Best Selling Songs of 2016: Bieber, Rihanna, Twenty One Pilots Among This Year's Top 10 [VIDEO]
Music continues to expand and evolve into different genres and subgenres, but 10 songs managed to connect all sorts of music lovers in 2016.
Streaming continues to become a major force in the music industry, but the art of buying and properly owning music remains even in 2016. Nielsen Music has now compiled a ranking of the best-selling songs of 2016, providing a nice time capsule for the year in music.
Check out the list below:
10. Sia featuring Sean Paul - "Cheap Thrills"
Sia managed to create another smash hit with "Cheap Thrills", a unique pop song that sold 1.67 million copies in 2016, on top of the 6,000 it sold in 2015. Sean Paul's addition to the track proved to be the key crossover inclusion the song needed to become a huge hit single. It is currently nominated for Record of the Year at the upcoming Grammys.
9. Rihanna featuring Drake - "Work"
Another song nominated for Record of the Year, Rihanna and Drake's "Work" collaboration was another winning single for the duo, following "What's My Name?", "Take Care" and "Too Good". The song sold 1,758,000 copies in 2016, helping make Rihanna's Anti album one of the top-selling albums of 2016.
8. The Chainsmokers featuring Daya - "Don't Let Me Down"
"Don't Let Me Down" became The Chainsmokers' first top 5 song on the Hot 100 thanks to their collaboration with newer artist Daya. The dance track has sold 1,763,000 copies.
7. Justin Bieber - "Love Yourself"
One of many hits for Bieber over the past two years, "Love Yourself" clearly resonated with his young fans as well as those who weren't necessarily fans of his. The acoustic track, nominated for Song of the Year at the Grammys, sold 1.8 million copies in 2016, on top of the 916,000 copies it sold in 2015, making it one of his most popular songs in his career.
6. Twenty One Pilots - "Stressed Out"
Twenty One Pilots' anthem on insecurity and the desire to turn back time is the most successful rock song of the year. "Stressed Out", another song nominated for Record of the Year, has sold 1,839,000 copies in 2016, adding on to the 652,000 in 2015.
5. Drake featuring WizKid and Kyla - "One Dance"
Drake's "One Dance" collaboration with WizKid and Kyla sold a whopping 1,982,000 copies in 2016. This is actually the first time Drake has had a top 10 hit (let alone top 5) at the end of the year.
4. Lukas Graham - "7 Years"
New group Lukas Graham broke out in a major way with their generational anthem "7 Years". The piano ballad sold 2,089,000 copies in 2016, on top of the 29,000 it sold in 2015. The song is nominated for both Record and Song of the Year at the Grammys.
3. The Chainsmokers featuring Halsey - "Closer"
The Chainsmokers show up again on the top 10 with their duet with Halsey, "Closer". The song sold 2,124,000 copies and was the no. 1 song on the Hot 100 for a whopping 12 weeks.
2. Flo Rida - "My House"
While Flo Rida has often found success in his collaboration with other artists, his solo endeavor, "My House" ranked as the no. 2 best-selling song of 2016. The party dance anthem sold 2,217,000 copies in 2016, in addition to the 515,000 it managed in 2015.
1. Justin Timberlake - "Can't Stop the Feeling!"
Millions flocked to buy Timberlake's first song since his 20/20 Experience album. "Can't Stop the Feeling!", which was written for the Trolls movie, sold an amazing 2,438,000 copies in 2016, all the more impressive considering it was released in May. It seems that the love for Timberlake is widespread in the music buying market.
