2016’s Best Pop Music CDs

Check out our list of 2016’s best pop music CDs – from classic albums to new releases!

Best Pop CDs of 2016

2016 was a great year for pop music, with a wide variety of artists releasing great CDs. In this article, we’ll countdown the top 10 best pop CDs of 2016. Be sure to check out our list!

Taylor Swift – 1989

If you’re looking for something a little more upbeat, try Taylor Swift’s 1989. This pop album is full of catchy beats and sing-along lyrics. “Shake It Off,” “Style,” and “Blank Space” are just a few of the hits on this album.

Justin Bieber – Purpose

If you’re looking for some great pop music to add to your collection, Justin Bieber’s “Purpose” is a great choice. Released in November of 2015, the album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and has remained there for several weeks. It features the hit singles “Sorry” and “Love Yourself”, both of which have climbed to the top of the charts.

Adele – 25

Adele’s much-anticipated third album, 25, was released in November 2015. Featuring the singles “Hello” and “When We Were Young,” the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and went on to sell more than 3 million copies in the U.S. in just six weeks. 25 won Album of the Year at both the Grammy Awards and the Brit Awards, making Adele the first artist in history to win that award twice.

One Direction – Made in the A.M.

One Direction’s fifth album, Made in the A.M., is a perfect example of the boy band’s progression from teenage heartthrobs to fully formed popstars. The album is brimming with radio-friendly hooks and anthemic ballads, all of which are delivered with conviction by the quartet. But it’s the fact that One Direction are now writing their own songs – with the help of some outside collaborators – that makes Made in the A.M. such a strongrelease. It’s a coming-of-age record for a group that has grown up in front of our eyes, and it’s one of 2016’s best pop albums.

Ariana Grande – Dangerous Woman

Ariana Grande’s third studio album, Dangerous Woman, debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and features the lead single “Dangerous Woman.” The album also includes collaborations with Lil Wayne and Macy Gray.

Best Pop Songs of 2016

2016 was a great year for pop music. We saw a lot of new artists emerge and some established artists released great new music. In this article, we’ll be counting down our top 10 favorite pop songs of 2016.

“Hello” – Adele

“Hello” is a song by English singer-songwriter Adele, released on 23 October 2015 by XL Recordings as the lead single from her third studio album, 25 (2015). Adele co-wrote the song with her producer, Greg Kurstin. “Hello” is a piano ballad with soul and gospel influences, and lyrics that discuss nostalgia and regret. Upon release, the song was well received by music critics, who compared it favourably to Adele’s previous work and praised the song’s production. It became Adele’s first solo single to reach number one in the United Kingdom after “Someone like You”, and also peaked at number one in Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and South Africa.

In the United States, “Hello” debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart with sales of 1.11 million copies, becoming Adele’s first number-one there since her debut single “Chasing Pavements”. Furthermore, “Hello” became both Adele’s and Kurstin’s first US number-one single as co-writers of a song; neither had previously achieved that feat. The track spent ten weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart before being dethroned by Bieber’s “Love Yourself”.

“Sorry” – Justin Bieber

“Sorry” is a song recorded by Canadian singer Justin Bieber for his fourth studio album Purpose (2015). The song was written by Justin Bieber, Julia Michaels, Justin Tranter and Sonny Moore, with production handled by Skrillex. “Sorry” was released to digital retailers on October 22, 2015, as the second single from Purpose. A tropical house track with elements of dancehall and worldbeat, “Sorry” features programmed drums, steelpans, synthesizers and bouncy basslines; however its lyrics have a more contrite theme. It samples “Madan”, a classified 1987 Indian pop song described as featuring ” Indian-flavored English pop.”

The track received generally mixed reviews from music critics. Mike Wass of Idolator praised the song for its catchy hook and speculated that it might be one of the biggest hits Bieber would release from his album. Wass also noted the song’s self-deprecating lyrical content which he felt was relatable to listeners. However, in a less enthusiastic review, Nancy Twine of Entertainment Weekly criticized the production as being “rife with try-hard tropical flourishes.” Pitchfork Media’s Corban Goble also panned Skrillex’s production dubbing it “the laziest [he’d] ever heard.” Despite its mixed critical response, “Sorry” became an international success; it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States and Canada while topping over 30 countries worldwide including Australia and Sweden.

The accompanying music video for “Sorry” was directed by Brad Furman and features actor John Leguizamo. The clip received negative reviews from publications such as Billboard, Digital Spy and MTV UK; who criticized its plotline and likened it to a soap opera. However, many publications went on to praise Bieber’s performance in the video. A sequel to the video called “Purpose: The Movement”, which features dance choreography by Parris Goebel, was released on November 14, 2015 through Bieber’s official Vevo channel. To date Completing over 1 billion views on YouTube worldwide; making it one of Bieber’s most viewed songs on the site.

“Work” – Rihanna ft. Drake

Released in January 2016, “Work” is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her eighth studio album, Anti (2016). The song was written by PartyNextDoor, Allen Ritter and Rihanna, and produced by Boi-1da, Allen Ritter, Vinylz and Aubrey Graham. It is a dancehall track with an island-themed production reminiscent of her 2015 single “FourFiveSeconds”. The lyrics are about having a good time with friends despite being unemployed.

Rihanna premiered “Work” on January 27, 2016, during an episode of SNL. The song was released as the lead single from Anti the following day. It received positive reviews from music critics upon release and debuted at number one on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian Hot 100. It became Rihanna’s twenty-fourth (and Drake’s fourth) single to peak at number one on the Hot 100 chart. Its music video was directed by Director X and released on February 22, 2016. The black-and-white clip features Rihanna dancing in various locations around a city accompanied by Drake.

“Formation” – Beyonce

“Formation” is a song recorded by American singer Beyoncé for her sixth studio album, Lemonade (2016). The song was written by Beyoncé, Mike Will Made It, and Diana Gordon, and produced by the former two alongside Kinetic. It contains a sample of “Bum Bum” by Kaoma. A southern hip hop, trap and bounce-influenced song with elements of new jack swing and ragtime, “Formation” is an anthem about black pride and includes socio-political references to Hurricane Katrina, police brutality in the United States, and the Black Lives Matter movement. Upon its release, “Formation” debuted atop the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The single’s music video was directed by Melina Matsoukas and shot in New Orleans. Inspired by southern culture and Louisiana Creole architecture, it features grandiose conjuring scenes while men dance in a street parade alongside Beyoncé in Southern Belle antebellum attire. The video received positive reviews from critics who praised its reference to African-American culture; some noted that it honors 1980s Harlem ballroom scene while others called it one of Beyoncé’s best videos. A day after its premiere, Beyoncé performed “Formation” live at Super Bowl 50 during halftime show with Coldplay and Bruno Mars which was acclaimed by many as one of the most political performances at a Super Bowl.

“Can’t Stop the Feeling!” – Justin Timberlake

“Can’t Stop the Feeling!” is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for the film Trolls (2016), for which he served as the executive music producer. The song was released on May 6, 2016, following the film’s announcement that Timberlake would be creating and starring in. Written and produced by Timberlake, Max Martin, and Shellback; “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” is a disco funk pop track. Upon release, “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” received positive reviews from music critics, with many describing it as Timberlake’s best single in years. The song topped the charts in 15 countries, including Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom; while reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100—marking Timberlake’s fifth chart-topper and first since “Suit & Tie” (2013). It also reached number one on the US Adult Contemporary Chart and Mainstream Top 40 Countries: United Kingdom

In June 2016, a remix of the song by English DJ and record producer Danny L Harvey was released. In October 2016, another remix of the song was released featuring additional vocals from American rapper Andy Samberg.