A look back at the biggest hits of 2016

Media Release
21st December 2016

A look back at the biggest hits of 2016

As we wind down for the holiday season, Recorded Music New Zealand has revealed what music made Kiwis tick in 2016 with the release of the year’s Official NZ Top 40 Charts.

After skyrocketing to the top spot in 2015, Adele has demonstrated her staying power as 25 remains the bestselling album in New Zealand for the second year in a row.

2016 is the first year streaming figures were included in the Official NZ Album Charts and it provides insight into the shifting way people are listening to music. Justin Bieber’s fourth studio album Purpose was one of the most streamed albums in 2016 helping it reach #2 on the Albums Chart.

The most popular song of the year goes to Drake feat. Wizkid and Kayla for ‘One Dance’, which dominated the Singles Chart in 2016 holding the #1 spot for 13 weeks, the third longest streak ever.

Over the last 12 months there have been so many musical highs, however it’s important we recognise the lows. This year, we had several legendary artists leave us including David Bowie in January, Prince in April, Leonard Cohen in early November, and Kiwi legend Ray Columbus later in the month. This is reflected in the Top 40 Albums of 2016, where David Bowie features twice – at #4 for Nothing Has Changed and at #6 for his twenty-fifth and final album Blackstar.

Local legends Six60 and Sol3 Mio finished with the top local albums this year with Six60 (2) and On Another Note on the list at #11 and #12, respectively.

Kiwi sensations Broods charted at #21 with their sophomore album Conscious. It’s been an incredible year for the duo who recently took out five Tuis at the Vodafone NZ Music Awards.

Fellow Tui winner KINGS finished with the top local single in 2016, ‘Don’t Worry ‘Bout It’. The track has been the top Kiwi single for 23 weeks in a row and counting.

Recorded Music Data Manager Paul Kennedy applauds all the singles and albums which contributed to a fantastic year in music in 2016.

“It’s great to look back on 2016 and see all the tracks and albums that Kiwis loved. It’s always fantastic to see local musicians in the end of year charts. We have such an impressive local music scene, and it’s great to recognise the work and talent we foster as a nation.”

Over the past two years there has been a significant change to the charts with the inclusion of streaming data in the results. Statistics from major on-demand streaming services – including Apple Music, Spotify and Google Play – as well as figures from independent online platform Bandcamp aim to reflect the new ways New Zealanders collectively consume albums and singles.

About The Chart: The Chart is produced by Recorded Music New Zealand from statistics gathered from data collection agency RadioScope. For more information on the Official NZ Top 40 Chart, please see:

• www.nztop40.co.nz

• www.facebook.com/officialnzmusicchart

• www.twitter.com/officialnzchart

New Zealand Albums That Reached #1 in 2016
Aaradhna – Brown Girl
Anika Moa – Songs for Bubbas 2
Broods – Conscious
Devilskin – Be Like The River
Hollie Smith – Water or Gold
The Koi Boys – Meant To Be
Prince Tui Teka – E Ipo: The Very Best Of
Sol3 Mio – On Another Note

YouTube

Top 50 Singles:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ7xFcQsgX3zEO_p-TuZo_8iuUDKjInZl

Top 20 NZ Singles: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ7xFcQsgX3x8FlhfL8wFbx7EXu9S_RXF

Spotify

Top 50 Singles:
https://open.spotify.com/user/rianz/playlist/21UY30i6SangWHubSXHpYv

Top 20 NZ Singles:
https://open.spotify.com/user/rianz/playlist/2Jmj6k9nQxqDu6cdBq5s9D

Ends

About Recorded Music New Zealand: Recorded Music NZ is a non-profit industry representation and licensing organisation for recording artists and their labels. It divides its services into three main areas. The Member Services team delivers projects including the Vodafone NZ Music Awards, the weekly Official NZ Top40 Charts, the Music Grants programme and, with APRA, the NZ Music Hall of Fame. Recorded Music NZ’s licensing division administers broadcast and public performance licensing either directly or through its joint initiative with APRA called OneMusic. The Pro-Music team is dedicated to protecting and promoting the interests of artists and labels across the New Zealand recording industry.

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