Best Songs of 2016
As I have done for the past three years, in 2016 I resumed my project of publishing Best Songs lists for 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10 and 5 years ago, along with a list for this year. My favorite part about this process isn’t so much the end product (though I do love sharing it), but the act of making the lists, for in doing so I am able to discover new artists and new songs along the way.
For lists like this one, created in the year when they are published, everything is new—even those songs from familiar artists. Additionally, this journey to 100 songs is very different from the other lists in another crucial way: rather than assembling a mix of 100 tracks, my lists for the past few years have been culled from playlists more than 50% larger.
This means that for the third consecutive year, I forced myself into a crowded corner, where I had to make difficult choices to edit my way out. Some songs I truly enjoyed were thus cast aside, tarnished only by their inability to relate themselves to the whole. And yet, that whole was pieced together more organically than this, for I made that giant playlist as the year went on. This, the so-called “best of the best” was somewhat hastily (if carefully) collated and curated in the final months of the year.
That larger list from which I studiously selected these 100 tracks was one I revisited as often as possible throughout 2016. As it was last year, my goal in collecting these songs was to summarize not only my listening year, but my year as a whole. The only way to do that is to listen to these songs as frequently as I could, in as many situations as I could, in an attempt to attach them to my memories of the year (and vice versa).
In 2016, that meant they travelled with me, on trips to Hawaii and Morocco. They backed summer drives to and from Hood Canal. They soundtracked walks around Seattle, in search of hoops and unexplored territory. They played for friends and family, were shared across social media, text messages and in-person conversations. They too, were suggested by friends, introduced by podcasts and radio, and experienced in a live setting.
With a (slowed, but) ever-growing music library, to listen to these songs—and, for that matter, all my other Best of lists published this year—as often as I did meant from time to time I shut myself off from a large chunk of my music collection. Because of that, I can safely say that these songs (and to a lesser extent their five-year-interval counterparts) truly represent my music listening year. I hope you enjoy them nearly as much as I do.
For these year-end lists, I like to undertake the seemingly impossibly task of creating an hours-long mix. The order you see below represents that effort, which you can listen to via Spotify and Apple Music. Sadly all 100 tracks aren't available, but you get the general idea.
December 28, 2016
[Update January 2026: Track notes are here, a decade on, and certainly filtered through all that has happened in the interim.]
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Dancing on Glass
St. Lucia
Matter
Columbia
via past experience library: 12/6/2015Proof that ’80s synth-pop can sound good decades on, so long as you have the right arrangement of bleeps and bloops to pair with an anthemic chorus.
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Dying to Know
Tegan and Sara
Love You to Death
Warner Bros.
via past experience library: 6/9/2016Tegan and Sara prove that their pivot to synth-pop on 2013’s Heartthrob was no fluke, bringing back a bit of spikiness and digital fuzz to go with those classic gated drums.
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What’s It Gonna Be?
Shura
Nothing’s Real
Interscope
via past experience library: 6/7/2016In an era where indie pop and actually popular music were beginning to sound like each other (but not fully merge quite yet), England’s Shura, on this unassuming banger, seemed to be on a trajectory toward stardom. It never happened for her, but she kept making songs that caught my attention.
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Call Me Out
Ra Ra Riot
Need Your Light
Barsuk
via past experience library: 2/25/2016Nearly a decade into their indie pop career, Ra Ra Riot’s 4th album was my favorite since their first. Nearly a decade since, they’ve put out just one record and one single, and this sound couldn’t be more out of fashion. Which makes me fondly remember this song and this time all the more.
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The Sound
The 1975
I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it
Interscope
via Saturday Night Live library: 4/17/2016When the 1975 appeared as the musical guest for a Larry David-hosted episode in February 2016, I was entirely unfamiliar with their music. The moment they finished this song, with its late-’80s tones reminding me of Londonbeat, Go West, or Escape Club, it had instantly burrowed into my brain.
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Silly Me
Yeasayer
Amen & Goodbye
Mute
via past experience library: 4/14/2016Like Ra Ra Riot, Yeasayer turned out to be another mid-aughts indie sensation that burned briefly, if brightly. They’d put out one more record before disbanding, but this song, from their appropriately titled fourth album, turned out to be where I said goodbye.
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Cold Light
Operators
Blue Wave
Last Gang
via past experience library: 4/16/2016The first proper album from the polymathic Canadian Dan Boeckner seemed a most natural extension of his days with Handsome Furs. But especially on this gothic dance track, he also brought in some of the punkier, darker tones of Wolf Parade.
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Human
Caveman
Otero War
Cinematic Music Group
via past experience library: 6/17/2016The ’80s echos continue. Not sure if this is as good as The Human League’s song of the same name, or matches the highs of The Outfield (whom this most reminds me of), but it’s a welcome sunnier turn from a band I already liked for their downcast pop.
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Secrets
Deep Sea Diver
Secrets
High Beam
via past experience library: 1/23/2016A churning, rollicking, shimmering rock song sung with force and personality. For my money, the title track to album two is Jessica Dobson’s first great song. There would be plenty more to come.
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Everybody Wants to Love You
Japanese Breakfast
Psychopomp
Yellow K
via Cody Goins, Fluxblog library: 12/8/2016Plays like a fragment of a memory, or a fading image from a dream. An instantly classic pop confection that nevertheless sounded so unusual and fresh. It could have been a one-hit wonder for Michelle Zauner, but I’m so glad it wasn’t.
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Radius
Hater
Radius
Pnkslm
via Spotify Discover Weekly library: 8/13/2016The algorithm used to work, and this is proof. I wasn’t even a frequent Spotify-er in these days, but it still had the good sense to share with me the sounds of the vaguely retro, twinkling indie pop outfit from Sweden known as Hater.
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Clean Slate
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Talk Tight
self-released
via Cody Goins library: 4/17/2016I wasn’t a frequent Spotify-er because my service of choice at the time was the ill-fated Rdio, on whom I had a handful of friends (who now, like me, still avoid Spotify). I discovered this one day in Cody’s recent plays and was instantly on board (for life) with the jangly, beachy, jerky rock quintet from Melbourne.
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Human Performance
Parquet Courts
Human Performance
Rough Trade
via past experience library: 4/17/2016 -
Soft Animal
The Hotelier
Goodness
Tiny Engines
via the Celebration Rock podcast library: 5/29/2016 -
Apple Cider, I Don’t Mind
Modern Baseball
Holy Ghost
Run for Cover
via past experience, the Celebration Rock podcast library: 5/29/2016 -
Lost (Season One)
Camp Cope
Camp Cope
Poison City
via Cody Goins library: 8/13/2016 -
Young Hearts
Beach Slang
A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings
Polyvinyl
via past experience library: 9/2/2016 -
Outta My System
The I Don’t Cares
Wild Stab
Dry Wood
via NPR First Listen, past experience (Paul Westerberg) library: 3/3/2016 -
Cleaning Up the Dog Shit
Tim Heidecker
In Glendale
Rado
via Julia Paleski library: 5/21/2016 -
Can’t Stop Fighting
Sheer Mag
III
self-released
via past experience library: 2/25/2016 -
Warts
Hinds
Leave Me Alone
Mom and Pop
via someone on Spotify? library: 1/31/2016 -
Jelly
Magic Potion
Pink Gum
Pnkslm
via Spotify Discover Weekly library: 8/13/2016 -
Hollow Home
Woods
City Sun Eater in the River of Light
Woodsist
via past experience library: 4/17/2016 -
Kind Things
LNZNDRF
LNZNDRF
4AD
via past experience (The National), Pitchfork library: 3/5/2016 -
Yr Face
Yuck
Stranger Things
Mamé
via past experience library: 4/14/2016 -
Let Me Get There
Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions featuring Kurt Vile
Until the Hunter
Tendril Tales
via past experience library: 10/29/2016 -
A 1000 Times
Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam
I Had a Dream That You Were Mine
Glassnote
via past experience library: 9/23/2016 -
Get Out
Frightened Rabbit
Painting of a Panic Attack
Atlantic
via past experience library: 11/5/2016 -
Watching the Waiting
Wye Oak
Tween
Merge
via past experience library: 6/11/2016 -
Cinco de Tomorrow
Damien Jurado
Visions of Us on the Land
Secretly Canadian
via past experience library: 3/22/2016 -
Outlaw
The Staves
Sleeping in a Car
Nonesuch
via past experience library: 6/9/2016 -
Madness
Lucius
Good Grief
Mom and Pop
via past experience library: 3/12/2016 -
Perfect OK
Hey Marseilles featuring Reggie Watts
Hey Marseilles
Shanachie
via past experience, Julia Paleski library: 2/25/2016 -
Endless Supply
Rogue Wave
Delusions of Grand Fur
Easy Sound
via past experience library: 5/8/2016 -
Both Hands
David Bazan
Blanco
Barsuk
via past experience library: 5/14/2016 -
Everything Is Happening Today
Flock of Dimes
If You See Me, Say Yes
Partisan
via past experience library: 9/23/2016 -
Salt
Trixie Whitley
Porta Bohemica
MRI
via past experience library: 7/20/2016 -
F.U.B.U.
Solange
A Seat at the Table
Columbia
via past experience library: 9/29/2016 -
30 Hours
Kanye West
The Life of Pablo
Roc-A-Fella
via past experience library: 2/25/2016 -
Free Lunch
Isaiah Rashad
The Sun’s Tirade
Top Dawg
via Alli Adamonis library: 9/16/2016 -
Lyk Dis
NxWorries
Yes Lawd!
Stones Throw
via past experience (Anderson .Paak) library: 10/25/2016 -
Pink + White
Frank Ocean
Blonde
self-released
via past experience library: 9/16/2016 -
Untitled 06 (06.30.2014)
Kendrick Lamar featuring Cee-Lo Green
Untitled Unmastered
Aftermath
via past experience library: 3/16/2016 -
Am I Wrong
Anderson .Paak
Malibu
OBE
via Julia Paleski library: 2/24/2016 -
Bullets
Kaytranada featuring Little Dragon
99.9%
XL Recordings
via Julia Paleski library: 5/8/2016 -
Phenomenal Woman
Laura Mvula
The Dreaming Room
RCA
via past experience library: 4/30/2016 -
All I Got
Santigold
99 Cents
Atlantic
via past experience library: 4/17/2016 -
Alaska
Maggie Rogers
Alaska digital single
Debay Sounds
via Spotify Discover Weekly library: 7/14/2016 -
Radio
Sylvan Esso
Radio digital single
Partisan
via past experience library: 11/5/2016 -
Body Language
Carly Rae Jepsen
E•MO•TION Side B
Interscope
via past experience library: 8/25/2016 -
Baby Give Up on It
Junior Boys
Big Black Coat
City Slang
via past experience library: 9/16/2016 -
Fever
Roosevelt
Roosevelt
City Slang
via Spotify Discover Weekly library: 8/2/2016 -
Colours
The Avalanches
Wildflower
Modular
via past experience library: 7/11/2016 -
Wow
Beck
Wow digital single
Capitol
via past experience library: 6/7/2016 -
Nobody Speak
DJ Shadow featuring Run the Jewels
The Mountain Will Fall
Capitol
via past experience library: 4/30/2016 -
Happy
Mitski
Puberty 2
Dead Oceans
via Cody Goins library: 6/17/2016 -
Wish
Cymbals Eat Guitars
Pretty Years
Sinderlyn
via past experience library: 9/22/2016 -
Mr. Startup
Wolf Parade
EP 4
self-released
via past experience library: 5/21/2016 -
Desert Island Disk
Radiohead
A Moon Shaped Pool
XL Recordings
via past experience library: 5/8/2016 -
Time of the Blue
The Tallest Man on Earth
Time of the Blue digital single
Dead Oceans
via past experience library: 6/20/2016 -
Embers of Midnight
The Dead Tongues
Montana
601610 Records
via live in concert (opening for Phil Cook) library: 4/17/2016 -
No Regrets
Karl Blau
Introducing Karl Blau
Raven Marching Band
via Cody Goins, Jonathan Zwickel library: 6/7/2016 -
Twentynine Palms
Carter Tanton featuring Sharon Van Etten
Jettison the Valley
Western Vinyl
via past experience library: 3/14/2016via past experience
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No Woman
Whitney
Light Upon the Lake
Secretly Canadian
via past experience library: 6/17/2016via Cody Goins
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Take It Easy (Ever After Lasting Love)
White Denim
Stiff
Downtown
via past experience library: 4/16/2016 -
Nobody But You
Charles Bradley
Changes
Daptone
via past experience library: 4/17/2016 -
One More Night
Michael Kiwanuka
Love & Hate
Polydor
via past experience library: 8/2/2016 -
Heavy Sails
Steve Gunn
Eyes on the Lines
Matador
via past experience library: 6/15/2016 -
The Roundabout
Ryley Walker
Golden Sings That Have Been Sung
Dead Oceans
via past experience library: 8/28/2016 -
Atomic Number
case/lang/veirs
case/lang/veirs
Anti
via past experience library: 6/17/2016 -
Judey on a Street
Okkervil River
Away
ATO
via past experience library: 9/16/2016 -
Heart Shaped Face
Angel Olsen
MY WOMAN
Jagjaguwar
via past experience library: 9/2/2016 -
Brace for Impact (Live a Little)
Sturgill Simpson
A Sailor’s Guide to Earth
Atlantic
via past experience library: 6/9/2016 -
Doing It to Death
The Kills
Ash & Ice
Domino
via past experience library: 6/7/2016via past experience
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Astonished Man
Thao & The Get Down Stay Down
A Man Alive
Ribbon Music
via past experience library: 3/3/2016via past experience
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Two Versions of Tomorrow
Eleanor Friedberger
New View
French Express
via past experience library: 2/25/2016 -
Why Did You Separate Me From the Earth?
ANOHNI
Hopelessness
Secretly Canadian
via past experience library: 5/8/2016 -
I Need a Forest Fire
James Blake featuring Justin Vernon
The Colour in Anything
Polydor
via past experience library: 5/8/2016 -
8 (circle)
Bon Iver
22, A Million
Jagjaguwar
via past experience library: 10/1/2016 -
Pink and Green
Gold Panda
Good Luck and Do Your Best
City Slang
via past experience library: 5/29/2016 -
Simple Lessons
Manatee Commune
Thistle EP
Bastard Jazz
via past experience library: 5/29/2016 -
Close
Nick Jonas featuring Tove Lo
Last Year Was Complicated
Safehouse
via The Late Show with Stephen Colbert library: 6/30/2016 -
Rising Water
James Vincent McMorrow
We Move
Burning Rope / Faction
via past experience, NPR First Listen library: 9/16/2016 -
Best to You
Blood Orange featuring Empress Of
Freetown Sound
Domino
via past experience library: 6/30/2016 -
Reichpop
Wild Nothing
Life of Pause
Captured Tracks
via past experience library: 2/25/2016 -
Town & Country
Bibio
A Mineral Love
Warp
via past experience library: 4/30/2016 -
Waves (Tame Impala Remix)
Miguel
Rogue Waves
RCA
via past experience library: 2/27/2016 -
Exes
Bloc Party
Hymns
BMG
via past experience library: 2/25/2016 -
Death of a Salesman
Kweku Collins
Nat Love
Closed Sessions
via Alli Adamonis library: 8/2/2016 -
Blk Girl Soldier
Jamila Woods
HEAVN
self-released
via Alli Adamonis library: 8/2/2016 -
No Problem
Chance the Rapper
Coloring Book
self-released
via Julia Paleski, Cody Goins library: 5/21/2016 -
The Space Program
A Tribe Called Quest
We got it from Here… Thank You 4 Your service
Epic
via past experience library: 11/12/2016 -
Pain
De la Soul featuring Snoop Dogg
and the Anonymous Nobody
AOI
via past experience library: 6/7/2016 -
Dang!
Mac Miller featuring Anderson .Paak
The Divine Feminine
Warner Bros.
via Fluxblog, Julia Paleski library: 8/2/2016 -
Yesterday
Yumi Zouma
Yoncalia
Cascine
via Alli Adamonis library: 8/2/2016 -
Love Me Like That
The Knocks featuring Carly Rae Jepsen
55
Big Beat
via Julia Paleski library: 3/5/2016 -
Can’t Stop the Feeling!
Justin Timberlake
Trolls soundtrack
RCA
via past experience library: 5/12/2016 -
Moth to the Flame
Chairlift
Moth
Columbia
via past experience library: 2/27/2016 -
Same Old Blues
Phantogram
Three
Republic
via past experience library: 11/5/2016 -
Freedom
Beyoncé featuring Kendrick Lamar
Lemonade
Columbia
via past experience library: 12/3/2016