Intro | 100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 | 50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
10. Needed Me - Rihanna
Peak: 7 (July 2, July 16-August 6); Weeks on chart: 45; December 31 position: NR
Rihanna, one of my all-time favorite pop artists, had a monster 2016 with the release of her eighth studio album Anti. The album, nominated for several awards, featured the highest-ranking #Top100of2016 song not to spend any time in the Hot 100's top five. However, "Needed" had the fifth-longest Hot 100 run of any song on this list, ensuring its number-10 finish.
9. Can't Stop The Feeling! - Justin Timberlake*
Peak: 1 (May 28); Weeks on chart: 32; December 31 position: 39
I initially loved the newest single from white America's favorite R&B artist, but it only took a few listens to decipher the formula J.T. used for his first number one hit as a lead artist in a decade (his last number one as a featured artist came nine years ago with the Timbaland-produced "Give It To Me"). Timberlake stole the bass line from "Can't Feel My Face" and everything else (the community dance video, recorded for a Dreamworks animated movie, and so many other things) from Pharrell's "Happy." The formula helped Justin peak at the top, but he didn't have the staying power at number one that his two "inspirations" did.
8. Panda - Desiigner
Peak: 1 (May 7-14); Weeks on chart: 40; December 31 position: NR
Trap artist Desiigner burst onto the scene this spring with the annoyingly catchy "Panda." As I mentioned previously, I like the Brooklynite's follow-up better. "Panda" peaked right before this year's CUBS top song took over the number one position on the Hot 100 and remained on the chart into December.
7. This Is What You Came For - Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna*
Peak: 3 (August 6, 20-27); Weeks on chart: 32; December 31 position: NR
It was an interesting year for Calvin Harris. After his breakup up with Taylor Swift, it was uncovered that Swift co-wrote and even provided vocals for her then-beau's biggest hit of the year. While I always enjoyed the song because of Rihanna, I began listening to it even more frequently because of Taylor. Calvin's follow-up song "My Way" never got close to being a #Top100of2016 participant, possibly because he already whined enough on Twitter about the breakup.
6. Work - Rihanna feat. Drake
Peak: 1 (March 5-April 30); Weeks on chart: 36; December 31 position: NR
The King and Queen of 2016 spent nine weeks atop the Hot 100 together with this smash hit. A dancehall ode to Rihanna's island origins, "Work" had a lot of people scratching their heads trying to figure what exactly the chief export of Barbados was saying. Somewhere around the end of its reign atop the chart was the time I realized to appreciate this song, even if I never fully loved it.
5. Cheap Thrills - Sia feat. Sean Paul
Peak: 1 (August 6-27); Weeks on chart: 36; December 31 position: NR
Two versions of August's biggest song were popular this year. The Sia-only version was preferred by Spotify, while radio stations frequently played the Sean Paul remix version. Billboard officially lists the version featuring Sean Paul, which at first I didn't enjoy but grew to like as much as the original. "Cheap Thrills" provided Sia with her first ever number one song as a lead or featured artist, and the first number one to include Sean Paul's name in over a decade.
4. Love Yourself - Justin Bieber*
Peak: 1 (February 13 and 27); Weeks on chart: 41; December 31 position: NR
I think "Love Yourself" is my favorite Justin Bieber song to date. The third of three singles from Purpose to reach the top spot, Billboard named it the best-performing song of 2016. My metric ranked it slightly lower, but that doesn't necessarily mean I liked it any less than any of the songs above it on the #Top100of2016. Once again, I reiterate what I said last year that I have enjoyed Bieber's most recent chapter as a musician but Justin has done nothing as a person to earn any more of my respect than at any previous point in history.
3. Stressed Out - twenty one pilots
Peak: 2 (February 27); Weeks on chart: 52; December 31 position: NR
In 2015, little-known rock band twenty one pilots released their fourth studio album, Blurryface, after over a half decade of existence, touring, and independently-released music. "Tear In My Heart" was the first single from that album that I heard, and I enjoyed it. "Stressed Out" came next and catapulted the duo into international recognition. "Stressed" is one of two songs in the #Top100of2016 that spent the length of a full year on the Hot 100 and remains the pilots' most popular song to date. Thanks to this song, and two other high-ranking #Top100of2016 singles, it is without question that I declare twenty one pilots to be the CU:BS Breakthrough Artist of the Year.
2. Don't Let Me Down - The Chainsmokers feat. Daya*
Peak: 3 (July 16-23); Weeks on chart: 44; December 31 position: 43
Two of the artists that twenty one pilots beat out for their well-deserved recognition were collaborators on one of my favorite songs of the year. "Don't Let Me Down" cemented The Chainsmokers' place as serious EDM artists, whereas before this year they were best-remembered for a song that many people considered to be somewhat of a joke. Daya emerged as one of my favorite new vocalists of the year. "Don't Let Me Down" actually accrued 98 more points on my ranking scale than the song that tops the list, but my unwritten rules dictate that the number one song of the year has to have topped the Hot 100 for at least one week. As this song only peaked at number three, it is unfortunately ineligible for the honor of Song of the Year.
That honor, and the honor of CU:BS 2016 Artist of the Year, therefore goes to:
1. One Dance - Drake feat. Wizkid and Kyla
Peak: 1 (May 21, June 4-July 30); Weeks on chart: 36; December 31 position: NR
Considering Drake is responsible in whole or in part for 10 percent of this entire list, it seems only fitting that he should be the lead artist on the #Top100of2016's number one song. Undoubtedly the biggest song of the entire summer (in counting the summer period as existing between Memorial Day and Labor Day, "One Dance" spent more weeks atop the Hot 100 during said time than all other songs combined), Drake's first ever number-one track as a lead artist capped an insanely successful 2016 for the Canadian hip hop legend. Congratulations to Drake and "One Dance" for owning this year, I hope the Views from atop the list are satisfying to him.
As promised, here's that playlist of all the #Top100of2016 songs:
Enjoy, and here's hoping everyone an insanely prosperous 2017!
-c
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