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February 1, 2026
You know it. You love it. Or maybe you feel apathetic towards it, but are just trying to stay with the times: 2016. What a year, am I right? Well, I was actually 11 years old, so I don't really remember much about what was happening back then. But, I still feel connected to this cultural moment that is happening surrounding it, because I have ears. The music of 2016! Think of Rae Sremmurd, Drake, Rihanna, the XXL Freshman Cypher. Looking at the present state of things, it is easy to yearn for the good old days. But, was everything really so much better back then?
Soundcloud rap (or the Soundcloud rap class) was popping! Think of Carti, Yachty, 21 Savage and company. Some may remember this novel genre being called “mumble rap” and getting comically dunked on in “serious” music conversations. Remember that? At least we can appreciate the era for what it is now, but back then, this genre was not so fondly spoken about.
The progression of the XXL Freshman Cypher has shown us that people can’t freestyle anymore; at least we had heat from DaBaby and Meg back in 2018. When you fast forward to 2026, it would appear that not only can the new rap class not freestyle to save their life, but they also can’t make music that escapes the confines of that little black app on your phone. You know the one. While TikTok has helped many artists’ songs reach new heights, in terms of retaining audience attention, it’s best to create something that I don't only like 15 seconds of.
The radio era was in full swing in 2016, which meant that we heard your whole track, not just a little bit meant to go viral. Artists cared more about the art of the album. Listening to an album in its entirety used to be an experience. I certainly miss those times.
Finally, Views dropped. Need I say more? But in all seriousness, in trying times, people want something to hold onto. And in this case, it just so happens to be an era of music that many of us hold near and dear to our hearts. The other day, I listened to a DJ set curated by NoodleCan on YouTube, finding a seamless blend between top tracks of 2016 and present day, and let me tell you: I was blown away. There is certainly merit in revisiting art from the past, but it is also important that we open ourselves up to new eras, and don’t look back with rose-tinted glasses.