Why 2016 Music Is Back And What DJs Can Learn
The First Big Music Trend of 2026 Is Here And it’s 2016.
Thanks to social media and streaming platforms, music from a decade ago is back in the charts and firmly back on the dance floor.
It all started with a new TikTok filter called 2016, which gives videos a vintage pink hue, similar to the Instagram photo effect that dominated social media at the time. The filter taps into a sense of nostalgia and evokes memories of a simpler, less algorithm-driven era online.
Without saying a word, Gen Z is being transported back to a time when they were younger, carefree, and having fun. According to TikTok, searches for 2016 have surged by 452%, with more than 55 million videos created in just one week.
Spotify data supports this trend, showing a 71% increase in “2016” playlists over the last year compared to the year before.
We have also seen artists from that era creeping back into the charts. Zara Larsson has re-entered the Top 10, with tracks by Drake and Ariana Grande from the same year close behind.
Why 2016 Still Matters
2016 was a landmark year for music. It marked the first time streaming figures were officially incorporated into the charts, fundamentally changing how hits were defined.
That year produced fewer chart-topping songs than any year before:
- Just 10 unique number-one singles
- Only 75 tracks reached the Top 10, the lowest number since charts began in 1952
- 6.6% of those Top 10 tracks were by Justin Bieber
- Bieber also made history by holding the top three chart positions simultaneously, a first for any artist
These shifts laid the groundwork for how music trends now emerge. They are fast, consumer-led, and driven by streaming and social platforms rather than traditional radio.
Why This Matters to DJs
This is where DJ Teams comes in.
DJ Teams helps DJs spot trends before they fully break. This allows you to adapt, evolve, and stay ahead of what fills dance floors.
One of our clearest examples came during the testing phase of the platform in March 2023. Analysing a sample of 300 couples, we noticed two songs steadily increasing in popularity within client selections.
By the end of the year, both tracks had:
- Appeared in major films
- Gone viral on social media
- Entered high-rotation playlists on national radio
Those tracks were:
- “Murder On The Dancefloor” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor
- “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield
Another long-standing example sits in our Top 50 most requested songs, consistently filling dance floors at events run by our DJ brand since the end of the pandemic.
Until recently, Cascada’s “Every Time We Touch” was largely ignored by radio. That changed when Heart began trialling it in spot plays to gauge listener reaction.
Social Media vs Radio: Who Leads Trends?
Radio is reactive.
It researches tracks it believes its audience might enjoy, introduces them cautiously, and monitors feedback.
Social media and streaming platforms are proactive. They are entirely consumer-led. People choose what they love, share it, and push it into the mainstream organically.
DJ Teams sits neatly in between.
We subtly nudge clients towards popular and trending tracks while still giving them full freedom to search for anything. This is where the magic consistently happens.
Turning Requests Into Packed Dance Floors
DJ Teams gives clients a fun, engaging way to select the music for their event.
Sometimes clients will send hundreds of song requests, which can feel overwhelming. But long playlists are not a problem. Bad playlists are.
With DJ Teams:
- Clients categorise songs as yes, no, or maybe
- Requests are structured and intentional
- Selections sync directly into your playout system
- You save time while maintaining control of the dance floor
Built for DJs Who Want to Grow
DJ Teams subscribers have all the tools they need to:
- Manage enquiries in one place
- Create and send quotes, contracts, and emails from templates
- Stay front of mind in their clients’ inboxes
- Increase bookings, improve reviews, and stay relevant
Ready to stay ahead of the next trend?
See how DJ Teams can help you manage bookings, spot music trends early, and run your DJ business more efficiently.