top 10 songs of 2016 – afropunk

There are some songs that dig their way into your ear canal and demand attention. Songs that in 3 minutes and change can pull out something deep in your soul and recontextualize the way you experience the world. And then again, some songs just have a killer beat and an unforgettable hook. But every year, a handful of songs have the audacity to do both.

Compiled by AP Team
Words by Nathan Leigh, AFROPUNK contributor

1. Nova Twins – ‘Hitlist’

On their single “Hitlist,” Nova Twins redefine dance punk with shades of grime. The bass-led song is straight up the best song of 2016. The end.

2. Solange – ‘Cranes In The Sky’

Technically the song was written back in 2008, but Solange’s song about alienation and grief proved to be one of the most necessary songs released this year. Building from an urgent need to escape into whatever distraction presents itself, the song explodes into resilience and the strength to face pain head on.

3. letlive. – ‘Good Mourning, America’

Always outspoken, letlive.’s 2016 album If I’m The Devil turned the band’s social criticism up to full, delivering an album of undeniable anthems. “Good Mourning, America” showcases the band’s unique ability to blend pummeling post-hardcore, painful introspective performances, and uncompromising lyrics.

4. Junior Astronomers – ‘FPM’

Here’s one tiny bit of good news dredged out of the swamp of fuckery that was 2016: North Carolina governor Pat McCrory, champion of the infamous transphobic “bathroom bill” HB2, is officially out of a job. Junior Astronomers penned this response to the law in the last days of the drawn out governor’s race. The rallying cry against transphobia and bigotry will ring out as the battle to erase the law from the books begins.

5. Moses Sumney – ‘Lonely World’

Moses Sumney and Thundercat are a match made in heaven. Sumney’s stratospheric voice floats high above Thundercat’s melodic bassline for one of the most awe-inspiringly beautiful songs of 2016.

6. Childish Gambino – ‘Me and Your Mama’

Over 6 magical minutes, Childish Gambino weaves a sultry ode to hazy love that explodes into a pleading funk epic. Screaming “they wanna see us falling apart / you know that I love you / so let me into your heart” like his life depends on it, Childish Gambino’s vocal alone makes this song one of the best things to come out of this year. To say nothing of that snake synth line.


7. Unlocking the Truth – ‘FAYWB‘

In 2016, Unlocking the Truth graduated from being the most promising band in metal to being simply one of the best. Nowhere is that clearer than on their song “FAYWB,” where they blend a blistering riffage with a call for independence and living life on your own terms.

8. Kamau – ‘PohLease’

Rooted in the sounds of protesters marching, the song asks the question on everyone’s lips “who police the police when they get out of line?” With a truly traumatic video, the song declares “this is a problem, not a black problem.”

9. Open Mike Eagle – ‘Admitting the Endorphin Addiction’
Every new record by Open Mike Eagle is like unwrapping that birthday present you didn’t realize you needed until it was in your hands. The maestro’s way with words is unparalleled as he pokes at the minutia of daily life before widening the lens to ask “isn’t that kind of fucked up?” Hella Personal Film Festival continues the winning streak of hip-hop’s foremost wry chronicler of daily anxieties, micro-aggressions, and frustrations, with opener “Admitting the Endorphin Addiction” the bow on top.

10. Lea Lea – ‘Drum of Death’

Noisy and propulsive, Lea Lea’s “Drum of Death” establishes the singer as one of the most exciting new voices in the scene. This is the kind of song that demands being blasted at top volume.