Me at the beginning of 2016 vs. Now:
There's one huge advantage to waiting
We had better things to do than care about firstness. Let's hear it for lastness.
We wanted to wait until
2016 was intended as the first ever "Lit Mix" but instead we're just calling it "Lit As Fuck" or "Lit AF 2016." Global youth vernacular is no match for Lit AF 2016. We are the ruling class. Cornering the market on memes that no one likes anymore (i.e. Dat Boi and Powerpuff Yourself).
Voted "Worst Year-End-List" 24 years and counting, we are back for more of what you need. (Remember back in '93 when "Daughter" was our #1 and "Insane In The Brain" was our #5 and people were like "uh, what the fuck dude?" That shit was so tight. Although not as tight as such feedback as "do you still do those lists?" or "damn, whoever writes this shit is a giant fucking loser.")
A lot of this was sitting around since January, and we don't even remember what we put on this thing because we're so fucking drunk right now. Jump into this hot fire:
| Follow "LIT AF 2016" on Spotify |
| #200 - 166 | | #165 - 131 | | #130 - 101 | | #100 -71 | | #70 - 41 | | #40 - 21 | | #20 - 1 |
| All 200 Songs |
200. Votaries "Trick Tomorrow"
Jackson Scott earned himself the nickname "Bo Jackson Scott" because Bo knows. It's already been over three years since Jackson's debut, the dreamy & druggy Melbourne LP. After last year's wild proggy sophomore album, he's back to the slow-motion childhood euphoria from LP1 in the debut record from his new band Votaries.
199. Bear Hands "2AM"
At this point, we're totally fine with any reasonably decent indie bands who are down to sell the fuck out and sneak some shockingly listenable minor hits back into the lower stretches of the Billboard Modern Rock chart. Lord knows (and Lorde knows), the format's refusal to budge on their strict "no '90s throwbacks" policy has nearly destroyed itself from the inside out, despite that kids and adults across the country have expressed longing to hear loud crunchy guitars on the radio again. To make matters worse, the modern bands that currently receive the most airplay have virtually nothing in common with the college-rock crossovers that initially helped formulate KROQ's very existence. Under normal circumstances, "Something In The Way," Twenty One Pilots, "Runaway Train" and Fitz and the Tantrums should have nothing in common with each other and typically would not share playlist-space for most Spotify users. But for whatever reason, that exact 4-in-a-row is now entirely common (minus iHeartRadio's requisite ad interruption). Any opportunities for legit-decent bands like Bear Hands to disrupt modern rock's abysmal plunge into irrelevancy should be celebrated in 2016. Inoffensive and catchy. We'll take it. 198. Rihanna "Desperado"
It wouldn't surprise us if "Desperado" were among the first completed Anti songs from closer to when the sessions began in early 2014. It feels less avant and more like "classic" Rihanna than anything else nearby in its sequencing, almost like a transitional jam from a hypothetical 2015 record (alongside "Bitch Betta Have My Money" and "FourFiveSeconds").https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2Tv6IHwPAA
197. No Age "Separation"
Spoiler Alert: This is probably the only band or artist of 2016 where every song they released (all 2 of them) made it into the Lit.
https://vimeo.com/179515569
196. The Dean Ween Group "Mercedes Benz"
"I don’t think that you’ve seen the last of Ween. As long as the two of us are still alive, there’s a Ween." Where there's a Ween, there's a way. That was Deaner's reaction to the emergence of Aaron Freeman, solo artist, retiring the name Gene Ween in 2012. Four years later, the world collectively sighed out their relief when Deaner's prediction totally came true. But who could have forseen his first forey into frontman-zone during the same calendar year? Surely not us. The ultra-brown "Exercise Man" and especially the drunken singalong "Mercedes Benz" justified the entire release.
195. Satin Jackets “Feel Good”
Y2K-era pop that didn't chart that we wish woulda charted.
194. Ariana Grande “Dangerous Woman”
Nicely coasting between the top 10 and 20 all throughout summer 2016, we think "Dangerous Woman" (peaking on August 8th at No. 8) may have stalled the launch date of Rihanna's suspiciously similar 6/8 chiller "Love On The Brain" (peaking December 13th at No. 20 but placing higher on Lit Mix 2016 ***SPOILER***). (Note: Within 2017, the song peaked at #5.)
193. The Spirit Of The Beehive "Natural Devotion"
Bees + Philly = 💖
192. Cavern of Anti-Matter "Liquid Gate"
No new Deerhunter or Stereolab in 2016? No problem.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIPfPQslS-s
191. Kvelertak “Nattesferd”
There really is a Wikipedia entry for everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I189nD_yeQs
190. Schoolboy Q f/ SZA “Neva Change”
Not never.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKGzkgLYick
189. Czarface “Two In The Chest”
Two faces, scum of the slum, I got your whole body numb, blowing like Shalamar in '81.
188. Dinosaur Jr. “Goin Down”
The long-awaited conclusion to the "Goin" trilogy that began with with 1993's "Goin Home" and their Kiss cover "Goin Blind." (Not kidding.)187. Tony Molina “No One Told He”
A day in the shred life of Brendan Small.
186. Consequence f/ Ty Dolla $ign "Ask Somebody"
Ain't no Dolla like the one I got.
185. Ben Grigg “Complications”
184. Mannequin Pussy “Denial”
183. Carl Sagan's Skate Shoes "(1)"
182. Left & Right "Mouse Drum"
Undone The Swelter Song. "Mouse Drum" sounds like how last summer felt - lazy as fuck because it was just too damn sweltering. The beercan-opening noise seemed gratuitous at first, but it's a "fuck it" indicator.
181. Nick Jonas f/ Ty Dolla Sign “Bacon”
Feelin' these lyrics: "There's only one thing in this world I love more than being with you, and that's four or five chunks of juicy pork heaven covered in maple syrup dripping straight into my throbbing femoral artery." The video and the VMAs performance took place at a '50s diner, and it surprised us that all the extras were not wolfing down mile-high piles of salty glistening sizzlers. All the while, Krusty The Clown could have been way in the back of the soundstage receiving heart surgery. Now THAT's a video.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPUB97ilIqE
180. Kevin Morby “I Have Been to the Mountain”
Is Woods cool? We don't know that band.
179. YG “Police Get Away Wit Murder” / YG f/ Nipsey Hussle "FDT"
Directly descending from Public Enemy and NWA. We feel like one of those two groups utilized the same "rap singalong chorus" from "Police Get Away," but for some reason we're (probably incorrectly) convinced that this derives from Leaders Of The New School: "Just another case of that old PTA." We know Busta Rhymes was among hiphop's more unheralded innovators until after "Woo-Haa," but we never thought of him as an artist who created one of the basic fundamentals of old school rap. And yet, this may have been the case? (We're not rap historians, so we're probably wrong about this.) As for "FDT," we heard it among the low points of Still Brazy right up until November 9th. Go figure.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7LuvdZ8CUs
178. Total Slacker "Turn On The Lights"
No, YOU'RE a slacker.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jRUTvjvvBw
177. Homeboy Sandman "Talking (Bleep)"
176. Dark Mtns “Wake To Dream”
175. No Age "Serf To Serf"
Congratulations to No Age on recieving our coveted "All the marbles" award. They're probably the first ever instance where all the marbles they released in 2016 - both of sides of their 7-inch - appear on this lit as fuck mix.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsRAf-9pWQ4
174. Schoolboy Q f/ Miguel & Justine Skye “Overtime”
Buncha damn hippies gettin' stoned on the refers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l72-AuyMDEs
173. Weaves "Birds & Bees"
Weaves loves bees. More importantly, we suspect that Weaves loves bees more than they love birds, which is the correct assessment. (Birds are also cool tho.)
172. Horse Jumper Of Love "Spaceman"
171. Omegas “Drug Zoo”
What it sounds like when guitar bro from Mad Max starts projectile vomiting during one of his big apocalypse dude solos.
170. 2 Chainz “Felt Like Cappin”
Too many chains.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ep_lJoNZeXE
169. Underworld “If Rah”
We wore out our Beaucoup Fish and dubnobasswithmyheadman CDs during college, so it's been a minute. The new Underworld album is definitely a "for fans only" type of affair with "If Rah" as its obvious album stand out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6f3yLHifFI
168. Dowager “Sleep Paralysis”
167. Gucci Mane “At Least a M”
Get on fleek.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLpp8KRMXys
166. Pusha T f/ Jay-Z “Drug Dealers Anonymous”
The other day, we were listening to that station in Chicago that plays only good new rap and they played this song. True story.
| Follow "LIT AF 2016" on Spotify |
| #200 - 166 | | #165 - 131 | | #130 - 101 | | #100 -71 | | #70 - 41 | | #40 - 21 | | #20 - 1 |
| All 200 Songs |
“It’s been a while. Lots to talk about. I’m glad you’re still here.” Wait, so she's singing to the listener? Hey, that's pretty cool, although it might be less awkward if we pretend she's still singing to that dude from the "Anytime Anyplace" video. P.S. Her best Diana Ross tribute since "Doesn't Really Matter."
An extreme juxtaposition: On one side, this is an incredibly musical punk song with an intro that sounds like it might be paying homage to The Smithereens or Marshall Crenshaw. Nine seconds later, all hell will break loose. *SCREEEEEEAM.* Don't get it twisted: "I Fucking Hate Sports" isn't rage based around misplaced teen angst. It's a depressingly intense frustration with an inability to find a place that fits. And yes, catharsis helps.
Hey, Carly Rae likes you. She really, really, really, really likes you. She told us. And her smiley repetition isn't just confined to single word mantras. "One more time" singalongs strategically recur throughout E•MO•TION, and the "Making the Most" instance is probably the one where we wish she had opted for a hint of variance. It feels like 80% chorus, but it's perfectly structured otherwise: The bridge builds to a grand slam, representing the pinnacle of Carly Rae's big night. The last 15 seconds utilize "the ominous minor-key outro" motif, a cue that may or may not have derived from "Lovefool." It goes by quick, but it might be the most mysteriously satisfying moment from any recent pop record.
How exactly did this song generate such a viciously negative reaction? Are we crazy? Was this the No Jacket Required of 2015? As a standalone single without the context of the three names attached, there's really nothing objectively shitty about it. Had it been sung by Taylor Swift or that Shotgun Annies thing (or whatever Miranda Lambert's group is called), it would have been heard by completely different people, framed in a different context and thus judged as a song instead of a headline. And besides, we'd rather hear Rihanna sing something like this than almost any modern country singer. It's probably the only recent simple-guitar-&-vocals jam we can recall with so many buried weird noises. 
We have no "Best shows we saw in 2015" list this year. But Beak> in Bristol would have been an easy #1. We imagine this show had almost nothing in common with 
Sigur Ros goes pop. Slow motion playgrounds. 55 degrees. Overcast skies. Beach Music sounds very "rite of passage." "Thorns" specifically is the earliest point in someone's life when they can observe a sunset or a cloud formation and perceive it as a perfect gift. The song's cryptic lyrics and title suggest an allure that leads to prickly stings. 
Winner of the "Best Song Called 'Hello' of the Year" Award. Without releasing any new albums or singles of his own between 2004 and 2009, Andre 3000 remained the grand champion of guest rappers. His effortless flow assisted jams like 
Jute Gyte's impressively prolific catalog of free Bandcamp releases focuses on two genres: Blackmetal and ambient. The whole of his blackmetal catalog resembles a balloon with a diameter of several lightyears infinitely expanding far past what was previously deemed imaginable. In this case, it's the first noisy blackmetal on our radar that features a creepily sped-up series of music boxes played simultaneously, with rhythm and atonal dissonance occurring by virtue of controlled chaos. 
"Sour diesel" refers to a weed strain. Thank you Rap Genius. When old people complain "there's no good rap anymore," please remind them that Redman still fills his albums with classic-sounding jams, just as high quality as his radio hits from 1995. Some artists prefer to change with the times, while others aren't finished exploring the sounds that earned them their original fanbase. 
Earworm alert: That 16-note intro tends to stick. Class of 2015’s singer-songwriter VIPs not only fuel our hope for the future of this genre but lead the pack with a notable lack of pretention unseen since at least 15 years ago. Out of all of them (which includes names like Alex Giannascoli and Taylor Ross), Ellen Kempner’s songwriting development - dating back to 
The vocals seem vulnerable to analog peaking upon entering the red. We highly doubt any of the music on E•MO•TION was taped, but this one aspect (also obvious on a few other songs) raises our suspicions. Also, the Rap Geniuses revealed that two of this song's co-writers were formerly in Boston's own The Click Five, who along with Fountains Of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger are responsible for 
The waging war in this humble place against the forces of darkness where Satan's seed is, the zip code of this evil place is the mark of the beast: 666. The ritual begins slowly, working around the circular room. After all 33 candles are lit, the dark spirits may receive the signal to enter. A slow, dark mass fills the atmosphere, overtaking everything in its path with spirits working their way in and out, left and right. There's no escaping it. "Slow Death," The Deadbeats' finest epic, is the opposite of an exorcism. It invites the demons in. [Note: The song is actually so satanic that it's one of the few jams on Hot Mix 2015 completely unavailable outside of legal streaming services.]
Make way for Bristol's smiley-est rock band as they challenge the punk aesthetic and stretch the rules of what to expect from a punk 4-piece. Their records proudly insert elements from not only UK-punk but also power-pop, grunge, and campfire singalongs. The key-change in "Dreams" is one of their catchiest moments, kinda like how Ash used to do it back in the mid-'90s on singles like 
A good old fashioned punk-rock double LP finally graces its presence upon the 2010s. Forgive us, but records like Screaming Females' Ugly from 2012 always kinda felt more like a CD-length album expanded to 2 LPs, while Tenement's Predatory Headlights actually feels like a sprawling magnum opus a la Zen Arcade complete with odd experiments and a well-paced tracklisting. It's a grand and impressive complete statement, which might be why we've yet to notice many reviewers cherry picking their own personal stand-outs. We're nerdy for singles though, and plus we still make mixtapes. Gravitating towards the late-'70s Americana of "You Keep Me Cool" was def a cool selection for some fiery summer mixes. Or wait, maybe it was a hot selection for some icy mixes?
Thanks to "Get Paid," fans of 1998's "bounce rap" trend might be more hopeful than usual for its big 2016 comeback. Sources have speculated that Jay-Z's forthcoming 2016 hit single "Can I Get A (Part 2)" will include the lyric "Can i get a part two?"* while Mariah Carey plans to revisit her "evil bizarro" counterpart previously featured in the video for 1999's "Heartbreaker."* Rap and pop might actually get fun and adventurous again. Also we thought Vince was saying "pocket fulla lean" which is a phrase that apparently doesn't mean anything, but it sounded cool at the time. 
"With an 'S' on your chest / You're feeling like a God." Political or no? Or maybe it's about Anthony Kiedis? You decide. There have been plenty of "why did they even bother" type of reunion records in the past couple years, with Indy Cindy and now Compton as two of the most baffling offenders. Sol Invictus (along with Failure's album released around the same time) was this year's rare instance of a "'90s reunion" record that didn't allow an extended hiatus to stain their nearly flawless discography. Overcoming the odds seems to be a huge factor in these reunions. So now, what's gonna happen with Mr. Bungle? Bare in mind that Trey Spruance DID in fact join FNM to perform King For A Day in its entirely back in 2011, somewhat increasing the almost non-existent odds that a Mr. Bungle reunion might ever happen within our lifetime. 
The salt imagery feels closely related to its album title, Beach Music. So it's possible that "Salt" is the key to this entire record, tying together its surrounding jams with its hugely nostalgic slow-motion cascades of rhythm and melody. Tween-life is when innocent crushes might feel the scariest. It's when friends ride bikes through the woods or down narrow alleys. It's the thrill of discovery and uncertainty and videogames and touching boobs. Not necessarily summery, but definitely full of memories and the creation of future memories. Alex G's records are all the better for including his atypical curveball jams, and "Salt" might be among the very best of those.
Congratulations to Stove, recipient of our coveted "Most Amazing Song Intro of 2015" award. Who knows what was contained within those libations, but the song's fire seems indebted, somewhat mirroring its themes of "wondering if you've made the right choices" and "deciding if it's too late to change" (not too far off from what might have informed Stove's recent re-branding). It doesn't matter if it's called Stove or Ovlov or McGuirk or Guitarmageddon, as long as it's got that smooth Stove seal of approval. That's how you know you're fucking with a quality-ass product. "Jock Dreams" highlights a very strong Side B with all those classic Stove moves you've grown to love over the years.
This contains possibly the darkness beat of 2015, sampled from The Velvet Underground and Nico of all places. But even with that in mind, the most surprising aspect of "Ask Charlamagne" is that Waka Flocka hasn't released a truly great song in over 5 years. We were certain that he had quietly retreated to the has-been camp, content with his unremarkable mixtapes and the millions of dollars he earned from "Hard In The Paint" and "No Hands." His official comeback begins now: "Ask Charlamagne" might be the best song this dude's ever laid to tape, his flow and swagger seemingly reinvented. It's the sound of someone who's had enough of wackness and fakeness, desperate to break away from a trap of cliches, no longer mired in self-parody. We're suddenly (shockingly) very excited for Flockaveli 2.
Track 3 is called "Under Control," while the chorus of track 4 includes the phrase "lose control." So it's possible that these two songs represent the ying and yang of Ego Death, one of the most oddly slept-on releases of 2015, front-loaded with 4 of the absolute best soul jams of the 2010s so far. The sensuous and sultry "Under Control" might have the record's best-sounding live instrumentation, while "Go With It" is anchored by one of the year's best basslines, recommended for any fans of Big Boi & Andre's "Royal Flush."
Perhaps we've overdosed as well. We seem to be strung out on this website, leading to one of those unfortunate instances where it looks like we're on the verge of another extended break, similar to the one that took place between 2008 and 2009. We really should be finishing this up before officially declaring a hiatus. Between 2011 and 2012, “doing drugs” turned into a prevalent theme on hiphop and R&B stations, far surpassing themes regarding “selling drugs” that had ruled during the days of “C.R.E.A.M.” and “10 Crack Commandments” - a paradigm shift which may be partially attributed to the popularity of molly, but mostly thanks to Frank Ocean. As far as pop structure goes, “Overdose” surpasses anything throughout the past 10 years of releases from either Britney Spears or Kylie Minogue.
Technical virtuosity is not typically our thing, although the occasional fresh blast of prog-influenced brilliance never hurt anyone. "Surfacing" combines these cues with Elephant 6 flavored lo-fidelity, serving their brand as far more inspired than wanky. Dense with hooks, it's just as heavy as a few similarly packed mid-2000s mini-epics from their former tourmates Of Montreal, specifically "Requiem for OMM2" or "Voltaic Crusher." A curious recent signing to Stones Throw, Surface have already announced near-completion of LP2. Air-guitars in position.
The middle doesn't sound like such a great place. The middle is where all the eyes point: the center of attention. It's the easiest place to get lost. Once upon a time, Jimmy Eat World sang about "The Middle," and claimed it was not the best spot, but that eventually everything would be alright. Gerry Rafferty sang about getting "stuck in the middle with you," surrounded by stuff that didn't make no sense at all. It must be pretty shitty to return BACK to the middle, to that nasty uncomfortable place. "It's an endless cycle." The light at the end of the tunnel only acts to taunt and fuck with the head. This shit's getting old. Sick and tired of being sick and tired.
We can think of three quick and easy reasons why we love "Black Skinhead." #1 Monster riffs aren't as frequent these days, which may have assisted in this song's easy shoe-in as "Immigrant Song" or "Smoke on the Water" of 2013. RIFF OF THE YEAR. Let's be honest here. #2 Kanye supplies what is now probably the 19th major resurrection of the drums from "Rock n' Roll Part 2," also famously borrowed for Marilyn Manson in 1996 and also Rihanna in 2006, ushering a 2- or 3-year period when that particular drum pattern was ALL over Top 40 stations. Last but not least, #3: The yelp. Kanye's yelp on SNL contained a raw urgency that hadn't maintained its shape on the recording but was strong enough to resonate on all subsequent listens.
{EDIT 12:57PM APRIL 13} A paraphrased brief conversation with Sadie "The Jesus of Indie-Rock" Dupuis in response to our initial review of this song:
The most frequent critique of “Drown Me Out” that we've heard regards familiarity. “I've heard something that sounds like 'Drown Me Out' before,” but no one seems to be able to pin down exactly what. This supposed familiarity might best be attributed to the effortless simplicity of its craft. Songs like these are often created as a consequence of some magical accident, but in this case it appears far more purposely lethargic than lazy. Somewhere, pissed teens will always be understanding the power of barre chords played through Muff pedals. It's a combination as old as garage rock itself and not exclusive to any specific decade. “Drown Me Out” specifically descends from The Pixies just as much as a pair of 2011's sonically closest cousins, 
We love Two Inch Astronaut so much that we want to squeeze the daylights out of them. The intro of "Sternum" always reminds us of Trail of Dead's "How Near How Far," in a way that's hugely complimentary to both bands. Then after the story fades, "Sternum" utilizes probably its least heralded motif: A gradual rallentando leading into the final ominously unresolved chord. We don't hear songwriters busting out these classic moves as frequently in 2013, and why the fuck not? If it worked on "Lovefool," why not go for it? We're not sure if we've heard any recent claims along the lines of "What the fuck ever happened to Monster Ballads?" but "Sternum" comes fully loaded with a helpfully earwormy chorus, strong enough to push out whatever abysmal Staind knockoff got stuck in your head the day prior. For a slow-burner, its energy surpasses almost anything else on Bad Brother, impressively blending not only within the context of the album's running order, but also among the rest of Exploding In Sound's 2013 roster. 
Everyone seems to be ready and hopeful for the next era of Odd Future, one in which Tyler no longer reigns as the loudmouth rebel without a cause, opting instead for its new leaders - Frank and Earl - to usher in a new dawn, lyrically closer to the teachings of JD Salinger. While introspection and right of passage have been accompanying OFWGKTA's best music since 2012, the lopsided and off-kilter loop in "Molasses" (accompanied by its subject matter) seems closer to what would have happened if Earl had followed along the path of his 2010 self-titled mixtape. RZA's cameo suggests a passing the torch to his disciples while remaining just as curious as the rest of us to discover what becomes of the former wild kids.
Yes, we know the picture is of Sonic Youth on The Simpsons and not of Body/Head, the band Kim Gordon formed with Bill Nace in 2012. (It was tough for us to find interesting Kim Gordon-related memes.) Our video treatment for "Abstract" would show Kim Gordon and Bill Nace confined in adjacent holding cells, belting out the demons of their respective loneliness. The warden doesn't seem to notice or care that pedal boards and amps are keeping them company before all hell breaks loose.
Is this Jay-Z's lame “Don't do drugs” jam? Magna Carta officially kicks off the era of “Dad-Rap,” stuff that sounds decently modern but mostly appeals to the baser impulses of hiphop fans who are old enough to run for president.* The chorus alludes to hiphop's recent incredibly lame obsession with fashion designers, essentially stating “I'm too dope and important to associate with the same recreational activity as common college freshmen.” And while the 8-bit beat took as much shit as the lyrical hook, the song musically still impresses us enough to place as “essential 2013.” Call it a guilty pleasure if you'd like.
A guilty pleasure discovery from 
Keanu Reeves and Dennis Hopper negotiate through mind games in the live action Hollywood version of Grand Theft Auto. "Light Raking" pumps loudly during the intense bus chase, while "Some Songs" is reserved for the pensive feelings montage. For Polvo, Siberia secures their slot reigning among the best reformed 90s indie-bands.
...Like Clockwork turned out to be the first Queens album with no re-recordings of previously released non-album tracks. (Last year, 
Katy Perry is the presence that signals over-saturation of any hot radio trend. We accurately predicted early in 2013 that Katy's album would certainly arrive with a civil-war-wave influenced radio hit. And it didn't take long before “Roar” finally arrived, just in time to cash-in on dismal washboard/stomping/banjo vomit from the likes of The Lumineers and Imagine Dragons. However, no one could have predicted such an immense ray of light from the most unlikely of places: Appearing as an early highlight on Beyonce's self-titled, “XO” acts as the antithesis of “Roar,” essentially justifying the entire civil-war-wave subgenre while supplying the world with its artistic and commercial pinnacle all within the same breath. 