Listening to music from the iconic year 2016 is always a nostalgic and pleasant escape from the present. So many songs of today are influenced by the hits of the Summer of ’16, and these are the cream of the crop.

Lemonade- Beyonce: No one can deny that this album is a statement in the music industry. This surprise drop served as a reminder that Beyonce was, and still is one of the top influencers of r&b. It’s intimate, strong and will always be memorable.

Blonde- Frank Ocean: This is my favorite album ever written and one of the most beautiful. Ocean published the masterpieces “Ivy”, “Self-Control”, “Nights” and “Godspeed” all in one album, proving his talent and diversity.

Views- Drake: This chill, emotional album was one of the staples of Summer ’16. “Take Care” ft. Rihanna is still played on the radio today and is one of the rare songs that everyone knows at a party. “Summers Over Interlude” is a beautiful short song that’s influenced many R&B to come.

The life of Pablo- Kanye: This was an iconic album, and my personal favorite from Kanye. “Ultralight Beam” and “Father Stretch My Hands pt. 1” are still played and raged about every day, and rightfully so. This is one of Kanye’s most well-known albums because of the catchiness of tracks like “I Love Kanye”.

Anti- Rihanna: Last but certainly not least, this is Rihanna’s latest and possibly the most popular album. “Love On the Brain” was a massive influence on music because of how creative and soulful it was. “Needed Me” is still played on the radio daily and enjoyed by everyone.

While these albums ruled the music industry for years after 2016, singles should be just as appreciated. “What do you mean” by Justin Bieber and “Hello” by Adele are historic songs that can be sung by everyone.

2016 is one of the most memorable years for music because of all of the albums and singles that bonded everyone and influenced music for years to come.