Ironically, one thing that never gets old is nostalgia. More than anything, people crave the comfort of familiarity. So it should come as no surprise that 2026 has already been dubbed “the new 2016.” Though there has been a decade of change between 2016 and 2026, the similarities are unmistakable: Ariana Grande and Zara Larsson are regaining their popularity from 10 years ago,TikTok is now reverting back to its origins as many users are bringing back dances and songs from when it was known as “Musical.ly,” the creators of Vine have even made it their mission to revive the platform with a new creation called “Devine.” While this could be viewed as a fun little fad, there seems to be a newfound significance in late 2010s pop culture.
To understand why this trend isn’t another come-and-go craze, we need to fully understand the importance of 2016’s repopularization by examining the four key factors of pop culture: music, fashion & makeup, entertainment, and scandals.
In the pop scene of 2016, Justin Bieber dominated with “Love Yourself” and “Sorry” among other songs. The Chainsmokers found fame with hits like “Closer” featuring Halsey. These emotional pop hits resonated with young adults who could relate to common experiences like break-ups and running away from “getting older.” In the world of more alternative music, EDM fusion hits such as “This Is What You Came For” by Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna and “Starboy” by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk flew up the music charts. Other high energy songs like “Work” by Rihanna featuring Drake, “I Took A Pill In Ibiza (Seeb Remix)” by Mike Posner, and “One Dance” by Drake featuring Kyla, became a big part of club culture. In the realm of music that blended RNB, Hip-Hop, Rap, and Pop, artists like Desiigner and Rae Sremmurd gained popularity through their songs “Panda” and “Black Beatles” respectively. Additionally, Beyonce had “Formation” soar to the top of the charts from her popular studio album “Lemonade.” These songs and more became staples in Black music and culture, both when they were released and long after.
Furthermore, contributions to the decade’s sentimentality weren’t limited to just music itself. Events like Coachella, a musical festival where fans could see their favorite artists back to back, facilitated a community and positive atmosphere that made for a summer of excitement. . Admittedly, at face value, music may not seem critical enough to define the entirety of a year. However, music artists and the songs they created ultimately set the stage for a distinctive year. These top songs situated 2016 in a world of carefreeness and partying while simultaneously maintaining substance.
Along with its iconic music, it is impossible to imagine 2016 without skinny jeans. Whether they were high waisted or ripped with hundreds of frayed strings, skinny jeans were a staple in both women’s and men’s fashion. Athleisure became especially commercial during this time. Brands like Nike and Adidas were also commonly worn in casual settings. Brands like Champion, Gucci, and Supreme took the world by storm with their urban and streetwear looks. Most notably, these brands popularized busy clothing with their respective logos printed all over them.
The bold fashion of 2016 was paired with striking makeup, which made for a unique look associated with the year. 2016 makeup featured vivid and glittery eyeshadow looks with dramatic cut creases. Other staples in makeup included a blocky brow and an eccentric matte lip. These features in makeup were popularized by makeup brands like Urban Decay, Kylie Cosmetics, NYX, MAC Cosmetics, Too Faced, and Anastasia Beverly Hills to name a few. These styles of dressing and makeup represented a collective attitude of unapologeticness and freeness, complementing the year’s musical trends. During 2016, self-expression was highly emphasized and new trends were formed through experimentation, much like trends in 2026.
Above all else, 2016 was an extremely entertaining year. Whimsical movies like Alice Through The Looking Glass and The BFG were popular releases of the year. Marvel also released popular action-packed movies like Doctor Strange and X-Men: Apocalypse during this era. People also entertained themselves on social media platforms like Musical.ly and Vine. Other popular social media platforms included Instagram and Twitter (now known as “X”). Instagram served as a creative outlet for both famous and everyday users alike. Through Twitter, people were able to form communities and develop a shared culture based on common interests.
One of the most significant forms of entertainment during the 2016 era was Youtube. Youtube videos ranged from short DIY hacks to long and detailed makeup tutorials. Creators like Lilly Singh and LeLe Pons popularized compilations of comedy skits through their content. Gamers like Markiplier, DanTDM, and Corey Kenshin garnered millions of views through their gameplay and commentary on games like Five Nights at Freddy’s, Minecraft, and Hello Neighbor. Youtubers, whether they gamed, baked, told jokes, or made tutorials, often hosted giveaways, meet-and-greet pop-ups, polls, and other things that warranted participation from the audience. In 2016, fans were able to connect more easily with their favorite Youtubers. The social media climate of the time was very interactive, allowing for once-in-a-lifetime encounters with their favorite online influencers but also genuine human connection on an even broader scale.
While people certainly had fun in the 2016 media and entertainment, no year is complete without its staple scandals . In 2016, Jay-Z allegedly cheated on Beyoncé with actress, Rachel Roy or “Becky with the Good hair” as alluded to on Beyoncé’s song “Sorry”. In other celebrity news, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had a public divorce during that year that dominated headlines. Kanye West and Kim Kardashian also had public disputes with Taylor Swift over several incidents, leading to her cancellation and eventual return with the album “Reputation”. Major technology scandals, such as exploding Samsung phones and Tesla autopilot accidents also occurred.
Though 2016 had its ups and downs, it is clear to see why many have a strong connection to it. To many, 2016 felt like the peak of the 2010s, and felt like the last “good” year, before the COVID-19 pandemic. Among millennials and Gen-Z alike, the nostalgia of 2016 feels like something comfortable to fall back on.
