PodcastsWhy is Gen Z so obsessed with the 2010s?2016 really wasnt that great. Why are we so nostalgic for it?by Danielle Hewitt and Astead HerndonJan 31, 2026, 12:45 PM UTCShareGiftWhy are we romanticizing 2016??? WundervisualsGetty ImagesAt the start of this year, it seemed like everybody was reminiscing about the year 2016. In January alone, Spotify saw a 790 percent increase in 2016 themed playlists. People were declaring that the 2026 vibe would match the feel good vibes of the year 2016.The only problem is that the experience of living through 2016 was far different from what Gen Z in particular remembers.Daysia Tolentino is the journalist behind the newsletter Yap Year, where shes been chronicling online affinity for the 2010s for almost a year now. Gen Z tends to blend all of the years together causing them to hype up the fun cultural parts and ignore the international and political turmoil that marked 2016. Tolentino says 2016 nostalgia might actually be a sign that young people are ready to break out of these cycles of nostalgia and reach for something new.Tolentino spoke with Today, Explained host Astead Herndon about how 2016 has stuck with us and what our nostalgia for that time might reveal.Theres much more in the full podcast, so listen to Today, Explained wherever you get your podcasts, including Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify.Where did this 2016 trend start?Its been building up since last year, especially on TikTok. People have been slowly bringing back
Discussion
Join the conversation
Be the first to comment