7 Things From 2016 Making a Comeback In 2026!

2026 has officially been declared “the new 2016” online! A viral wave of nostalgia has taken over TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter as users revisit the aesthetics, trends, music, and culture of a decade ago. The hashtag #2016 has exploded with millions of posts sharing throwbacks, old photos, viral challenges, and decade-old trends being remixed for 2026 feeds.

1. The “2026 is the New 2016” Nostalgia Trend

This isn’t just a hashtag; it’s become a full-on cultural moment. Social platforms report millions of posts tagged #2016, and users are reposting decade-old photos, videos, and memories to recreate the look and feel of that year online.

2. Mannequin Challenge Throwbacks

The viral Mannequin Challenge, where people freeze mid-action while a camera pans around them, is resurfacing in TikTok remixes and nostalgia posts. People are even splicing older Mannequin Challenge clips back into new compilations.

3. “Lush Life” and Decade-Old Music Hits

Songs like Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life” have surged back into charts and playlists as part of the throwback soundtrack of 2016 online nostalgia, even climbing Spotify and Billboard rankings again as creators use them in retro-style videos.

4. Skinny Jeans Revival

Skinny jeans, arguably the defining denim style of the mid-2010s, are making a real fashion comeback, blending back into street style alongside other throwback looks like chokers and lace tops.

5. Wired Apple Headphones

One of the fun retro tech throwbacks seen across social posts? The classic wired Apple headphones, once ubiquitous before wireless earbuds, suddenly popping back in aesthetic videos celebrating 2016-era gadgets.

6. Disposable Camera Aesthetic
Fujifilm Instax cameras, and their iconic instant film look, are everywhere again as people resurrect the analog aesthetic that dominated 2016 travel and Tumblr/Instagram posts.

7. Rainbow Loom Kits

Another blast from the past? Rainbow Loom kits, the bracelet-making craze that defined middle school hangouts circa 2016, are back in videos showing DIY craft flashbacks and playful nostalgia.

Ten years later, 2016’s cultural fingerprints are everywhere in 2026, from social media nostalgia trends and decade-old songs storming playlists again. Whether you lived through the original moments or are just discovering them, this throwback wave proves that some things never really go out of style.