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

21. Drake featuring WizKid & Kyla, “One Dance”

[Views]

“One Dance” is a song that endears itself after time – or being no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for multiple weeks. “One Dance” isn’t Drake’s necessarily masterpiece (despite being his first no. 1 hit as a lead artist), but it’s an intriguing, dance-pop/hip-hop hybrid.  It doesn’t pack the punch of say “Ultralight Beam,” but there’s something here.

22. Ariana Grande, “Dangerous Woman”

[Dangerous Woman]

After generally releasing up-tempo songs as singles throughout her career, Ariana Grande changed up the formula by dropping the edgier, slower “Dangerous Woman.” It’s not truly a ballad, but nor does it have the fanfare of “Problem” or “Bang Bang.” Driven by sex, like the younger dudes that made this list, Grande looks to showcase adulthood.

23. Maxwell, “Lake By The Ocean”

[BlackSUMMER’Snight]

After an eight-year hiatus, what better way to comeback than to release a well-written, thoughtful single like “Lake By The Ocean?” “Lake By the Ocean” superbly reminisces back to neo-soul’s glory days.  Signature Maxwell, the R&B heartthrob flaunts his incredibly, pure vocal tone that is drenched in an ocean of SEXiness. Following up “Pretty Wings” couldn’t be easy, but “Lake By The Ocean” holds its own.

24. Andy Black, “We Don’t Have to Dance”

[The Shadow Side]

“We Don’t Have to Dance” is the centerpiece of Andy Black’s (Andy Biersack of The Black Veil Brides) solo debut, The Shadow Side. Besides being a fun, “adrenaline-filled rock cut,” “We Don’t Have to Dance” is meaningful and relatable.  According to Biersack, the song is about social anxiety.

25. gnash featuring Olivia O’Brien, “I hate u, i love u”

[us]

“Do you miss me like I Miss you? / F*cked around and got attached to you/ friends can break your heart too, and /I’m always tired but never of you.”

Alternative artist/producer Gnash’s approach on up-and-coming single “i hate u, i love u,” (featuring Olivia O’Brien) ends up being as oxymoronic as its title. Gnash delivers assertive, sometimes profane lyrics in a cool, calmed, and collected manner.  Though he’s never melodramatic or overexcited (f-bombs and all), “i hate u, i love u” is sensational, chocked full of swag.  The newbie definitely proves one thing on this song: he’s cool AF.