Ten years ago feels like yesterday on social media. Throughout 2026, TikTok and Instagram users have been revisiting the music, clothes and filters of the mid-2010s.
The phrase “2026 is the new 2016” became one of the year’s first viral trends. Users posted old photographs and recreated forgotten challenges. In January, TikTok data showed the 2016 hashtag had risen by more than 450 per cent in the US. Searches for “2016 songs” rose 290 per cent, while searches for “2016 makeup” rose 600 per cent.
The sound of 2016
Old hits are charting again. Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life” climbed to No. 8 on the UK singles chart and re-entered the US Billboard Hot 100 during the January wave.
Fashion followed the music. Chokers, skinny jeans, bomber jackets and slip dresses all returned, along with heavy Instagram-style filters that defined the era.
Streaming numbers tell the same story. Playlists full of mid-2010s hits are among the most followed this year, and old music videos are pulling in millions of new views from teenagers who were toddlers when the songs first came out.
Selective memory
The nostalgia is selective. The real 2016 was far from carefree – it saw major political upheaval and the loss of cultural figures like David Bowie. But online, people remember the fun parts: the music, the style, the simpler feeds.
Retailers have noticed as well. High-street brands are restocking skinny jeans and chokers, while vintage shops report that 2016-era pieces sell out within days of arriving.
Trends move in cycles. This one just proves that ten years is all it takes for the past to feel fresh again.
Comments (0)
Be respectful — comments are moderated.