Hey all, so I wanted to compile my list of favourite things for 2016. However, I’m not doing it alone. I’ve brought in some of my previous collaborators from Geeked to discuss their favourite picks of the year. You can find their social media links at the end of the article. Enjoy!

 

Zoe – Alive by Sia

My favourite song of 2016 was Alive by Sia. 2016 was a challenging year, and Alive as a song has this energy to it that made it the perfect song to unwind with. I’ve always been a fan of Sia, even before she got her big break in America. The imagery of the lyrics are so strong that I can picture them so vividly, and working in videography, that’s an important aspect for me. ‘Alive’ has so much passion and movement, and I always love to repeat “I’m still breathing, I’M AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”

Zoe can be found on her website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter at zebrafishdm.

Harry – Catch Fire by Periphery

Picking one song that came out this year would have to be one of the most difficult choices I have had to deal with this year. As an avid metal fan, I have been gifted so many great albums this year such as Architect’s “All Our Gods Have Abandoned Us”, Hacktivist’s “Outside the Box” and my favourite album of the year, Periphery’s “Periphery III: Select Difficulty”. Now I am a bit biased here as Periphery has been my favourite band for years now, so I will always drift towards their music, but there was something about the album that had me hooked from the first song to the last. Every song is a perfect demonstration of each member’s talent, Matt Halpern uses his vast knowledge of musical timing to greatly enhance the beats of every song, Spencer Sotelo’s incredible vocal range still gives me goosebumps, the trio of guitarists; Misha Mansoor, Jake Bowen and Mark Holcomb use their different styles to give songs the punch they need, whilst also giving the listener some insane solos, all of which is cohesively meshed together by the bass prowess of Adam “Nolly” Getgood. Everything from this album fits so perfectly that I can only listen to it all the way through to fully appreciate its masterpiece.

If I had my way, I would put the whole album as my favourite song, but unfortunately, I have to pick one out of the 11 songs, each with its unique styles and sounds, but that’s what I love so much about Periphery, no two songs ever sound the same. However, there was one song that stuck out to me the first time I heard it. Track 10. “Catch Fire” starts off quite slowly but then blasts into a punchy and catchy tune which makes the hair on my arms stand every time I listen to it. It has a pop sound to it that even people unfamiliar with Periphery’s music will enjoy. The odd time signatures Periphery uses is so different to the basic music made by a whole heap of artists and add that with Spencer’s incredible voice, it creates one of the best songs of the year and possibly, one of my favourites of all time.

Harry can be found on his Instagram at strangerthings47.

 

Zach – Lazarus by David Bowie

It had to be. It simply had to be. I love me some David Bowie. Under Pressure is probably my favourite song of all time. Lazarus was released around the time of David Bowie’s death, and I heard it after his death. The song is Bowie’s personal requiem. The song is reflective on his life and legacy. The song is slow and mournful, but with a strong beat that plays perfectly against Bowie’s strong, deliberate voice, which delivers each line with an air of melancholy. Lazarus is a song that hits you in the gut with its mood, and if that ain’t 2016, I don’t know what is.

 

Tell me if you want to hear more from these guys in 2017. Want to support me? I’m on Patreon.