Kanye West’s The Life of Pablo was released on February 14, 2016, exclusively on Tidal at first, which was super unconventional.
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I’m the type of person who replays old playlists like therapy sessions. Don’t ask me why, it’s a lifestyle. But 2016? That year hit differently. Pop culture was popping. Music was emotional. Life felt… alive. Like, genuinely alive.
What really made that year easier was the music. Earphones were mandatory. Headphones stayed on.
Singing together at a braai? Also mandatory. And parking at the view with your friends listening to the bangers, which you all rate, "No, this is the best song". The vibes were top tier. Good times.
These are the songs that dominated 2016 - in my opinion.
For my karaoke die-hards, Adele’s "25" arrived and emotionally wrecked us. We cried, healed, screamed and belted like rent was paid in vocal cords.
“All I Ask” is still a spiritual experience. “When We Were Young”? Please. One small inconvenience, and I’m convinced time travel exists just so I can go back and feel that album for the first time again.
Then came Justin Bieber’s "Purpose" and yes, I’ll say it proudly: his best album. That record was an emotional rollercoaster.
The ad-libs he blessed us with were essential. We were inside that album. It was made for long drives, feeling high, “Life Is Worth Living” playing while you stared out the window, pretending you were the main character.
And “No Pressure”? That song had us rethinking relationships that didn’t even exist yet.
Drake, the rapper that's been carrying hip hop on his back, also had us in a chokehold (if not, still). "Views" was everywhere. “Hotline Bling” played at every party, every braai, every car ride. We were dancing, subtweeting, posting captions that meant nothing but felt deep.
There were conspiracies, memes, think pieces, but mostly, there were vibes. Drake understood the moment, and we lived in it.
And if there's a song that had us dancing embarrassingly in the streets of Stellies? Rihanna & Drake’s “Work”. And that's all I need to say.
Now, rewind to when Kanye West was making great music. Not swirl-kous-on-the-head Kanye. This was inspired, creative, top-tier Kanye. "The Life of Pablo" was chaotic, spiritual, loud, messy and brilliant.
He once called it “a gospel album with a lot of cussing,” which made no sense but also made perfect sense. Choirs, angelic sounds, faith, ego… it was all there. A genuine musical genius moment (and no, I’m not speaking for anything after that).
J. Cole’s “Neighbors” had us staring at our own block like, “Wait… do they see me vibing or plotting?” but somehow still perfect for pretending you had your life together while dancing alone in your kitchen.
There was Desiigner’s “Panda”, which didn’t just hit - it sprinted into our playlists. It was chaotic, ridiculous, and somehow perfect, like that one friend who shows up late to everything but instantly makes the vibe 100% better.
EDM was also living its best life. The Chainsmokers’ “Closer” was unavoidable. Calvin Harris, Major Lazer and DJ Snake - festivals were booming. Ultra was the moment, and you were there wearing your choker and denim shorts.
Calvin Harris’ “This Is What You Came For”, feat. Rihanna, ate! It was a whole genre mood shift. Tropical-house-inspired, club-ready, festival-perfect, this track had that effortless summer glow.
EDM wasn’t niche anymore or tied to underground assumptions. It became mainstream, joyful, and widely loved.
There’s so much more I could mention, but my brain can only handle so many bangers at once. Just know this: the list is as long as your momma’s wedding veil, and every track was a banger. BANGER!