2026 is the new 2016: What could this mean for music?

Credit: @girlsblueprint on TikTok

Magda Kanecka | January 2026

The 2016 aesthetic is back, and with it, coloured hair, the Rio de Janeiro Instagram filter, Snapchat dog and flower crown filters, palm trees, all dressed in pastel colours. 

The hashtag #2016 has surged by a staggering +450% in searches since the beginning of the year, and we are not even one full month in. This, rightfully, has many looking forward to the summer, in attempts to replicate the summer of 2016 with the nostalgic aesthetic mentioned above.

From Musical.ly to Vine, only a few months into One Direction’s indefinite hiatus, and Zayn Malik’s first release since leaving the band – “PILLOWTALK,” music was a crucial part of the 2016 culture all year around, not just in the summer. But what could this resurgence mean for the current trends going into the new year?

Arguably, the marketing will be a big part of this rebrand. Whether profiting from nostalgia or merely replicating past trends, I expect we will see more and more artists partake in the trend by, for example, promoting their releases in a similar way to 2016, such as through music videos or social media.

Among the celebrities who have already embraced the trend of posting old photos of themselves from 2016 are KATSEYE, Emily Ratajkowski, Kim Kardashian, Charlie Puth and ADÉLA, with many more to follow.

Celebrities and influencers are seen posting throwback photos, and with them, the comeback tunes roll in. “Heathens” and “Stressed Out” by Twenty One Pilots, “Lean On” by Major Lazer, MØ and DJ Snake, and “3 Strikes” by Terror Jr., are among the fan favourites.

More often than not, music is a significant part of social trends – and with the 2016 resurgence, we can expect to see more and more ‘older’ style tracks either emerge or come back into fashion, reflecting on the charts. 

Some examples of tracks that are already seen reappearing are Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain,” Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and “Let Me Love You” with DJ Snake, “Closer” by The Chainsmokers and Halsey, and “One Dance” by Drake, Wizkid & Kyla. 

Yet, Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life” has arguably seen the biggest resurgence, along with a trending dance becoming a crucial part of the second wave of the song’s popularity – and Zara herself rebranding as one of the staple pop girlies of our age with her bright, colourful aesthetic. A great example of this is the viral ‘dolphin meme’ with her song “Symphony” in the background.

The reality is: the more people with large followings participate in the trend, the more popular it will become amongst social platforms’ algorithms. With this, there is a significant chance the trend will come back in music – whether through artists seeking to replicate it in new tracks, or listeners making songs from 10 years ago trend again.

Heavy beatdrops, nostalgic lyrics, and upbeat melodies are just some of the key features of the music from the summer of 2016. There is something so quintessentially euphoric about listening to the songs from that time, from ‘before things went wrong,’ often in reference to political events or the COVID-19 pandemic. 

It will be interesting to see how this year will play out: if in January we are already looking to replicate nostalgic events from 10 years ago, I cannot help but question how long this will last before we move on to the next trend. 

Let us know what you think – is 2016 back? Will the summer of 2026 be like 2016?