2016 has been an inadequate year in many regards, and rock music was not immune. There were a lot of disappointments (Alter Bridge album, M. Shadows’ vocals), but 2016 did see the release of the best Green Day album since American Idiot, Avatar’s emergence as my breakthrough band of the year, and another phenomenal track from Ghost.
I was looking at my Best Songs of 2013 post (on my old blog here), and my situation was much different. In 2013, I ended up with a list of my top 29 (!!) songs from the year, because I couldn’t stand to leave off great songs. This year, it was very easy to limit my list to the top 15 songs, and I ended up only cutting two songs (“Nocturnal Me” by Ghost and “Where Do I Begin” by Sick Puppies) from my initial group of contenders. Due more to a lack of alternatives than a change in musical taste, this list features more metal songs than any of my previous Best Songs lists, but a few old favorites and a very familiar band in the top spot still make this a grouping of primarily well-established rock bands.
15. Tremonti – “Dust”
Chalk this one up as one of 2016’s disappointments. Maybe Mark Tremonti is stretching himself too thin by writing for Alter Bridge and his solo band, but the quality of both have significantly deteriorated recently. 2010’s ABIII (from Alter Bridge) and 2012’s All I Was (from Tremonti) are easily my favorite albums to feature Mark Tremonti’s writing and guitar work, but their successors (Fortress and Cauterize, respectively) were slightly less remarkable. Alter Bridge’s 2016 album The Last Hero (more about that later) and Tremonti’s Dust completed the progression from magnum opus to disappointment. The title track from Tremonti’s record is good, but not great. Tremonti seems to be more comfortable singing on his third album as a frontman, but the guitars and hooks on Dust lack the raw force and distinction of All I Was.
14. Avenged Sevenfold – “Angels”
If I could only listen to five albums from the 2010’s (or even the 21st century, maybe), there is no doubt that A7X’s Nightmare would be on that list. However, Avenged Sevenfold is still far from that caliber seven years after The Rev’s death and six years after their finest release. The good news: 2016’s The Stage is much better than 2013’s Hail to the King. Lead guitarist Synyster Gates is at his peak and with Mark Tremonti’s writing deficiencies subduing his playing quality, I’d have to choose Gates as the best guitarist in the world right now. The Stage is controlled by Gates, who is exponentially better than his peers on tracks like “Fermi Paradox,” “Higher,” and “Paradigm.” New drummer Brooks Wackerman is also much better than his predecessor, Arin Ilejay. But M. Shadows turned in his worst singing performance since Waking The Fallen on this album (more on that later), and his relative prowess in “Angels,” a more melodic track on The Stage, is what pushes the song above a few of Synyster Gates’ better guitar songs.
13. Metallica – “Moth Into Flame”
The release of a new Metallica album was a big deal for many in the world of rock music. I am not a huge fan of Metallica (I was much more excited, and subsequently dispirited, about a new Tool release), but there is no question that they have written some amazing songs in their long career. In my opinion, 2016’s Hardwired…to Self-Destruct featured a poor first single (the title track) but a solid second single in “Moth Into Flame.” Lars Ulrich’s drumming and the melodic vocals in the middle of the track remind me of the band’s best work in the 1980’s. Despite a good performance from Brooks Wackerman of Avenged Sevenfold (thankfully preceded by the dismissal of Arin Ilejay), Ulrich’s performance is my favorite drum track of this year.
12. Korn – “Take Me”
I thoroughly enjoyed Korn’s 2013 album, The Paradigm Shift, and while their new record The Serenity of Suffering has some good songs, I couldn’t help be see it as a slight step downwards. But “A Different World” and particularly “Take Me” represent some good songs on the release. “Take Me” reminds me a little of “Hater” from The Paradigm Shift and is a little repetitive, but it is great to bob your head to. And really, that’s what Korn is best at.
11. Gojira – “Silvera”
Gojira is not a new band, but they are new to me. And while I still do not enjoy their usual death metal style, the song “Silvera” from 2016’s Magma is hard to forget. Best guitar riff of 2016? It has to go to the unforgettable guitar work from “Silvera.” The chorus is also catchy and imaginative. Check out “Stranded” as well if you like this one.
10. Green Day – “Somewhere Now”
Green Day exceeded my highest expectations in their 2016 album Revolution Radio, with four songs that are significantly better than anything on 2009’s 21st Century Breakdown or 2012’s Uno!, Dos!, and Tre! “Somewhere Now” has a similar style to 21st Century Breakdown, but it somehow feels more authentic and musical. I also like the lyrics, which combine with the rest of the album lyrics to form a conceptually comparable style and caliber to 2004’s American Idiot. “Somewhere Now” barely knocks off “Troubled Times” from this album, which I would place at #12 on this list if I didn’t mind four Green Day songs on a Top 15 list.
9. Alter Bridge – “The Other Side”
As previously mentioned, I am unhappy with the quality of the new Alter Bridge album. “The Other Side” is really the only song from The Last Hero that I am genuinely sure that I like. Alter Bridge had reached a point, with 2007’s Blackbird and 2010’s ABIII, where they were produced some of the deepest records of any rock musician. But The Last Hero left a bitter taste in my mouth. The main single, “Show Me a Leader,” includes a section where Myles Kennedy sings many “oh-ohs” without providing actual lyrics, which I despise in music. “My Champion” is full of the dullest hackneyed lyrics. And most of the songs feature unimaginative lyrics coupled with musical sounds that are just too similar. I like hearing music that sounds a little different than the band’s previous efforts, and Show Me a Leader felt like a lazy repetition of ideas without Alter Bridge’s trademark imagery and lyrics. Anyway, the lone exception is “The Other Side,” which is more typical of what I was looking for from this album.
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Dark Necessities”
After 2011’s I’m With You, I was worried that the departure of guitarist John Frusciante had severely deteriorated RHCP’s capacity to write awesome, catchy songs (for the second time). But 2016’s The Getaway proved that the Red Hot Chili Peppers don’t need Frusciante when they have two of the world’s greatest songwriters: Anthony Kiedis and Flea. First of all, Flea is absolutely ridiculous on this record; he is hands-down the best bassist alive and he showed that he is still at his peak. No, The Getaway is not of the same caliber as RHCP’s three-album reign as maybe the best band in the world (Californication, By The Way, and Stadium Arcadium). But it is an excellent addition to the Chili Peppers’ discography. “Dark Necessities,” the lead single, is classic RHCP, with head-bopping bass licks, Kiedis’ combination of staccatoed and melodic vocals, and a trademark sound that can’t help but make you smile.
7. Green Day – “Bang Bang”
When Green Day released this song back in August, I was pretty sure it would end up #1 on this list. But it was overplayed on the radio and on TV, and some other songs upstaged it. I said before that this was Green Day’s best album since American Idiot, and the political message of “Bang Bang” harkens to the blunt lyrics of “American Idiot” and “Holiday.” Singing from the perspective of a mass shooter, Billie Joe Armstrong sets the stage for skin-crawling lyrics and an awesome punk beat. Not to mention I really want one of those masks in the music video. Sure, Green Day is much more mainstream than it should be as a punk rock outfit, but they use their fame while maintaining their original punk ideas. I had forgotten Green Day could do that after 21st Century Breakdown and the 2012 trilogy of albums, but Revolution Radio returned to punk Green Day.
6. Avenged Sevenfold – “The Stage”
After the rock anthems and Metallica plagiarisms prevalent in Hail to the King, the release of “The Stage” from Avenged Sevenfold’s 2016 album of the same name blew me away for its classic A7X style. This track feels more at home on City of Evil or Avenged Sevenfold amongst their releases, and is the better for it. Synyster Gates is absurd, the drums remind me of The Rev, and M. Shadows, Zacky Vengeance, and Johnny Christ deliver. A7X is one of the biggest names in hard rock/metal because of its technical ability (hello Synyster), a heavy, frantic rhythm section, and M. Shadows alternating between angry verse and melodic choruses that invite you to sing along. “The Stage” features all of these aspects, and while it does not reach the level of “Buried Alive” or “Save Me,” it stands out as easily the best Avenged Sevenfold song in six years.
5. Circus Maximus – “The Weight”
I was lucky enough to see a Circus Maximus concert earlier this year when I was in England (they have never played in the U.S.), and while they did not play my favorite Circus Maximus song (“Last Goodbye”), they did play this one. “The Weight,” off 2016’s Havoc, was my favorite progressive metal song of the year. The clean vocals and guitar offer a welcome change from the death metal bands in a similar musical category. Plus, positive lyrics and a great bridge make “The Weight” stand out from other songs on Havoc.
4. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Sick Love”
I sometimes feel like I only listen to dark, depressing songs. The Red Hot Chili Peppers are a true exception, particularly in this song. It’s a bit lighter than the typical RHCP hit, but it’s catchy (in a good way) and fun. The Getaway was one of my favorite albums of the year, and “The Longest Wave” and “We Turn Red” are other tracks deserving a listen.
3. Avatar – “The Eagle Has Landed”
Every year I determine a band that I think has released a break-through album, one that shows the band will eventually become a big headlining act. In 2012 it was Halestorm, I picked Ghost in 2013, and Nothing More in 2014. While Halestorm followed The Strange Case Of… with a terrible album in 2015 (Into The Wild Life), Ghost became the favorite newer band of many metal fans. I fully believe Nothing More will expand upon their awesome self-titled 2014 record with their new one next year. In 2015, with much more limited competition, my choice was Red Sun Rising, who are good but not great. My choice this year? Avatar, a melodic death metal band that has been around for awhile but put out easily their best release with 2016’s Feathers & Flesh. This might be the deepest (read: not best, but most complete) album of the year, featuring tracks like “House of Eternal Hunt,” “For The Swarm,” and “New Land,” among others. The standout song is “The Eagle Has Landed,” which is hard to stop listening to once you get the chorus in your head. Headbanging to the beat rarely feels so natural while singing along with Johannes Eckerstrom. Ghost was the first Swedish metal band with a costumed frontman to take over the rock world, and ladies and gentlemen, Avatar may just be the second.
2. Green Day – “Revolution Radio”
The title track from Green Day’s new album may be, dare I say it, the best Green Day song not named “Jesus of Suburbia” or originating from a certain Dookie. If I had the choice to pick five songs for Billie Joe to give a private concert, “Revolution Radio” would be on that list. It’s punk, it is easy to sing along, the lyrics are awesome, and Tré Cool lays down a great punk drum beat. Revolution Radio has some poor songs; it is certainly not as complete as American Idiot. But it is my favorite album of the year because of the five songs I do like (the three on this list plus “Troubled Times” and “Still Breathing“).
1. Ghost – “Square Hammer”
In an unprecedented feat, Ghost has released my favorite song of the year two years in a row. Last year my top song was “Cirice” (also the best music video), from the best album of 2015 (Meliora). Ghost released an EP titled Popestar this year, which included “Square Hammer” and four covers. “Square Hammer” is just absolutely amazing; every aspect of the song, from the instrumentals to the vocals to the sheer musical power of Ghost, firmly places it head and shoulders above the rest of the 2016 pack. The chorus will stay with you for a long time; it has a hook that surpasses any song not named “Cirice” released over the last few years. And I can’t help but imitate Papa’s conducting as each magnificent guitar riff is performed. Thinking about Ghost as I write this, they have gone from a really good band to my third-favorite group (after the Foo Fighters and Rise Against) since the release of Meliora and Popestar. I really wanted to place another Popestar song on this list, “Nocturnal Me,” but I decided not to because it was a cover. “I Believe” and “Missionary Man” are two other powerful cover songs on Popestar. Papa Emeritus III will be missed, but I can’t wait for the next Ghost album with Papa IV. Papa is really just the figurehead, albeit a good one. The music is being written by the Nameless Ghouls, who are at the top of their game. In the meantime, I will listen to the chorus of “Square Hammer” on repeat until Papa IV makes his first appearance.
Sure, 2016 was not a great year for rock music. But it did produce some amazing music from Ghost, Green Day, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, along with some great songs by other artists. And we have 2017 to look forward to, which will include albums from AFI, Dead Sara, Marilyn Manson and Nothing More. Who knows? Maybe we will see albums from Alice in Chains, Evanescence, Foo Fighters, Ghost, Tool, Rise Against, System of a Down, Soundgarden, and Stone Sour as well. I am extremely excited for the new releases by Nothing More and Dead Sara (who I should have chosen for break-out band in 2012), and I am holding out hope (for the second year running) for a new Tool record.
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