Why is Gen Z wistful for the late 2000s already?

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Just as the recent revival of indie folk bands like The Lumineers from the late 2000s and early 2010s is starting to fade, we’re now bracing ourselves for another wave of discussion about popular trends from that same time period.

This one too is about brooding men with an inner glow.

Lionsgate is bringing the popular “Twilight” movies – originally released between 2008 and 2012 – back to cinemas starting October 29th.

As a critic, I’ve been thinking a lot about our current obsession with the past. We all get hit with nostalgia eventually, but it feels different now. Are we only interested in eras distant enough to be ‘history,’ or are we overlooking the very recent past – the stuff still living on our social media feeds? It’s a strange disconnect, this need for a ‘historical’ distance when so much of our lives is instantly archived.

Back in 1989, literary critic Fredric Jameson coined the phrase “nostalgia mode” to explain how people born in the Baby Boomer and Generation X eras often looked back at the 1960s with fondness. Today, Rodrigo Muñoz-González, a professor at the University of Costa Rica, expands on this idea with the term “nostalgia economy,” which describes how companies now profit from that same feeling of longing for the past. His ideas stem from research he originally conducted for his doctoral thesis, which he later developed into the book “Young People, Media, and Nostalgia.”

Voices

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If you’re feeling unhappy with where you are in life, focusing on fondly remembering future moments – a kind of ‘anticipatory nostalgia’ – can actually reduce stress and make your present experiences feel more significant.

As a total movie and music nerd, I’ve been watching how everything feels… different lately. Everyone’s attention seems so short, and there’s so much pressure for things to really connect with audiences. So it didn’t surprise me at all that the recent “Dawson’s Creek” reunion reading in New York got dissected by everyone, and that the Goo Goo Dolls somehow had the biggest song of the summer in 2025 with a track that originally came out in the ’90s. It just feels like we’re all really focused on nostalgia right now.

According to Muñoz-González, appealing to nostalgia can often lead to success in certain markets. He also explains that economic difficulties often spark a desire for the past, because they arise from dissatisfaction with current circumstances.

This explains why AMC Theatres quickly organized showings of “Jaws” to celebrate its 50th anniversary, and why Disney wanted Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan to star in another “Freaky Friday” movie together.

It also helps projects gain new popularity, whether they didn’t get much attention initially or are now being discovered by a new generation through streaming and social media.

The TV series “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” is a great example of this phenomenon. The show, which first aired on the CW in 2015, centers on a woman who desperately seeks happiness and idealizes a teenage summer camp romance. Known for its original music, the show often referenced popular songs and musicals from the late 20th century, like “Les Misérables.” While it was a bit of a hidden gem during its original run, the show found a wider audience during and after the pandemic thanks to streaming, with viewers connecting to its honest portrayal of the struggles of adulthood.

Hollywood Inc.

I’m loving what’s happening at the cinemas right now – so many classic films are getting special anniversary showings! And it’s fantastic to see that people are really embracing these chances to relive those movie moments on the big screen. It’s just wonderful!

I recently caught the show when the cast got back together for their ’10(ish) Year Reunion Concert’ tour, and it was… well, a celebration of celebrating! It’s a bit meta, honestly – a show about nostalgia really leaning into the current wave of everyone loving nostalgia. The whole thing wrapped up with a sold-out show at the Wiltern on October 17th, and thankfully, those who couldn’t make it in person could watch it live on Veeps.

As a total movie and musical person, I totally get why ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend’ resonated with so many people. Rachel Bloom, who created and starred in it, has a great point: musical theater is just… a way to escape! It makes sense why we all put on headphones while walking and kind of imagine our own life as a big, dramatic movie – it’s a natural thing to do, and her show really tapped into that feeling.

The show also addressed important issues like abortion rights and mental health, but the stories are universal enough to still feel relevant today. Bloom understands why younger viewers are drawn to both her show and the 1990s, perhaps because she herself fondly remembers the decade despite experiencing hardship during that time.

I get the sense they realize all the constant input and information is actually pretty disruptive. It’s like they see how it’s throwing things off balance.

But this isn’t just seen in movies and TV.

According to Muñoz-González, we have more historical information and images available to us now than ever before. He notes that this abundance means we’re able to reflect on the past with a much quicker turnaround time.

According to Muñoz-González, Gen Z is particularly interested in Barack Obama’s presidency, especially those who recall the economic stability during that time. Interestingly, time has also shifted views on George W. Bush. Though he left office with low approval ratings (34%), younger voters now often view him as more understanding on immigration issues than current leaders, even considering his own strict immigration policies.

Television

Please be aware that the following contains spoilers for the series finale of “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” which aired on Friday night.

Gen Z is driving a surprising trend online: a strong interest in styles and content from the recent past. They now make up over half of Tumblr’s users, and Pinterest has seen a huge increase in searches for aesthetics from the mid-2010s, like “summer 2015 aesthetic.” Pinterest confirms this isn’t a fluke, with searches for terms like “2015 aesthetic tumblr” (up 530%), “2019 outfits” (up 55%), and “2018 outfits” (up 70%) all surging among Gen Z users.

According to Ethan Gibson, head of communications for RM Sotheby’s in North America, the appeal of collectible cars often comes down to nostalgia, beyond just technical details and how rare a car is. He explains that while a ‘vintage’ car is generally around 25 years old, a ‘classic’ car is truly one-of-a-kind. Gibson notes that collectors in their 40s and 50s often seek cars from their youth, but he’s also seeing a new wave of younger enthusiasts who are drawn to unique, limited-edition vehicles – even relatively recent models.

Allyson Rees, a strategist at the trend forecasting company WGSN, believes the word “nostalgia” is appearing in almost all of their reports. This is likely due to common factors like economic worries, endlessly scrolling through bad news, and a general feeling of unease. She notes that while terms like FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and JOLO (Joy of Logging Off) were once popular, they’ve been replaced by FOFO (Fear of Finding Out)—the anxiety we experience when receiving notifications about potential issues or crises.

According to Rees, the pandemic sparked a wave of nostalgia. However, this feeling has persisted as platforms like TikTok have become key social spaces, especially for people feeling isolated. Also, the rise of eco-conscious shopping – with sites like ThredUp and Depop – means fashion trends are returning faster than ever.

Entertainment & Arts

Fifty years ago, Penn & Teller revolutionized magic by adding humor to their performances. Now, they’re bringing their constantly updated show to the YouTube Theater this Saturday.

People connect with things when they feel a shared experience, which is why nostalgia is so strong for times when everyone was on the same page. Today, things feel much more divided, and people are naturally drawn to comfort and connection with themselves.

Nostalgia isn’t just wanting to relive the past; it’s about the feelings the past evokes. John Koenig has been creating new words to describe emotions on his website, the Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, since 2009, and published these as a book in 2021. One of his early creations, ‘anemoia,’ perfectly captures the feeling of longing for a time you never actually lived through. Movements like the ‘trad wife’ trend, where women embrace traditional roles, and slogans like Donald Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ aim to create a similar longing for a romanticized past. Even teenagers wishing for life before smartphones are doing the same thing – yearning for a time they only imagine.

Koenig explains that in the Middle Ages, people’s lives were very structured – everyone had a defined role and beliefs were dictated from the outside. It was like living in a rigid, unyielding community. Today, however, we’re all responsible for creating our own lives and beliefs. While this freedom is empowering, it also creates a lot of stress.

When asked if exploring the past online could help us understand different cultures, Muñoz-González pointed out that this was the original hope for the internet in the 80s and 90s. He added that media outlets will likely keep focusing on nostalgia as long as it continues to attract viewers and generate revenue.

I often discuss what I call the ‘right to the present,’ and I believe it’s especially important for young people to feel entitled to enjoy their lives right now.

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2025-10-28 13:32