5, 4, 3, 2, 1…. Happy new year, but social media says otherwise. Instead of writing new year’s resolutions and preparing for the year ahead, the online community is re-uploading “Rio de Janeiro” sunset pictures from a decade ago, posing in front of LA’s iconic “Pink Wall”, and dancing to songs like “Lush Life” by Zara Larsson. This sudden viral sensation isn’t a random coincidence—it’s the “2026 is the new 2016” wave, which revolves around the idea of nostalgia and a simpler pre-pandemic era.
In 2016, the internet was a place for creativity and expression rather than perfection. Instead of “clean girl” or “quiet luxury” trends, which focused on the idea that less is more, it was quite the opposite. 2016 trends included bold eye makeup, electronic beats, and the doggy ears Snapchat filter. As the 10th year anniversary of this era hits, nostalgia for young adults worldwide have surged, and the art of using filters is making a stronger than ever comeback.
“You just had to be there,” Kylie Jenner captioned under her #2016 montage post on Instagram. This refers to her “King Kylie” phase of lip kits, pink dyed hair, and Supreme hoodies. It’s not just her—Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, and more iconic 2010s stars joined the wave, making it explode online.
Social media isn’t the only thing that is getting caught up in this internet craze, the music industry has been hit too. Zara Larsson, a household name back in 2016, has made the comeback of the month and reached No. 8 on this week’s U.K. singles chart with her song “Lush Life”. As the “2016 vibes” playlists on Spotify skyrocket, EDM artists like DJ Snake and Terror Jr. are also getting re-discovered through viral lip-syncs and dances to their upbeat songs “Lean on “and “3 Strikes”.
Even our CDNIS community is catching the 2016 fever, as the @cdnisalumni page posted a video montage of the class of 2016 filled with old-fashioned and nostalgic photos-skinny jeans at Experience Week, Supreme-branded shirts while hiking, and using wired headphones for music.
This “2026 is the new 2016” wave is more than just a short-term trend; it has become a part of our lifestyle in the past month. But most importantly, it has impacted us right here at CDNIS, as alumni montages stir up nostalgia and memories for us all to share.
So, as this wave takes over your FYP, don’t just scroll past—join in the fun, post a throwback and share the nostalgic memories of your childhood!
