Songs that feel like summer 2016

Does this count as a “Try not to sing along” challenge?

Windows down at golden hour, blurry Snapchat stories with flower-crown filters, iced unicorn-themed drinks sweating in your hand, timing and cutting your Musical.ly at the right second, and hearing a song once at a pool party, only for it to soundtrack your entire summer after that— there was something so oddly specific about the summer 2016.

Some tracks technically came out years before or after 2016, but somehow still belong to that era emotionally. They carry the same carefree energy, Tumblr aesthetic, tropical-house beats, colourful sunset with palm trees and late-night drive nostalgia that defined summer playlists back then.

So here’s a curated playlist to bring back the feel 2016 feels for your 2026 summer:

New playlist

Not a Toronto late-night drive without Drake’s “One Dance” setting the perfect vibes.

Is it 2016 music without Twenty One Pilots? Never.

Everyone has the choreography down. The real challenge is how not to perform it every time the song plays.

Break into it with Ariana’s Into You.

Unlike the song title, the song will never let you down

Let’s be real, the music video had all of us in a flabbergasted.

Play that 24K magic and let Bruno take you to Mars.

Is it even summer without Zara Larsson’s belts turning up the entire vibe of the room?

The song that evokes a completely different type of adrenaline. No complaints though.

I think we’re all losing our voices after screaming this song at the top of our lungs.

Confused between staying still like a mannequin or breaking into a dance.

Funnily enough, this was the perfect song for every Panda enthusiast.

And everybody was watching her, because who wouldn’t look at Rihanna?

I think everyone wanted to join Royal Family after this song.

The only Bad thing about this song is the title. (I still think I can perform a moonwalk).

No words. Just vibes.

Enjoyed the ultimate beach party, straight from home. No regrets.

What’s on your playlist?

headphones with bright yellow background — *Photo by C D-X on Unsplash*

Maybe it’s nostalgia. Maybe it’s because music during that era had a very recognizable sound: tropical-house beats, emotional pop lyrics, indie dreaminess and dance tracks that somehow felt both energetic and sentimental at the same time.

Or maybe it’s because 2016 existed in that strange sweet spot where playlists felt messier, summers felt longer and songs became memories almost instantly.

Not every track on a “2016 summer” playlist has to be from 2016. Some songs just carry the same energy.

Feature photo by Vishnu R Nair on Unsplash

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