The year 2016 was a decade ago, and now it is time to reflect. In this article, we will be recapping the music of the time: the hits and the flops, the scenes that broke the internet, and the scandals, shows, and the trends of the time (alongside recapping trending games).
In 2016, I was nine years old, and Musically was the app of the time. My days after school consisted of playing Roblox, going outside and playing with friends, and watching gameplay from Ihascupquake to corykenshin. As someone who was nine years old, I had to do some research on what was going on during 2016, because it is all a little foggy. My age is showing just a bit of a tad. Without further ado, let us begin with the music of 2016.
What song comes to mind when you think about 2016? For me, I think about the songs “Juju on That Beat” by Zaylon McCall and “Rolex” by Ayo and Teo.
The top songs that make 2016 memorable:
“One Dance” by Drake, Wizkid & Kyla
“Work” by Rihanna featuring Drake
“24K Magic” by Bruno Mars
“Bad and Boujee” by Migos and Lil Uzi Vert
“Black Beatles” by Rae Sremmurd feat. Gucci Mane
“Closer” by the Chainsmokers featuring Halsey
“No problem” by Chance the Rapper
“Sorry and Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber
“Broccoli” by D.R.A.M and Lil Yachty
“Work from home” by Fifth Harmony”
“Wicked” by Future
Honorable Mentions:
“7 years” by Lucas Graham
“Heathens” by 21 Pilots
“Cake by the Ocean” by DNCE
Onto the scandals and scenes that broke the internet
Let us start with the Kim, Taylor, Kanye “Famous” debacle
Kanye West released “Famous” in 2016; Taylor Swift said she never approved her lyrics. Kim Kardashian then posted recordings on Snapchat showing Taylor and Kanye discussing the song beforehand, suggesting Taylor knew about and agreed to the lyrics. Which in turn, began a feud between Kim and Taylor.
”Becky with good hair”
is a reference from Beyoncé’s Lemonade (2016), specifically the song “Sorry.” It blew up because it sounded like a very pointed call-out. The Beyhive went full detective mode, attempting to find out who Jay-Z’s mistress was to this day there are speculations of who this mystery woman was.
The continuation of Bill Cosby’s sexual assault allegations
2016 is when the allegations crystallized into an undeniable public and legal reality; the year Cosby’s legacy is fully unraveled. His honors and awards were pulled alongside reruns of The Cosby Show.
Donald Trump became President of the United States
No comment. (2026 is 2016.)
Moving on…
Deaths of 2016: Alton Sterling, Philando Castile alongside, David Bowie, Prince, Alan Rickman, Muhammad Ali, Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds, George Michael, Leonard Cohen, and Harambe the Gorilla. May their souls rest in peace.
The trends of 2016 were very colorful compared to the Clean Girl aesthetic we see nowadays. You may have heard of 2016 makeup, which was full-coverage glam. The makeup was creative, colorful, and mesmerizing to look at. The trends of the time also included athleisure wear as seen on Rihanna chokers, off the shoulder dresses and tops, skinny jeans, pointed toe booties, Dr. Martens, Timberlands, and a lot of velvet fabric. Honorable mentions to fringe and tribal tattoos. Not going to lie: a lot of cultural appropriation, but you can read about that in my Black culture and media article if you are curious about that topic.
Finally, let us finish strong with TV and video games
The TV shows that came out in 2016 were Stranger Things, Lucifer, Stuck in the Middle (starring Jenna Ortega), School of Rock, Lab Rats Elite Force, Star and The Rap Game. All elite showings! I have seen most of these shows outside of Stranger Things. My favorite is Star, because it is my comfort show.
The video games of the time carry some notable names such as Overwatch, Battlefield 1, Stardew Valley, Final Fantasy XV, and Pokémon GO. I vividly remember watching CoryxKenshin play Five Nights at Freddy’s: Sister Location when it dropped, and I was fascinated with the character Ballora. I also remember the gameplay for Hello Neighbor and jumping for joy, wanting to play this game despite being afraid of the dark. Overall, I would say a good year for many memorable games.
In all, 2016 was a nostalgic year to look back on. The entire year was colorful in not just one way but many, and that is why so many look back on it. If 2026 is the resurgence of 2016, some trends will peak their colorful heads back into our lives yet again.
