So for the first year since 1999 I have not published any weekly charts this year, the chart drawing to a close this time last year.

 

BUT one tradition that will never cease is my chart of the year, and as always I've got a top 100 singles and top 40 albums to countdown, albeit in a more brief fashion to previous years due to having no chart runs or peaks to report. So this year both charts are based on a combination of play counts on both iTunes and Spotify and opinion, but I've been updating a Year To Date chart at regular intervals during the year so I feel it's as robust and accurate as any end of year chart I've ever published before.

 

2016 is a year I largely fell out of love with chart music. A lot of it is still good, but very little of this year's biggest sellers are fantastic or worthy of smashing into my EOY chart, so you won't find the likes of One Dance, I Took A Pill In Ibiza, Stitches, Pillowtalk, Cold Water and Say You Won't Let Go in here. That said, the other four UK #1s WILL feature, along with a brace of other chart hits, so it's not all bad news in that respect.

 

But most of the songs are not chart hits, with many in here being Eurovision or National Final entries, BJSC entries - either from myself or others, album tracks, remixes, or singles that just slipped completely under the radar. Anything goes and 2016 overall - in musical terms - was probably better for me overall than 2015. Even if everything happening in the world was pretty abysmal, at least I could take comfort in a decent soundtrack.

 

In albums terms it was quite far from a vintage year so I won't be spending too much time looking at those this year, aside from the top eight or so, which are fantastic.

 

So...here we go!

Edited December 31, 20168 yr by gooddelta

Ooooooooooooh this will be good and intriguing. Wonder which of your entries has finished the highest *.*

First here is a list of the songs I loved most this year that failed to make my top 100:

 

Above & Beyond feat Alex Vargas - Blue Sky Action

Ace Wilder - Don't Worry

Agnete - Icebreaker

Allie X - All The Rage

Ariana Grande - Into You

Barei - Say Yay!

Beyoncé - Hold Up

Birdy - Beautiful Lies

Birdy - Keeping Your Head Up

Birdy - Wild Horses

Britney Spears - Do You Wanna Come Over?

Busted - On What You're On

Carly Rae Jepsen - Higher

Celtic Woman feat Oognah - Tír na nÓg

Charlotte Perrelli - Här Står Jag

Cilia - Hardcore Heartbreak

Craig David - One More Time

cXo - Karma Chameleon

David Bowie - Lazarus

David Lindgren - We Are Your Tomorrow

Dodie - Intertwined

Dua Lipa - Hotter Than Hell

Era Istrefi - Bonbon

Erato - Dancing Queen

Florence Welch - When In Disgrace With Fortune And Men's Eyes

Francesca Michielin - No Degree Of Separation

Glasperlenspiel - Geiles Leben (Madizin Single Mix)

Great Good Fine Ok - Already Love

Greta Salome - Hear Them Calling

Jamala - 1944

Jay Bovino feat Sahara Beck - Get You Alone

Jonas Blue feat Raye - By Your Side

JP Cooper - September Song

Justin Timberlake - Can't Stop The Feeling!

Justs - Heartbeat

Kaliopi - Dona

KT Tunstall - All Or Nothing

KT Tunstall - Evil Eye

Lisa Ajax - Santa Bring My Baby To Me

Little Mix - No More Sad Songs

Little Mix - Nothing Else Matters

Little Mix feat Sean Paul - Hair

Louisa Johnson - So Good

Lushington - You Got Me Baby

M.O - Who Do You Think Of?

Machine Gun Kelly feat Camila Cabello - Bad Things

Majestic - Raised In The 90s

Major Lazer feat. Justin Bieber & MØ - Cold Water

Margaret - Cool Me Down

Mark Sixma & Emma Hewitt - Restless Hearts (Ben Nicky Remix)

Martin Garrix feat John & Michel - Now That I've Found You

Mike Posner - I Took A Pill In Ibiza (SeeB Remix)

Pet Shop Boys - The Pop Kids

Rag'n'Bone Man - Human

Rat Boy - Lovers Law

Salt Ashes - Save It

Sander van Doorn & MOTi - Lost

Sia - Confetti

Sia - Reaper

Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Come With Us

Still Corners - Bad Country

The Beach - Geronimo

The Chainsmokers feat Daya - Don't Let Me Down

The Weeknd - Rockin'

TIEKS feat Dan Harkna - Sunshine

Tinie Tempah feat Zara Larsson - Girls Like

Tobtok feat River - Fast Car

Tom Odell - Magnetised

Walk The Moon - Work This Body

Weiss - You're Sunshine

Zoe - Loin D'ici

Albums

 

40-11

 

40. The Weeknd - Starboy

39. Charly Cole - Gotcha

38. Jem - Beachwood Canyon

37. Netsky - 3

36. The Shires - My Universe

35. Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Solstice

34. K3 - 10,000 Luchtballonnen

33. Douwe Bob - Fool Bar

32. Gwen Stefani - This Is What The Truth Feels Like

31. Justice - Woman

30. Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman

29. Robbie Williams - The Heavy Entertainment Show

28. Kygo - Cloud Nine

27. Lauren Aquilina - Isn't It Strange?

26. Sophie Ellis-Bextor - Familia

25. Colbie Caillat - The Malibu Sessions

24. Bastille - Wild World

23. Tove Lo - Lady Wood

22. Måns Zelmerlöw - Chameleon

21. Lukas Graham - Lukas Graham

20. Rihanna - Anti

19. Ward Thomas - Cartwheels

18. Birdy - Beautiful Lies

17. Carly Rae Jepsen - Emotion Side B

16. Tom Odell - Wrong Crowd

15. Fifth Harmony - 7/27

14. Rachel Platten - Wildfire

13. Christine and the Queens - Chaleur Humaine

12. Emeli Sandé - Long Live The Angels

11. Real Lies - Real Life

 

Not making too much fuss over the album chart as there were lots of good albums this year but many were bloated and full of averageness (no doubt to get those streaming numbers up!!!). But nevertheless there is some good stuff here.

 

Albums that disappointed me but still make it in due to a lack of competition include Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Bastille, Colbie Caillat, Måns Zelmerlöw, Tove Lo and Gwen Stefani. All were good in their own ways but packed with filler and as these artists are all among some of my favourites I guess I expected more from them.

 

On the other hand, the likes of Robbie Williams, Ariana Grande, Jem and Justice all delivered albums that were significantly better than their last efforts.

 

The top 20 kicks off wtih Rihanna's ANTI, her worst album in a while but still better than most albums this year with a few jams on it.

 

But it's the top 18 that I'd say mark a step up in quality. Birdy's Beautiful Lies was full of gorgeous melodic ballads, Carly Rae's Emotion Side B was clearly a leftovers album yet still somehow better than the majority of a-list pop albums put out this year, and Tom Odell's Wrong Crowd wasn't actually too far away from the high quality of his debut, I feel like he remains quite underrated even though he's had a fair amount of success.

 

Fifth Harmony's 7/27 was pretty brilliant, and one I enjoyed far more than I'd have expected to, while Rachel Platten's Wildfire was a decent way to kick off the year, packed with poppy choruses and feelgood anthems.

 

Just outside the top ten are Christine and the Queens' wonderfully eccentric Chaleur Humaine and Emeli Sandé's Long Live The Angels - way less commercial than Our Version Of Events but still featuring some beautiful songs and not quite the disappointment I was anticipating. And from 2015, but I only heard it last year, is London electronic/rap trio Real Lies with their gloomy but mesmerising debut album Real Life.

Singles

 

100-71

 

100. Chloe Rose - For Me

99. Real Lies - One Club Town

98. LP - Lost On You

97. Calvin Harris feat Rihanna - This Is What You Came For

96. Sia - Never Give Up

95. Darline - Until Tomorrow

94. Little Mix feat Jason Derulo - Secret Love Song

93. Sigala feat Imani & DJ Fresh - Say You Do

92. Alan Walker - Alone

91. Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl

90. Delta Goodrem - Just Call

89. Craig David - 16

88. The Chainsmokers feat Halsey - Closer

87. Smith & Thell - Row

86. The Rhythm Method - Party Politics

85. Måns Zelmerlöw - Glorious

84. The Flavor - Shosholoza

83. Emeli Sandé - Breathing Underwater

82. Frances - Say It Again

81. Only Girl - Remains

80. Charly Cole - February 29 (Marry Me)

79. ROMANS feat Rejjie Snow - Prisoner

78. Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson - Tears

77. Douwe Bob - Slow Down

76. Lady Gaga - Perfect Illusion

75. Offaiah - Trouble

74. Sigma feat Take That - Cry

73. Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Barbie Girl

72. Craig David & Big Narstie - When The Bassline Drops

71. Delta Goodrem - The River

 

Chloe Rose - For Me

 

 

Real Lies - One Club Town

 

 

Darline - Until Tomorrow

 

 

The Rhythm Method - Party Politics

 

 

Only Girl - Remains

 

 

Charly Cole - February 29 (Marry Me)

 

 

Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Barbie Girl

 

 

Kicking off the top 100 of the year with the first 30 of my favourites 2016 had to offer and, as always, I've posted links to some of the lesser known songs.

 

In this section we have UK hits from Calvin Harris and Rihanna (albeit at a far lower position than the EOY #3 We Found Love managed in 2011), Little Mix and Jason Derulo, Sigala, Imani and DJ Fresh, Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners, Clean Bandit and Louisa Johnson, The Chainsmokers feat Halsey, Sigma feat Take That and Craig David & Big Narstie. Good to see the habit of collaborating to get a hit hasn't dried up in 2016 then!

 

In fact the only hits in this section that weren't collaborations are Offaiah's Trouble - which samples Charlie Puth anyway - and Lady Gaga's 'one week in the top 40 smasha' Perfect Illusion. Anyway, jokes aside I do rather love all of thse songs, so there was certainly some good in the charts and with 16 in here too, this section marks the first two of an incredible four entries in the top 100 for comeback king Craig David. Who knew he'd ever be so relevant again? I never really cared for him in 2000 either, which makes it all the more shocking, he obviously appeals to my nostalgic twinges.

 

A few BJSC entries also crop up here including one of my own - Prisoner by ROMANS feat Rejjie Snow, and a few from others, namely Smith & Thell's Row from Syndare, LP's Lost On You from Botanikka - which grew on me hugely over the year (they also sent Kungs too of course) and The Flavor's Shosholoza from Vulkyria. Also here is a haunting cover of Aqua's Barbie Girl by Scala & Kolacny Brothers, which I sent to the BJSC covers spin-off.

 

Elsehwere in this first section are Sia's Lion soundtrack single Never Give Up, which is essentially the sonic sequel to Cheap Thrills, Alan Walker's third single Alone - watch out for the other two later on and two tracks from Delta Goodrem's Wings Of The Wild album - highlight album track Just Call and The River, which served as a (flop) single.

 

Douwe Bob's Slow Down was the Dutch Eurovision entry this year, and the first of a handful of Eurovision entries in the top 100 while Darline's Until Tomorrow was in the UK National Final but didn't make the cut, the girls' vocals were a tad ropey on the night but the delightful country pop song is along the lines of Ward Thomas and The Shires and should have done better. Had it actually been performed by Ward Thomas, who are highly competent and charasmatic performers, I could have imagined it doing quite respectably at Eurovision.

 

Say It Again by Frances was a lovely made for radio piece of MOR that didn't catch on for some reason while Emeli Sandé's uplifting Breathing Underwater was the highlight of the album for me, albeit a sonic cross between Appleton's Don't Worry and Massive Attack's Teardrop, and one which the UK public don't seem to have caught onto at all, despite numerous promo performances.

 

Country singer Charly Cole's February 29 (Marry Me) is a good fun song about the tradition of women proposing to men on that 'once every four years' date while Remains by Only Girl is a rather minimal yet beautiful ballad by a British talent who deserves more exposure.

 

Otherwise unmentioned are pop/rap duo The Rhythm Method with the quite unique Party Politics, 2015 EOY topper Måns Zelmerlöw with his latest single, Glorious, London trio Real Lies with One Club Town, which excellently samples Bassomatic's early 90s hit Fascinating Rhythm and For Me, a bubblegum pop song from 16 year old Warrington-based singer Chloe Rose, a track written and produced by Mike Stock which sounds much as you would expect, but is damn catchy.

hey Rich!

 

mar faves so far:

 

97. Calvin Harris feat Rihanna - This Is What You Came For absolutely loved this song, it'll be very high in my EOY...

93. Sigala feat Imani & DJ Fresh - Say You Do

92. Alan Walker - Alone seems a bit too early to really rate this but I'm sure it'll be big on my chart soon, it's great

91. Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl ...as will this :dance: spent 12 weeks at #1 in my chart!!

88. The Chainsmokers feat Halsey - Closer

84. The Flavor - Shosholoza

78. Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson - Tears

75. Offaiah - Trouble this is another big tune!

Nice to see Never Give Up here! Maybe it can be higher next year :)

 

Great to see Trouble and The River here as well, both are great tunes :D

Hiya Rich! Lots to catch up on..

 

Ariana, Tom and 5H are my favourites in the albums so far, I totally agree that Wrong Crowd is pretty close in quality to Long Way Down which is an impressive feat!

 

Secret Love Song and of course double Delta are my favourites in the top 100 singles so far :wub:

 

Great stuff! Always one of my favourite countdowns to follow :D

Secret Love Song and Tears being that low :no:

hi goodelta

 

So sublime songs so far, Say You Do & the Craig David songs both obviously huge highlights of mine. Lost On You & Alone both huge for me right now too. Also nice to see some very strong BJSC entries dotted around!

Great to see a few of my fave 2016 albums to start off, namely Dangerous Woman, Anti and Chaleur Humaine! Secret Love Song, Tears and Perfect Illusion are my 3 big highlights of the singles :wub:

hey Rich!

 

mar faves so far:

 

97. Calvin Harris feat Rihanna - This Is What You Came For absolutely loved this song, it'll be very high in my EOY...

93. Sigala feat Imani & DJ Fresh - Say You Do

92. Alan Walker - Alone seems a bit too early to really rate this but I'm sure it'll be big on my chart soon, it's great

91. Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl ...as will this :dance: spent 12 weeks at #1 in my chart!!

88. The Chainsmokers feat Halsey - Closer

84. The Flavor - Shosholoza

78. Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson - Tears

75. Offaiah - Trouble this is another big tune!

 

Thanks Dan, yeah I love love love Alan Walker! Alone is another monster from him, hope he's not stuck as a one hit wonder here.

 

Nice to see Never Give Up here! Maybe it can be higher next year :)

 

Great to see Trouble and The River here as well, both are great tunes :D

 

Thanks Pete, I'd love Never Give Up to get a commercial push, it's another class pop song from Sia.

 

Hiya Rich! Lots to catch up on..

 

Ariana, Tom and 5H are my favourites in the albums so far, I totally agree that Wrong Crowd is pretty close in quality to Long Way Down which is an impressive feat!

 

Secret Love Song and of course double Delta are my favourites in the top 100 singles so far :wub:

 

Great stuff! Always one of my favourite countdowns to follow :D

 

Thanks Joseph, yes indeed, Wrong Crowd was a grower but it's stuck with me through the year, some gorgeous melodies on there.

 

More to come from Delta later!

 

Secret Love Song and Tears being that low :no:

 

Oops. At least they're in there :D

 

hi goodelta

 

So sublime songs so far, Say You Do & the Craig David songs both obviously huge highlights of mine. Lost On You & Alone both huge for me right now too. Also nice to see some very strong BJSC entries dotted around!

 

Thanks Dobbo, loving Craig David this year, and more to come from BJSC too!

 

Great to see a few of my fave 2016 albums to start off, namely Dangerous Woman, Anti and Chaleur Humaine! Secret Love Song, Tears and Perfect Illusion are my 3 big highlights of the singles :wub:

 

Thanks Liam, Chaleur Humaine is quite something! My mum wasn't impressed when we were watching her on TOTP yesterday but I was like 'is it a crime for there to be something just a bit different in the charts for once' :lol:

Singles

 

70-41

 

70. Ira Losco - Walk On Water

69. Shotgun Fakes - Slow Motion

68. Honey Ryder - Years From Now

67. Lauren Aquilina - Thinking About

66. Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean It's 1985

65. Sheppard - We Belong

64. Matoma & Becky Hill - False Alarm

63. Wiktoria - Save Me

62. All Saints - This Is A War

61. 99 Souls feat Destiny's Child & Brandy - The Girl Is Mine

60. Shotgun Fakes - Out Of The Blue

59. Danny L Harle - Broken Flowers

58. Sigala feat John Newman & Nile Rodgers - Give Me Your Love

57. The Corrs - I Do What I Like

56. Craig David & Sigala - Ain't Giving Up

55. The Strumbellas - Spirits

54. Christine and the Queens - Tilted

53. Matt Simons - Catch & Release (Deepend Remix)

52. Alyss - T S I E R

51. Stereoact feat Kerstin Ott - Die Immer Lacht

50. Al Gibbs - Asked Me To Dance

49. Little Mix - Touch

48. NEIKED feat Dyo - Sexual

47. Kate Rusby - Big Brave Bill

46. Ward Thomas - Boomerang

45. KOLAJ - Hitchhike

44. Amir - J'ai Cherché

43. Ellie Goulding - Still Falling For You

42. Kosmonova - Danse Avec Moi

41. Robin Bengtsson - Constellation Prize

 

Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean It's 1985

 

 

Shotgun Fakes - Out Of The Blue

 

 

Stereoact feat Kerstin Ott - Die Immer Lacht

 

 

Al Gibbs - Asked Me To Dance

 

 

Kate Rusby - Big Brave Bill

 

 

KOLAJ - Hitchhike

 

 

Kosmonova - Danse Avec Moi

 

 

In the section of tracks that missed the top 40 we have a few goodies from Eurovision, including Malta's Walk On Water from Ira Losco - #6 in my 2002 EOY chart with 7th Wonder and J'ai Cherché by Amir, one of France's finest entries in years - and rewarded with a richly deserved top ten finish. My 4th and 3rd favourite songs from Melodifestivalen 2016 meanwhile were Wiktoria's charming 2nd placer Save Me and Robin Bengtsson's brilliant saxtastic Constellation Prize, which could have easily been a Eurovision (and European chart) smash had it not fallen at the first hurdle.

 

A double entry in this section for South African husband and wife duo Shotgun Fakes, the lead singer of whom is Pamela Myburgh from The Arrows. Slow Motion is in fact a cover of a track on The Arrows second and final studio album released in 2013. But the gorgeous Out Of The Blue is slightly better, her voice is one of my favourite in music, gets me every time.

 

UK hits in this section include False Alarm by Matoma & Becky Hill, an example of tropical house done right in a beautiful emotive way and The Girl Is Mine by former Buzzjack member 99 Souls, sampling Destiny's Child and with re-recorded vocals from Brandy. Sigala's feelgood summer anthem Give Me Your Love eeked into the top ten as one of the last ever 'held back' releases...John Newman is very hit or miss with me but I couldn't deny how much I loved this track. Comeback king Craig David also teamed up with Sigala on Ain't Giving Up, his most on-trend single of the year, while Christine and the Queens had a hugely unexpected but massively welcome top 20 smash with the eccentric Tilted.

 

Little Mix's sassy and catchy Touch hit the top five in time for Christmas, NEIKED's cheeky but irresistible Sexual seemed to me like another random Scandipop discovery before it took off in a giant way thanks in no small part to Spotify and Ellie Goulding tried the movie soundtrack ballad trick once again with Still Falling For You. Nowhere near as good as the epic Love Me Like You Do (#3 in my EOY 2015), but still a pretty lovely song and well deserving of a place here. Also here is a hilariously on point remix of Justin Bieber's 2015 #1 What Do You Mean, retooled to sound as if it was produced in 1985. Entered by 152Chris into the Buzzjack Reinvention spin-off, it hit me immediately and has never got old, absolute genius from the Casio keyboards right down to the sax solo.

 

UK country-pop act Honey Ryder's Years From Now is a lovely ballad cover of the old Dr Hook song while Sheppard's We Belong is a bit of a damp squib of a comeback single from the act who dominated both my EOY 2014 singles and album charts but, nevertheless, it's a fun and catchy 80s influenced pop song. Definitely hoping for better on the album though. This Is A War was the second single from All Saints this year, and is very much in the vein of the singles from Saints and Sinners, it would have made a much better follow up to Black Coffee than All Hooked Up, but then perhaps the fact it sounded a little dated went against it.

 

Hits that probably should have been include Danny L Harle's PC Music beauty Broken Flowers, with a wonderfully mad video set in a print factory, which meant I got to write an article about this song in the magazine I work for - PrintWeek - and The Strumbellas with the melodic indie-pop monster Spirits, which I heard a lot while over in Germany in the summer, and would have obviously been huge here too with a Radio 1 push, which it never got...oh well. Also big in Germany were Catch & Release by Matt Simons...also oddly not pushed here but would have been big if it had been...and Stereoact's weird but great schlager/folk dance hit Die Immer Lacht, which wouldn't have been a hit here, for obvious reasons.

 

Otherwise unmentioned are a recent BJSC top ten of mine, T S I E R by fellow Brightonian Alyss, Danse Avec Moi by Kosmonova, a hit in 2000 in Europe which I somehow hadn't heard until this year...needless to say it's another that would have been big in the UK at the time with a commercial push. Into Radio 2 territory with Kate Rusby's charming folk ditty about a fictional tea-loving Yorkshire superhero, Big Brave Bill, and Ward Thomas' album highlight Boomerang...a perfect potential UK Eurovision entry if ever I heard one. Lauren Aquilina's first and apparently only album ever spun off some lovely tracks including the stunning piano ballad Thinking About while The Corrs' only single this year was the dancy Do What I Like, which would have been a smash in 1998, but sadly didn't do anything this year despite being brilliant. On that note, why were there only TWO singles pushed from the stunning White Light album?

 

Blogpop/Spotpop duo KOLAJ are waiting for their commercial breakthrough but have struck gold twice this year with The Touch, which will come later, and the almost as good follow up Hitchhike, which is pretty fantastic too and marks them out as one to watch. Finally, a real little oddity is Asked Me To Dance by Al Gibbs which is a song about growing up in Ireland that it's hard to explain the nostalgic appeal of, having not grown up in Ireland, but one that is utterly charming nonetheless. I later found out that this track was heavily 'inspired' (or ripped off) another similar song, which is actually far better and will appear later.

Hiya Rich!

 

97. Calvin Harris feat Rihanna - This Is What You Came For

96. Sia - Never Give Up still to hear this :P

94. Little Mix feat Jason Derulo - Secret Love Song

93. Sigala feat Imani & DJ Fresh - Say You Do

92. Alan Walker - Alone

91. Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl expected this to be a bit higher for some reason :o

88. The Chainsmokers feat Halsey - Closer

87. Smith & Thell - Row this was a pretty good entry form BJSC!

83. Emeli Sandé - Breathing Underwater hmm not really a fan of anything she's released this year :(

82. Frances - Say It Again

79. ROMANS feat Rejjie Snow - Prisoner

78. Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson - Tears

76. Lady Gaga - Perfect Illusion

75. Offaiah - Trouble

72. Craig David & Big Narstie - When The Bassline Drops

66. Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean It's 1985 i'm intrigued by this :kink:

65. Sheppard - We Belong LOL FLOP!

64. Matoma & Becky Hill - False Alarm

61. 99 Souls feat Destiny's Child & Brandy - The Girl Is Mine

58. Sigala feat John Newman & Nile Rodgers - Give Me Your Love

57. The Corrs - I Do What I Like

56. Craig David & Sigala - Ain't Giving Up

55. The Strumbellas - Spirits

54. Christine and the Queens - Tilted :( at this missing the top 50, excellent performance on TOTP yesterday!

52. Alyss - T S I E R Ooh not top 50 :o

49. Little Mix - Touch wow this is very soon, didn't really like it at first but it's grown on me fast!

43. Ellie Goulding - Still Falling For You not far off me :P

 

Fab so far! :D

Some great tracks there!

 

Love False Alarm, it really grew on me and it showcases Becky's voice really well!

 

The Girl Is Mine is a great track from the start of the year :dance: so glad it did well!

 

Give Me Love, I Do What I Like, Ain't Giving Up, Tilted & Constellation Prize are great as well!

Hi Rich!

 

From the albums so far The Weeknd, Ariana, Tove Lo, Bastille, Ward Thomas, Christine and the Queens, Fifth Harmony and Tom Odell in the album chart so far!

 

For the singles Kungs, Calvin/Rihanna, Sigala, Lady Gaga, Offaiah, Craig David, Christine And the Queens, Matoma and ofc Ellie Goulding :wub:

 

Yes for the bjsc representing! Adore T S I E R!

Hiya Rich!

 

97. Calvin Harris feat Rihanna - This Is What You Came For

96. Sia - Never Give Up still to hear this :P

94. Little Mix feat Jason Derulo - Secret Love Song

93. Sigala feat Imani & DJ Fresh - Say You Do

92. Alan Walker - Alone

91. Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl expected this to be a bit higher for some reason :o

88. The Chainsmokers feat Halsey - Closer

87. Smith & Thell - Row this was a pretty good entry form BJSC!

83. Emeli Sandé - Breathing Underwater hmm not really a fan of anything she's released this year :(

82. Frances - Say It Again

79. ROMANS feat Rejjie Snow - Prisoner

78. Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson - Tears

76. Lady Gaga - Perfect Illusion

75. Offaiah - Trouble

72. Craig David & Big Narstie - When The Bassline Drops

66. Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean It's 1985 i'm intrigued by this :kink:

65. Sheppard - We Belong LOL FLOP!

64. Matoma & Becky Hill - False Alarm

61. 99 Souls feat Destiny's Child & Brandy - The Girl Is Mine

58. Sigala feat John Newman & Nile Rodgers - Give Me Your Love

57. The Corrs - I Do What I Like

56. Craig David & Sigala - Ain't Giving Up

55. The Strumbellas - Spirits

54. Christine and the Queens - Tilted :( at this missing the top 50, excellent performance on TOTP yesterday!

52. Alyss - T S I E R Ooh not top 50 :o

49. Little Mix - Touch wow this is very soon, didn't really like it at first but it's grown on me fast!

43. Ellie Goulding - Still Falling For You not far off me :P

 

Fab so far! :D

 

Thanks Rob! To add to what we already discussed on FB - oops, seems Emeli's not really impressed people much this time :( Haha definitely check out the Bieber remix, I forgot you don't enter the BJSC spin-offs so wouldn't know what this is! I bought Christine's album today btw :P

 

Some great tracks there!

 

Love False Alarm, it really grew on me and it showcases Becky's voice really well!

 

The Girl Is Mine is a great track from the start of the year :dance: so glad it did well!

 

Give Me Love, I Do What I Like, Ain't Giving Up, Tilted & Constellation Prize are great as well!

 

Thanks Pete, yes Becky's voice really adds an emotive depth to False Alarm I think! Agree with you about The Girl Is Mine, a breath of fresh air!

 

Hi Rich!

 

From the albums so far The Weeknd, Ariana, Tove Lo, Bastille, Ward Thomas, Christine and the Queens, Fifth Harmony and Tom Odell in the album chart so far!

 

For the singles Kungs, Calvin/Rihanna, Sigala, Lady Gaga, Offaiah, Craig David, Christine And the Queens, Matoma and ofc Ellie Goulding :wub:

 

Yes for the bjsc representing! Adore T S I E R!

 

Thanks Harry! Glad you're liking quite a lot here, and yassss at the T S I E R love :cheer:

Singles

 

40-21

 

40. Lady Gaga - Million Reasons

39. Blonde & Craig David - Nothing Like This

38. Lukas Graham - 7 Years

37. Jorja Smith - Blue Lights

36. SaRaha - Kizunguzungu

35. The Veronicas - In My Blood

34. Zara Larsson - Lush Life

33. Tigertown - Papernote

32. Theia - Roam

31. Douwe Bob - Jacob's Song

30. Joe and Jake - You're Not Alone

29. TheFatRat feat Laura Brehm - Monody

28. Starley - Call On Me (Ryan Riback Remix)

27. Imany - Don't Be So Shy (Filatov & Karas Remix)

26. The Weeknd feat Daft Punk - I Feel It Coming

25. Sia feat Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills

24. K3 - 10.000 Luchtballonnen

23. Alan Walker - Faded

22. Jonas Blue feat JP Cooper - Perfect Strangers

21. Alan Walker - Sing Me To Sleep

 

SaRaha - Kizunguzungu

 

 

Tigertown - Papernote

 

 

Douwe Bob - Jacob's Song

 

 

TheFatRat feat Laura Brehm - Monody

 

 

K3 - 10.000 Luchtballonnen

 

 

Kicking off my top 40 of 2016 is Lady Gaga, with what is easily her best single since Applause, the beautiful Million Reasons. It looks like the song is never going to get support from the radio stations it needs support from, so will be another flop for Gaga but, for once, this one is entirely undeserved.

 

The highest entry of four from Craig David is his collaboration with Blonde, Nothing Like This. The track stays faithful to Craig's garage roots while Blonde's production is almost reminiscent of Artful Dodger dragged kicking and screaming into 2016. Essentially it impressed me for its current appeal and relevance as well as its nostaglic appeal, not to mention that brilliant bridge <3 The bassline in that part is glorious.

 

Danish band Lukas Graham's 7 Years just missed my top 100 last year after I'd first been impressed by it last October. I could see that it was something special and different lyrically and quite lovely musically, but it didn't really strike me as a global hit at all until it took off on Spotify. But good for them, they deserve success outside of their home country.

 

The first of three 'foreign' BJSC entries in this section is Blue Lights by Jorja Smith, which really should have lit up the scoreboard more for St Burbia back in February...I mean, 23rd, really? An incredibly thought provoking track lyrically and a slightly haunting but stunning melody all coming from a really promising and talented vocalist. It's stuck with me throughout the year and I do hope Jorja can break out soon, she has huge potential.

 

Over to Melodifestivalen for #36 and the second highest song from this year, Kizunguzungu from SaRaha. A little bit Waka Waka and a sprinkle Haba Haba, this is just the sort of world music inspired Europop that sounds completely anti-Scandinavian but hits me every time. And with a charismatic performer like SaRaha and a chorus that should have seen this song become a huge hit across the continent, this was never not going to be top 40 in my EOY.

 

The Veronicas finished at #3 in my 2014 EOY so the pressure was on to deliver something great to lead their new album. It's not out yet but the 'Kylie meets 2016' sound of In My Blood did the job nicely. The chorus melody is classic Veronicas but the production is bang on trend. A deserved #1 hit in Aus but unlike You Ruin Me it sadly didn't manage to make it over to the UK.

 

Lush Life by Zara Larsson needs no introduction really. I sat on it for quite a few months and shamefully it only clicked with me when it was riding high in the UK top ten and had had a chance to worm its way into my affections. But it hasn't left since, and it's quite astonishing that a young teenager from Sweden, who everybody had tipped for success years ago, actually managed to translate that into global hits. Zara perfectly fills the Rihanna-sized gap that was left in the market when Rihanna decided to 'recalibrate her sound'.

 

I don't know an awful lot about Tigertown, save for the fact that they are Australian, but I was instantly won over by Papernote when I heard it from Popjustice earlier in the year. The melody in the verses and other parts of the song sort of reminds me of an electronic version of The Right Time by The Corrs, which is fun! I later discovered that Johnkm sent the track to Unknown Pleasures last year and then became temporarily gutted that I could have heard it a whole year earlier. Never mind, at least I did eventually!

 

Theia's Roam was one of my 10 BJSC qualifiers this year but fair to say was the least popular and an incredibly lucky qualifier. It's on trend, doing big business on Spotify and on lots of Hots Hits playlists, has a pretty killer, catchy chorus and hook and a Lorde-esque vocalist, but all that added up to a pretty gigantic BJSC flop sadly...maybe it just blended into the background too much by not standing out? I still love it though and it easily makes my top 40 of the year.

 

Dutch country/pop artist Douwe Bob has been successful in his home country for a few years and finally got some wider recognition when representing The Netherlands at Eurovision with Slow Down. But upon hearing his album, it's this track that stood out far more. A simply beautiful string-laden ballad, which isn't short at six minutes, but I'd be quite happy if it was longer. The lyrics are painfully easy for anybody to relate to that's had hard times in a relationship but that makes it all the stronger. Up there with my favourite album tracks of the year, anybody who loves classic ballads could do worse than to click play on the embedded Youtube video.

 

And keeping to the Eurovision theme, it's the UK's quite respectable entry this year, You're Not Alone from Joe & Jake. A One Direction meets Coldplay-esque stadium pop song, it still managed to tank at Eurovision despite decent jury support. To this day I'm not entirely sure what they did to alienate the televoters so much...solid performance, strong vocals, good staging. Nonetheless it was a good effort from the BBC and I'll keep everything crossed for something even better - and a better result to match - in 2017.

 

The next 'foreign' BJSC entry is Danaelanda's top three hit from the very start of the year, Monody by TheFatRat feat Laura Brehm. I was never not going to love a Celtic influenced dance track but this song is something else. The build up in the first three minutes is epic enough but those vocals that belatedly come in lift the track even higher, sounding like something from a Disney film. The pan pipes/strings combo is magic, and this should have won with 500 points frankly.

 

At #28 is Spotify hit Call On Me from Starley. It may break out here next year but it's hard to tell at the moment, as it could just be one of those tracks that does well on Spotify thanks to playlist exposure but never gains traction elsewhere. It has gone to #1 in Sweden - the spiritual home of pop music though - so there is hope for the Australian singer yet. As an aside, I love the original and the Ryan Ribeck remix just about equally - yes it's on trend to the point of being a cliche, but it's tropical house done well, and the melody throughout the track is brilliant, reminds me of something from the late 90s that I can't pinpoint right now.

 

Now one song that was big in Europe at least, but never made it to the UK, is another BJSC entry, Don't Be So Shy by Imany, sent by Dobago. The original is actually quite a powerful alt-soul track and helps to contribute something to this EOY position but the Filatov & Karas Remix was almost destined to be a UK top five smash, so why that didn't manage to happen I'm not entirely sure. A perfect summer anthem.

 

Something very recent, but one love so much that it's managed to clamber all the way to #26 in my songs of the year, is I Feel It Coming by The Weeknd & Daft Punk. Their second collaboration of the year following Starboy, I wasn't truthfully into that song much but this more laidback electro ballad is genius. A wonderful track that channels classic Michael Jackson and is exactly the sort of thing I wanted from Daft Punk's Random Access Memories, the outro with the robot vocals is so perfect. I can't believe it's only just scraped into the UK top ten when Starboy has been so gigantic, what's the deal with that?

 

And from one superstar collab to another, Sia just continues to get bigger, which is fantastic to see for as I've been championing her since 2000 and bought practically all of her material since Taken For Granted. Cheap Thrills was a highlight album track, and one that Rihanna definitely should NOT have turned down, but Sean Paul just added some real extra magic to the track, making the two-hander chorus between the pair a real club anthem. It's incredible to think that this is in the top three biggest sellers of the year in the UK and that Sia has such a huge track to her name. Who ever could have forseen her becoming one of the world's biggest female stars?

 

Another from BJSC, it's over to Yehesi and the ludicrous but brilliant kids anthem 10.000 Luchtballonnen by K3. I seem to faintly recall ridiculing this band earlier in the year in preparation for my trip to Amsterdam in March, I couldn't believe that a band such as this could still score hits in The Netherlands, when it seems like a concept that would have been laughably dated in 1999 in the UK. But then I heard the song and ate humble pie and learnt once again to not judge a book by its cover. It may well be for kids but who on earth can deny this fantastic melody ripped mercilessly straight out of one of the best 80s songs - The Riddle by Nik Kershaw. Absolute genius and makes me long for the days of Steps, Scooch and even Fast Food Rockers...where has the fun gone? God bless K3, and how amazing that this managed to win BJSC.

 

Over to Norway's Alan Walker at #23 with one of the biggest dance hits of the first few months of 2016, the hauntingly beautiful Faded. The track is very 'nearly' trance-esque but doesn't quite have the right production, though it could have so easily worked as a trance song and would have no doubt been just as huge back in 2000. Stunning.

 

Fast Car was pretty crap to be kind - though I quite liked the Tobtok version that did something differently with the melody at least - but Jonas Blue redeemded himself in a major way in the summer with his second UK #2 smash, Perfect Strangers. Sounding like a lost 80s classic turned into a tropical house beauty, unlike Fast Car this actually wasn't a cover, but instead a beautiful slice of sun drenched, uplifting dance. Definitely one of the best tropical house songs of the MANY released in 2016.

 

And juuuuust missing out on the top 20 is the third and final entry from Alan Walker. Sing Me To Sleep sadly wasn't a UK hit but it was thankfully recognised as the beauty it is in Scandinavia at least. This is just elevated above Faded for me for that absolutely killer post-chorus drop. Based on what I've heard from him so far, I think Alan is definitely my favourite new dance act of the year and really hope he can somehow keep up this high quality.

Hey Rich again :D

 

40. Lady Gaga - Million Reasons this is steadily growing on me but far from what GaGa's capable of usually!

39. Blonde & Craig David - Nothing Like This

38. Lukas Graham - 7 Years Hmm the lyrics are lovely & childish at the same time and his voice towards the end was really awful imo, uneccesary yelling that put me off liking it fully. Maybe he did write it when he was 7 I dunno :lol:

35. The Veronicas - In My Blood

34. Zara Larsson - Lush Life I'm amazed at how successful she's become but pleased too!

32. Theia - Roam hit next year do we think?

30. Joe and Jake - You're Not Alone sounds like a Script reject for me :lol: :( fair play to them for trying though!

29. TheFatRat feat Laura Brehm - Monody

27. Imany - Don't Be So Shy (Filatov & Karas Remix)

26. The Weeknd feat Daft Punk - I Feel It Coming Stunning, his voice on this gives me goosebumps, so good! :wub:

25. Sia feat Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills

24. K3 - 10.000 Luchtballonnen

23. Alan Walker - Faded YASS this is a contender for my #1 as you know, so beautiful and her voice just gets to me so much *.*

22. Jonas Blue feat JP Cooper - Perfect Strangers this was decent but I prefer JP's song to this!

21. Alan Walker - Sing Me To Sleep this deserved better officially however it didn't hit me a big way on first few listens bizarelly, maybe I was just into 'Faded' a lot still or something lol!

 

Brill!

Edited December 28, 20168 yr by Rob S~

Hey Rich! <3 My faves so far from your top 100!

 

96. Sia - Never Give Up Loving this at the moment! One of my favourite tracks she has ever done tbh! <3

94. Little Mix feat Jason Derulo - Secret Love Song :heart:

93. Sigala feat Imani & DJ Fresh - Say You Do

92. Alan Walker - Alone Hope this can become a hit in the next year! Another fab track from Alan!

91. Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl

90. Delta Goodrem - Just Call

89. Craig David - 16

83. Emeli Sandé - Breathing Underwater

82. Frances - Say It Again

80. Charly Cole - February 29 (Marry Me) Love this so much <3 Thanks for recommending this again! Just a fab Country anthem *.*

78. Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson - Tears

77. Douwe Bob - Slow Down Definitely one of my favourite from Eurovision :heart:

76. Lady Gaga - Perfect Illusion One of my favourite songs of the year, so much love for this!

75. Offaiah - Trouble

74. Sigma feat Take That - Cry

72. Craig David & Big Narstie - When The Bassline Drops

71. Delta Goodrem - The River

70. Ira Losco - Walk On Water Another one of my Eurovision favourites of 2016!

67. Lauren Aquilina - Thinking About Fab to see the album pop up in your top 40 of the year! Definitely one of my favourites of the year <3

64. Matoma & Becky Hill - False Alarm

63. Wiktoria - Save Me

62. All Saints - This Is A War

61. 99 Souls feat Destiny's Child & Brandy - The Girl Is Mine

59. Danny L Harle - Broken Flowers

54. Christine and the Queens - Tilted :wub:

49. Little Mix - Touch

48. NEIKED feat Dyo - Sexual :wub:

46. Ward Thomas - Boomerang Love this & another act whose album is up there with the best of the year for me! Still so glad when it shockingly went to #1 :wub:

43. Ellie Goulding - Still Falling For You

40. Lady Gaga - Million Reasons So stunning & Gaga's voice is stunning on this :wub:

35. The Veronicas - In My Blood Possibly my favourite thing they have ever done now bar Untouched, adore this so so much!

34. Zara Larsson - Lush Life

31. Douwe Bob - Jacob's Song

30. Joe and Jake - You're Not Alone This should've done better than it did :(

25. Sia feat Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills

24. K3 - 10.000 Luchtballonnen Iconic :wub:

23. Alan Walker - Faded This is also still so fab! <3

22. Jonas Blue feat JP Cooper - Perfect Strangers

21. Alan Walker - Sing Me To Sleep