Top singles of 2016

As we look back at 2016, the WRGP staff has compiled a list of their top songs of the year.

Time Moves Slowly (ft. Samuel T. Herring) by BadBadNotGood

A slow, sensual, and intimate jazz jam. BBNG’s smooth sounds pair perfectly with Sam Herring’s, at times, rough vocals to make a nostalgic and poignant song that will leave you in the perfect melancholic mood to remember 2016 by. – DJ Cisco

Hotter Than Hell by Dua Lipa

Artist to watch, Dua Lipa released a star-studded single with Hotter Than Hell. Lipa has stated that it is a self-empowering song about getting past a hard relationship. This single has the potential to tear down the radio with it’s roaring pop chorus. A true head banger while driving with the windows down. Lipa is a rule-breaker and is ready to slay 2017 with her debut album to be released in February. – Harold Daniel

Deja Vu by J. Cole

Many people are going to say that Cole sampled Bryson Tiller’s song Exchange, but little do many know it is an actual sample from the 1998 hit Swing My Way by K.P. & Envyi. You can say the obvious meaning is about having feelings for a female and wanting her, but possibly too nervous to approach her. You can go deeper and apply it to anything in life. If you want something don’t wait on it, just go get it. So put two fingers in the sky! – Ricky Ricardo 

Mad (ft. Lil Wayne) by Solange 

The song, like the rest of the album, has this amazing jazz and old-school R&B vibe to it, while also conveying an important message about dealing with everyday anger and frustration. – Erica Santiago

Roma Fade by Andrew Bird

A seemingly straightforward pop song that unravels revealing cleverly phrased lyrics and hypnotic hooks. Not one of the most popular singles of the year, but a great example of stellar songwriting from Mr. Bird. – Patricia Cardenas (DJ Pat Sounds)

Galaxy by Ladies’ Code

These three ladies delivered an enchanting comeback after taking a year break due to the car accident that caused the passing away of two of their original group members. Taking a completely different turn in concept and sound, Galaxy tells the story of loving someone that is far away. Even with the difference in language, it is not hard to appreciate the soft and captivating words. Not the mention the music video and live performances are not too far from perfect. – Enid Moreira (DJ Peaches)

Palm Dreams by Touché Amoré

Touché Amoré’s “Stage Four” has received acclaim from fans and critics alike not only because it marks a more melodic shift in sound for the band, but because it is a highly-confessional, anthemic album about grief (specifically, the passing of frontman Jeremy Bolm’s mother). Its leading single, “Palm Dreams” exemplifies the change in sound via its shoegaze riffs and clean-sung vocals. Lyrically, it sets the tone for much of the album, as Bolm laments the questions he never asked his mother before she passed. This song, and even more so the album as a whole, is not always the easiest listen, but definitely a worthwhile one. It’s very well-arranged musically, and just incredibly genuine and beautiful. – Nazareth Izada (DJ Nazareth)

Waiting by Jinsang 

Starts at 21:06

Evoking feelings of nostalgia through smooth instrumental samples/vocals, Jinsang produces Waiting, part of his album Solitude released at the beginning of the year. The entirety of the album is a masterpiece, but this song remains as one of my personal favorites. –  Javier Zapata 

Woman by Angel Olsen

Indie folk singer-songwriter, Angel Olsen, truly delivers excellence with her third studio album: My Woman under Jagjaguwar Records. In comparison to her previous albums, Olsen takes a more assertive and polished direction with My Woman. There is a strong electric guitar focus reminiscent of 70s folk-rock. This soul-infused sound is evident in “Woman,” one of the highlight tracks of the album. The lyricism is raw and honest – a beautiful complement to a voice that cuts into you deep. – Emily Afre (DJ Emily)

1959 by Hamilton Leithauser + Rostam

Hamilton Leithauser’s has the sound of an old soul. His 2016 album “I Had a Dream That You Were Mine” is a savory mixture of rock n’ roll, doo-wop, and soul, featuring Leithauser’s signature powerful vocals. But Leithauser closes his album with “1959”, a lullaby which breaks away from the sound of the rest of the album and enters its own timeless world. The Rostam’s piano notes softly dance around your ears as Leithauser’s voice, accompanied by harmony from Deradoorian, gently brings you to the moon and back, and leaves you with a sense of longing that begs you to hit replay. – Nathanael Cameron

New Song by Warpaint

Preceding the release of their 2016 album “Heads Up,” the artists released the disc’s 3rd track, “New Song,” at the top of August in order to start building momentum for their new piece. Heads Up as a whole has received killer rotation at the station, and “Warpaint” continues to be hugely appreciated by our DJs. New Song ends up being my pick because it does its job as a single for the album, fantastically. On its own, the song is groovy from start to finish, hitting those cool basslines and drums, the vocals and synths you’d expect from Warpaint. At the same time it exemplifies the Loud genre and adds to it by experimenting with which sounds establish tone. It’s a great setup to Heads Up, even if the album itself is a little slower overall. – Igor Busch Assumpção

Canibal by iLe

iLe’s debut album as a soloist artist has set her apart from her years of being featured in other artist’s work. Being featured in Billboard’s top 50 albums of 2016 and landing a #1 stop in Billboard’s best Latin album of 2016. This song shows off her unique style and sets the tone to her great album. – Emmanuel Malave (Dj Manny)

Radio Silence by James Blake

This song takes us back to the times of heartache and despair. Not knowing how someone else feels for you can feel very limiting; James Blake is able to capture that ‘desperation’ when it crescendos from his steady beats to a breakdown that seems to mirror our phases of grief. The lyrics are heartbreaking- although simple- are very relatable. – Gina Martins