Megahits of 2016: Piano Book

These arrangements capture the DNA of 2016's biggest songs without oversimplifying them. Coates balances singability with engaging left-hand voicings, so students get to play recognizable hits that actually sound like the recordings they know, not reductive versions that feel incomplete.

A collection that feels current and relevant. These are songs that dominated streaming and radio in 2016, so students encounter melodies they already know and can sing along with. The easy piano voicings let them focus on bringing out the emotional core of each piece rather than managing technical complexity.

Piano students at the early intermediate level who want to play recognizable contemporary music without struggling through dense arrangements. This book works especially well for students who learn faster with repertoire that excites them or those preparing for student recitals and informal performance settings.

• Pay attention to the specific rhythm patterns in each tune. "Work from Home" and "Sorry" have syncopation that defines their groove; locking into those rhythms makes the difference between playing the notes and playing the song.
• Use pedal strategically to enhance texture without muddying rapid passages. The arrangements include specific pedal markings that help sustain harmonies while keeping clarity where it matters.
• Lean into the dynamics marked in the score. Several of these pieces use contrasting sections (verse versus chorus energy), and respecting those shifts keeps the performance engaging.
• Approach the tempo as written for each song. These are arrangements of recordings students have heard; playing them at the right speed helps trigger recognition and makes practice more rewarding.

Assign individual songs from this collection as rewards or motivation builders within a lesson curriculum. The variety of styles (pop ballads, upbeat pop, country crossover, musical theater) means you can pull a single arrangement to complement other repertoire students are working on, or use several pieces as a themed recital program that celebrates music from a specific year.

• Playing syncopated rhythms in popular music contexts
• Interpreting dynamic and pedal markings to enhance arrangement texture
• Maintaining tempo control in contemporary song forms
• Translating recorded versions into authentic piano performance
• Reading and executing left-hand voicings in pop and country arrangements