James Corden has become a late-night talk show mainstay thanks to his simple yet ingenious sketch Carpool Karaoke. The host has landed countless names for his sing-alongs after landing pop diva Mariah Carey for the inaugural car ride, and 2016 was chock-full of some major gems.
While every Carpool Karaoke had its moments, there were definitely musicians (and celebrity cameos) who made their rides more memorable than others. Take a look at Billboard‘s top picks from the 2016 Carpool Karaokes below.
10. Justin Bieber Pt. 3
As Bieber and Corden proved twice in 2015, they have a camaraderie reminiscent of Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels’ “Mockingbird” duet in Dumb and Dumber — which is probably why the Biebs was one of the first guests to be invited back in 2016. If anything, the “big box, little box, cardboard box” part provides some serious laughs.
9. Chris Martin
Starting out with Coldplay’s frontman hitchhiking his way to his Super Bowl halftime show rather than helping Corden get to work, it was easy to see that this was going to be a more off-the-wall Carpool Karaoke. The guys’ conversations were as delightful as Martin’s serenades on a mini keyboard, and the incorporation of the band’s song “Yellow” is just too good.
8. Demi Lovato and Nick Jonas
What do you get when you put two longtime best friends in a car with a nosy talk show host? A few dirty little secrets, a sidewalk jam and some spectular harmonies. (Plus, if you didn’t notice Jonas’ comment about his brother Joe’s band DNCE‘s song “Cake By The Ocean,” do yourself a favor and go to 6:44.)
7. Selena Gomez
Gomez gets so into her own music that it almost seems like she jams to “Hands To Myself” and “Same Old Love” in her alone time. But that’s what makes this ride so much fun, along with the McDonalds pit stop and the incorporation of rollercoaster karaoke.
6. Broadway featuring Lin-Manuel Miranda and more
Although this ride may be more enjoyable for those who are familiar with the musicals the songs are from, even the most anti-Broadway person will have their mind-blown by the notes hit during the Les Miserables number “One Day More.”
5. Sia
The Australian has made us well aware that she has a powerhouse voice, but putting her in a small space like a car allows for her vocals to really shine. Sia‘s charisma and interactions with Corden makes their Carpool Karaoke the complete package. If only James could’ve gotten her to show her face…
4. Lady Gaga
Gaga went all-in for her trip with Corden, belting out every note and dancing along of her flamboyant songs — even offering to drive when Corden mentions that she just passed her driver’s test. Once Corden really felt inspired by the Gaga-ness, that’s when the clip shot up to one of the top spots of the year.
3. Gwen Stefani (with cameos from George Clooney and Julia Roberts)
Stefani’s bubbly personality and very singable songs made for an enjoyable first half of her Carpool Karaoke. But once Corden reached the carpool lane and enlisted Clooney and Roberts — and they all chimed in for “Hollaback Girl” — this ride was an instant classic.
Lopez threw it back to the beginnings of her career with her for majority of her time with Corden (you know, “Jenny From the Block” and “Love Don’t Cost a Thing”), including a tribute to her Puerto Rican roots by singing one of her Spanish songs. The best part of the whole thing, though? That infamous text from Leonardo DiCaprio.
1. Adele
This may be a cliche choice for the top pick, but after watching Adele and Corden’s car ride just once you’ll see that there’s no denying it deserves the top spot this year (and probably for years to come). Putting two people with strong British accents in one vehicle is always going to amount to hilarity anyway, but a character like Adele is hard to beat. In addition to her incredible vocals, the “Hello” singer shared tales of her drunken mishaps, had a Spice Girls jam session with Corden and showed off her Nicki Minaj-like rap skills. How does a Carpool Karaoke masterpiece like that not trump them all?
