The general rule for nostalgia: 20 years. However, all rules have exceptions. 2026 has already proved to be one.
“2026 is the new 2016.”
Despite it being only a decade ago, Gen Z’rs who were kids or teenagers during the year 2016 have now grown up and are looking back on the iconic year with aches in their heart and stomach. With “Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd playing in the background and the camera panning out to frozen people performing the #MannequinChallenge, we are back in 2016. The year of Pokemon Go, the doggy Snapchat filter, and when TikTok was Musical.ly.
“Live with passion, live musical.ly”
2016 proved to be a vital pop culture year, with social media accelerating the impact of memes, videos, and cringy content. With pivotal moments like Simone Biles in the 2016 Summer Olympics and trends like Pen-Pineapple-Apple-Pen, the year represents a time of cringy childhoods and the calm before the storm of polarized politics. With social media pushing the narrative of 2026 being the new 2016, here are my predictions of future pivotal moments.
Fetty Wap’s release (of new music?)
There is a saying that “a strong recession indicator is when art gets good again.” As a lover of 2015-2016 Fetty Wap music, I can only hope that is the case. Fetty Wap was at the peak of his career back then, with global hits such as “Trap Queen,” “679,” and “My Way” that pushed his debut album to #1 on the Billboard 200 in 2015.
However, he was ultimately indicted in 2021 for federal drug charges. Eventually, the rapper found himself in federal prison for a six-year sentence. But his time has been cut short, as he was released to home confinement after serving over half of his sentence. He released a statement, in which he describes his main focus as giving back to the community by supporting at-risk young children, stating his commitment to expanding access to education, early tech skills, and vision care for young kids and students.
Although he has not indicated a new album for 2026, fans are hoping and expecting him to resume his music career following his release in order to solidify the 2016 nostalgic feeling. If it’s not an album, a mixtape and/or an EP are also highly anticipated.
A BTS return
The globally acclaimed K-Pop boy group, BTS, has been on a four-year hiatus from 2022, so that all seven members could complete their military service for South Korea. Pre-2022, BTS was arguably the most prevalent group within the music industry. Contributing over $4.65 billion annually to South Korea’s economy, their influence impacted, boosted, and (debatingly) started the Korean Wave that attracted millions of tourists.
With that, their comeback is highly anticipated. With their first show being performed on March 21, 2026, fans (aka BTS ARMY) are excitedly ready to feel how they did five years ago. But amid all the excitement, supporters are wondering if this is a tour of welcome and farewell. The title of the album “Arirang” is typically closely associated with separation and the pain of parting, begging the question: when is the day ARMY should begin preparing to say goodbye?
Zara larsson’s rebrand
Swedish artist Zara Larsson made her largest cultural impacts in the year 2015 and 2017 with global hits such as “Lush Life” and “Symphony.” 10 years ago, these songs circulated globally, peaking at #75 on the charts in August of 2016. And yet, the song peaked again 10 years later, reaching #15 in the Top 50 Global. The song “Symphony” specifically being revived through a widespread meme (a parallel to Dua Lipa’s music career rebrand).
Instead of shying away from the meme, the pop star rode the opportunity to rebrand her entire aesthetic to fit the new one.
By switching her personal branding and styling, she has completely revamped her look. Finding her signature look largely contributed to her recent successes of her first Grammy nomination for “Midnight Sun” for Best Dance Pop Recording.
It’s been refreshing to see bright colors returning to mainstream media. With many pointing out the neon colors and “Justice”-like looks, her aesthetic has been reminiscent of many girls’ pre-teens phases. With her new found virality, she represents the importance of a rebrand and cultural comeback. If the waves are in her favor, supporters are looking to turn the nomination into an award in the future.
a memo
Moving back to the beginning, I noted before that the typical interval or traditional timeline of nostalgia has cycled on a 20 year delay. However, there has been a significant acceleration of the cycle. We are now seeing ‘vintage’ trends returning in half that time. From the original number of 20, the rule has been leaning more toward five to ten years, as represented by this most recent trend. As a result, I have to wonder, does this indicate that the pace of life has accelerated?
As a society, we are obsessive over efficiency (myself included) and instant gratification. The need to do and experience everything as fast as possible has contributed to our collective pace of life hitting warp speed. Maybe it has changed how quickly we consume and move on from our own pasts. With how fast we consume fashion trends, food trends, and now our music, it is easy to lose sight of the little details and nuances that make life special.
The small smiles to strangers, the smell of flowers, and seeing the regulars at coffee shops – these are our connections to our communities. Time proves our existence, so it is up to us to live every minute of it. If we rush the clock on our memories too quickly, we might find ourselves looking back at a blur of what it was rather than celebrating what it is.