This year, the internet has begged the question: Is 2026 the new 2016? Get an inside scoop of 2016 personified as a playlist where each track perfectly captures the nostalgic feeling of that decade. With feel-good tracks and youthful tunes, this playlist rewinds time back to the year of summer anthems, full-beat makeup, and everything galaxy print.
Rather Be by Clean Bandit & Jess Glynne
A feel-good, violin-laced love song, this song celebrates choosing love over luxury.
Lush Life by Zara Larsson
This carefree, youthful track is all about living fast, loving hard, and enjoying the moment before it slips away.
Roses by the Chainsmokers & ROZES
A hazy, late-night anthem about chasing success and realizing it doesn’t always fill the emptiness you expected.
What do you mean by Justin Bieber
A sleek pop hit, Bieber captures the confusion and mixed signals of a relationship stuck between yes and no.
One Dance by Drake, Wizkid, Kyla
With an irresistible rhythm, this smooth, global summer hit is built around longing and late nights.
Outside (feat. Ellie Goulding) by Calvin Harris & Ellie Goulding
This euphoric EDM track celebrates finding freedom and clarity after heartbreak.
Lean On by Major Lazer, MO & DJ Snake
In the tune of a minimalist dance anthem, this song is all about trust, support, and leaning on others when life gets heavy.
This Is What You Came For by Rihanna & Calvin Harris
Over a magnetic beat, this high-energy club hit captures how confidence brings attention when on the dance floor.
We Don’t Talk Anymore (feat Selena Gomez) by Charlie Puth & Selena Gomez
A bittersweet duet between Puth and Gomez, this song encapsulates how relationships can drift apart and the quiet pain that comes after those lost connections.
One Last Time by Ariana Grande
An emotional plea for closure and forgiveness wrapped in powerful pop vocals
Rude by MAGIC!
A reggae-pop song that playfully tells the story of love, rejection, and defying disapproval.
Stressed Out by Twenty One Pilots
A raw reflection on growing up, nostalgia, and the pressure of adulthood.
Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye & Kimbra
A haunting breakup song about emotional distance and becoming strangers again.
Never Be Like You (feat. Kai) by Flume, kai
A future-bass track blending regret and longing over a relationship that can’t be replaced.
Without You by Oh Wonder
A soft, intimate song about vulnerability and finding strength in love.
I Took A Pill In Ibiza by Mike Posner (Seeb Remix)
A reflective hit song over a tropical beat, Posner exposes the loneliness behind fame and party culture.
On & On by Cartoon, Jéja, Daniel Levi
An uplifting EDM track to end this playlist, this song is about resilience and pushing forward no matter the obstacles.
