'The Tystenac' staff picks the best of 2016's music

12/24/2016

'The Tystenac' staff picks the best of 2016's music

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by NICK BUCHANAN, JESSICA HOLLAN, and BRANDON UTLEY
Editor, assistant editor, and staff writer

December isn't just the holiday season; it's also the time for year-end lists in the world of music. Scroll down and find out which of 2016's best tracks The Tystenac staff members were jamming to as they wrote their articles this year!

BRANDON'S LIST

10. "Side to Side"
by Ariana Grande feat. Nicki Minaj

Starting off with a bang, this work of art was everywhere since its release back in May. Ariana Grande’s powerful vocals have been dominating the pop world in recent years, and she continues to grow into the artist she was destined to be since her days on Nickelodeon. Mix Ari’s powerhouse pipes with the queen of hip-hop herself, Nicki Minaj, and you will not be able to get this song out of your head. I doubt you’ll complain, though.

9. "Better Than Yourself"
by Lukas Graham

Okay, so most of you have probably never heard this song, and you all are really missing out. If you are not familiar with Lukas Graham, you’re lying, because I can almost guarantee that you have heard their hit song “7 Years." This song carries a more mature sound than their previously mentioned top 10 hit. It truly allows you to feel the emotion in every beat and manages to tell a compelling story. I was in love the moment I first heard this song and I promise you will be, too.

8. "Closer"
by The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey

I swear, you could not turn on the radio the latter half of the year without hearing this song. It was literally everywhere, but not that it didn’t deserve the attention. No matter how overplayed this song is, I continue to catch myself playing it repeatedly. The Chainsmokers have been on top of their game recently, and this collaboration with a fellow new artist, Halsey, proves that they are not going anywhere anytime soon.

7. "Mercy" (Acoustic)
by Shawn Mendes

It is truly disappointing that the original version of this song is more popular. I mean, it’s insanely good, but does not compare to this acoustic version. Shawn Mendes is no stranger to emotional ballads that tear you apart inside, and this is one of his best yet. Honestly, this song makes you feel emotions you didn’t know you were capable of feeling and everyone should give it a listen.

6. "Wait For It"
by Usher

You had to of been living under a rock to not hear of Hamilton. It’s only the most successful Broadway musical ever. The original soundtrack is perfect as is, but Lin-Manuel Miranda still demanded more. with the release of The Hamilton Mixtape, A-list acts put their own original spin on the songs from the show. Because I love the show so much, it was hard to compare these remixes to the originals, but this one definitely rises above.

5. "No Problem"
by Chance the Rapper feat. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz

This year has not been the best for rap music, which is sad, because it is my favorite. Through all the darkness, there were a few shining stars. I admit, it was a toss-up between this jam and “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd, but the Mannequin Challenge ruined the latter. Chance the Rapper is without a doubt one of the best in the game right now and is only getting better. Watch out Drake, he’s coming for your throne.

4. "Almost"
by DNCE

You may have heard their insufferable hit “Cake by the Ocean,” which was way more popular than it deserved to be. (I mean, whose idea was it to put that song in Grease Live?) This song, though, is my absolute favorite thing Joe Jonas has ever done with his career. Yes, even more so that the SMASH hit “Year 3000.” It is such a beautiful song that should be way more well-known that it is.

3. "Say You Won't Let Go"
by James Arthur

I heard this song for the first time last week, and it's number three on this list. If that doesn’t show how good this song is, I don’t know what will. This song is so depressing but manages to be uplifting at the same time, and I will never comprehend how that is possible. It makes me feel a lot of emotions, and you all need to hear it.

2. "i hate u, i love u"
by gnash feat. Olivia O'Brien

This list has been very sad and depressing, but so has 2016, so deal with it. This song was everywhere, and I am LIVING for it. I admit, I still have no clue who either one of these people are but I am 100 percent okay with that. This song deserves all the attention it receives, and I am looking for great things from both acts involved.

1. "Bad Things"
by Machine Gun Kelly and Camila Cabello

This beautiful work of art is a double-edged sword. On one side, Camila Cabello went solo and Fifth Harmony is no more. On the other side, Camila Cabello went solo. Come on: she is SLAYING every song she puts out and can only go up from here. Her beautiful vocals mixed with MGK’s smooth rapping makes for something only heard in my dreams. Like, honestly, I don’t think I can listen to this song any more than I already do.

JESSICA'S LIST

10. "Work From Home"
by Fifth Harmony feat. Ty Dolla $ign

This piece is the epitome of catchy. It’s another ‘get you up feeling yourself, listen to it while you getting hyped for a party’ kind of songs. Added bonus: This is one of the last songs you can jam to with all five members of Fifth Harmony. Soon enough, they’ll be Fourth Harmony, as one of their members (Camila) pulled a Zayn and ditched the group. However, Fifth Harmony is much better as a group, and I bet being the first to leave is going to be where Camila’s likeness to our dear Zayn ends. I’ll be interested to see if Camila’s break out hit is good enough to hit next year’s top 10 list.

9. "Pillowtalk"
by Zayn

Zayn definitely went for that more mature sound he was looking for when he left 1D, and we were all better off for it. While quite a few Directioners were too disheartened by Zayn leaving to care for his new sound, the rest of us were H E R E for it. Zayn played up his sex appeal and had us all shook. This song is the kind of song you listen to while getting ready for a wild New Year’s Eve party. So do it.

8. "Treat You Better"
by Shawn Mendes

I feel for Shawn. He has the most heartbreakingly relatable lyrics. This boy went from getting his heart broken and ending up with stitches in 2015 to pining after his new love in 2016. It’s been a rough couple years for everyone (I mean, were there any real winners in 2016?), but Shawn seems to be bearing the brunt of the pain. But don’t you fret, Shawn baby, you keep writing about your pain, and we will keep making you rich off it.

7. "7 Years"
by Lukas Graham

I know you’ve heard it, I know you love it. I know that you know that I put this year just for the repeating sevens. Regardless of all that, I adore this song with every fiber of my being, and if you don’t want to listen to it again, then hit up YouTube and listen to the "7 Years" rewrite cover that Leah Guest wrote and performed.

6. "Close"
by Nick Jonas feat. Tove Lo

The second youngest Jonas has grown up and released songs that will leave you shook. "Close" is beautiful and deep, and Tove Lo’s vocals sound beautiful accompanying Nick’s. I didn’t show up to the party liking this song, but I left loving it. It’s definitely worth listening to the second time.

5. "All We Got"
by Chance the Rapper feat. Kanye West and the Chicago Children’s Choir

This just happens to be my favorite song on a completely F I R E mixtape. Coloring Book is everything. I would 100 percent recommend with great passion.

4. "Formation"
by Beyoncé

Everything Queen Bey does is, in fact, bae. I know it. You know it. This song is bound to get you feeling all kinds of empowerment. Sip on that Lemonade.

3. "I Took a Pill in Ibiza"
by Mike Posner

I have been obsessed with this song since its release. The lyrics are painfully deep and beautiful and will have you up contemplating life all night. If you aren’t interested in getting stuck in your feels, then bypass the acoustic version and slide into the Seeb remix. If you heard a hard party song on the radio, I can guarantee it was the Seeb remix. Same deep lyrics, but layered over a beat that will make you forget the meaning behind the words you’re shouting along to.

2. "This is What You Came For"
by Calvin Harris feat. Rihanna

Honestly I am in love with this song. It’s repetitive, it is surrounded by a slew of Taylor Swift drama, and it isn’t overly unique. BUT MAN IS IT CATCHY OR WHAT? I can listen to this song for hours. I jam to it on my way to and from work. With the laid back party vibe Calvin Harris delivers along with Rihanna’s gorgeous vocals, this is definitely one of the best songs of the year.

1. "Closer"
by The Chainsmokers feat. Halsey

I am trash for absolutely everything Halsey does, and this song certainly isn’t about to change that. With the catchy (and meme-able) lyrics, this song is sure to be set on repeat so you can be wiggle dancing in your car for hours.

NICK'S LIST

10. "Winterbreak"
by Muna

Self-proclaimed dark pop girl band Muna is one of my latest but most promising discoveries of the year. With "Winterbreak," these three young women deliver a dreamy track that is equal parts electronic and organic, blending the hums of guitars with watery, synthesized layers of vocals. Despite a clear desperation behind the track's lyrics, lead vocalist Katie Gavin brings a level of cool serenity to the track, insinuating the discovery of comfort in the on-again, off-again cycle of an unsteady relationship.

9. "Tilted"
by Christine and the Queens

Technically speaking, a French version of "Titled" was originally released in 2014, followed by an English-French hybrid dub late last year, but you know, it's my list and I can do as I wish. This track's hypnotizing nature is astonishing, considering its true simplicity: one constant electronic drumbeat, intermittent sputters of a few synthesizer lines, and Christine's sturdy vocals are all that is needed to spark the magic here. Although being pieced together from three different tracks and open to interpretation, the track's lyrics seem coherent, potentially acting as a misunderstood dedication to productivity, creativity, and her fans.

8. "Love is Blind"
by Låpsley

More often than not, Låpsley shoots for minimalism to admirable results. "Love is Blind," however, offers enough competition in the soundscape for her to really let loose with that heavyweight voice of hers, but not enough that she is overshadowed; her voice projects as far as the ear can hear at the peak of the pre-chorus before the chorus' melody line forces it into gracious dips and turns, as if matching the layout of winding country road, over sweeping synths and a subtle, twinkling harp.

7. "Formation"
by Beyoncé

This year, we watched Beyoncé transform from an entertainer to an advocate before our very eyes, and it all started with "Formation." While it's hard to notice at surface level, the track's lyrics bear enough symbolism regarding the Black Lives Matter movement and Beyoncé's personal and marital struggles that they can be (and have been) dissected in a collegiate-level literature class. It thrives on heavy bass and utmost confidence, spiraling into a new, unexpected direction at every separate section of the track.

6. "Touch"
by Shura

Yes, I know that this song is technically two years old at this point, but to my defense, it was re-released this year and was included on Shura's debut record this year. While Nothing's Real is great in its entirety, "Touch" is far too infectious not to be considered for this list. One of the most organic-sounding electronic songs of recent history, the track builds upon into a trance slowly but surely; the tickled synth line and sampled ambiance that draw listeners in and initially keep the track in line get swept away as wispy vocals and warm synths blur it into a fuzzy dream.

5. "Into You"
by Ariana Grande

Let's get real: this thing is the banger to end all bangers. Fueled on jagged synths, double-tracked vocals, and sex appeal, it's a supercharged punch to the senses that serves as the pinnacle of the theme on which Ariana Grande's Dangerous Woman is based: her self-serving sexual liberation. And more importantly, through this track, she further proves that she can still showcase her showstopping vocals while having a blast in a super-produced pop environment courtesy of Max Martin and his protégé, Ilya Salmanzadeh.

4. "Same Ol' Mistakes"
by Rihanna

So I'm thinking Kevin Parker and the rest of Tame Impala owe Rihanna a card and some flowers, at the very least. She not only introduced me, and surely countless others, to the psychedelic rock band, but also put Parker to shame on his own track. Her cover of the band's "New Person, Same Old Mistakes" is a carbon copy instrumentally – which isn't a bad thing – but vocally, she nails it. A sprawling six and a half minutes long, the track is a hypnotic journey from start to finish that casts a relationship as an addicting tribulation.

3. "Somebody Else"
by The 1975

This track is a trip, to say the least. It hums like a lit neon sign at each end, with a sweeping wave of automated drums, pulsating synthesizers, and reverberated vocals taking control in between. Reeking of jealousy and perceived betrayal, Matt Healy's lyrics recount feelings associated with a ex who left him with the false hope that reconciliation was possible – and they're lyrics that he delivers with appropriately fluctuation, expressing emotions that range from sorrow to frustration.

2. "Hotter Than Hell"
by Dua Lipa

If there's one thing I spent the most time doing last year, it was spreading the word that Carly Rae Jepsen is one of the best pop artists of our generation. This year, most of that time has been reallocated to listening to Dua Lipa and (more importantly) convincing others to listen to Dua Lipa – and "Hotter Than Hell" is the track I've been shoving into my friends' ear holes to convert them into fans. One late June night, I composed a very important list of reasons that justifies "Hotter Than Hell" in its position on this list, and I stand by it. If you don't follow the link to that list, I'll give you a short synopsis: It's a tropical house banger that will remain as timeless as the artist who birthed it.

1. "Gemini Feed"
by Banks

While any given track from Banks sophomore record could have easily taken the top spot on my list, I felt it was appropriate to hand it to "Gemini Feed" – the spark that ignites the bonfire that is The Altar. It marks the beginning of an album of personal evolution as Banks takes control back into her own hands with a swift, fiery hand. Accompanied by the snarling dissonance of a synthesized vocal line, she croons over bubbling verses before letting her emotions take control over the chorus – a storm of unexpected aggression from the woman who had spent the entirety of her last album wallowing in heartache and self-blame.

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