Whether on Instagram, TikTok, Tumblr or Pinterest, Gen Z has been exhibiting intense nostalgia for 2016 trends, even going so far as to stage a mini revival. With videos everywhere emulating that Rio de Janeiro, 2016 aesthetic, the resurgence is marked by fashion, music and media.
Most notably, the 2026 Coachella music festival is a mainstream reflection of this cultural revival.
Known for its high influencer and celebrity attendance, bold fashion and incredible lineup, Coachella reflects current trends with a certain vivacity. In 2016, Coachella painted a significant picture of what was popular; this year, folks seek ways to mirror it.
From macrame shawls and gladiator sandals, to wide-brimmed hats and even skinny jeans, 2016 fashion was distinct if nothing else. As influencers post their 2026 Coachella fits, these distinct pieces shine through over everything else. And it’s not just the fashion pieces either; this viral revival comes with music too.
The songs accompanying these viral videos are the top tracks of 2016; In some cases, even artists who had previously fallen out of relevance have come back bigger and better.
Zara Larsson is the best example of this.
Her songs “Lush Life” and “Symphony” were trailblazers in 2010s pop. Now, she’s blowing up again for her hits “Midnight Sun” and “Stateside” with Pinkpantheress, alongside her older tracks.
Charli XCX has experienced a similar resurgence with her earlier hits “You (Ha Ha Ha)” and “Boom Clap,” but without the same drastic rise in fame driven by the popularity of her 2024 album BRAT.
Other songs, like Shepards “Geronimo,” Of Monsters and Men’s “Little Talks,” and “Hey There Delilah” by The Plain White T’s have made a comeback as well.
This is evident even in parody; popular Instagrammer “g1ngerb0y03” posts videos making fun of the 2016 manbun-and-flannel stereotype. He dances to the song “Geronimo” with a fake manbun and captions his videos with satirical observations like “Just had carrot sicks and hummus” and “Spirits are low, but my manbun is high.”
And “g1ngerb0y03” is not the only one. “zmazzy” posts videos that lean into the 2016 softer, feminine influencer aesthetic. Over-saturated with a soundtrack of popular 2016 hits, her account focuses on recreating what musical (now TikTok) content looked like back then.
Some folks have even been showing nostalgia for the unique apps of the time, like Wishbone and Vine.
In the end, Gen Z wants the comfort of their childhoods, and in and everchanging, stressful world, Gen Z has turned to nostalgia for that comfort.
