Wake up! “Hello” by Adele has just been released, and we’re taking selfies as we perfect our DIY slime recipes.
I often say nostalgia will be the death of me. It feels like we experienced the joy of 2016 just yesterday, so why can’t we bring it back?
Although a little (very) dramatic, nostalgia is one of those things that takes up much more space in my head than needed. It is my version of beating the dead horse, and once I get started about how much I love old experiences, I cannot stop. So, when I learned that many people yearned for a 2016 comeback, I knew all my friends would be sick of me.
It all started with an Instagram post that I saw in late December during my regularly scheduled doomscroll. The photo had the bright, overly saturated galaxy colors of 2016 with a message that read “Keep Calm and Carry On,” alongside the caption “Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016.” As silly as it sounds, I couldn’t help but feel the same wave of nostalgia that washes over me whenever I miss a certain era I’ve lived through. Being the impressionable person I am, my doomscroll quickly became a search for reliving trends in 2016. To my surprise, I was not the only one.
Many TikToks quickly popped up. A common theme I found was influencers and celebrities sharing pictures with the signature flower crown Snapchat filter, while others showed off their unicorn Frappuccinos from Starbucks. The posts felt like the revival of a community despite it never leaving.
Additionally, one of the biggest factors that brought this feeling from 2016 to life was music. In 2016, there was a variety of artists such as Justin Bieber, Marshmello, The Chainsmokers, Adele, and more. All of these artists created some of the most iconic music that, to this day, is frequently played.
According to TODAY News, Spotify confirmed that there was an 800% rise in 2016-themed music since Jan. 1. An artist who truly helped push this 2016 comeback, without even knowing it, is Zara Larsson.
Her 2017 hit song, “Symphony,” resurfaced as a trend this last year: a portrayal of colorful images with a summery tone, like dolphins jumping out of water. As time passed, Larsson released another hit song titled “Midnight Sun,” and the internet went wild.
Although the song came out in 2025, it gained lots of traction in 2026. Many TikTok users would incorporate “Midnight Sun” within their posts to show what they were doing in 2016. Additionally, many would comment, “Y’all heard her, summer isn’t over yet,” or “2016, we are so back.” And I agree. 2016, we are so back!
Seeing the resurgence of the trends we grew up with is truly a breath of fresh air. Especially in today’s climate, trends like these bring us closer together.
As I force my friends to engage in past trends, such as making DIY slime, making our own duct tape wallets with funky designs, and laughing for no reason at our recreation of old Vines, I’m excited to see how we, as a generation, recreate and bring back 2016.
I vote to fully bring back 2016!
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