'2026 is the New 2016': Why Everyone is Posting Throwback Photos
From John Legend to Charlie Puth, celebrities and regular users alike are flooding social media with 2016 throwbacks in the first viral trend of 2026.
Is it 2026 or 2016? Social media users turn back the clock in viral trend
Just two weeks into 2026, social media has been overtaken by a massive wave of nostalgia. The "2026 is the new 2016" trend has celebrities and regular users alike sharing photos and videos from exactly a decade ago.
Celebrities Leading the Charge
The trend has attracted major celebrity participation. Charlie Puth shared a video lip-syncing to his 2016 hit with Selena Gomez, "We Don't Talk Anymore," with the caption "Heard it was 2016 again?"
John Legend and Reese Witherspoon have posted throwback photos, while Hailey Bieber shared videos with friends Kendall Jenner and Justine Skye from 2016.
Why 2016?
The year 2016 holds a special place in internet culture. It was the peak of Vine, the rise of musical.ly (now TikTok), and a time when social media felt more innocent. Songs like "Closer" by The Chainsmokers and "One Dance" by Drake dominated the charts.
The Numbers
The #2016 hashtag has already been used in over 1 million posts on TikTok and more than 37 million posts on Instagram. Tumblr even declared 2026 the "year of 365 buttons" in a related viral moment.
The trend reflects a broader cultural desire to revisit simpler times before the upheavals of recent years.