World Cafe's Top 10 Songs Of 2016 (So Far)
From
From Lake Street Dive to The Lumineers, these are some of public radio's favorites from 2016. Courtesy of the artists. hide caption
From Lake Street Dive to The Lumineers, these are some of public radio's favorites from 2016.
Courtesy of the artists.We're halfway through 2016, which means it's time to look back at the music that's stood out so far this year. NPR Music has weighed in on the year's best albums and songs; now, we're assessing what's actually been embraced by public radio stations across the country. In World Cafe's first-ever "Public Radio Top 10" countdown, hear the songs that have been played the most by noncommercial rock stations and hosts.
The music world is so broad and so diverse — even splintered — that a list like this can only sample a small section of the great music that's been released so far this year. With that in mind, enjoy the 10 most-played songs in 2016 so far, as reported by the Friday Morning Quarterback Triple-A radio chart — then go tune in to your local station and hear even more.
Public Radio's Top 10 Songs Of 2016 (So Far)
Painting Of A Panic Attack. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
10. Frightened Rabbit, 'Get Out'
- from Painting Of A Panic Attack
"Get Out," the No. 10 song in our countdown, from the album Painting Of A Panic Attack, is a real breakthrough for the Scottish band Frightened Rabbit. Ten years after forming in Glasgow, Scott Hutchison and his bandmates have released a song that clearly resonates with U.S. listeners.
Side Pony Courtesy of the artist hide caption
9. Lake Street Dive, 'Call Off Your Dogs'
- from Side Pony
What a phenomenon Lake Street Dive is. The band sounds like little else in 2016, with bits of jazz and Motown mixed into its yet up-to-date sound. As great a powerhouse lead singer as Rachael Price is, it's the cohesion of all four band members that makes Lake Street Dive's newest album, Side Pony, unique. There's even a disco vibe in our No. 9 song, "Call Off Your Dogs."
Let Me Get By. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
8. Tedeschi Trucks Band, 'Anyhow'
- from Let Me Get By
Singer Susan Tedeschi and guitarist Derek Trucks make great partners in life and in music. In 2016, they and the Tedeschi Trucks Band made the Trucks-produced album Let Me Get By. Tedeschi really nails our No. 8 song, "Anyhow," adding a little blues grit to the countdown.
7. The Jayhawks, 'Quiet Corners And Empty Spaces'
- from Paging Mr. Proust
The Minneapolis band The Jayhawks has two distinct incarnations: one led by both Gary Louris and Mark Olson, and the other with Louris as sole frontman. The success of the band's latest album, Paging Mr. Proust, stands as a big vote for the latter version of The Jayhawks. "Quiet Corners And Empty Spaces" is the band's most successful song in years and makes the top 10 at No. 7.
PersonA. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
6. Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, 'No Love Like Yours'
- from PersonA
Alex Ebert is the man behind the Edward Sharpe "persona" alluded to in the title of the band's newest album. In a forthcoming World Cafe interview, Ebert says he'd felt restrained by the ill-defined "Edward Sharpe" and wanted to walk away from it, which explains the crossed-out name on the album cover. By any name, the band's song "No Love Like Yours" captured hearts and ears and is No. 6 in our countdown.
Dig In Deep. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
5. Bonnie Raitt, 'Gypsy In Me'
- from Dig In Deep
Let's hear it for the old guard. Ten-time Grammy winner Bonnie Raitt, who's been making blues-based music since the 1970s, is still incredibly relevant in 2016. Her album Dig In Deep is filled with R&B-inflected singing and her slashing slide-guitar work. "Gypsy In Me" is the song that captured listeners, coming in at No. 5.
Give It Back To You. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
4. The Record Company, 'Off The Ground'
- from Give It Back to You
The only brand-new band to debut in our top 10, The Record Company lands at No. 4. The Los Angeles band was inspired by the blues-and-boogie combination its members heard on a vinyl copy of Hooker 'N Heat, made in 1970 by the legendary bluesman John Lee Hooker and the band Canned Heat. The Record Company's rocked-up blues sound on the song "Off The Ground" captured public radio.
Cleopatra. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
3. The Lumineers, 'Ophelia'
- from Cleopatra
The Denver trio The Lumineers took its time working on the follow-up to its multi-platinum debut, which had had an impact like few other folk-rock albums. The first song released from Cleopatra was "Ophelia," which comments on the band's meteoric rise. Just a few spins shy of the No. 2 spot in our countdown, it lands at No. 3.
2. Andrew Bird, 'Capsized'
- from Are You Serious
When he set out to make his new album, violinist, songwriter and singer Andrew Bird felt it was time for a change in approach. Are You Serious, released in April, is Bird's most personal yet; he also wanted it to be his most direct. It worked: "Capsized" comes in at No. 2.
1. Ray LaMontagne, 'Hey, No Pressure'
- from Ouroboros
Ray LaMontagne refuses to stand still musically. Beloved for his first album in 2004 and the song "Trouble," he's been defying listener expectations all along the way. This year, LaMontagne released Ouroboros, an album-length psychedelic masterpiece. Its lead song, "Hey, No Pressure," captured the No. 1 position in our countdown.