Has anything come back stronger than a 90’s trend? The power of nostalgia in pop culture

From fashion and branding to movies and music, the 90’s have made a major resurgence in recent years. Why are we so fixated on this decade of pop culture from over thirty years ago? While the answer is multifaceted, I believe it can be boiled down to one word: nostalgia.



At some point, all humans yearn for their past and reminisce fondly on the simpler days of childhood or young adulthood and want to share that feeling with others through the use of cultural artifacts. Brummett defines a cultural artifact as:
  1. an action, event, or object perceived as a unified whole,
  2. having widely shared meanings, and
  3. manifesting group identifications to us.
Artifacts of 90’s culture remain popular today because they are perceived as a unified whole, have widely shared meanings, and manifest group identifications. These artifacts pinpoint a certain time or memory in our past and help us connect to other people in a way that goes beyond simply recognizing similar interests, but rather bonds us together over shared identifications of yesteryear such as devoted “Friends” fans, grunge fashion early adopters, or unabashed collectors of beanie babies. These connections forged over the shared identities and meanings of cultural artifacts become almost comforting to us and can lead to stronger associations.

Of course, generational differences play a role in this phenomena and further explain the nostalgia factor in today’s popular culture. The Conan O’Brien video clip showcasing an ever-changing “museum of pop culture references” for younger viewers who don’t get the jokes their parents are laughing at and Klosterman’s (2007) Death by Harry Potter article, illustrate how the cultural artifacts of a certain time frame may not hold the same meaning among all audiences. However, regardless of if you grew up in the 1990’s or 1960’s, the same concept applies. We all feel nostalgic for our past and cling to the comfort and memories of cultural artifacts that help remind us of those times in our lives, whether it’s 90’s movies or 70’s folk rock music. Nostalgia is a universal human emotion and Hollywood studios, advertisers, brands, and social media algorithms have successfully tapped into our nostalgia in a big way. Pull out your walkmans, folks. I don’t think the 90’s trends are going away anytime soon.

How have you seen nostalgia influence pop culture messages?

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