Top Songs of 2016

1. Imagine Me by Kirk Franklin : In my head, starting off the list with this song is controversial. It was not released in 2016, and it's a gospel song. This forces me to assume that a majority of people really don't know this song. But this song defined my year. I started to imagine myself and what I could be. This song lead to many tears and many moments of empowerment. It was my go to song. It speaks for itself : "Imagine me being strong and not letting people break me down, you won't get my joy this time around". I fought to keep my joy this year despite obstacles and people who attempted to take it from me.

2. Sunday Candy by Chance the Rapper : It was Chance's year musically and outside of the music industry. I get chills thinking about him marching all those black people from inner city Chicago to the polls for one of the most important elections of our time.  The song is not technically by Chance the Rapper. It's by a group coined Donnie Trumpet & The Social Experiment. I loved that he didn't force publicity and accreditation for this work. He's an individual whose talent moves mountains. The hook "You gotta move slowly. Take and eat my body like it's holy. I've been waiting for you for this whole week. I've been praying for you, you're my Sunday candy"

3. Too Good by Drake ft. Rihanna: In 2016, I fell in love. Just one time with one man and this song explained the struggles of dating in our century. The two artists together were magic. If Chance was the artist of the year, then Drake and Rihanna were the couple of the year. They were beautiful together musically and aesthetically. I had the pleasure of going to the Summer 16 Tour and seeing this song as well as many others performed live. Definitely one of my best memories of the year.

4. Work by Rihanna ft. Drake : When this song came in at the club I was lit. The Jamaican vibes were everything and everyone wanted to show that their hips don't lie. The fondest memory I have dancing to this song was either at the wedding I attending in Seattle or after celebrating one of my sorority sisters birthdays at the Cave. Play it, and I promise i'll start dancing. Even if it's just a little bit.

5. Sorry by Beyonce : "So what will you say at my funeral now that you've killed me? Here lies the body of the love of my life, whose heart I broke without a gun to my head. Here lies the mother of my children both living and dead. Rest in peace, my true love, who I took for granted... Her heaven will be a love without betrayal. Ashes to ashes, dust to side chicks". Does anything else need to be said? It couldn't be more raw and real. Add the visuals and Serena Williams and it's done. I didn't buy it, because I'm petty and haven't been supporting Beyonce for awhile now. But even I couldn't ignore Lemonade.

6. Redemption by Drake : Speaking of raw, Redemption. This piece was absolutely beautiful. Classic drake took the words straight from my heart and the hearts of this generation. "Please give me time, cause I'm searching for these words to say to you", "Not having closure it takes a lot out of me. This year for Christmas, I just want apologies", "I gave your nickname to someone else", "I miss the feeling of you missing me". I felt all these things so many times this year and of course Drake felt them too. Anyone who claims Drake was not involved in the artistry of VIEWS should listen to this song and shut up, because no one else makes music like this.

7. No Problems by Chance the Rapper ft. Lil Wayne & 2 Chainz) : Like I said, it's Chance's year. This song was fun in all settings. I sang along to it more times than I can count in the car and everyone got hype when they played it at brothers. Lil Wayne was featured on the hit and it makes so much sense. He's had problems with Young Money for quite awhile now, so it was clear his verse came from the heart. It was also nice to hear from the Weezy F. Baby after a loooooong time.


8. For Free by DJ Khalid ft. Drake : The beats on this DJ Khalid album was crazy. He got famous for his crazy snapchats and I can honestly say that I didn't watch a single one. "Major Key" and "They didn't what him to (   ) , but he did it anyway" will be phrases that really stick out about this year. He made an impact and it was a great dancing song. I was clearly into shaking my butt allllllllll summer sixteen.

9. Controlla by Drake : I tried to keep this from becoming a Drake list, but I don't know how not to. Putting luv in front of Controlla would be a crime against humanity. Making it number nine is a crime against humanity. Putting it after for free is a crime against humanity. Maybe I should just push it up to number one. Ahhh.

10. Luv by Tory Lanez : 2016 was just the year of Jamaican vibes. That's all I was really listening to. This song was the perfect fit for that vibe.

11. Come and See Me by Drake ft. PARTYNEXTDOOR : This was the year that I finally got into partnextdoor. I knew his name and knew that he was signed to OVO. I understood that he was soulful and understood love and heartbreak. This is the song from the album that stood out the most. "Things change, people change, feelings change too. Never thought the circumstances would have changed you".

12. Exchange by Bryson Tiller : This years love songs were just so real. This is another one that hits home and really describes our generation. That's part of the reason I hated it. Bryson is praying "Lord, please save her for me" and saying "I hope she's waiting for me". She shouldn't have to wait for you. You should just man up and be what she needs.

13. All on You by Nick Fradiani : I have been looking for this sound for quite some time. It's sort of a mix between an Ed Sheeran sound and a boy band sound. Not too slow. Enthusiastic guitar. If this genre were a person, it would be Nick Jonas. While the songs he released about "put some bacon on it" were far from good, this ones a hit. The blame really should be placed on the other person when all you wanted to do was love them. #BitterNewNick&ITogether

14. Unsteady by X Ambassadors : This song was so beautiful that I'm listening to it for the millionth time this year and still getting shivers. I heard it for the first time at Encore (the Free State High School pop music extravaganza). It was a trio who sang it beautifully, but I didn't bother to look it up after. Then this song appeared on the trailer for the best. movie. ever. aka Me Before You.

15. Cold Water by Justin Bieber : I completed the initial list without this piece and it was crazy. I don't know where my head was. But this song is so good that I'm willing to take the time to renumber all the other pieces in the list. You're welcome.

16. Not Nice by PARTYNEXTDOOR : Another Jamaican hit. Loved it!

17. Black Beatles by Rae Sremmurd : At one point this fall, everyone did the mannequin challenge. It was relevant enough that this song had to make the top 15. It's a rap hit. Definitely doesn't pull at our emotional strings at all, but the beat and everything else that went into the song makes it irresistible and impossible not to sing along to.

18. I Hate You, I Love You by gnash. One line completely sums up my love for this song "I'm always tired but never of you".

19. Better Man by Little Big Town : The words for this song were written by Taylor Swift and it's beautiful. It just really hits home for me. I hope it's not one of those songs I appreciate for five minutes. But I'm sure everyone can relate wishing that special guy was a better man. More worthy of the title and love that you pour into them. I hope 2017 is better on this end and the men are up to par.

20. Closer by the Chainsmokers : I learned half the lyrics to this song incorrectly, but it topped the charts for weeks and weeks. "We ain't never getting older" just means so much more than it used to. At 22 I realize that the youthful days of clubbing and that kind of thing are slowly ending. Suddenly I'm not the youngest woman in the room anymore. It's weird. This song just describes the desire to be young, wild, and free well.

21. Rather Be by Clean Bandit : This was one of my favorite pop singles of the year. It kind of gave me EDM vibes, but I didn't mind it. The chorus makes you just want to start jumping up and down.The words hit home too.

22. Caroline by Anime : When I was walking to school feeling cute, the song that I wanted to set the mood was Caroline. It just makes you feel like a "bad thing. fine as hell". No ones on your level. I think of it as a runway song. You can twirl, it has a slow beat, and a guy I very briefly talked to used it for his women in stroll like a kappa.

23. Budapest by George Ezra : I really liked this song. I have no idea other black people considered it weird until I played it at a sorority event. The room felt so uncomfortable and our big, jerk of an adviser kept making fun of it. She pleaded with me to "change the station" play some "normal" music and in that moments she broke my heart. Because Budapest is normal, and you can't bury me in the same box that you reside in.

24. Cheap Thrills by Sia ft. Sean Paul  : I said it three times, but i'll say it again, Caribbean vibes ruled 2016. & Sean Paul made a comeback!!!

25. Treat You Better by Shawn Mendes : Y'all are tired of hearing me talk about how heartbroken I was the entire second half of 2016. Listen to the song. You'll get it.

26. Wicked by Future : I loved this song every time I went out. I just couldn't figure out what Future was saying. I thought it was more of a sound effect like "wao wao wao wao way", but it was actually Wicked the entire time. I got to hear it live two times, because I got it like that. The first time was exclusively back stage with the KU Basketball team. I told you I got it like that.


Top Country Songs of MY Year : 
1. Amen by Hunter Hayes
2. A Little Bit Stronger by Sarah Evans
3. Perfect Storm by Brad Paisley : "She's so complicated that's the way God made her. Sunshine mixed with a little hurricane". Me. Me. Me. Brad may be singing about his wife, but he was probably singing about me.
4. She's Everything by Brad Paisley : I got on this Brad Paisley kick after getting to see him live in concert at the football stadium. I went all by my lonesome. It wasn't as fun as it could have been if I wasn't by myself, but I learned to be more independent.
5. Break Up In a Small Town by Sam Hunt : He knows our lives! This is really what it's like in a small town.
6. Ordinary Girl by Hannah Montana : Discovered this song when studying with a friend who is no longer in pharmacy school. I feel like an ordinary goal a majority of the time and she got it so right. A quote, so you know where I'm coming from.
7. Somebody Like You by Kieth Urban : I love it! I love it! I love it!

"Sometimes I'm lazy, I get bored. I get scarred; I feel ignored. I feel happy, I get silly. I choke on my own words. I have wishes. I have dreams and I still want to believe : anything can happen in this world for an ordinary girl"

Honorable Mention That's Not Country 

1. Que Sera Sera by Doris Day : My mama suggested this song to me at just the right song. I have a whole blog post about the importance of it.

2. Can't Keep My Eyes Off You by Lauren Hill : People love her and I never really got thought about her past Sister Act 2. But this song was beautiful. In love with this version. It was suggested by my work family.

3. Unpretty by TLC : This song was a suggestion from my soror for our Valient Violets banquet. It was one of my greatest achievements in the sorority. I was beyond proud of it and this song motivated me during that time. Helped me build my confidence.