This is the first of the year-end lists as we start the count down to the Greatest Hits of 2016. This year we witnessed a drove of immense talent flooding the industry. With varied genres and vocal ranges the acts ranged from solo artists to duos and groups. We have former reality/talent show contestants, former boy band members as well as social media enthusiasts.
Taking the crown are Rock duo Twenty One Pilots who dominated the charts with their unique Alternative/Rap fusion style. They are followed by vocal powerhouse Zara Larsson whose songs went onto become global smash hits. At No.3 we have Shawn Mendes who is turning out to be the male counterpart of Taylor Swift with a gargantuan fan following. I have excluded the Chainsmokers from this list as they had their first hit #Selfie three years ago. So here are the Top 20 New Artists of 2016:
1. Twenty One Pilots
They are an Alternative Rock duo that captured our hearts with Stressed Out and went onto score other popular hits such as Ride and Heathens.
2. Zara Larsson
She is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry as her hits Never Forget You, Lush Life, Ain’t My Fault and I Would Like were all global smash hits and she even collaborated with David Guetta and Tinie Tempah.
3. Shawn Mendes
This Canadian heartthrob speaks to prepubescents through his whiny and cheesy lyrics and he has had hits such as Stitches, Treat You Better and Mercy and also collaborations with Camila Cabello and The Vamps.
4. DNCE
Definitely the best Pop Rock band of this decade so far, their global smash Cake By The Ocean is now an anthem on the dancefloor and they have had hits such as Toothbrush and Body Moves.
5. Alan Walker
One of the most unique DJs of this decade who released his global chart topper Faded followed by Sing Me To Sleep and more recently Alone.
6. Daya
The Hideaway hit maker did not stop there, she collaborated with the Chainsmokers’ on their worldwide hit Don’t Let Me Down and again returned to the charts with Sit Still and Look Pretty.
7. Alessia Cara
Her anti-social hymn Here became a party hit over night and she went on to score with Wild Things and Scars To Your Beautiful.
8. G-Eazy
He’s the new white kid on the block, but his style of rapping is distinctive and his collaboration Me Myself & I with Bebe Rexha was a global hit and he has gone onto collaborate with Britney Spears and Grace.
9. Bebe Rexha
With powerful vocals she can sing as well as rap. Her single Me Myself & I alongside G-Eazy was a worldwide hit and she also spawned hits such as No Broken Hearts and I Got You.
10. MØ
Her Danish Indie Pop style doesn’t go unnoticed. Entering the mainstream from Major Lazer’s Lean On, she has now released hits such as Final Song, Kamikaze and Drum and also collaborating with Major Lazer again on Cold Water.
11. Zayn
This former One Directioner proved that he can stand on his own as he topped the charts with his debut single Pillowtalk and has also had hits such as Like I Would and It’s You.
12. Dua Lipa
As a vocal powerhouse she entered the mainstream with Be The One and Hotter Than Hell and then went on to score with Blow Your Mind (Mwah) and being featured on Sean Paul’s No Lie.
13. Troye Sivan
As a social media titan, Sivan’s followers will swallow anything and everything that he spews out; although his singles are good and Youth, Wild and Talk Me Down went onto become hits.
14. Louisa Johnson
15. Lukas Graham
They may be hyped up but their 7 Years was a mega hit around the world which they followed up with Mama Said and You’re Not There.
16. Anne Marie
Her hit Alarm took the charts by storm after which her collaboration with Clean Bandit and Sean Paul on Rockabye reached the summit worldwide.
17. Halsey
Her New Americana, Colours and Castle were all moderately successful but it was Closer, her collaboration with the Chainsmokers that propelled her to No.1 world over.
18. Calum Scott
He finished sixth on the ninth series of Britain’s Got Talent and released his audition song cover of Robyn’s Dancing On My Own which became a worldwide hit.
19. Kiiara
Her bass heavy, trap style, rap became very popular through her hit Gold which was used by Apple to promote their Apple Watch.
20. Nathan Sykes
He may have not earned the same popularity as his former band The Wanted but he did gain chart success with Over and Over Again, Give It Up and Famous.
Till the next ensemble...
At Ease!!!
