Looking Back 10 Years Ago: The 2016 Era
With the new year of 2026, there’s been a discussion of “bringing back” the trends of 2016. For many of us, it seems like just yesterday that we were obsessed with the Snapchat dog filter, but for some, this era is just a distant memory, so let me give you a recap on the biggest trends and notable moments of 2016.
Politics
In 2016, Donald Trump was elected President for the first time, marking a huge cultural shift as his administration integrated its right-wing policies. His slogan, “Make America Great Again,” was popularized and began the development of a distinct faction of Republicans. Though the defeated candidate, Hillary Clinton became the first woman nominated by a major US party, a historic milestone for feminism in the United States.
Social Media
In the summer, people were obsessively flooding parks in the search of capturing digital creatures with the release of the Pokémon GO app. It blurred online and real-world interaction in a brand new way, using your phone GPS to let users track Pokémon in an augmented reality. This caused both memes and controversy, ultimately leaving a huge mark on pop culture, as digital and physical worlds collided.
Social media app Musical.ly, designed for creating short-form lip syncing videos and other types of content creation, gained massive popularity in 2016 before being bought out in 2017 and eventually rebranded into TikTok, as we know it today. The app facilitated many trends in this time, including the “mannequin challenge” and “dabbing.”
Music
In 2016, popular music was dominated by tropical house, electropop, and hip-hop, with hits like “Closer” by The Chainsmokers, “One Dance” by Drake, “Work” by Rihanna, “Let Me Love You” by DJ Snake and Justin Bieber, “Cheap Thrills” by Sia, “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake, and “Stressed Out” by Twenty-One Pilots. Danceable and invigorating songs were certainly topping the charts.
Film & TV
Many iconic movies and TV shows were released in 2016. Marvel movies “Deadpool” and “Captain America: Civil War” were box office hits, along with animated films such as “Zootopia,” “The Secret Life of Pets,” and “Trolls.” Other hits included “La La Land,” “Suicide Squad,” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Some notable TV shows also debuted in 2016, including “Stranger Things” and “The Crown.” Many of these continue to have relevance today, with sequels recently having come out, and the finale of “Stranger Things” premiering earlier this year.
Fashion
The style in this time definitely stands out, with chokers, skinny jeans, and Adidas. Makeup was as bold as ever, especially with influencers like Kylie Jenner and James Charles showing off their heavy contouring, colorful matte lips, and defined eyebrows. Chunky and statement jewelry were also taking off. The “Instagram baddie” aesthetic was the way to go.
So, what 2016 trend would you like to see come back? Or should we leave the past in the past? Either way, happy ten years since 2016!