Welcome back to the 101 Biggest Hits of 2016! On today’s menu, I will reveal songs 70 through 61 on the countdown. If you missed any previous installment, here’s where you can catch up:
Let’s get things started with song #70!
#70: Die A Happy Man by Thomas Rhett
Peak: #21 2016 Weeks on Chart: 18 Points: 1223
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 64
One of the biggest country hits of the decade by an artist not named Florida Georgia Line, “Die A Happy Man” cemented Thomas Rhett as one of country’s brightest stars. Even with its first two chart months were logged at the end of 2015, “Die A Happy Man” gave Rhett his highest-ever appearance on my countdown.
#69: Lost Boy by Ruth B
Peak: #24 2016 Weeks on Chart: 22 Points: 1229
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 76
“Lost Boy” has one of the most bizarre and unlikely paths to becoming a hit in recent memory. It began as a six-second Vine inspired by ABC Disney drama Once Upon A Time in November 2014, consisting simply of Ruth B singing what would become the first line of its chorus. Inspired by positive fan reaction, she turned the Vine into a full-length song. It took nearly a year from its release to reach the Hot 100, then embarked on a lengthy road to reaching the Top 40 and becoming one of the biggest sleeper hits of the year. I should probably time capsule this paragraph and revisit it ten years from now, I imagine it will serve as a perfect reminder of something that reeks of 2016.
#68: Here by Alessia Cara
Peak: #5 2016 Weeks on Chart: 15 Points: 1233
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 39
I delved into Alessia Cara’s busy 2016 in the entry for “Scars To Your Beautiful,” but all of her 2016 success traces back directly to “Here.” It reached its #5 peak in January after over 20 weeks on the Hot 100, making it one of the longest ascents of the year. The success of “Here” helped Cara’s debut album Know-It-All reach the Top 10 on Billboard’s albums chart.
#67: Sorry by Beyoncé
Peak: #11 2016 Weeks on Chart: 20 Points: 1239
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 71
Beyoncé’s Lemonade project became one of four albums this year to see all of its tracks reach the Hot 100 (the others being The Weeknd’s Starboy, Drake’s Views, and J. Cole’s 4 Your Eyez Only). However, most of the Lemonade songs failed to spend more than three or four weeks on the chart. “Sorry” debuted at its peak of #11, trailing only “Formation” at #10, but it was able to sustain a 20-week run on the Hot 100 despite not improving upon its lofty debut.
#66: Starboy by The Weeknd f/Daft Punk
Peak: #2 2016 Weeks on Chart: 13 Points: 1245
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 58
Speaking of Starboy, the title track to The Weeknd’s album arrived on the Hot 100 two months before the album officially launched. In recruiting Daft Punk to lend a hand, “Starboy” became the duo’s second hit to peak at #2 in the past four years, following their lead credit on 2013’s “Get Lucky.” At the time of printing, “Starboy” still sits in the runner-up position, so there’s still a sporting chance for The Weeknd to earn his third Number One hit, and for the French pair to score their first chart-topper nearly 20 years after first appearing on the Hot 100 with “Around The World.”
#65: Same Old Love by Selena Gomez
Peak: #5 2016 Weeks on Chart: 15 Points: 1246
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 40
As “Same Old Love” reached its #5 peak in January, Selena Gomez got her 2016 off and running similar to her enormously successful 2015 campaign. She had two more Top 40 hits off Revival in 2016 with “Hands To Myself” and “Kill Em With Kindness,” both of which were featured in frequently-seen commercials. Her duet with Charlie Puth also hit it big this year, but more on that when it arrives on the countdown.
#64: What Do You Mean? by Justin Bieber
Peak: #5 (#1 in 2015) 2016 Weeks on Chart: 16 Points: 1285
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 31
One would have assumed that Justin Bieber’s first career Number One hit would have more lasting fanfare. In somewhat of an embarrassment of riches, “What Do You Mean?” was quickly overshadowed in Bieber’s catalog by “Sorry” and “Love Yourself.” Nonetheless, it spent a solid four months finishing up its run in 2016 and initiating Bieber’s momentous year on the chart.
#63: Hymn For The Weekend by Coldplay
Peak: #25 2016 Weeks on Chart: 23 Points: 1299
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 73
One of 2016’s unsung heroes is the Norwegian production duo Seeb. They shot to recognition with their remix of Mike Posner’s “I Took A Pill In Ibiza,” they brought new life to Coldplay’s “Hymn For The Weekend.” Despite not getting the amount of Super Bowl-aided buzz as previous single “Adventure Of A Lifetime,” it actually spent more time on the Hot 100, due in no small part to the dancefloor-ready remix.
#62: Down In The DM by Yo Gotti f/Nicki Minaj
Peak: #13 2016 Weeks on Chart: 19 Points: 1319
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 69
Going right next to “Lost Boy” in my 2016 time capsule is Yo Gotti’s modernist classic “Down In The DM.” A fable about social networking, specifically Instagram direct messages, Snapchat, and Facetime, this lead single from The Art Of Hustle became one of the year’s biggest novelty hits. The Nicki Minaj remix not only helped “Down In The DM” reach a higher peak, but it ensure that Minaj would make a countdown appearance for her 7th consecutive year.
#61: Luv by Tory Lanez
Peak: #19 2016 Weeks on Chart: 22 Points: 1368
Billboard Year-End Ranking: 70
As the second single from Tory Lanez’s debut I Told You, “Luv” built well off the success of “Say It.” Slightly more uptempo than its predecessor, “Luv” was able to crack the Top 20, a rare feat for an R&B song without pop radio airplay. It spent fewer weeks on the Hot 100 than “Say It” but established Tory Lanez as 2016’s breakout star for R&B.
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That’s all for today! Tomorrow we’ll reach the halfway point of the countdown, so I’ll see you for a Christmas Eve edition of the 101 Biggest Hits with songs 60-51!
Until then,
Ryan
Milowickipedia 
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