TL;DR
Here is the Spotify playlist of my favourite songs this year (3 are missing because Spotify didn’t have it): Songs of 2016
Twin Sheep’s Songs of 2016
Looking back at 2016, it was a year of tremendous personal growth and change in my life. Highlights included going back to school for three months in January, starting a job in a completely new field in May, and starting work as a freelancer. I was lucky enough to make a lot of new friends, as well as strengthen and reconnect with many of the ones I already had. For the first time in my life, I got really curious about who I am as a person. Through conversations with those closest to me, reading countless books, and the work I have been doing with the Habit Course, I have gained a better understanding of the things that are the most important to me. There were definitely many negatives as well, but I can honestly say that 2016 was a good year.
As with any other year, music has accompanied me through all the ups and downs. I was lucky enough to go to dozens of concerts and three music festivals. I bought my first record player and started building a vinyl collection. Doing these things only made me become more passionate about music. Thinking of all the moments I’ve had in 2016, both big and small, I can clearly associate certain songs, sounds, and emotions with each of them. When I think of the time spent running on the treadmill at the gym, it is Public Access TV’s “I Don’t Want to Live in California” that comes to mind. When I think of going to Bumbershoot Festival in Seattle, I can clearly remember wandering over to an unknown artist called Bishop Briggs, hearing “Wild Horses” for the first time, and being completely blown away. When I think of the tough transitionary times I’ve had this year where I’ve felt like the stereotypical anxious millennial, I hear the chorus of Car Seat Headrest’s “Fill in the Blank”. Now more than ever, music is a tool I use to both ground myself and as an escape from reality. The following 50 songs are all pieces that I’ve loved this year and ones that I’ve connected with in one way or another.
The Top 50
“And to think you would get me to the altar
Like I’d follow you around like a dog that needs water”
Banks came back this year with a new album of her signature dark pop songs. Gemini Feed is the album opener, inspiration for the album title (The Altar), and the standout from the album. The song is about breaking out of a bad relationship and Banks sounds like she’s ready for war on this track. Like much of her work, the lyrics hit hard while her vocals stay smooth. This song doesn’t break the mould but it definitely shows off Banks at her best.
“I say, ‘I love you’ just to get you to say anything”
It’s hard for me to put my finger on exactly what makes me love this song so much. For starters, it’s very frank and innocent. Lead singer Gabrielle Smith sings inquisitively throughout the song, never really getting any answers. With repeated lines like “are you mad?” you can really feel the nerves building throughout the song. The ending of the song is also absolutely brilliant with four lines (it’s not enough to sit together inside a room/to merely lay beside one another as lovers do/staring off into the cosmic void of a screen/the strong and silent type has taken on a new meaning) repeated as the music builds. It’s an all around great pop song.
“Oh what a day I chose for you
To tell you that I loved you”
Any year where we get new albums from James Blake, Frank Ocean, and Bon Iver is a great year. While all three have been busy with other projects and features, it’s been years since we have heard albums from them. What makes it extra special is that James Blake worked extensively with the other two to create his newest album, The Colour in Anything. Two Men Down is one of the results of this collaboration. You can hear Frank Ocean’s influence on how smooth the vocals sound and Bon Iver’s influence comes through on the little production flourishes. Meanwhile, James Blake really makes all these influences his own by meshing the strong electronic production with his obscure lyrics. Let’s hope we see more collaboration between these three men in the future.
Covers and remixes are really hard to pull off. For every good one there are hundreds of bad ones. Taking on a classic like Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” is a tall task, especially after Bon Iver did an amazing cover just a few years ago. However, in Giraffage’s hands, the remix takes the song in a brand new direction while still keeping it’s heart. The song sounds more lush than ever but also has moments where it feels absolutely dynamic. And yes, you’re still going to get emotional after listening to it.
“I can’t remember what it’s like
To never wanna let go”
Whenever you see the words “featuring Bon Iver and Kanye West” on a song, chances are it’s going to be pretty good. Francis Starlite (the core person in Francis and the Lights), who has been around since 2007, finally bursted onto the scene this year. In 2016 alone, his unmistakable work with the Prismizer has shown up on the new Chance the Rapper mixtape, Frank Ocean album, and Bon Iver album. He’s also been involved with dozens of other tracks from a collection of different artists. “Friends” is a bittersweet song that builds beautifully and really shows off the best parts of Francis Starlite’s aesthetic. It’s one of those songs that you can find different ways to connect to with each listen. On top of Kanye West and Bon Iver, whose vocals are very prominent throughout the song, the song includes a murders row of top producers. “Friends” was also sampled heavily for Chance the Rappers’ “Summer Friends”. From a whose who of 2016 perspective, this song could be Song of the Year.
“Your mother wouldn’t approve of how my mother raised me
But I do, I think I do
And you’re an all-American boy
I guess I couldn’t help trying to be your best American girl”
“That all american white culture is something that is inherited instead of attained”. That was something Mitski said during her interview on Song Exploder explaining how this song came together. When you put this quote against the chorus of “Your Best American Girl” (quoted above), you can start to see how powerful of a song this really is. Mitski uses her experience as a half-asian person born in Japan and raised all over the world to write about a love that could never be because of a clash of cultures. For minorities and other people who grew up a little different, it is easy to see how some differences are can seem impossible to overcome. What initially sounds like a simple indie rock song becomes a devastating force as you dig deeper into the lyrics. The introduction of the first chorus of the song, with heavy guitars coming in, is one of the best music moments this year.
Also, this article about her perspective on race and music is really worth reading: http://yourstru.ly/stories/mitski
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Frank Ocean – White Ferrari
“Mind over matter is magic
I do magic
If you think about it it’ll be over in no time
And that’s life”
The return of the elusive Frank Ocean this year was a momentous occasion that seemed to turn the whole world upside down. Music fans from across the board were jumping in to listen to the two new albums he released this year (although everyone seems to have forgotten about Endless already). What they found was a new Frank Ocean that was interested in bringing his music inside. Whereas his last album, Channel Orange, was dynamic and expansive, his new sound was a lot more avant garde and lonely. On the album Blonde, “White Ferrari” feels like a perfect mix between his old sound and his new sound. His vocals are clear and floats over light sounds. The style in which he sings changes a few times throughout the song. It keeps the feel of the Blonde but feels more dynamic than the other songs. In Frank Ocean fashion, his lyrics can be perfectly casual and profound.
“Sorry I’m crying in public this way
I’m falling for you, I’m falling for you”
A song about the moment you realize how much you love someone and you break down into tears? Yeah I definitely needed a love song like this on the list. “Crying in Public” is not a terribly complicated song but it packs a punch emotionally. The way Caroline Polachek’s vocals glides into the chorus pulls hard at the heartstrings. It doesn’t sound sad necessarily but it is incredibly pretty. Combined with 2012’s “I Belong in Your Arms” and 2008’s “Bruises”, Chairlift are separating themselves from the pack as writers of powerful love songs.
“And I know the money don’t really make me whole
The magazine covers drenched in gold
The dreams of granny in mansion and happy
The little things I need to save my soul”
After her standout performance on Chance The Rapper’s “Lost” on Acid Rap, Noname (F.K.A. Noname Gypsy) started making a name for herself with her poetic style of rap. In 2016, she released her debut mixtape Telefone to critical acclaim. Mixtape opener “Yesterday” is an excellent example of what makes her so appealing. The flow and wordplay of her rapping is masterful. The song sounds sentimental and emotional. While other rappers try to go for grand statements, everything here sounds grounded in reality. The whole track unravels beautifully and it does an amazing job of pushing bleak lyrics against warm production.
“Wild horses run faster”
I read on a comment board someone describing Bishop Briggs music as “Folk Trap” and I honestly can’t think of a better description for this song. It starts slowly with Bishop Briggs singing over an acoustic guitar. Then it slowly builds. Eventually there is a drop that sounds like it came straight out of a TNGHT song. It’s such a weird mix of styles but it absolutely works. I first heard this song when I saw Bishop Briggs play to an overflowing crowd on a small stage at Bumbershoot festival and it has been stuck in my head ever since. It’s hard to make music that sounds fresh but this one definitely does the trick.
“I see you, you see me
Heavy hands hanging on, release me
Don’t let the feeling that I’m all alone deceive me
Just let me in and show me love”
Song of the Summer. There is one every year and for me it was this remix of “Show Me Love”. Skrillex takes the hymnal original and turns it into a certified jam. Bringing on collaborators that includes the most exciting voice in rap (Chance the Rapper), one of the most unique singer today (Moses Sumney) and one of my personal favourite producers (Robin Hannibal, who produced the Rhye debut album) was a stroke of genius. Most remixes stay structurally close to the source material but this one expands and fundamentally changes the song. With so many different influences on this song, it would be easy to have this remix go off the tracks, but under Skrillex’s command the song actually becomes the better version.
“If it’s harmed, it’s harmed me, it’ll harm, I let it in”
There was a time not too long ago when people questioned if we would ever see the Bon Iver album again. Justin Vernon had his hands in a million different things and after 2012’s Grammy winning second album Bon Iver, Bon Iver, he seemed content to put Bon Iver on the shelf indefinitely. This year he came back with a new album and it is very different from anything he has ever done. Electronic sounds are used as textures to build gorgeous soundscapes that are sung over with obscure but impactful lyrics. Justin Vernon’s signature falsetto is back for a few songs but it is almost unrecognizable in others. “00000 Million” is the album closer and it is one of the most uncomplicated songs on the album. Justin Vernon sings over piano while a sample of a line from a Fionn Regan song cuts in intermittently to add additional depth to the song. Even though it is one of the simplest songs on the album, there is a real weight behind it. The song feels like an ending but it leaves you feeling a bit confused about whether that’s a good thing or not.
“Oh, I guess it’s true
I guess these rivers never knew”
I absolutely loved the 2012 Tallest Man On Earth album, There’s No Leaving Now. It was a bit more polished than his earlier albums but still kept much of the acoustic authenticity that made him appealing. “Rivers” is a song would fit perfectly on that album. Like a lot of The Tallest Man On Earth’s best work, this song feels sad and nostalgic. The lyrics are there to produce a feeling and not necessarily to push narrative. An acoustic guitar guides the song but horns, strings and piano come in to add additional depth. It’s hard not to see the beauty in a song like this and there are moments that will completely take your breathe away.
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Kanye West – Ultralight Beam
“I made Sunday Candy, I’m never going to hell
I met Kanye West, I’m never going to fail”
One of Kanye West’s greatest gifts as an artist and producer is getting others to be at their absolute best. His demands in the studio are legendary and he absolutely demands perfection. Many artists have had their big moment on his tracks (think Nicki Minaj on Monster). This song was Chance the Rapper’s coming out party. It seems like the whole track was built to service Chance’s verse, which was undoubtedly the verse of the year. The soul and gospel influences that have been a part of Kanye’s music since day one come out in full force on this track. Kanye comes in at the beginning but then allows room for others (The Dream, Kelly Price, Kirk Franklin) to take over. Chance get’s the centrepiece, with a verse that references everything from the Devil to Arthur the Anteater. For Chance, this was his opportunity to collaborate with someone he grew up looking up to. For Kanye, this was his opportunity to pass the torch to the next generation of great Chicago rappers.
“I pray your troubled mind remembers
When it’s coming to an end
At least the rain won’t come again”
Back in university, I was a big fan of the Chicago band the Smith Westerns. Needless to say, I was a bit disappointed when they broke up in 2014. Whitney is one of two projects that spawned from the ashes of that band. Formed by the lead guitarist and the drummer of the Smith Westerns, Whitney is a band with a completely different sound. While the Smith Westerns took their influences from 90s Britpop, Whitney makes rock influenced by folk and country. “Follow” is the closer to their excellent debut LP Light Upon the Lake. Written about the death of drummer and lead singer Julien Ehrlich’s grandfather, the song remains light and nostalgic sounding throughout. Guitarist Max Kakacek comes in throughout the song with licks and riffs with his acoustic guitar to give the song another voice. The subject matter is heavy but the song is a gentle reminder that we are all going to go one day and sometimes it is the least cruel path.
“I’m trying to believe
When I sleep it’s really you
Visiting my dreams
Like they say that angels do”
Unexpectedly losing a loved one can be one of the most painful experiences in anyones life. This is what happened to Japanese Breakfast (Michelle Zauner) when she lost her mother two years ago. “In Heaven” doesn’t explore the moments of immense grief immediately after death but the weeks and months after that. The moments when you are cleaning out your loved ones room and get stricken by the realization that you are never going to see them again. The moments when you are trying to make sense of the situation and finding solace in the idea of an afterlife even if you might not believe in a greater power. The real beauty of this song is how it can describe these moments of grief and still sound hopeful. The way the song pulses through in an upbeat manner, you can almost feel a sense of joy coming from it. The contrasting ideas almost feels like the song is trying to convey to the listener that a person’s life is so positive that death shouldn’t diminish what they mean to you.
Sidenote: The video for this song is my pick for Music Video of the Year. It does an amazing job of conveying the feeling of the song and also draws on her cultural background and asian heritage.
“We way too young to get old.”
Chance the Rapper has shown up in some form four times already on this list, so it’s safe to say that he had a huge impact on what I listened to this year. “Smoke Break” was my favourite song from his third mixtape, Coloring Book. Many of the tracks on the mixtape are uplifting or energetic but on “Smoke Break” we find Chance sounding tired. This is a song to Chance’s girlfriend about how their life has changed since they have become parents. He raps about all the things they can no longer do and all the things they used to do. In an interview Chance stated:
“But the song talks about, you know, it’s another song that uses drugs as a metaphor for relationships or sex or whatever but you know, there really is a whole turning point in terms of your priorities and your schedule and we really did lose for a second, you know, the respect of time for ourselves and the respect of time to just take a break, put the baby down for a second and like, enjoy each other’s company.”
The beauty of this song is how relatable it is. Life changes and priorities change. Some things that were important to you or that you took for granted in the past ceases to be in the present. In a year where Chance has achieved an unbelievable amounts of success (like getting the Grammy’s to change their rules and then getting nominated), he proves that he is at his best when he sounds human.
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Public Access T.V. – I Don’t Wanna Live in California
“No, I don’t wanna live in California
I’d take New York anyday”
Sometimes a hook can go a really long way in making a great song. The first time I heard “I Don’t Want to Live in California” was at Governor’s Ball Music Festival in New York City during Public Access T.V.’s early afternoon set. When they kicked into the chorus of the song with the line of “I don’t want to live in California”, I knew immediately I would love this song. The chorus for this song was stuck in my head for weeks after and I scoured the internet trying to find the song. In the last few months, this song has soundtracked my times at the gym and the bored days at work. “I Don’t Wanna Live in California” is actually a reworked version of an older song of theirs called “Metropolis” and was released on their debut album, Never Enough. With comparisons to bands like Arctic Monkeys and the Strokes (complete with a huge following in the UK), Public Access T.V. is definitely a band worth watching (and listening to).
“When my body’s gone
Tell ’em what made me sing
Say it was you”
For three albums, How To Dress well proved that he was an expert at making dark heart wrenching R&B/Pop songs (e.g. “Suicide Dreams 1“, “Cold Nights“, “2 Years On“). However, on 2014’s What is this Heart? the standout track ended up being a fun and positive song called “Precious Love”. How to Dress Well released Care this year, an absolutely stunning album that is a lot lighter in tone than his past work. Each song is perfectly crafted to sound amazing and carry emotional weight. Once again, the standout track is the lightest and most accessible track on the album. On an album that could have easily had four tracks in this top 50 list (if I didn’t restrict myself to one song per album), “What’s Up” sets itself apart by sounding legitimately fun. In a video discussing the song How to Dress Well talked about wanting to move away from making dark brooding pop songs and into making joyous and positive music. There are parts of the song that sound grand, parts that sound silly, and some parts that sound loving. Lyrically, this song also includes some of my favourite sentiments of the year as well. The way “What’s Up” progressing and bounces along somehow puts a smile on my face every time I listen to it. As an artist that has made some of my favourite heart breaking songs, it amazes me that How to Dress Well can make songs that sound like this. In a year where it looked like everything was coming to an end, sometimes making a fun pop song is the most profound thing you can do.
“You have no right to be depressed
You haven’t tried hard enough to like it
Haven’t seen enough of this world yet
But it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts”
For many people in the developed world, your 20s can be a very frustrating time in your life. Maybe you just got out of university and am working in your first job. Maybe you have been working for a few years and have no idea what is coming up next in your life. For the first time in your life, you have no direction. There is no next grade to go to. There is no internship or next program to go into. You just have your job and the social life that you have built around it. Everyone else seems to have their shit together, so why do you still feel so dissatisfied? On paper, you are exactly where you should be and you have no reason to be upset but here we are.
It is in this type of feeling where “Fill in the Blank” by Car Seat Headrest operates. In a time when millennials “suffer from anxiety at a much higher rate than generations that preceded them”, a song like this is more relevant than ever. The chorus of the song (quoted above) hits at the feeling of being an anxious millennial directly. “You have no right to be depressed” is something that we have all heard directly or indirectly, from ourselves as much as from other people. Traditional thinking will say that millennials are entitled and that the anxiety is caused by a lack of effort as much as anything else. Whether this is true or not, what is apparent is that there is a disconnect between expectations and reality that is causing this anxiety (editor’s note: Simon Sinek just discussed this issue at length in a recent interview).
The song, however, doesn’t weigh into the reasons why people are anxious but describes the feeling of being in it. Every verse adds into the narrative of the song and you can feel the confusion building as it progresses. When the lyrics say “it hurts, it hurts, it hurts, it hurts” during the chorus, it feels like a visceral release. It’s like the narrator is saying “I just want everyone, myself included, to shut up and give me some peace”. The whole song feels like an epic battle between the head and the heart. The head is trying to rationalize everything that’s going on while the heart is screaming to be heard.
In a year where the impossible seems to be happening and uncertainty surrounds us, a song like “Fill in the Blank” feels very appropriate. Sometimes the causes of our anxiety is known and sometimes it isn’t. The ending of the song changes the chorus from “You have no right to be depressed” to “I’ve got a right to be depressed”. In the final sequences, the narrator realizes the cause of his anxiety and claims it as his own. He leans into his discomfort and realizes that his life is his own and that his emotions and suffering needs to be honoured. It feels like a hard push back to the type of people and voices who just are there to stand on the sidelines and judge instead of actually providing help. There is no definite conclusion about whether this will end up well or not but it is an empowering moment. Sometimes the best way to deal with uncertainty is to become comfortable with uncertainty.
