2026 is here, putting us exactly 10 years out from the glorious year of joy and whimsy that was 2016. If you’ve been on social media lately, you’ve likely seen the droves of people posting pictures of themselves from 2016. It was a simpler time with no AI slop, significantly less endless scrolling, and a pervasive sense of maximalist optimism. This week at Lightning 100, the interns take a look back at some of their favorite tracks from the year.
Sally’s Pick- “Best To You” by Blood Orange
2016 was an influential year for culture and music. With so many great albums, it’s difficult to pick just one track to represent such an iconic year. I landed on the song “Best To You” from Blood Orange’s 2016, cult classic album, Freetown Sound. Dev Hynes, also known as Blood Orange, has been one of the most unique sounding and influential producers and artists of the past decade. This track is danceable yet alive with emotion. It features standout vocals from Empress Of and one of Blood Orange’s most infectious beats to date. Although there was a lot of quality music from the year 2016, this song is the best to me.
Chloe’s Pick – “Daft Pretty Boys” by Bad Suns
My intern pick for this week is the indie rock band Bad Suns and their song “Daft Pretty Boys” from their 2016 album Disappear Here. I am super excited to listen to this song this coming summer, just as I did when I discovered it in middle school. The lyrics detail the age-old story of unrequited love and unattainable girls, a well known experience to many an indie rock boy. This song has an air of hopeless optimism with its upbeat guitars and boomy drums, very telling of its era, and lyrics like, “Girl you waste your time on daft, pretty boys, Got no time to waste on another pretty face.” But my favorite part is the sharp, loud bass that jumps in right after the start of the first verse, almost like it’s teasing the singer! I recommend listening to the whole album if you want to be transported back to a time when love was messy and honest and exclusive to humans… not AI chat-bot girlfriends.
Alex’s Pick- “Ride” by Twenty One Pilots
“Ride” was released May 2015 and by September 2016, the song peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. I remember being in 6th grade when this song played over the gym speakers at the 6th grade dance. The line “Oh, I’m falling, So I’m takin’ my time on my ride” is a freeing surrender to the passage of time. This sentiment is one I would like to bring with me in the year of 2026 as I navigate my 20s!
Abby’s Pick- “Cold Water” by Major Lazer, Justin Bieber, and MØ
2016 was marked by a plague of iconic trends: the mannequin challenge, Musica.ly (RIP), skinny jeans, and, of course, Beyoncé’s Lemonade album. But Beyoncé was not the only artist to have a great year in 2016; Justin Bieber led the charts, riding off the wave of his sixth studio album, Purpose. “Cold Water” was a staple song in 2016, echoing around middle school dance hallways and replaying on the radio. To me, this song was constantly stuck in my head, with its catchy beat and techno style. The lyrics emanate a feeling of coming together to face the world head-on, and with its pop and electronic style, the listener feels that sense of togetherness. It was a new genre I was not familiar with, and neither was the music world. 2016 was the year of new trends and new music, which resonates today.
Until next time,
The Interns
