If I’m completely honest, 2016 was the year of Hamilton for me. I loved the experiences I had with other music, theater, and film, but all things Lin-Manuel Miranda were highlighted my year. I’d like to note that I’m not just bandwagoning, because I wrote about Hamilton in my 2015 Pop Culture Year in Review post, and was preaching the gospel of Ham long before most people had heard of it.
But this post isn’t supposed to just be about my #1 love of the year, it’s about all the things that kept me entertained in 2016. So here goes!
Favorite New Albums of 2016:
Hamilton Mixtape
Ben Folds and yMusic – So There
Fitz and the Tantrums – Fitz and the Tantrums
Lindsey Stirling – Brave Enough
Ingrid Michaelson – It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense
Dotan – 7 Layers
Regina Spektor – Remember Us to Life
Tom Chaplin – The Wave
Favorite Movies Seen in 2016:
Moana
La La Land
Rogue One
Sully
Arrival
Southside with You
Star Trek Beyond
Bad Moms
Passengers
Favorite TV Shows of 2016:
Modern Family
Scandal
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
House of Cards
How to Get Away with Murder
Westworld
Silicon Valley
Favorite Podcasts of 2016:
The Hamilcast
The Room Where It’s Happening
Gilmore Guys
Reply All
StartUp
How I Built This
The Sporkful
Stuff Mom Never Told You
Planet Money
Death, Sex and Money
Concerts and Live Performances Attended in 2016:
Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theater, London
Guys and Dolls at the Phoenix Theater, London
In the Heights at King’s Cross Theater, London
Matilda at Fisher Theater
Muse at Joe Louis Arena
Ben Folds feat. yMusic at The Fillmore Detroit
Anything Goes at Royal Oak High School
Annie at Warren Civic Theater
Honk! at Stagecrafters
Favorite YouTube Videos Released in 2015:
Michelle Obama Carpool Karaoke
“Can’t Stop the Feeling” – Justin Timberlake
Adele Carpool Karaoke
“Wait for It” – Musicality (Hamilton Cover)
“Homeward Bound” – BYU Vocal Point ft. All-American Boys Chorus
“History Has Its Eyes On You/Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)” – Hamilton Cast at the 70th Annual Tony Awards
“Thought Bubbles” – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
“It Was a Sh*t Show” – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
“The Math of Love Triangles” – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
“Love Kernels” – Crazy Ex-Girlfriend