LONDON, January 26, 2024 — A TikTok video explaining the sudden resurgence of 2016 nostalgia has garnered over a million views, tapping into a surprising trend among Gen Z. The year is now being embraced as a distinct aesthetic on the platform, fueled by a specific filter that evokes a bygone era of social media.
Why is Gen Z Obsessed with 2016?
The trend centers around a vintage, pink-hued filter reminiscent of early Instagram aesthetics, triggering a wave of nostalgia for a simpler time.
What made 2016 so special? According to creators and those who lived through it, the year represents a period before social media became overly curated and algorithm-driven.
Joel Marlinarson, a 22-year-old London-based TikTok creator and brand strategist, believes the filter is key. “So without using words, be it somebody in France, be it someone in Germany, seeing that filter you’re instantly taken back to a time when we were having so much fun and were so much younger,” he explained.
The appeal extends beyond just the visual aesthetic. The rosy hues also conjure memories of a less complicated social media landscape, a time when platforms played a significant role in young people’s lives without the pressures of constant content creation and algorithmic demands.
“Looking at Instagram, around 2016, there was no carousel posts,” Marlinarson noted. “People were posting a picture of their avocado, and it wasn’t so performative. There weren’t short-form reels, so there wasn’t that algorithmic kind of fatigue that people have now.”
A Simpler Social Media Experience
This sentiment is echoed by Lauren, 26, who fondly remembers the era. “To be honest, 2016 was the year of Snapchat stories,” she said. “If I go back through my Snapchat memories, it’s pretty much all from 2016.”
She contrasted that experience with the current state of platforms like Instagram. “Instagram was all about photos, we didn’t have to worry about Reels, we didn’t have to worry about updating our stories all the time. It was just a simple, chilled life.”
- The 2016 aesthetic is trending on TikTok, driven by a specific filter.
- The trend evokes nostalgia for a simpler time on social media.
- Creators point to the lack of features like Reels and carousel posts as contributing factors.
- Many remember 2016 as the peak of Snapchat’s popularity.
The fascination with 2016 highlights a growing desire for authenticity and a rejection of the highly polished, often overwhelming, nature of contemporary social media. It’s a reminder that sometimes, a simple avocado photo can be enough.
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