10 Songs About Turning 16

Songs about turning 16 contain tracks like 1. 16 Candles by The Crests 2. Only Sixteen by Craig Douglas 3. Sweet Sixteen by Destiny's Child and more.
Sixteen is considered a special number in one's life, as it is when one starts transitioning from childhood to adulthood.
In this age, people are more familiar with their ambitions and feelings. There is a level of maturity. Plus, one's physical features also become developed.
Many songwriters have penned songs about this phenomenon, portraying the feelings of being a teenager, the challenges of this age, etc.
10 Songs About Turning 16
Songs Name | Artists |
16 Candles (1958) | The Crests |
Only Sixteen (1989) | Craig Douglas |
Sweet Sixteen (1999) | Destiny’s Child |
Sixteen (2020) | Ellie Goulding |
You’re Sixteen (1960) | Johnny Burnette |
Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen (1961) | Neil Sedaka |
Not a Girl, Not a Woman (2001) | Britney Spears |
You're Sixteen (1973) | Ringo Starr |
Sweet Little Sixteen (1958) | Chuck Berry |
Sweet Sixteen (1986) | Billy Idol |
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1. 16 Candles By The Crests
The most popular among songs about Sweet 16 is 16 Candles. It is performed by The Crests and written by Luther Dixon and Allyson R. Khent.
A doo-wop song, it was released in October 1958 as a single. It has a duration of two minutes and fifty-four seconds.
The track peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. It also peaked at number 4 on the US R&B charts for 21 weeks in 1959.
16 Candles has been covered by many artists, including Jerry Lee Lewis, The Jackson 5, and Sha Na Na.
The theme is love and celebration. The lyrics show the feeling of teenage love and the special moments that come with it.
2. Only Sixteen By Craig Douglas
Only Sixteen was released in May 1959. It was penned by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke.
Bumps Blackwell produced the song, and it has a duration of two minutes. The song became popular and a top 15 hit on Billboard's Hot R&B Sides chart.
The covered version by English pop singer Craig Douglas was released in 1980 and became one of Craig's signature songs. It reached number one in the United Kingdom.
The lyrics describe the excitement level of the singer about a girl's 16th birthday. It also shows the strong desire of a man to date a girl who is just sixteen years old.
3. Sweet Sixteen By Destiny’s Child
A special song for a 16th Birthday is Sweet Sixteen by Destiny's Child. The song was released in 1999 from the album The Writing's on the Wall.
The song is about the struggles and feelings of a young girl. She cannot wait to be 16 and the track expounds on all the fun she wants to have at that age.
The protagonist wants to be herself, be free, and date boys. The track also shows that adolescence is tiring, confusing, and difficult.
The verse below says to be happy, enjoy what you have, forget about the past, and move on:
You need to cherish what you have
You can forget about the past
Now you can start all over
You can start all over and
Cherish your life
4. Sixteen By Ellie Goulding
A great song for 16-year-olds is Sixteen. It was recorded by English singer and songwriter Ellie Goulding.
It was released on April 12, 2019, from the album Brightest Blue.
Ellie co-wrote it with Joe Kearns, Rachel Keen, and Fred Gibson. Mike Wise, Fred, and Ian Kirkpatrick are the producers of the song.
A pop, EDM, and dance-pop ballad, the track has a duration of three minutes and twenty-one seconds and a tempo of 110 beats per minute.
The lyrics talk about the bittersweet emotions and reckless days of being older. Tim Mattia directed the video for the song, which shows the teenage years of Goulding.
5. You’re Sixteen By Johnny Burnette
You’re Sixteen was released in October 1960 from the album Johnny Burnette. The song was written by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman.
Snuff Garrett is the producer of the song, which has a duration of one minute and fifty-six seconds.
His version reached number eight on the US Billboard Hot 100 in December 1960. In 1961, it peaked at number three in the United Kingdom.
The song shows the excitement, joy, and happiness of young love. It emphasizes the delight and happiness that may come with being in love with someone you love.
The lyrics express the affection and love of the singer for the sixteen-year-old young girl and celebrate her attractiveness, beauty, and youthful charm.
6. Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen By Neil Sedaka
Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen is a pop song by Neil Sedaka. It was released in November 1961 on the album Neil Sedaka Sings His Greatest Hits.
Neil co-wrote the song with Howard Greenfield. It has a duration of two minutes and forty seconds.
This is a love song and is all about a girl who is turning 16 and getting ready for a birthday party. The man in the song is excited about it and cannot wait for it to happen.
He sings "Happy Birthday" and reminds her that she is not a child anymore. It shows his love for her and also shows his desire to be with her forever.
The song has gained much attention and recognition. It reached number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and peaked at number 3 on the UK singles chart.
7. Not a Girl, Not a Woman By Britney Spears
Not A Girl, Not A Woman is a song by American singer Britney Spears. It was released from her third studio album, Britney on January 7, 2002.
The track was written by Max Martin, Rami Yacoub, and Dido Armstrong and has a duration of only three minutes and fifty-two seconds.
It shows the struggle of life, being a teenager, and the transition between childhood and adulthood.
The singer tries to show her feelings about how she is going through life alone, and she also says that she has no one to support her.
The song peaked at number 10 in several countries, such as Austria, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, and Sweden. It also reached number two on the Canadian Hot 100 chart.
8. You're Sixteen By Ringo Starr
You're Sixteen is a rock song written by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman. The song was first performed by Johnny Burnette.
However, the track became a hit after it was covered by English songwriter and musician Ringo Starr in 1973.
His version topped the charts in several countries, such as Canada and the United Kingdom, and also peaked at number one in the United States.
Ringo's version of the song received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Male.
The song is all about a girl the singer is in love with. It shows the young love and happiness of being sixteen years old. The lyrics of the song show the admiration and affection of the singer towards the beautiful girl.
9. Sweet Little Sixteen By Chuck Berry
Another song about Sweet 16 is Sweet Little Sixteen. The song was originally recorded by Chuck Berry.
It was released from the album One Dozen Berrys in January 1958.
Produced by Leonard and Phil Chess, it has a length of three minutes and three seconds.
In 1958, the song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.
The lyrics tell about a girl who is popular and with whom everyone desires to dance. It also captures the youthful energy of the era.
It was also covered by other artists because of its popularity. The song became a hit among African-American audiences and reached number one on the R&B Best Sellers chart.
10. Sweet Sixteen By Billy Idol
A wonderful song About being 16 is Sweet Sixteen by Billy Idol. It was released in April 1987 from the album Whiplash Smile.
The track was produced by Keith Forsey. It reached number 20 in the United States and number 17 in the United Kingdom.
Additionally, the song was also popular and reached the top 40 across Europe, including Germany, the United Kingdom, and Sweden.
The track is all about a young girl who is facing the challenges of adolescence. It explores the themes of freedom and rebellion.
It also shows the challenges that come with the transition from childhood to adulthood.
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