feel slightly more manageable.

“I need a one dance, got a Hennessy in my hand. One more time ‘fore I go.”

2. “Sorry” – Justin Bieber

Peak Pos: 1 | Weeks: 42

The “Bieber-sance” reached its peak here. “Sorry” was the ultimate manipulation tactic: a song so catchy that you forgot you were supposed to be mad at the guy. It was the sound of 2016’s obsession with tropical house: those bright, airy synths that made you feel like you were at a beach club even if you were actually in a library. It’s a song about the difficulty of taking responsibility, something we’re all still struggling with.

“Is it too late now to say sorry? ‘Cause I’m missing more than just your body.”

1. “Love Yourself” – Justin Bieber

Peak Pos: 1 | Weeks: 41

Number one on the charts, and arguably the defining number one song of 2016 in terms of cultural impact. Written with Ed Sheeran, this track was the ultimate “dismissal” disguised as a lullaby. It’s the perfect end to the 2016 narrative: a realization that you don’t have to give a fuck about people who don’t treat you right. It was a cultural reset for Bieber, moving him from teen idol to a guy who could actually articulate the complexities of a toxic ego. It’s simple, it’s dry, and it’s the most critical lesson 2016 taught us: sometimes, the best thing you can do is move on.

“My mama don’t like you and she likes everyone. And I never like to admit that I was wrong.”

OUR PICK: “Side To Side”

Peak Pos: 4 | Weeks: 28

While the top of the charts was busy with Bieber’s apologies and Drake’s dances, “Side To Side” was doing something much more interesting. We chose this as “Our Pick” because it represents the definitive turning point in Ariana Grande’s career. This wasn’t just another entry in the top songs of 2016; it was a graduation. It was the moment she shed the last remnants of her Nickelodeon skin and stepped into the role of a sophisticated pop strategist.

Musically, it’s a perfect specimen of the 2016 “vibe shift.” It traded the screeching EDM drops of 2014 for a lean, reggae-tinged groove that allowed the song to breathe. It’s infectious, but it’s also remarkably calm (a rare feat for high-octane pop). But more importantly, we picked it because it encapsulates the sheer confidence of 2016. Between the neon-lit, spinning-class aesthetic of the music video and Nicki’s razor-sharp verse, it was a masterclass in collaboration. It’s the song that proved you could be provocative, playful, and mathematically perfect all at once. In a year of existential “Stressed Out” anthems, “Side To Side” was a reminder that sometimes, the best way to handle life is just to lean into the rhythm and keep moving.

“These friends keep talkin’ way too much, say I should give you up. Can’t hear them, no, ’cause I… I’m walkin’ side to side.”

The Full 100 Best Songs of 2016 Spotify playlist

Full 2016 Year-End Chart: The Top 100

The Reality Check: Why 2016 Won’t Leave Us Alone

Looking back at this list, you realize that 2016 was the year the industry finally stopped pretending we were buying CDs and admitted that Spotify was our new god. Streaming took over half the market, and that’s why songs like “One Dance” or “Closer” stayed on the charts for an eternity: we couldn’t stop hitting repeat. We were addicted to the convenience, but we were also desperately searching for meaning in the noise.

Which of these songs is still stuck in your head, and which do you wish you could scrub from your memory forever? Drop a comment below and let’s argue about why your 2016 “situationship” anthem was actually a masterpiece (or a total disaster).