The Best Singles of 2016: Now that a full month (and the Grammys) have passed, we asked some 8th-grader guest-writers to break down their favorite songs of 2016. Check them out:

21 Pilots

21 Pilots

Esther Lim

“Heavy Dirty Soul” by Twenty One Pilots
The pinnacle of a meaningful song lies on its lyrics, and the emotional fulfillment of the listener’s ability to relate to the lyrics is hard to achieve for many artists. However, the band duo that is Twenty One Pilots have not failed to create lyrical master pieces since the beginning. And to that, it’s arguable that the song ”Heavy Dirty Soul” is one of the most lyrically intricate songs that the band has created. Relating to social issues such as anxiety, that the artists each have faced themselves, this lyrical song gives listeners something to relate to in times of deep thought and emotional confusion. The song opens up with strong lyrics, like “There’s an infestation in my mind’s imagination I hope they choke on smoke cause I’m choking them out of the basement… Rapping to prove nothing, just writing to say something… That doesn’t mean I lost my dream it’s just right now I got a really crazy mind to clean,” almost forcing the listener to listen in and pay as much attention to the lyrics as the catchiness of the melody. The band duo deserves a standing ovation for their song “Heavy Dirty Soul”, an unmistakable lyrical work of art.

Maia Schwallie

“Closer” by Chainsmokers

The best songs are the ones you catch yourself absent-mindedly humming to yourself as you’re finishing up that last page of homework. The songs that make you smile in anticipation the moment you hear the first note ring through your earbuds. The kind of songs that get the whole car singing along as it plays on the radio. ““Closer”” by Chainsmokers is one of these beloved songs. “Closer”s catchy beat and repetitive lyrics cleave to your mind and don’t let you forget. As the song was severely overplayed in 2016, it is near impossible to forget the chorus. “So baby pull me “Closer” in the backseat of your Rover…” are the lyrics stuck in the majority of American’s heads this past year. Each time the chorus repeats throughout the song, the listener, craving for a familiar sound, is overjoyed. Each time this song was played, I caught myself slightly annoyed with how often I hear it. But once the chorus began, I couldn’t stop myself from singing along despite my previous irritation. While this song was heard multiple times in just one day last year, each time the chorus repeated an old friend was welcomed back home. The familiarity of this song is what makes it so amusing and why I highly recommend you add this song to your 2017 playlist.

 

Olivia Geimer

“Hold Up” by Beyonce

In my opinion, a song worth listening to is a song in which the elements fit together like puzzle pieces. For example, a song may not have the strongest melody but have lyrics and a message so inspiring that it makes the song click. I think Beyonce has always been able to convey a message through her music so powerfully that people listen. “Hold Up”, from Beyonce’s most recent album, Lemonade, is really an interesting song.

What I really love about “Hold Up” is the fact that it juxtaposes the content and meaning of the song. Beyonce expresses in the song that she loves her partner, but tries to figure out the intentions of her partner and just how strong his loyalty stands. The tone of the song is assertive while still upbeat, all the while explaining her resentments and fears in a composed matter. “Hold Up” makes you read through the lines to understand Beyonce’s intense and passionate emotions. The physical song itself, reflects the public part of Beyonce you might know, composed and capable. The verse, “What’s worse, lookin’ jealous or crazy, jealous or crazy?/Or like being walked all over lately, walked all over lately/I’d rather be crazy” is a line a think really reflects this song. Beyonce states how she would rather lose herself to insanity than to jealousy and lose her partner, which is a really powerful statement. Overall, I think “Hold Up” is an amazing work by Beyonce. She makes you have to look farther than just the chorus. I would recommend this song to anyone who appreciates emotion in a song. “Hold Up” definitely is a great song.

 

Shannon Mathew

“Treat You Better” by Shawn Mendes
“Treat You Better” by Shawn Mendes has an upbeat melody and memorable lyrics that is absolutely worth your time. Most people listen to this song because of the lyrics, but the beat and tone of this song is just as great. “Treat You Better” is one of the most popular songs of 2016 that has a beat that is slow to start, but gets more intense as the song progresses.  The song has a constant beat that is steady throughout the song as the mood changes and gets faster. As the mood of the song gets more intense, the beat gets louder. Although the meaning of the lyrics are somber and melancholy, the song has a beat that is merry and heartening. The beat of this song is one of the main reasons that this song has sold. The merry beat just makes you want to get on your feet and start dancing your heart out. The beat, tone, and the lyrics especially, are catchy even after the first time of listening. “Treat You Better” is a beautiful song which is upbeat and has a memorable meaning.

 

Emily Chung

“Victorious” by Panic! At The Disco
Brendon Urie, a well-known alternative artist, has somehow added his own feelings to a song that is able to connect with everyone. He is well known for staying in the band Panic! At The Disco. He not only wrote the entire album himself, but also sang and accompanied the entire track. Along with “Death of a Bachelor”, “This is Gospel”, and “Hallelujah”, his most recent album can be summed up in one word: victorious. There is no question about why “Victorious” is one of the more popular songs in his album, Death of a Bachelor. “Victorious” is able to lift anyone’s mood in all situations. This song can build up your confidence in a mere three minutes. Although some people may find this song repetitive, there is no doubt that “Victorious” by Panic! At The Disco is one of the best songs of 2016. In the song, the lyrics, “Tonight we are victorious” are repeated multiple times, which may seem unnecessary to some, but these lyrics emphasize how uplifting and elevating this song actually is. It is the perfect song to get energized to. I would without a doubt, recommend this song to any music lover.

 

Tommy Marquardt

“7 Years” by Lukas Graham
“7 Years” by Lukas Graham is, in my opinion, one of the best songs of 2016. Released in September of 2015, the song’s popularity didn’t rise until 2016. Lukas Graham summarizes his life throughout this song, beginning with his famous chorus about his mother’s advice as a seven-year-old and ending with a prediction of how his life will be when he’s 60, referencing his dad’s death at the age of 61. Graham said of the song, “It’s a song about growing older. I’m also coming to the realization that being a father is the most important thing.” Graham masters this in his second studio album. This ballad was nominated for three Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The lyrics in this song summarize his parents’ views on life with a deep metaphor, and describing growing up from poverty to being at the top of the world, or, in this case, the Billboard Hot 100 (peaking at number two). With the lyrics recapping key moments in his life, such as his realization he wanted to write songs for a living at the age of 20, then predicting how he’s going to move forward, such as wanting to settle down at the age of 30. He ended the hit excellently with a loud fast chorus about how he will be when he’s 60 before slowing down to deliver his mom’s advice as a seven-year-old one final time. Good job, Lukas Graham.

 

Skylar McWilliams

“Wildest Dreams” by Taylor Swift

Do you like to sing? Do you like to scream? What about screaming while singing? In Taylor Swift’s song, “Wildest Dreams”, Swift screams and sighs a ton. I personally do not like this about this song. Taylor Swift used to be a little country singer, but then she surprised her fans by releasing a pop song. Many fans loved this and her popularity increased. Taylor Swift got into the big crowds and she gained professional producers. Many think she was forced into becoming a pop singer and others believe that it was what she wanted to do. In “Wildest Dreams”, Swift sighs every 20 seconds. This song is very catchy and totally got in my head, but at the same time it was hard to repeat and carry a tune out of it. Taylor Swift has to find her pitch and stick to it. She is one of the kindest artists I know. She is known for helping out her friends and family. Once, she found out that one of her super-fans was going deaf, so she flew to Australia and sang for the 11 year old girl. She is a kind-hearted woman, but she can go crazy on the dance floor. “Wildest Dreams” is a crazy song that is still played on the radio three years later. Taylor Swift is one to look out for, because here she comes with Wildest Dreams.

 

Caitlyn Giertz

“Can’t Sleep Love” by Pentatonix

“Can’t Sleep Love” by Pentatonix is an original song that made Billboard charts back in 2015 still maintains its popularity today along with many other songs of theirs that hit number one and won a Grammy. Pentatonix is a small five-person acapella group that won the sing-off back in 2012 and have won a few Grammy’s back in 2014-2015 for their “Daft Punk Medley” and their cover of the “Sugar Plum Fairy”. But this song “Can’t Sleep Love” has gotten its popularity from the group’s innovative choice of tempo and rhythm as well as being one of their hit original songs on their album Pentatonix. In my opinion, the lines before the main chorus are such a good lead up to it that you may have to restart the song if you stop in the middle of them. The random “yeahs” and “uh-huh’s” show that the person in the song are not sure if they love someone or not and that it will keep them up all night eventually give them that “Can’t Sleep Love” that they want. Overall this song is a good song for lounging around the house and keeping you interested in more of their music as well as giving you a natural musical sound.

 

Dea Sulejmani

“Treat You Better” by Shawn Mendes
The song “Treat You Better” by the recently popular artist Shawn Mendes, features jealousy and love in the song. After his hit “Stitches”, Mendes’ music career has bloomed. Along with other songs like “Mercy”, “I know What You Did Last Summer”, and many others. The chorus of “Treat You Better”, portrays a sense of jealousy. Shawn’s crush is together with another guy and he is basically trying to get her to come for him. It says, “And any girl like you deserves a gentleman.” This means that he knows that the other man is mistreating Shawn’s crush. He knows that himself and her would end up way better together. They would have a more healthy relationship and he would treat her better. Hence the name, “Treat You Better”. The song has a powerful tone and mood, influencing the audience to burst out singing to this song in the car. The song is very catchy and has a steady beat. Despite the many positives of this song, I feel like this song is no different from his other ones. All of his songs are about love but in a different sense. I think that Mendes should expand his topic of music. He should sing about a variety of emotions and not just about love, so there is diverse music on the radio. All in all, Shawn Mendes sings catchy songs that people love, but he should sing more about unique topics and emotions.

 

Anthony James

“Cheap Thrills” by Sia

“Cheap Thrills” is one of the catchiest songs I know.  One of my best friends introduced me to Sia and she is one of my favorite artists. It’s not a challenge to get hooked on one of Sia latest hits, “Cheap Thrills”. This song is perfect to unwind and just relax or dance the night away.

The tempo is addicting and upbeat while catching a positive atmosphere. It unfortunately doesn’t have a beat drop but that doesn’t degrade the song. Sia’s captivating lyrics emphasize having fun with the people you’re with and not having fun depending on how much money you have. The artist states, “Til I hit the dance floor, Hit the dance floor, I got all I need, No I ain’t got cash, I ain’t got cash, But I got you baby. Baby I don’t need dollar bills to have fun tonight, (I love cheap thrills), Baby I don’t need dollar bills to have fun tonight.” This demonstrates how people should have fun with what they have and not with what they want.

Great lyrics, Sia’s amazing voice, addicting tempo, and the dance-ability of this brilliant song makes it one of my favorite. It’s roughly 4 and 1/2 stars and I suggest that you take a look.

 

Jiwoo Choi

“The Phoenix” by Lindsey Stirling
Associated with the Sun, the cycle of rebirth, and the dawn of a new beginning, the phoenix is an invincible firebird known for being reborn out of its ashes and living in an eternal, blazing glory. “The Phoenix” is the fourth song in Lindsey Stirling’s 2016 album Brave Enough, which received much criticism due to the multitude of vocalists featured; the reason for this is that Lindsey Stirling is a violinist and specializes in instrumental songs, and her previous album “Shatter Me” was much more popular among her purist fans. The song “The Phoenix” is one of the few instrumental songs in the new album, and encompasses its namesake epic creature with surprisingly delicate dubstep and violin music, the hallmark of some of Lindsey Stirling’s more popular pieces. The song opens with a nigh-peaceful introduction, but slowly builds into a powerful chorus. “The Phoenix” is instrumental, but is capable of moving listeners with a chilling bass drop; even lacking words, the focal point of a song for many music lovers, the song paints a bird’s flight with the light violin arpeggios and the flames with aggressive dubstep. One shortcoming of this song is the slightly repetitious structure; the intro is only slightly altered and played several times and the song has some sections that might be able to use a little gussying up. Nonetheless, the beauty of this instrumental dubstep is in its elegant simplicity, not unlike a plain white bridal dress, and this song certainly stands out without fancy additions. Despite its controversial album and rare shortcoming or two, “The Phoenix” is a gripping song with the ability to illustrate a vision of an undying bird on fiery wings as well as any song with words. I highly recommend this song, even for those who prefer lyrics in their music; this song does not disappoint with its masterful combination of the classic violin and more modern electronic notes.

 

Hannah Jon

“Sit Still, Look Pretty” by Daya

Honestly, before listening to “Sit Still, Look Pretty”, I had never heard of this artist, Daya. She was a fresh 18-year-old who had just recently joined the music industry. Her hit single, “Sit Still, Look Pretty” had struck us full force and had everyone, from teenagers, to small girls bobbing their head to the beat and singing along.

What I especially love about this song, is the honest, feminist lyrics. Let me highlight some of the song for you. “Then Snow White, she did it right, in her life. Had seven men to do the chores. ‘Cause that’s not what a lady’s for. The only thing a boy’s gonna give a girl for free’s captivity.” Unlike many other songs about breakups and money, this song is about a girl growing up in a world where a lady is expected to become diligent housewives. But Daya wants to break all roles and do what she wants with her life, or how she puts it “I don’t wanna sit still and look pretty”. She doesn’t believe a girl needs a guy in her life. Similarly, with its clean, encouraging lyrics, “Sit Still, Look Pretty”, really touches a wide audience. This was one of my younger sister’s favorite songs, and I felt good about letting her listen to it because of its positive message.

I absolutely love this song, primarily for its positive message embedded in its lyrics. I would totally recommend this song to everyone and would give it two thumbs up.

 

Daniella Stepanov

““Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time”” by Panic! At the Disco
“Memories tend to just pop up. Drunk pre-meds and some rubber gloves.” This confusing lyric from Panic! At the Disco’s “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time” is what made my pencil pause mid-air complex algebra problem and proceed to aggressively lipsync the enticing lyrics while jumping around my bedroom with a cliche hairbrush in hand. Don’t you dare judge me; we’re all guilty of this. Don’t lie. The whole song sounds like whoever wrote it had an extremely strange dream and decided to write a song about it at three in the morning, but the lyrics are also somehow strangely relatable. They describe the wild party life of the narrator. “Champagne, cocaine, gasoline. And most things in between.” If you stop to think about the real proceedings of events the song is burdening. What are pre-meds (this usually leads to a rigorous google search)? “I roam the city in a shopping cart, a pack of camels, and a smoke alarm.” What’s the point of taking a smoke alarm with you around the city if it’s not going to detect any smoke, being disconnected and all. Wait, back up, rubber gloves? What? This is why, while listening, it’s best to let go and not think about it. I love this song just because of the hectic party lyrics and the free feeling it offers. Something about songs about the party life gives me a sense of confidence and “Don’t Threaten Me With a Good Time” is no exception. Panic! At the Disco has this theme in a lot of their songs and it never fails to boost my energy and confidence before a school day or some social event. If you just let go this song is for everyone. Don’t be threatened by a good time and listen to Panic! At the Disco.

Alicia Kim

“Closer” by Chainsmokers ft. Halsey

Although it seems like every time you turn the radio on, and this song begins to blare through the stereo, you can’t help but sing along and dance. It seems as though this song has wormed into the heads of many individuals and audiences around the nation. The breathtaking duo, the Chainsmokers and Halsey, will never be forgotten in the pop era. Hence the lyrics, “I can’t stop,” people everywhere can’t stop listening to the catchy tunes or singing the flawlessly strung words. The lyrics suggest a past relationship between the two personas that had a silent yet rocky split. The man, as sung in the first verse, had stumbled across his ex girlfriend. Although there was no affection or infatuation between the two, he was still full of lust, wanting something physical. He was not a wealthy man, while she on the other hand spent money as if it grew on trees. The song has a meaning that others may only scratch the surface. The artists intended for this song to show that love is not as abundant as lust.

 

Nicole Surcel

“Hello” by Adele

Have you ever felt disconnected from an individual, particularly a companion or loved one? Could you relate to the lyrics of a melody’s composition simply from an emotional experience?  Though the song production was released in the year of 2015, Adele’s “Hello” introduced a new beginning for her career as a musician and artist of the Pop genre. The song grew in popularity as the year of 2016 progressed, in which the Youtube music video received approximately 1.8 billion views. Initially, Adele’s relatable (at times), catchy, and simplistic lyrics never failed to be played on well-liked radio stations. In general, the words in the melody obtain a meaning that go into depth of the many conflicts experienced by two companions. Examples include jealousy, cheating, and an absence of affection. One particular lyric quotes, “Hello from the other side. I must’ve called a thousand times to tell you I’m sorry for everything that I’ve done. But when I call you never seem to be home.” This verse portrays Adele attempting to patch up conflicts between a loved one, whom she adores greatly. Contrasting from her previous songs, “Hello” centralizes around sadistic feelings and tough moments in life. Adele utilizes this method to appeal to the senses of her listeners. Of the 7 billion civilians throughout the world, millions are able to correlate to the situation portrayed in the song. In conclusion, among the many familiar melodies of the year 2016, “Hello” is one of the few songs in the music world that develops a true significance and meaning behind its chorus as well as verses.

 

Lily Karavidas

“Social Casualty” by 5 Seconds of Summer

“La da da la da da da da la da da la da da da da

Just a kid it’s all the same

Growing up it doesn’t change

Who are they to try and put us down?

Had enough of what they say

Sick and tired of all their games

Stand up and sing it with me now”

These lyrics bring up the idea of taking stand for what you believe in. Stand up and speak your mind, if you do not want to continue to be voiceless. “Social Casualty” was released in the year 2014. For the most part, it’s popularity ranged through fans of the album, 5 Seconds of Summer, which is actually the name of their band. For 5SOS addicts, it would just make the love for what they have to say through their music grow. If you ever want to gain power, the best way to do it is through doing the right thing.

 

Jaden Thomas

“Closer” by The Chainsmokers
“Closer” by The Chainsmokers is listened throughout the whole country. It is a well-loved song and it is a favorable one by everyone. The Chainsmokers themselves are a group of very talented musicians. It was released in 2016 and in my opinion, one of their best songs. The lyrics were well thought out and it is easily implied that they put a great amount of effort in coming up with the song. The lyrics have a lot of meaning in them and the lyrics are very catchy. The beat in the music is very smooth and relaxing. In my opinion, the song relaxes you and calms you down when you listen to the song. A lyric from the song is, “So, baby pull me Closer in the backseat of Rover that I know you can’t afford, bite that tattoo on your shoulder pull the sheets off the corner, of that mattress that you stole, from your roommate back in Boulder, we ain’t ever getting older.” This quote relaxes you and calms you down a lot. There is also a very romantic vibe as you listen to the song as you can tell from the lyric. The lyric has a lot of meaning to it as well as I stated above. And it must’ve taken them a lot of time to come up with because it rhymes well and has a very smooth beat. Overall, the song, “Closer” by The Chainsmokers is a  favorite among all the people all over the country. I would recommend this song to anyone over the age of 13 because there is some inappropriate content in it. And I would give this song a 5 out of 5 stars because of the way it’s written.

 

Olivia Bernstein

“The Greatest” by Sia/Kendrick Lamar
Ever felt down or upset about a game you lost, or a bad grade. Well once you listen to “The Greatest”, you’ll be dancing around your bedroom instead of worrying about a terrible day. Sia sings inspiring melodies about never giving up no matter what. These lyrics are repeated many times to create an emphasis on being the greatest that you can. The rap section in this song is not like many others. So many rap songs speak of the terrible things in this world but this talks of empowerment, and even if you don’t succeed, try, try again. Now, you can’t forget about the video because it is as equally important. The song and video have the same meaning. Sia and Kendrick Lamar talk about the struggles that LGBT must suffer through every day. Earlier in June of 2016, there was a terrible shooting in Orlando at the pulse nightclub. It was a hate crime against LGBT. In the video, it includes 49 people, being escaping from a small cage. 49 people were killed that night, so there is an importance in the meaning, and the number of people in the video. Sia and Kendrick Lamar establish an empowering mood, and just remember  if you are ever upset, or in a funk to remember these word. “I’m free to be the greatest, I’m alive, the greatest, the greatest alive.”

 

Lev Sheinfeld

“Choke” by OneRepublic

“I’ll keep a picture of you on the wall, and choke on the memories.” In OneRepublic’s new album Oh My My, the rock band explored a variety of different styles and genres of music including techno, pop, and rock. Some are upbeat, easy-listen songs, however “Choke” is a sorrowful, and despairing masterpiece about losing someone. The line, “Lord knows I’d cry if I was able, but that won’t get me through tomorrow,” embodies the feel and tone of the song. It will give you goose bumps as soon as the backup singers and drums come in. The song’s nostalgic chord progressions and soulful singing will have you listening in shocked silence. If you need a new song to listen to, or want to hear some good music, I would suggest “Choke”.