2016’s Most Popular Pop Songs
Contents
A look at some of the most popular pop songs of 2016 and what made them so successful.
Introduction
In 2016, the most popular pop songs were a mix of catchy tunes, heartfelt ballads, and uptempo tracks. Below is a list of the top 10 songs of the year, based on Billboard’s year-end charts.
1. “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” by Justin Timberlake
2. “One Dance” by Drake feat. Wizkid & Kyla
3. “Work” by Rihanna feat. Drake
4. “Cheap Thrills” by Sia feat. Sean Paul
5. “Needed Me” by Rihanna
6. “Sorry” by Justin Bieber
7. “Don’t Let Me Down” by The Chainsmokers feat. Daya
8. “Goosebumps” by Travis Scott
9. “Heathens” by twenty one pilots
10.”Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” by Adele
The Year in Pop
We’re taking a look back at the year in pop music, highlighting the biggest and best songs of 2016. From Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” to Sia’s “Cheap Thrills,” these are the tracks that dominated the charts and our playlists.
The Songs of 2016
It’s hard to believe that 2016 is almost over! It feels like just yesterday we were jamming out to “Work” by Rihanna, “Sorry” by Justin Bieber, and “One Dance” by Drake. What a year it has been for pop music! As we reflect on the past twelve months, let’s take a look at the most popular pop songs of 2016.
“Work” by Rihanna ft. Drake
Work, work, work, work, work
He said me haffi Work, work, work, work, work
He see me do mi Dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt, dirt
But I don’t get no Radio play
That man’s not too Bright
I need a Wage I can Live off and not die off”
These are the opening lyrics to Rihanna’s megahit “Work,” which spent nine weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2016. The song was inescapable on radio and streaming services all year long, becoming one of the most popular pop songs of the year.
“Work” was released as the lead single from Rihanna’s eighth studio album ANTI. The song features Canadian rapper Drake and was produced by Boi-1da, Noah “40” Shebib, and Sevn Thomas.
The song became a global phenomenon upon its release, reaching number one in several countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. In the US, “Work” spent nine weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100-the longest-running number one single of Rihanna’s career.
“Formation” by Beyoncé
“Formation” is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her sixth studio album, Lemonade (2016). The song was written by Beyoncé and Mike Will Made It, and produced by the latter along with Beyoncé and Boi-1da. A trap song with elements of hip hop, bounce music, R&B and soul, it features horns and whistle instrumentation accompanied by bounce-based hand claps. The song’s composition has been the subject of analytical studies by musicologists. Lyrically, “Formation” incorporates references to southern African-American culture, especially that of New Orleans. In an interview with i-D, Beyoncé described the inspiration behind “Formation” and its video as “the most personal record” from Lemonade.
On February 6, 2016—Super Bowl 50’s game day—Beyoncé released both the song and its music video on Tidal; the latter was then made available on YouTube the following day. A single photography from the video was released onBeyoncé’s official website and Instagram account as promotion for The Formation World Tour (2016). Upon release, “Formation” received positive reviews from critics who praised its production as well as Beyoncé’s vocal delivery. The song debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, becoming Beyoncé’s first solo single to enter the top 10 since “Runnin’ (Lose It All)” (2015) peaked at number eight on September 26, 2015. It also became her highest debuting single on the chart as a lead artist. It ultimately peaked at number one on April 9, 2016—marking Beyoncé’s sixth solo number one single in the country—and spent dancers are self-employed professionals who work closely with clients to choreograph customized dance routines for private parties or special events.”
“One Dance” by Drake ft. Wizkid & Kyla
“One Dance” is a song by Canadian rapper Drake from his fourth studio album, Views (2016). The song features Wizkid and Kyla. It was released to rhythmic radio on April 5, 2016, as the album’s lead single. “One Dance” peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Drake’s first number-one single in the United States and Wizkid’s first. The song also became Kyla’s first number-one single in Canada. It spent ten non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Hot 100, becoming both Drake’s longest-running number one single and Wizkid’s longest-running number one single.
Conclusion
In 2016, the most popular pop songs were a mix of both new and older hits. The top spot went to “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” by Justin Timberlake, followed by “One Dance” by Drake featuring Wizkid & Kyla. “Work” by Rihanna featuring Drake came in at third, while Sia’s “Cheap Thrills” featuring Sean Paul took the fourth spot. Rounding out the top five was “Send My Love (To Your New Lover)” by Adele.
