99. Real Lies - One Club Town
98. LP - Lost On You
97. Calvin Harris feat Rihanna - This Is What You Came For
96. Sia - Never Give Up
95. Darline - Until Tomorrow
94. Little Mix feat Jason Derulo - Secret Love Song
93. Sigala feat Imani & DJ Fresh - Say You Do
92. Alan Walker - Alone
91. Kungs vs. Cookin' On 3 Burners - This Girl
90. Delta Goodrem - Just Call
89. Craig David - 16
88. The Chainsmokers feat Halsey - Closer
87. Smith & Thell - Row
86. The Rhythm Method - Party Politics
85. Måns Zelmerlöw - Glorious
84. The Flavor - Shosholoza
83. Emeli Sandé - Breathing Underwater
82. Frances - Say It Again
81. Only Girl - Remains
80. Charly Cole - February 29 (Marry Me)
79. ROMANS feat Rejjie Snow - Prisoner
78. Clean Bandit feat Louisa Johnson - Tears
77. Douwe Bob - Slow Down
76. Lady Gaga - Perfect Illusion
75. Offaiah - Trouble
74. Sigma feat Take That - Cry
73. Scala & Kolacny Brothers - Barbie Girl
72. Craig David & Big Narstie - When The Bassline Drops
71. Delta Goodrem - The River
70. Ira Losco - Walk On Water
69. Shotgun Fakes - Slow Motion
68. Honey Ryder - Years From Now
67. Lauren Aquilina - Thinking About
66. Justin Bieber - What Do You Mean It's 1985
65. Sheppard - We Belong
64. Matoma & Becky Hill - False Alarm
63. Wiktoria - Save Me
62. All Saints - This Is A War
61. 99 Souls feat Destiny's Child & Brandy - The Girl Is Mine
60. Shotgun Fakes - Out Of The Blue
59. Danny L Harle - Broken Flowers
58. Sigala feat John Newman & Nile Rodgers - Give Me Your Love
57. The Corrs - I Do What I Like
56. Craig David & Sigala - Ain't Giving Up
55. The Strumbellas - Spirits
54. Christine and the Queens - Tilted
53. Matt Simons - Catch & Release (Deepend Remix)
52. Alyss - T S I E R
51. Stereoact feat Kerstin Ott - Die Immer Lacht
50. Al Gibbs - Asked Me To Dance
49. Little Mix - Touch
48. NEIKED feat Dyo - Sexual
47. Kate Rusby - Big Brave Bill
46. Ward Thomas - Boomerang
45. KOLAJ - Hitchhike
44. Amir - J'ai Cherché
43. Ellie Goulding - Still Falling For You
42. Kosmonova - Danse Avec Moi
41. Robin Bengtsson - Constellation Prize
40. Lady Gaga - Million Reasons
39. Blonde & Craig David - Nothing Like This
38. Lukas Graham - 7 Years
37. Jorja Smith - Blue Lights
36. SaRaha - Kizunguzungu
35. The Veronicas - In My Blood
34. Zara Larsson - Lush Life
33. Tigertown - Papernote
32. Theia - Roam
31. Douwe Bob - Jacob's Song
30. Joe and Jake - You're Not Alone
29. TheFatRat feat Laura Brehm - Monody
28. Starley - Call On Me (Ryan Riback Remix)
27. Imany - Don't Be So Shy (Filatov & Karas Remix)
26. The Weeknd feat Daft Punk - I Feel It Coming
25. Sia feat Sean Paul - Cheap Thrills
24. K3 - 10.000 Luchtballonnen
23. Alan Walker - Faded
22. Jonas Blue feat JP Cooper - Perfect Strangers
21. Alan Walker - Sing Me To Sleep
20. Delta Goodrem - Dear Life
19. All Saints - One Woman Man
18. Pixie Paris - Es Rappelt Im Karton
17. Frans - If I Were Sorry
16. EFF - Stimme
15. Little Mix - Shout Out To My Ex
14. Real Lies - North Circular
13. Olivia - I'm Not Your Lady
12. Sia feat Kendrick Lamar - The Greatest
11. Natalia Nykiel - Error
10. Sia - Move Your Body (Alan Walker Remix)
9. Pegboard Nerds - Emoji
8. Ortiga - Ilumbarada
7. KOLAJ - The Touch
6. All Saints - One Strike
5. Daithí - Mary Keanes Introduction
4. Frances - Don't Worry About Me
3. Delta Goodrem feat Gizzle - Enough
2. Poli Genova - If Love Was A Crime
1. Clean Bandit feat Sean Paul and Anne-Marie - Rockabye
Released late on in the year - and indeed still sitting at #1 in the UK on its eighth week as I type - Clean Bandit's Rockabye was the sound of the UK's premier (only?) classical dance outfit channeling Ace Of Base. With rising UK star Anne-Marie providing some very strong, almost Rihanna-esque vocals and the legendary Sean Paul providing some memorable catchphrases, such as 'daily struggle', it could hardly miss.
The track features a sun drenched 90s-influenced production, so perhaps it would have been an even bigger hit if released in summer, but who can argue with a Christmas #1 (which won me £200 after betting £8 on them at 25/1 to do just that) and two months at the top of the chart at the busiest time of year?
It's quite easy to see why it's done so well, an accessible tune to people of all ages, with relevant 2016-esque production flourishes but also appealing to those born in the 90s, due to the Ace of Base influence, and the 00s, with the Sean Paul feature. Plus the lyrics, unlike many songs that go to #1 these days, tell a thought provoking and heartfelt story, apparently influenced by the reality of one of the songwriters, Ina Wroldsen. And thats all topped off with a gorgeous string outro and probably the best chorus of the year.
Absolutely sublime track and easily the best UK #1 since their own Rather Be in 2014 or - going further back - On The Floor by Jennifer Lopez feat Pitbull in early 2011. After a year of being incredibly bored with the generic and average songs doing well, it's been so refershing to see a genuinely great and well made song strike such a chord with the public.
I haven't been very keen on many of the other UK chart toppers this year, with only Little Mix's Shout Out To My Ex (#15), Lukas Graham's 7 Years (#38) and Closer by The Chainsmokers feat Halsey (#88) registering on my top 100.
Not far off Rockabye at all in second place for 2016 was If Love Was A Crime, the unexpectedly phenomenal pop song that Bulgaria brought to Eurovision, finishing a highly respectable fourth in the contest for Poli Genova. Delta Goodrem and US rapper Gizzle, finishing at #3 here, teamed up for an undeserved summer flop with Enough, a stunning blend of Delta's soaring vocals, gorgeous string laden production and Gizzle's unique rapped verses.
Elsehwere in the top ten are Don't Worry About Me, a beautiful piano ballad by English singer-songwriter Frances (#4) and Mary Keanes Introduction, a unique dance track from Irish producer Daithí (#5), featuring spoken word samples from his 90-year-old grandmother reflecting on growing up.
Multiple entries in the top 100 come from Clean Bandit, Delta Goodrem, Frances, All Saints, KOLAJ, Sia, Real Lies, Little Mix, Alan Walker, Douwe Bob, Craig David, Lady Gaga, Sigala and Shotgun Fakes, all of whom really impressed me this year.
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