The ARJ Fat 40 of 2016: Nothing But Cheap Trills

Well, here we are.

We are nearly at the end of a year many would like to forget.

From the passing of David Bowie, a ton of amazing musicians and entertainers left us in 2016 — most recently Sharon Jones and Leonard Cohen.

Then, there is president-elect Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Matthew McConnaughey Trudeau.

At least we had a great year in music … right?

Meh.

What the hell, man. After a stupendous 2014 and a difficult 2015 for finding global hits, 2016 was a far cry from 1986 or 1996.

We had a bunch of cheap trills.

From an epically underwhelming return from Green Day to a bunch of derivative Top 40 trash, it was impossible to put together the ARJ Hottest 100. Hell — a Fever 50 would have been difficult.

With a vacuum of truly great songs on the global hit parade, we hope the events of 2016 will bring back great song-writing and fine quality singles as some released just this week from, of all acts, A Tribe Called Quest. James Arthur and Adele also are represented.

But when Sia is the best of 2016 …. it is time to put on the classics and tune out the present with an eye on the future.

New Zealand’s Kings may be the next Drake.

Anderson.Paak has a hit that samples the Israeli national anthem.

Hip-Hop is back, folks, and THAT is what will have us moving side to side, not Ariana Grande-Attitude.

The following is a completely biased chart representing the 40 most-played songs on the iTunes, Spotify and radio stations streamed by Adam R Jacobson in 2016. It represents global hit music as heard on Adult Alternative and Top 40 stations from North America, Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

THE ARJ FAT 40 FOR 2016

1     SIA f/SEAN PAUL -Cheap Trills

2     JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE – Can’t Stop The Feeling

3     TWENTYONE PILOTS – Ride

4     ADELE – Send My Love (To Your New Lover)

5     DJ SNAKE f/JUSTIN BIEBER – Let Me Love You

6     REVIVALISTS – Wish I Knew You

7     DISTURBED – The Sounds of Silence

8     THE HEAD AND THE HEART – All We Ever Knew

9     MICHAEL KIWANUKA – One More Night

10     STRUMBELLAS – Spirits

11     RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS – Dark Necessities

12     BASTILLE – Good Grief

13     JOSEPH – White Flag

14     BORNS – 10,000 Emerald Pools

15     BECK – Wow

16     KUNGS & COOKIN’ ON 3 BURNERS – This Girl

17     DAVID GUETTA /CHRIS WILLIS/CEDRIC GERVAIS – Would I Lie to You

18     LP – Lost On You

19     R.E.M. – Radio Song (Acoustic)

20     JAMES VINCENT McMORROW – Get Low

21     WARPAINT – New Song

22     RAG N BONE MAN – Human

23    LIV – Wings of Love

24    A TRIBE CALLED QUEST – We The People

25    AVETT BROTHERS – Ain’t No Man

26    ANDREW McMAHON IN THE WILDERNESS – Fire Escape

27    YOUNG THE GIANT – Something To Believe In

28    DUA LIPA – Be The One

29     DECLAN McKENNA – Brazil

30     JAMES ARTHUR – Say You Won’t Let Go

31     KINGS – Don’t Worry About It

32     RAE SREMMURD f/GUCCI MANE – Black Beatles

33    ANDERSON.PAAK – Come Down

34    MONDO COZMO – Shine

35     THE XX – On Hold

36     ZARA LARSSON – Lush Life

37     CALUM SCOTT – Dancing On My Own

38     ALAN WALKER – Faded

39     JULY TALK – Push + Pull

40     CARLOS VIVES & SHAKIRA – La Bicicleta

 

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