2016 in music review: Part 1

2016 hasn't, for most of us, been the smoothest of years - but it has been another big year for pop. While we wait to see what's in store for us in 2017, let's look back at some of the biggest stories of the last 12 months...

David Bowie – the loss of an icon

2016’s reputation for being a miserable year started off with the sad passing of rock legend David Bowie, who died of cancer in January, just days after releasing his final album Blackstar. Fans across the world were devastated by the loss of their idol, and tributes flooded in from a host of stars who’d been influenced and inspired by Bowie.

Among the homages were an energetic medley by Lady Gaga at the GRAMMYs, and an emotional performance by Lorde at the BRIT Awards. Bowie’s albums and singles returned to the chart and the world fell in love with his music all over again.

MORE: Look back through David Bowie's complete Official UK Chart history

It was a bumper BRIT Awards for Adele

2015 was the year we welcomed Adele back to the fold, and the British music industry showed its gratitude at this year's BRIT Awards in February, when the star took home four statuettes, for Best Album, Best Single, Best Female and the Global Success Award. Amazing. Other winners on the night included One Direction, James Bay, Coldplay, and Catfish and the Bottlemen.

MORE: BRIT Awards 2016 – the winners in full

Bieber turns superhero and meets his chart rivals from the NHS Choir

They were both contenders for the 2015 Christmas Number 1, but there was no sign of rivalry when Justin Bieber met the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir back in Feburary. Justin, who’d looked set to hold on to the top spot with Love Yourself, got into the festive spirit and used his superstar status to encourage fans to download the Choir’s A Bridge Over You.

To congratulate each other on their achievements, the NHS Choir and Justin got together to present one another with their all-important Number 1 awards, while Biebs also got the added bonus of the first ever Official Chart Record Breaker Award, to mark his outstanding chart feat of becoming the first artist in UK chart history to hold positions 1, 2 and 3 simultaneously in the Official Singles Chart back in January this year. Watch what happened below:

The world finally got its hands on Rihanna's Anti

She really made us work work work work work for it, but after a wait of over three years, Rihanna’s long-anticipated eighth album Anti finally saw the light of day in February. And she kept us guessing right until the end. First released as a kind-of surprise, and for free, on Tidal after it leaked unexpectedly, a wider release saw Anti peak at Number 7 on the Official UK Chart, the first RiRi album not to top the chart since Rated R in 2009.

MORE: Check out Rihanna's complete Official UK Chart history here, including eight Number 1 singles

Beyonce surprised everyone again with Lemonade

Speaking of surprises, Beyoncé was at it again with her sixth studio album. Following her self-titled visual album in 2013, Lemonade debuted as an impressive HBO movie back in May, featuring Serena Williams, husband Jay Z, daughter Blue Ivy, Zendaya and other special guests.

Lemonade was Queen Bey’s third Number 1 album and has recently earned her a clutch of Grammy nominations. It also began a worldwide search for “Becky with the good hair” with pretty much every woman who ever held a microphone arousing suspicion.

MORE: These are Beyonce's 20 biggest selling songs in the UK

60 Years of the Official Albums Chart

It was a big year for the Official Albums Chart, which celebrated its 60th birthday. To mark the momentous occasion, we revealed the biggest selling albums of all time in the UK, which was topped by the momentous Queen’s Greatest Hits. The Check out the full Top 60 biggest selling albums of all time here. What's more, we asked a few musical legends at the time to tell us which is their ultimate favourite album. Watch below: 

Look back at every Official Singles Chart Number 1 of 2016: