Best Songs Of 2016 (So Far) | Year in Review Playlist

11. David Bowie, “Lazarus”

[Blackstar]

One of the year’s creepiest songs comes from late, great icon, David Bowie.  “Lazarus” probably wouldn’t have been quite as big of deal had Bowie not passed away two days after the release of album Blackstar.  What’s the significance? “Lazarus,” given Bowie’s death, seems as if is predicting the inevitable for the artist.  “Look up here, I’m in heaven,” he sings on the first verse, continuing, “I’ve got scars that can’t be seen / I’ve got drama, can’t be stolen / everybody knows me now.”  Sheesh! The music video only makes it more strange, in a satisfyingly morbid sort of way. 

12. Kanye West ft. Rihanna, “Famous”

[The Life of Pablo]

The second Kanye West song to grace our list, “Famous” makes the list thanks to both its greatness and its controversy.  Lately with Kanye West, it’s difficult to separate his arguable musical genius from his idiosyncrasies. If “Ultralight Beam” felt angelic, “Famous” feels hellish, crude, and disgusting…in a likable/semi-likable sort of way.  The cockiest, most controversial lyric:

“I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that b*tch famous.”

Geez Louise! Rihanna sounds terrific here btw.

13. Beyoncé “Hold Up”

[Lemonade]

Yes, “Sorry” might be the biggest attraction from Lemonade – plus Queen Bey released the music video separate from the film itself – but “Hold Up” is one of the best moments from the entire album.  Produced by Ezra Koenig (Vampire Weekend), Beyoncé, and Diplo, the results are intriguing, giving Yoncé one of the most interesting songs of her career.  Among her most aggressive songs, Beyoncé is clearly angry with her man for cheating, making it clear that no woman (mistress specifically) “don’t love you like I love you.”  Jay-Z, “Can’t you see there’s no other man above you” man?

14. Meghan Trainor, “NO”

[Thank You]

The script is pretty simple for Meghan Trainor – “NO!” to everything.  “NO” doesn’t supplant “All About That Bass” or “Lips Are Movin” from her debut Title, but it does find Trainor updating her retro-inspired sound to embrace the hip-hop infused pop of 2015.  What’s the point of the song and Trainor’s adamant refusal? She’s not going to let guys “run game” on her! In other words, female empowerment to the nth degree, a preferred topic for Trainor.

15. The 1975, “If I Believe You”

[I Like It When You Sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it]

Sometimes even when an album has terrific singles like The 1975’s lengthy and lengthily titled I Like It When You Sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it does, there’s a better non-single that deserves more love.  In this case, it’s the gorgeous, skeptical gospel song, “If I Believe You.” Here, secular humanist frontman Matthew Healy seems to address his atheism, though in some regards seems closer to believing than previously thought:

“And if I believe you / will that make it stop? /…And I’m broken and bleeding / and begging for help / and I’m asking you Jesus, show yourself.”

Regardless of Healy’s faith, we are blessed by this epic moment from the band’s no. 1 bowing sophomore album.