Repeat Offenders: 31 of the Catchiest and Most Addictive Rock, Metal and Punk/Hardcore Songs of 2016! [w/ Playlist]

We all have to deal with repeat offenders sometimes, you know, those damn songs that you just can’t help but love and listen to over and over again. It’s been an interesting year in rock music to say the least. You could say that it was the year of the old band as we had several releases from classic groups including Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica and Rob Zombie. We were also overburdened with a ton of horrible pop and even mainstream rock music, but let’s just pretend that just never happened. After careful consideration, our staff has curated an unquestionable list of the top 31 catchiest and most addictive rock, metal and punk/hardcore songs of 2016. Now let’s all relax, grab a beer, kick back and relive our favorite songs of the year.

01. Red Hot Chili Peppers – “Go Robot”
– It may not be a conventional modern rock track, but there’s no denying that the second single from RHCP’s 2016 album The Getaway is one of those tracks you just can’t help skipping ahead to. What’s so addictive about this song is its funky rock flavor with a splash of disco zest. It’s kind of a new sound but still feels old school for a band that never seems to get old. -Aaron Willschick

02. Monolord – “Lord of Suffering”
– The RidingEasy Records doom giants following up their 2015 beast of a record with this 7″ single. Lyrics aside, the crushing and meditative riff of this song will keep you humming all day! -Daniel Paul

03. Fizzy Blood – “Animals”
– It’s exactly the kind of earworm the British are legendary for, and has more replayability than most of the singles masquerading as heavy or alternative rock these days. Raucous, full of swagger yet deprecating and incisive, and mostly just rock as fuck: this is the single that doesn’t so much ask as it takes plays from the listener. -Lance Marwood

04. Volbeat – “Seal The Deal”
– I can’t get this tune out of my head, pure rock n’ roll guitar riffs, deep bass and thunderous drum beats all held seamlessly together by Michael Poulsen’s unique vocal skills. It seals the deal so I can boogie for a while! Even without the actual presence of the song, I find myself humming it to myself in earshot of passers by. -Damian Fitzgerald

05. Rival Sons – “Thundering Voices”
– This is my absolute favourite song of 2016. I can’t get enough of the powerful guitar/bass intro – It knocks you back and grabs your attention. Contrasted with the ethereal voice and lyrics of Jay Buchanan singing a capella in the bridge. – Olivia Johnston

06. BABYMETAL – “Karate”
– The thumping heaviness of the intro evolves into a truly beautiful chorus and soon culminating in a stunning, goosebump-inducing outro. It’s the rarest of metal songs that gets you fired up in the beginning, and makes you tear up at the end. -Jeremy Price

07. Metallica – “Moth Into The Flame”
– It’s not the kind of song that blows you away, musically speaking, the first time you listen to it. However, after several plays you feel strangely drawn to it, especially because of its catchy main melodic motif, the infectious combination of sharp riffing and solid drumming and undeniable epic scope. Definitely a winner for Metallica! -Ramon Martos

08. Kvelertak – “1985”
– As I wrote with such marginal eloquence in Terrorizer Magazine earlier this year: “‘1985’ is a departure from the usual fare the sextet have delivered over the course of their nine year career as the blackness and crusty punk elements take a backseat to the sort of down-picked, cruisin’-down-the-motorway riff that AC/DC cranked out on ‘Back In Black’ that’s uncharacteristically sparser, simpler, more anthemic and brimming with populist appeal than we’ve become accustomed to from the band. If ever Kvelertak wrote a tune that rocked out with its proverbial cock out, it’s ‘1985,’” -KSP

09. Letlive. – “A Weak Ago”
– One of the most hooky tracks off letlives, awesome new album, “A Weak Ago” not only has a real sassy swagger about it but has the kind of infectiously infuriating hooks that sticks in your head and doesn’t let go. Ever. -Graham Finney

10. Megadeth – “Dystopia”
– You can never go wrong with Megadeth. And for me, this album shows that although Dave Mustang is up in the years, he has not lost his edge. -Benny Henderson Jr.

11. A Day To Remember – “Paranoia”
– With a catchy chorus and supremely satisfying breakdown, “Paranoia” proves that A Day To Remember won’t stop churning out hits anytime soon. -Jeremy Price

12. Sum 41 – “War”
– From their new album “13 Voices”, War has been my favorite song of the year. After waiting years for new Sum 41 songs, they didn’t disappoint with their album and honestly every song is great, but the feeling they put behind this one, its a little bit of a new sound for them, it’s a less poppy than their regular songs and its played really powerfully. I’ve listen to this album 100 times and don’t get tired of it. -Rachel Amato

13. Kroh – “Mother Serpent”
– From their beast of an album ‘Altars’, I can listen to this with earphones, in a nightclub, or at any other time for that matter, bless this filthy doomy outfit. The voice of their siren Oliwia Sobieszek goes leaps in making that happen effortlessly and often. -Mathieu Sankeralli

14. Animals As Leaders – “The Brain Dance”
– There’s a gentle joy in this song, dappled and intricate as the pattern made by sunlight shining through a forest canopy. -Jeremy Price

15. The Dead Love – “Wastelands”
– Jesus Christoper, when that chorus hits it’s goosebumps central! Originally released as a single on January 15th this track was also included on the band’s full-length, So Whatever, which dropped on September 9th. “Wastelands” is a perfect introduction to what is currently, in my opinion, the best grunge rock band in the world, let alone Australia. -Christopher Gonda

16. The Tragically Hip – “In A World Possessed By The Human Mind”
– The Hip has obviously been on everyone’s mind this year, but this is a stand out track on their newest album. It’s a mellow, easy listen that picks up in the middle, featuring the poetic lyrics we’ve come to expect from The Hip with Gord’s forget-me-not vocals. -Emily Misurec

17. Rob Zombie – “Well, Everybody’s Fucking in a U.F.O.”
– This song is simple, cheesy, and downright silly. But, I just cannot get enough of this catchy little tune. It has that Primus “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver” comical feel to it. -Benny Henderson Jr.

18. Katatonia – “Decima”
– Melancholy, haunting melody; enough that when I first heard it, my eyes were blurred with tears. Akin to what I think makes Katatonia Katatonia. -Danielle Masek

19. 3Teeth – “Degrade”
– We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, 3Teeth are the single best thing to happen to industrial music in the past decade. “Degrade” was my introduction to this band and I think EVERYONE should hear this song first. It’s got groove, a dark atmosphere, creepy, sinister vibe and somehow, each and every time, without fail, the chorus gives me Herculean strength allowing me to bash through any obstacle in my way. -Christopher Gonda

20. Bullet For My Valentine – “Don’t Need You”
– One of their best songs in years (maybe ever), Bullet For My Valentine delivers a disciplined dose of savagery with a wicked cool music video to boot. -Jeremy Price

21. The Temperance Movement – “White Bear”
– It’s the old-but-new style of The Temperance Movement and the soul of “White Bear” that hooks me every time. This pretty much applies for their whole album, White Bear, which they released in January 2016. -Olivia Johnston

22. Badflower – “Animal”
– It’s kind of sexy, and I love the driving guitar riff at the beginning of the song. -Emily Misurec

23. Drowning Pool – “By the Blood”
– When people hear the name Drowning Pool they automatically think of their signature song, “Bodies”. But the band has so much more to offer up and I honestly dig their entire new album, Hellelujah, with “By the Blood” being a stand-out track. -Benny Henderson Jr.

24. Saint Agnes – “Merry Mother of God Go Round”
– Released on December 8th via Death or Glory Gang Records, Saint Agnes’ “Merry Mother of God Go Round” is yet another one of those songs that NEVER gets boring; after 25+ streams I still haven’t heard this song enough. The psychedelic rock quartet hail from East London and entirely hit the mark with this single. The vocals, the vocal harmonies, the simple-yet-powerful drums and especially the oh-so-perfectly-fuzzy guitars just hammer it all home! -Christopher Gonda

25. Dark Sarah – “Dance with the Dragon” (feat. JP Leppäluoto)
– I’m not usually one for drama-filled orchestral/musical style metal, but this was an exception. The chorus is larger than life melodic drama, and the heavy parts accent the song perfectly. -Danielle Masek

26. Ghost – “Square Hammer”
– The hooks, harmonic chorus, and organ all make this song hella catchy. It’s fast, to the point, and sure to get stuck in your head. -Emily Misurec

27. Metallica – “Hardwired”
– Metallica doesn’t pull any punches with this one, delivering one of their most punishing tracks in years. Once again, the masters of unbridled aggression remind us why they’re on top. -Jeremy Price

38. Avatar – “For the Swarm”
– Again, speaking of being catchy, this one has a heavy dose of catchy all through it. It is just a short piece of kick-ass music that I just can’t seem to get tired of. Check it out, you won’t be able to forget it. -Benny Henderson Jr.

29. In Flames – “The End”
– Few bands can blend the metallic with the melodic quite like In Flames, as shown here to stunning effect.-Jeremy Price

30. Sum 41 – “Goddamn I’m Dead Again”
– With its breakneck pace and blistering guitar solos, this is the sound of a band having fun. And yeah, the feeling is pretty contagious. -Jeremy Price

31. Protest The Hero – “Caravan”
– Blending fast and slow, heavy and light, “Caravan” is perhaps the strongest song off Protest’s latest EP, and its thought-provoking lyrics are the perfect cherry on top. -Jeremy Price