Regarded as one of the unluckiest years in recent memory, it’s easy to forget that 2016 offered up some fantastic music to listen to. From the resurrection of Frank Ocean, Kanye releasing his 8th LP, Bowie’s final album to Anderson .Paak’s rise to stardom, the past 365 days were musically fruitful. As it’s a self-declared tradition now, I went to the task of ranking the 10 best tracks that I felt best represented the year of 2016. The notepad file titled ‘Fav Tracks of 2016’ grew day-by-day as I began to culminate and curate the list, until I had to painfully eliminate most and end up with only the 10 that you see below. The following songs mean a great deal to me, they stand as hallmarks of their genre while simultaneously symbolising a certain timeframe within the last 12 months, audibly indicative of the time in which they were released. In the event that you haven’t yet listened to any of the songs on this list, I hope you take the time to do so. Enjoy.

10) Travis Scott & Young Thug - Pick Up The Phone (Feat. Quavo)

From Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight

Where would the summer of 2016 be without the tropical trap-influenced sounds of “Pick Up The Phone”? Ear-worm melodies and audacious verses come as slight work from the three hip-hop artists as they long for a mysterious partner out of immediate reach. Sun-soaked synths and love-sick lyrics coordinate a playful sensuality throughout the track, organising an infectious sense of chemistry between not only the rappers but their performance and the instrumental itself; Pick Up The Phone’s beat would sound misplaced alongside a different cast, and vice versa. The auto-tune tirade from the unmistakable voice of Quavo is a highlight for me, as he hilariously likens himself to Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin while he waits for his mistress: “Pick up the phone, Macaulay Culkin’ baby Home Alone, I thought I was right, Then I had to man up I was wrong”. It’s at times like these I wonder how great a Quavo solo project may be. Both the Migos star and Young Thug have had unquestionably successful 2016’s, with Thugger releasing Jeffrey (among other projects) and Quavo appearing on an abundance of hits; it’s thus such a delight to hear both artists play towards their strengths on one cut together with such clear chemistry. It is a shame that the rest of Travis’ 2016 LP ‘Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight’ didn’t reach the standard set by the tune, especially in light of his incredible debut album Rodeo releasing just 1 year prior. Here’s hoping that Astroworld (Travis’ next LP slated for release in 2017) can reach the dizzying heights of “Pick Up The Phone” and Rodeo.

9) Noname - Yesterday

From Telefone

Often featured on Chance The Rapper’s output, a project by the Coloring Book rapper never seemed quite right without the wisdom of Noname appearing at some point on the track-listing. Her somber yet assured delivery paired with wordplay-induced storytelling was something I found to work well with Chance’s music - yet it was with her 2016 debut mixtape Telefone that I realised how well incredibly well it works just by itself. “Yesterday”, the introductory track to the project opens with the line “And I know, the money don’t really make me whole, the magazine covers drenched in gold, the dreams of granny in mansion and happy, the little things I need to save my soul” while jazzy drums march to the tune of infectious optimism. Noname isn’t gleeful, she’s not in any sort of elation – yet she’s happy. As an opener, “Yesterday” is musical nirvana, realising what truly matters and who you truly are aside the glowing pianos and comforting choir. It’s not an urgent mission statement, it’s a warm reminder from an endlessly likable artist to remember that special someone’s smile, almost as if it were yesterday. In light of Telefone’s release, it may be time to retire the constant mention of Noname’s musical associates when discussing her music; she’s far too capable of speaking for herself.

8) James Blake - Modern Soul

From The Colour In Anything

The alarm bells ring alongside a characteristically nonchalant James Blake. Modern Soul is a moment of realisation for the British singer-songwriter, as he sings of a relationship long departed. His vocal performance is drenched in atonement, the wound is still open it seems. The beautifully layered instrumental works as an exhibition into the emotions Blake inhibits due to such a communication breakdown. It begins deceptively quiet, with its watery piano chords and a distorted drum break hiding in the stands, reserved yet ready to ambush. The aforementioned alarm sounds, a booming kick drum pulsates and Blake’s vocals float atop the composition. It all comes together so convincingly well. Modern Soul is exactly that, a hauntingly mesmerising ghost-ride through the darkest caverns of our being, exploring the understanding of what it means to truly love and lose. While ghostly, Modern Soul is no husk; its array of instrumentation is lively and emotive, expertly coordinating the supernatural feel of the track alongside James’ ethereal performance. As the track finishes, it resembles an exhale of sorts, as the confessional storm passes and the safe reservation takes its place again. While his 2016 LP The Colour In Anything was too long-winded for it to rank among the best this year, Modern Soul could have ran on for an eternity.

7) D.R.A.M. - Broccoli (Feat. Lil Yachty)

From ‘Big Baby D.R.A.M.’



If the bouncy pianos and gleeful verses of the 2016 hit “Broccoli” don’t even conjure a slight grin on your face, you may very well be a robot. Both artists, unfamiliar to me at the years beginning, have since emphatically made the year their own. Their underdog charm lays the foundations for the radiant chemistry that oozes from the track, as they handcraft a pseudo ‘happy-rap’ sub-genre within Broccoli’s 4 minute run time. The unwaveringly joyful instrumental is simple and rightfully undecorated, it becomes familiar immediately following your first listen, much like the infectious hook. This is Broccoli’s not-so-secret weapon, unbridled catchiness moulded in a rainbow of triumphant delight, making it an ear-worm that you can’t actively find irritating, the sentiment is too damn positive. Lil Yachty, quickly becoming one of raps most debated figures, relishes in the audacious hilarity, declaring he “did the show and spent the check on my mumma”. D.R.A.M. found such a sincerely charming sound last year, and with other tunes like ‘Cash Machine’ following the same ‘happy-rap’ formula, something tells me his smile isn’t something easily removed. Clearly not dismayed by Drake’s appropriation of his previous track “Cha Cha” (for “Hotline Bling”), D.R.A.M.’s chart-smashing success through Broccoli is made all the sweeter and, above all else, something to smile about.

6) Skepta - Man

From Konnichiwa

The UK grime scene saw quite the resurgence in 2016. From the likes of Stormzy, JME to Lethal Bizzle, the buzz was something you couldn’t simply ignore or downplay. The world seemed to be taking notice, watching and waiting for a champion to emerge, one that could musically stand toe-to-toe with any international heavyweight. In 2016, this champion was Skepta. While Joseph Junior Adenuga has been honing his craft for quite some time now, travelling the grime circuit with the ‘Boy Better Know’ collective, it’s with his 2016 LP Konnichiwa that the Tottenham MC came war ready. Nasty flows, vindictive delivery and hard-as-nails beats are Konnichiwa’s manifesto, and nowhere is this strategy executed so belligerently than with “Man”. Skepta here takes the role of the antagonist, one that so clearly outsmarted the good guys. He’s hungry, you can hear it as he guns down his enemies while simultaneously referencing MySpace. Every syllable laden with conviction, woven into catchy hooks and lightning-quick verses atop an instrumental that rather tastefully samples Queens of The Stone Age’s ‘Regular John’. His rapping is just an utterly enthralling rush. The gusto of Skepta is one that’s well deserved, with Konnichiwa becoming grime’s highest charting album ever and international looks from the likes of Drake and A$AP Rocky. Skepta’s gang just became a bit more exclusive.

5) Danny Brown - When It Rain

From Atrocity Exhibition

Even on my first listen of “When It Rain” 7 months ago back in early June, I somehow knew it would end up on this list at the end of the year. The first single to the excellent Atrocity Exhibition piqued my interest more than any other single this year, leading me to wonder why I’d never given my time to the Detroit rapper before. I was listening to some of the most experimental and forward-thinking hip-hop I’d ever heard – and I was absolutely loving it. Danny bubbles from the suffocating confines of his surroundings to the sound of a gnarled guitars and rattling percussion, only for both the front-man and the instrumental to escalate at break-neck pace in tandem. He embodies a king of sorts, or a seasoned hunter as he feels comfortable amongst the panic that currently grows by the second. This is truly Danny’s world, and you are truly living in it. “Escalate” is perhaps the most apt word to describe “When It Rain”, as it never really experiences a lull or interlude of sorts – it’s a panic attack in audio form. I’m not entirely sure which universe this track was concocted in, but it’s one holds such honourable disregard for the rules of hip-hop. The catchy and declarative hook chants “You ain’t heard it like this before, they don’t do it like this no more”, an inarguable mission statement that seemed to be talking directly to my sheer astonishment.

4) Chance The Rapper - Same Drugs

From Coloring Book

“You were always perfect, and I was only practice.” “Same Drugs”, a stunningly earnest piano ballad, is a coming-of-age tune of sorts for Chance - a testament to his growing level of artistry and versatility. He croons of a bygone lover and how their separation developed from the differences enveloped within each of them, as they ultimately matured into very different people – they don’t do the same drugs anymore. Instead of relying on bitter resentment, Chance’s approach to reflecting is touchingly refreshing as he recognises the inevitable fragility of human connections with a smile atop his face, musing with contentment. There is no scent of regret on “Same Drugs”, instead it carefully lays its foundations upon warm nostalgia: “The past tense, past bed time, Way back then when everything we read was real, And everything we said rhymed”. The sensitive piano chords parade along in tandem with Chance’s sentiment, while friendly strings soar with affection. Chance’s sung vocals are raspy and charmingly sincere throughout as he simultaneously outputs some of the best song-writing he’s ever done, making me long for more ‘singer-songwriter’ type songs from the artist. “Same Drugs” unequivocally stands out as another gem from the Chicago-Native’s catalogue with its unlikeness to anything he’s done previously, and thus too stands out as a gem from the year of 2016.

3) Kanye West - No More Parties In LA (Feat. Kendrick Lamar)



From The Life of Pablo

GOOD Fridays, Kanye’s ‘drop a track every Friday’ event, was back in full-swing. We had only just received the fantastic “Real Friends” a week prior, so January of 2016 was poised to have more in store from the Chicagoan artist. Spoiler alert – it had one of my favourite tracks of the year still in store with “No More Parties In LA”. The track unforgettably pairs the endlessly talented Kendrick Lamar, veteran producer Madlib and Kanye West together in one the most exciting and quotable rap tracks of 2016. Lamar’s opening verse starts its tirade at pique rapidity and only seems to garner more traction as it goes along, remaining tongue and cheek throughout, reminding us that the To Pimp a Butterfly rapper can be outrageously funny at times, too: “She said she came out here to find an A-list rapper, I said baby, spin that ‘round and say the alphabet backwards”. Kendrick impressed me with his rapping, something rather standard at this point, yet what’s incredible is that Kanye West’s rapping impressed me more. I know, “Scary”, as Mr. West puts it. His monstrous verse stands as a landmark for 2016 – every line quotable and delivered with proud conviction. It’s rude, raunchy and revealing. It also came at a time of West under extreme scrutiny. While nothing entirely new, an unusual amount of eyes seemed to be on Kanye, most likely due to his frenzied roll-out for his latest LP. Both media-outlets and social media-goers alike inadvertently made Kanye the underdog as they ridiculed his every tweet and public appearance, however. “No More Parties In LA” thus serves as a verbal karate chop to such opponents, one delivered with such extreme confidence as it hastily runs from one knock-out punch to the next. I would be more than remiss if I didn’t express my love for Madlib’s instrumental work on the track, too. The ‘Madvilliany’ producer masterfully chops samples and finds grooves on here, ultimately crafting one of the most identifiable and layered beats of 2016. It provides a bouncy exhibition area that both rappers happily set up shop in. The soulful vocal snippets call-back to West’s infancy as a rapper, much like his actual rapping harkens back to days where many believe he may have given more of a damn about rapping. No More Parties harbors two rappers that clearly do in-fact give a damn, and it’s a reason for you to give a damn about them.

2) Frank Ocean - Solo

From Blonde

With Blonde, his immaculately beautiful follow up to 2013’s Channel Orange, Frank Ocean finds immense strength from the minimalistic approach to its composition – and with “Solo” it’s no exception. The tune’s blissful chord progression blooms from a technicolour organ while its lyrics remain vivid but poetically subtle, telling a story that, even months after Blonde’s release, I most likely haven’t entirely understood yet. The front-man’s voice cascades atop the organ’s glow as he croons in first-person perspective, reliving moments of particular emotional isolation: “Hand me a towel I’m dirty dancing by myself, Gone off tabs of that acid, Form me a circle, watch my Jagger, Might lose my jacket and hit a solo”. Frank so effortlessly glides between verse and chorus throughout “Solo”’s 5 minute run; his voice working overtime as an enamouring lullaby, verbal medicine to be quite frank. It all comes together to give Solo this distinctive ‘dream-like’ feel, as Ocean parades around the confines of his memory, seemingly by his own accord. The listener is introduced to this fantasy and all of its inebriating wonder, yet it still stands as a piece to a much larger puzzle – Blonde itself. That’s why it somewhat pains me to place “Solo” on this list, as the 16 other songs that surround it make it mean so much more. “Siegfried” doesn’t work without “White Ferrari” directly before it; “Ivy” doesn’t work without “Pink + White” directly after it; “Solo” certainly doesn’t work without “Skyline To” directly after it. Each song a stanza in a much larger, oh-so important poem. While “Solo” doesn’t sit at number 1 on this list, let it be known that Blonde is absolutely the best album of 2016. I’ll never forget the sleepless nights watching Frank’s Endless stream with friends just as eager as I for his third album, as for all the hours lost I regret none – he delivered a masterpiece on August 20th. Your work continues to inspire me through its brazen self-expression, Frank Ocean. Thank you.

1) Childish Gambino - Redbone

From “Awaken, My Love!”

You’d be forgiven for not immediately recognising Donald Glover on Redbone. The writer/rapper/comedian/actor donned many a guise in 2016, from writing and starring in the excellent Atlanta TV show, his tribal-like Pharos live shows, to “Awaken, My Love!”, his third LP released in December. All found Glover consistently reaching outside of his usual comfort zone, yet the 11 tracks from his latest studio album showed an artist truly allergic to stagnation. Abandoning any semblance of rap and hip-hop, Childish Gambino embraced the groove-inducing sounds of Funkadelic for its 49 minute run-time, with no bars to be seen at any point. What’s incredible, however, is how effortless he makes such an immediate change of pace sound. Redbone, the second single from “Awaken, My Love!” is a Bootsy Collins inspired triumph. The masterfully composed instrumentation of the track simultaneously conjures a contagious sense of playfulness while remaining cautious and cognizant of looming threats. The bouncy drums of the track lay strong foundations for the glossy glockenspiel, battle-scarred guitar and, of course, the beating heart of Redbone, Glover’s fascinating vocal performance. Reaching into the nether-regions of his vocal register, the singer manages to embody a mother-like figure, with alarming conviction and believability. This figure cautions her offspring, telling them to “stay woke”, to never “close your eyes”, resembling the comfort and care of a mother-bear educating her cubs before they ultimately leave her protection. Amid the purple haze, his stunning falsetto reaches peak ferocity half-way through the track, unleashing a roaring blast of agitated emotion. Sputtering bass and twisted guitars take centre-stage throughout Redbone’s grand conclusion, with triumphant piano chords added for good measure. While almost a direct transmission from the 1970’s, Redbone expertly glistens with modern flair. Redbone is sexy, Redbone is grand, Redbone is unmistakably catchy, too; all the while being so stylistically distant from any of Gambino’s previous musical output, most of which I’ve enjoyed a great deal. This isn’t 3005, this most certainly isn’t Sweatpants – it’s an endeavour laden with exuberant artistic freedom, one guided by laser-focussed direction. “Awaken, My Love!” is lavish in its liberty, an overbearing scream from an artist free from the preconceived shackles of his palette. Such unabashed expressiveness is quite an emotional thing to witness for just under an hour. Donald Glover’s disdain for same is something I find rather inspiring, and it’s why Redbone is my favourite song of 2016.