The (height of the) dab
By Ryan Goodwin
Although technically created and popularized in 2015—thanks to the Carolina Panthers’ Cam Newton—the dab reached its peak in 2016. From Musical.ly videos to political debates to songs like Milla’s “#Camdab” and iLoveMemphis’s “Lean and Dabb,” the dab dominated popular culture, drastically increasing one’s odds of getting smacked in the face by someone sneeze-dabbing. 10 years have passed, and no dance move since has quite matched the dab’s indelible cultural impact.
La La Land
By Elizabeth Adler
Damien Chazelle’s breathtaking film blends glamour, heartache, and ambition in a magnificent supernova of swirling colors and swelling symphonies. As Mia (Emma Stone) and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) fall in love, they struggle to navigate their contrasting dreams of creative success in the “City of Stars.” A magical yet grounded exploration of the precarious relationship between romantic love and personal desires, La La Land took the culture by storm in 2016, earning critical acclaim and winning six (almost seven) Academy Awards the following year. Ten years later, La La Land remains a beautiful, timeless ode to “the fools who dream.”
The Great Clown Epidemic
By Alex Hwang
In fall 2016, “killer” clowns began appearing near schools or on highways, inducing widespread panic. This phenomenon made national news, inspiring clown hunts and YouTube hoaxes that had a chokehold on middle schoolers nationwide. This strange spike in coulrophobia (fear of clowns) marks arguably one of the worst events for the clown industry ever. Have you seen a clown at a kid’s birthday party since?
Grace VanderWaal
By Lucy Montalti
If we knew anyone’s name in 2016, it was Grace VanderWaal’s. When the quirked-up, cursive-singing 12-year-old walked onto the America’s Got Talent (2006-present) stage with a ukulele, thick bob, bangs, and a dream, the internet fell in love as preteens everywhere seethed with jealousy. Her viral audition—where her original song “I Don’t Know My Name” earned her the coveted Golden Buzzer from Howie Mandel—was the best thing since Susan Boyle, amassing over 100 million views on YouTube and cementing her spot in the 2016 hall of fame.
#taylorswiftisoverparty
By Karcin Hagi
The complicated relationship between Kanye West and Taylor Swift burst into flames when West shadily name-dropped the singer in his song “Famous,” saying, “I feel like me and Taylor might still have sex / Why? I made that bitch famous.” After Swift made clear her distaste for the lyric, Kim Kardashian came to her then-husband’s defense, releasing an edited and potentially illegal video of Swift seemingly approving the lyric over the phone. The hashtag #taylorswiftisoverparty trended on Twitter, signaling the public’s backlash towards Swift. The ordeal temporarily drove Swift off social media, planting the seed for her iconic 2017 comeback, Reputation.
Fidget spinners
By Ali Abubakr
Fidget spinners rose to worldwide fame in late 2016, marketed mainly as stress relief for people with ADHD and anxiety (although this was backed by shaky science). They swiftly gained popularity through a perfect storm of social media virality and expiring patents that allowed for mass production in China. As the toys swept the culture, they even faced bans in schools, inspiring many an act of middle school rebellion.
Lemonade by Beyoncé
By Joaquin Martinez
Lemonade, which has been recognized as one of the greatest albums of the 21st century by Rolling Stone, is undoubtedly the highlight of Beyoncé’s musical career—and not just because it introduced us to “Becky with the good hair.” The song “Daddy Lessons” marked her first foray into the country music genre, and subsequent backlash from institutions like the Country Music Awards inspired the creation of Cowboy Carter (2024), earning Beyoncé her first Album of the Year award at the Grammys almost 10 years later.
Bottomless Pit by Death Grips
By Quinn Ross
Ten years after the release of Bottomless Pit, we’re still waiting for another Death Grips song that hits as hard as “Ring A Bell.” Bottomless Pit is the experimental rap group’s most accessible project, with songs like “Warping,” “Eh,” and “Bottomless Pit” fitting into more typical rock and hyperpop genres. However, if you’ve seen Season 2, Episode 1 of Atlanta (2016-2022), you may recall Darius nonchalantly blasting an aggressive grindcore song on the radio. That song is none other than “Hot Head,” representing the beautiful chaos that is Death Grips.
“Pokémon GO (to the polls)”
By Aubrey Butterfield
The 2016 presidential election is infamous for many things, but what time has left behind is arguably the craziest attempt by a politician to appear relatable to their constituency—“Pokémon GO (to the polls).” The precursor to the summer 2024 brat-coconut tree-existing-in-the-context mania, “Pokémon GO to the polls,” was a rather confusing tactic by the Democratic Party to undermine then-candidate Donald Trump’s control of the media. Presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s target audience? Apparently, 10-year-old me, among my Pokémon-playing peers. Now, as a Democratic voter, I guess Clinton was playing the long game.
The Brexit Referendum
By Alexandra Risi
Just 10 years ago, British citizens (or Britizens, if we’re doing that) voted to leave the European Union (EU). They didn’t officially leave the EU until 2020—and since then, they’ve experienced quite the economic downturn. Despite the hangxiety, Brexit represents a true moment of Brits embracing their #singlegirlera. Yesss girl! You can do this on your own (or at least they thought so). In the land of EsDeeKid, Mary Poppins, and imperialism, people came together to make a decision they would later regret. And if that’s not the motto of 2016, we’re not sure what is.
