Pop Music of 2016: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Contents
A look at some of the best and worst pop hits of 2016.
The Good
From KPop to the return of some veteran artists, 2016 has been a great year for pop music. There have been a number of breakout hits that have taken the world by storm. Let’s take a look at some of the best pop songs of 2016.
Justin Bieber- “Sorry”
“Sorry” is a song recorded by Canadian singer Justin Bieber for his fourth studio album, Purpose (2015). The song was released on October 22, 2015 as the second single from the album. A dancehall-pop and tropical house track, it contains in its instrumentation “a bouncing synth over skittering drums”, and infuses “EDM with reggae flavor”. Lyrically, “Sorry” is a plea for a chance to apologize to an unspecified person.
Critical reception towards the song was mixed: some praised its production, while others criticized its lyrical content. Commercially, the track peaked at number two on the US Billboard Hot 100 and became Bieber’s seventh top-ten entry of 2015 and 2016. It also became Bieber’s second consecutive single (after “What Do You Mean?”) to remain at number two for three weeks. Internationally, it reached the top ten in several countries including Australia, Finland, Japan and Spain; as well as peaking within the top five in both France and New Zealand.”Sorry” has sold over 1.6 million copies in the United States alone.
The visual accompanying the song features white flash frames of Bieber dancing along tropical beaches with occasional cut-scenes of various women dancing provocatively. The video received mixed reviews from critics; some approved of its concept but criticized its execution (“lazy”), while others praised its choreography but disfavored how it was filmed (“cheap”). It won Favorite Pop Video at Nielsen Breakthrough Awards Of 2016 an MTV Europe Music Award for Best Pop Video.
Zara Larsson- “Lush Life”
Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life” was one of the best pop songs of 2016. It’s a perfect example of a summer anthem: catchy, upbeat, and full of positive vibes. The lyrics are about enjoying the simple pleasures in life, and the video features Larsson strutting her stuff in a variety of colorful outfits. The song was ubiquitious on the radio and its infectious chorus will stick in your head for days.
The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey- “Closer”
The summer of 2016 will undoubtedly go down as the time we all got “Closer” to The Chainsmokers. This song, which features Halsey, was inescapable, complete with a (controversial) NSFW video that only further solidified its place as one of the year’s standout hits. While some may find The Chainsmokers’ brand of party-ready electro-pop to be a little too fratty for their taste, it’s undeniable that “Closer” is a catchy, well-produced song that deserves its place among the year’s best.
The Bad
It’s no secret that 2016 was a rough year for a lot of people. Between the election, refugees, and celebrity deaths, it felt like the world was against us. But, through it all, we had pop music to help us get through the tough times. Even though there were some good songs that came out this year, the bad far outweighed the good.
Flo Rida feat. Jason Derulo- “Hello Friday”
“Hello Friday” is a single by American rapper Flo Rida, featuring American singer Jason Derulo. It was released on February 5, 2016. The song peaked at number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100.
Iggy Azalea feat. Charlie XCX- “Fancy”
“Fancy” is a synth-pop song performed by Australian rapper Iggy Azalea featuring English singer Charli XCX, taken from the former’s debut studio album, The New Classic (2014). It was released on 17 February 2014 by Def Jam Recordings as the fourth single from the album. “Fancy” was described as an electro-hop and synth-pop song. It entered and peaked at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart for seven consecutive weeks, giving Azalea her second US number one single (after “Work”) and XCX her first. It was the longest-reigning number one by a female rapper in the US charts history, until Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” exceeded its peak in September 2014. It is one of the best-selling singles worldwide, with 7 million copies sold (as of December 2014).
The music video for “Fancy” was directed by Director X and released in March 2014. The video features Azalea performing in various candid scenarios, similar to Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” (2004) and Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” (2013). The video went on to win Best Female Video and Best Hip-Hop Video at the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards.
Pitbull feat. Kesha- “Timber”
Pitbull’s ode to Kesha’s “Tik Tok” is one of the worst songs of 2016. It’s just a rehash of the same old themes: partying, drinking, and hooking up. The production is cheap and the lyrics are complete garbage. The only redeeming factor is Kesha’s vocals, which are actually pretty good. But even she can’t save this mess of a song.
The Ugly
Rebecca Black- “Friday”
Rebecca Black’s “Friday” is, perhaps, one of the most tarred and feathered pieces of “music” to ever see the light of day. Hailed by many as one of the worst songs ever made, Rebecca Black was villified for her “talentless” performance and the seemingly nonsensical lyrics. The song was, quite simply, an embarrassment to music lovers everywhere.
Justin Bieber- “Baby”
“Baby” is a song by Canadian recording artist Justin Bieber. It was released as the lead single from the latter half of Bieber’s debut album, My World 2.0. The track features American rapper Ludacris, who co-wrote the song with Bieber, Raleigh Ritchie and its producer, Christopher “Tricky” Stewart. It was released as the lead single from My World 2.0 on January 18, 2010. The hip hop song influenced by R&B and pop music, is Def Jam Recordings fifth release in as many weeks in early 2010.”Baby” topped the charts in more than twenty countries and was ranked the thirtieth most successful song of all time on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart. The accompanying music video features several pastiches of films featuring young children.”Baby” became one of the best-selling singles of all time selling 16 million copies worldwide.[8] The single received mixed reviews from critics missing studio production and rap elements.”
Rebecca Black- “Saturday”
Rebecca Black’s “Saturday” is one of the most polarizing songs of 2016. You either love it or you hate it, there’s no in-between. The 13-year-old became an overnight internet sensation when the music video for her song went viral on YouTube. “Saturday” is about, well, spending a day on the weekend doing whatever you want. It’s youthful, it’s catchy, and it’s utterly annoying.
