In 2016 there were albums like Dangerous Women by Ariana Grande, a collection of songs created to last for years. The song Into You was even trending not too long ago— the song is confident and fearless. Music success in 2016 depended on longevity and shared experiences, not on an ephemeral viral hit. But in today’s streaming era, albums like “Eternal Sunshine,” which she released in 2025, are shorter, intimate and more vulnerable, shaped by today’s algorithm. An era where listeners are now hooked within minutes, racking up streams rather than gaining long-lasting listeners. These two projects represent not only different eras in the artists career, but how the music industry itself has shifted. This raises the question of whether music culture can recreate the shared, emotional experience that we saw in 2016.
“2026 Is The New 2016” Viral Trend
As the new year kicks off, it’s officially been a decade since 2016. If you ask anyone in their twenties what year has the best music, 2016 will come up. The infatuation with 2016 has peaked, as we see posts on TikTok and Instagram— posts with the #2016, decade old photos with the caption “you just had to be there,” and using retro filters across social media. According to Forbes, we’ve been seeing an increase in searches tied to 2016, including searches like “2016 songs” or “2016 makeup.”
With 2026 afoot, we’ve been pulled into a time where people, especially college students, are remembering 2016 as a time where life felt more normal. A time where we were all in our early adolescence, before doom scrolling took over our free time. 2016 is trending again, meaning that people are trying to remember the time before everything changed digitally and socially.Â
Music That Defined 2016
Many people remember 2016 as a peak time for music, with some of the most notably iconic pop hits and trends. Writers have even described 2016 as one of the best years for American music, despite the political turmoil. With major artists like Beyonce, Rihanna, Ariana Grande, Chance the Rapper (who was the last male artist to win a Grammy for best new artist, so shoutout to all the girls who’ve won this past decade) and Frank Ocean who had big defining moments in music that year. Pitchfork’s list of the 100 Best Songs of 2016 reflects on the best of the best that year. With music having more emotional depth, and introspective songwriting that contributed to its long standing, critically acclaimed status. Reminiscing about 2016’s music trends isn’t just nostalgic, but it represents the difference in music at that time that us fans are yearning to hear again.
The Feeling of a Carefree InternetÂ
For many people, especially Gen Z and Millennials, 2016 was a time where life was simpler, before the internet became too fragmented. A time before global events like the pandemic, political discourse and AI changed online social experiences. The internet felt more playful and less performative then. People were posting for fun or because they were bored, not for a large audience. Music had space to breathe within the media; songs became popular because they were loved, not because of a 10-second audio on your FYP.
But why? Is it our shortening attention spans? Lower quality content? Or is music just getting worse? Although these things may be true, scientists have a different outlook. Some analysts argue that nostalgia helps people escape current realities, such as digital fatigue, AI and algorithm driven content. Internet users are noticing the internet felt more united and fun before the new digital age.
Can 2026 Music Match 2016, or Are We Just Chasing a Feeling?
Can today’s music scene match that of 2016’s? The short answer is: probably not. This could change with new releases from artists, such as A$AP Rocky, Harry Styles, Bruno Mars and potentially Lana Del Rey (still waiting on Rihanna and Frank Ocean, and likely will be for a long time).Â
But “good music” then is different from what it seems to be generally defined as now. 2016 had iconic tracks that widely spanned genres and artists trying different sounds. Music wasn’t just a trend, it stayed with us as we shared cultural experiences. In 2026, music is released in larger quantities, and yet with fewer deep moments. Songs have their 5 seconds of fame and risk being “overplayed.” Great albums come and go and before you know it, listeners are on to the next big thing. Music in 2026 doesn’t feel the same because we no longer have music that resonates with us. So maybe 2026 won’t be the new 2016 because our attention spans have shortened, but that is not necessarily the fault of the artist. It is the listeners who are changing and not allowing for music to linger the way it once did.Â