Viral 2016 throwback trend taking over Instagram and TikTok: Here's why

The latest trend is taking over Instagram and TikTok as the world looks back at nostalgia from 2016, after the "2026 is the new 2016" trend went viral as the new year began.

Beginning almost right off the heels of the New Year, this latest viral sensation sees the sharing of lo-fi photos, grainy videos, and throwback carousels from a decade ago.

From Snapchat dog filters to Pokémon Go screenshots, social feeds have now become riddled with flashbacks. The trend answers the who, what, when, where, why and how behind one simple concept: looking back instead of moving forward.

According to the BBC, TikTok saw a 452% increase in searches for “2016” in the first week of 2026. Over 56 million videos have been made already with misty filters emulating the era. The hashtag #2016trend has crossed 1.7 million posts, and that shows how widespread the movement has gotten.

Why is 2016 making a comeback in 2026?

One of the reasons that 2016 trending holds such fascination is the significance of the 10-year benchmark. For those users, the year 2016 represents a simpler era preceding the pandemic and the years of AI misinformation. It was a year of pertinent culture.

Famous singers to celebrities took to their social media and reshared their life moments back in 2016.

The year also marks several memorable moments, like Beyoncé putting out Lemonade, Taylor Swift introducing her Bleachella aesthetic, and Rae Sremmurd’s "Black Beatles" driving the Mannequin Challenge that was followed worldwide. Vine was still active, and the short-form video phenomenon had a fun and fresh feel to it.

Selena Gomez, joining the trend, posted her tour throwbacks, and singer Charlie Puth posted a video of himself lip-syncing to his hit song “We Don’t Talk Anymore” from 2016.

However, besides these trends, 2016 also had severe tragedies and politics in turmoil, as well as the death of legendary figures such as Prince, David Bowie, and Carrie Fisher. It suggests a rapid change of those who alter the past for a comfortable one.