While SoundCloud's future might still be up in the air (especially if Google buys them), that doesn't mean they can't look into their past. In a blog post that dropped earlier today, the streaming service posted a look at the biggest albums and artists from 2016, and if you follow popular trends, you shouldn't be too surprised.
To the shock of no one, Chance The Rapper's latest release, Coloring Book, has been deemed to be their top album of 2016. In terms of the "favorite track" of 2016, that distinction goes to Desiigner, whose hit single "Panda" was so huge that it ended up on Kanye's The Life of Pablo. Lil Uzi Vert also got major burn with his designation as being the most followed artist of 2016.
Now when it comes to the most creative cities on SoundCloud over the last 12 months, you're going to be getting more fresh material from London, Los Angeles, New York City, Hanoi, and Cairo than you will out of other areas. And what five genres are top on the SoundCloud site? House, hip-hop, pop, electronic, and rock.
Finally, one of the most interesting bits of information is the most buzz-worthy tags on the site; these can help you figure out what the future of music will be. You're probably familiar (or could guess at) what #TRAPSOUL and/or #LatinTrap are, but if you're truly up on the sounds of #phonk, #vaporwave, and #retrowave, you might be a real one (or at least have your finger on the pulse).
Do SoundCloud's findings align with how you consume music and what's popping off in your town? Let us know.
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