Written by: Joe BartolottaNostalgia the past is a common feeling in these times. We can barely go outside to create new memories. It’s nearly impossible to escape the widespread fear and anxiety. But we do have our sofas, laptops, televisions and streaming services. When times are tough it becomes even harder to escape to a place of peace. The fear of missing out has morphed into the remembrance of things past. Nostalgia is now our time machine to a more preferable state of mind.
There is all types of data that show this craving for nostalgia. A recent study done by Nielsen/MRC shows that over half of music listeners have been streaming older tunes from classic artists like Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, and The (Dixie) Chicks. Post Malone followed this trend by live-streaming a fundraiser concert solely covering Nirvana songs. The film world has also seen a similar trend. Google searches for “Classic Movies” are the highest they've been in 15 years.
This same nostalgia enthusiasm is present on social media. On Reddit, the subreddit r/Nostalgia has seen steady growth since March, and r/90s has grown +9.7%. Popular hashtags like #TBT and #ThrowbackThursday have been used with +43% more frequency. New nostalgic challenges have been popping up on social media. Including hashtags #MeAt20 and #DistractA90sKid which have been trending on Twitter.Posting old photos, listening to old music and watching old movies have become much more than just content that provokes sentimentality, they’ve become a coping mechanism during this pandemic era. Taking time to look back on treasured memories can be truly beneficial for our well-being, evoking feelings of happiness and positivity. Yet, there is an ironic element to all of this nostalgia. As we continue to adapt to this pandemic era, it is possible that we will eventually look back at this time with a sense of fondness as well. Despite all of the obvious negatives, perhaps we will look back at this time and recognize the new habits, rituals and relationships we’ve formed and reflect on all the little things that really make life meaningful.To stay up to date with the latest from Embee Media, be sure to check out our other shower thoughts and subscribe to our newsletter!