2016 or 2026? It’s been two weeks into the new year and we’re already craving our past. ‘Lush Life’ by Zara Larsson has taken over the world. The rose colored LA filter is back! Instagram is filled with photo dumps from 2016 and every pop hit from this era has slowly creeped up on our Reels. Let me tell you, hearing ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ on my For You page was definitely not on my 2026 bingo card, but I’m not complaining.
The clean girl era is officially over, bold makeup looks are making a strong comeback (with Zara at the helm again) and everyone’s digging up their closets to find their 2016 staples. I’ve been enjoying the throwbacks so far, as a part of me cannot believe that an entire decade has passed in the blink of an eye, and it’s evident that a lot of us feel the same!
THE SIMPLICITY OF THE PAST
But why? The last I saw it, someone from the corner of the internet declared that 2016 is the new 2026, and the phrase took off like fireworks. It’s clear that living in the era of political instability, price surges and a non-existent job market takes up massive amounts of our energy, so much so that the internet is no longer a place people look over to have fun and let off steam. The world craves for simpler times, and especially on social media, 2016 is reminiscent of a time that was unapologetically fun, where we could truly express ourselves without seeming cringe or uncool. Posting a grainy picture of your morning breakfast with a filter was good enough, as back then, we could just share our lives instead of performing for an audience.
Due to this, 2016 has been collectively termed as the ‘last good year’ by the internet. Everyone’s busy drawing parallels between then and 2026, such as the release and conclusion of ‘Stranger Things’ and the comeback of the Victoria’s Secret show to name a few. This year was also widely remembered as the golden era of pop music, with YouTube, Vine and Musically being at its peak. Of course, who can forget the iconic dog filter and flower crowns of Snapchat and the Starbucks logo being literally everywhere!
THE COMFORT OF NOSTALGIA
Somehow, the trend we always circle back to is nostalgia. Life felt a lot more colorful, easier and enjoyable all those years ago. Although I was a mere 11 years old in 2016, I was knee deep into the defining elements of pop culture from that year. ‘Closer’ by The Chainsmokers had me in a chokehold, and still does to this day. Loom bands, nail art stickers, the moustache, owl motifs, the neon ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ posters, and the list goes on. 2016 marked a defining era of pop culture, and it’s quite nice to see that come back in today’s world.
It’s understandable that after 2025, everyone has reached a saturation point after scrolling through their feeds. Constantly having to guess whether content is real or AI, watching ads all the time, and seeing the weirdest things going viral (because what is 6 7?!) was enough for many of us to call it quits and demand to see real, unfiltered, human lives. People want to go back to times when authentic moments were made into memes and trends instead of manufactured ones.
While I’m completely aboard the nostalgia train, I’ve refrained from reminiscing on any particular year as the ‘best’ one. Through my rose tinted glasses, 2016 seems like I had the time of my life, but I do remember that it had its fair share of bad moments just like every other one. The past is the past for a reason, and it’s puzzling to see people who were barely conscious back then romanticizing it with such fervor. While we can try our best to meme and photo dump our way back to 2016, it’s not going to happen.
TAKEAWAY
However, it is comforting to look to the past for guidance and familiarity, in a constantly changing atmosphere. Because honestly? I don’t think we’re trying to bring 2016 back. This is about enjoying our lives again. We just want to be happy and carefree without having to worry about making our lives aesthetically pleasing and putting so much pressure on ourselves. It’s a coping mechanism to deal with the exhaustion that comes with existing today.
The attempt to revive our sense of community and emulate the vibes of 2016 is exciting, but will this be yet another trend that will die in two weeks, or will it serve as a wake up call to us to begin living in the moment instead of catching up with it? I guess only time will tell.