Revisiting records set 10 years ago to find out if 2026 really is the new 2016

Who would have thought that 2016 would be making a comeback. Or more importantly, is anyone in shock that 2016 was a decade ago? Content creators and celebrities have been getting nostalgic by posting their best 2016 pictures, sharing Tumblr aesthetic outfit inspo, and bringing back the favourite songs from that time.

When Snapchat filters, skinny jeans, and Starbucks Frappuccinos were all the rage, what records were being broken?

Hamilton first premiered on 6 August 2015. Taking the world by storm, the musical was nominated for 16 different categories in the Tony Awards. With more nominations than any musical before it, Hamilton won the most Tony Award nominations for a musical.

Based on the struggle to get tickets in present day, it is not surprising that this record has gone unbroken for 10 years. Just like in 2016, the world is still obsessed with Hamilton.

Remember the app that used augmented reality to let users capture and battle Pokémon in a real environment? It had everyone glued to their phone screens as they walked about their towns and cities.

Pokémon Go was a revolution of its time. Released in July 2016, by August it had earned itself five different Guinness World Records titles including most downloaded mobile game in its first month and most international charts topped simultaneously for a mobile game in its first month (revenue). With 103 million downloads and reaching the charts in 55 countries, Pokémon Go holds these records to this day.

It was rare to come by someone who did not have the app downloaded.

It was incredibly popular although it did face some criticism at the time over safety concerns.

In present day, the game has become less popular. However, the 2016 habit of being glued to one’s phone seems to be here to stay.

2016 was also the era of Bieber Fever. Singer Justin Bieber won eight different Guinness World Records titles with his album Purpose, which included his hit song “What Do you Mean?”

Bieber was not the only artist breaking records. The Weeknd (b. Abel Tesfaye) was also holding his own in the charts. He earned two Guinness World Records titles that year for his album Beauty Behind the Madness, and they were presented to him at a Hollywood recording studio.

The album had 60 million listeners, breaking the record for most streamed album on Spotify in one year, current (unique listeners). His album also reached the top 10 on the Billboard Charts, winning The Weeknd the title of most consecutive weeks in the Top 10 of Billboard's Hot 100 by a solo male artist.

Find more stories about record-breaking celebrities in our Arts and Entertainment section.

Stepping away from the music scene, a popular dessert – cupcakes - broke records in 2016 too.

The Cupcakes for Hope Cancer Foundation (South Africa) gathered volunteers to bake and build a 10.77 m (35 ft 4 in) high cupcake tower. The tower was filled with 6,370 homemade cupcakes. This earned the foundation the record for tallest tower of cupcakes.

After the structure was measured, the cupcakes were distributed among volunteers, guests, children's homes, and hospitals. Yum!

Animal influencers were also popular during this time, specifically cats. The internet’s obsession with cat videos led this feline to winning a title of their own.

Diga with her owner Robert Dollwet (Australia) performed 20 tricks in one minute including rolling over and jumping over a skateboard. This earned Diga the title most tricks performed by a cat in one minute.

Looking back over these records broken a decade ago, there is no doubt 2016 was a thrilling time. From musicals to the charts, apps to cupcakes, cats preforming tricks, and so much more, 2016 was an impressive year for our record breakers. It will be amazing to see what can be achieved in 2026.

Header image: Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash