NOSTALGIA MUSIC TRENDS

If you’ve ever been transported back to a particular moment in time by a song, you’re not alone. Music has the ability to recall memories and feelings back to life, and nostalgic music is a powerful tool for content creators looking to evoke these images and emotions. 

What is nostalgia music?

Nostalgia music is a song or piece of audio that makes an individual feel sentimental, long for the past or trigger memories. Certain songs may also remind them of particular people as well as life events. For example, a track that was played for a couple’s first wedding dance will remind them of this significant moment in their relationship and their connections with family and friends.

It’s difficult to define exactly what nostalgia music is as each individual will have their own associations. However, nostalgia music usually:

• Elicits an emotional response and can remind a person of times when they were previously happy or sad
• Is connected with memories, such as special events, life moments or periods of time (e.g. teenage years)
• Reinforces an individual’s sense of self by connecting them with their own culture, generation or groups they belong to.

What is the science behind nostalgia in music?

The power behind nostalgia music may seem like a fuzzy concept, however, there is a scientific explanation for why certain tracks inspire sentimental feelings. Mainly, it’s down to the fact that listening to music triggers activity in several parts of the brain, including:

• The left frontal cortex, which plays a key role in forming memories, managing attention, having empathy and building personalities
• The auditory cortex, which listens to and processes the sound, helping us to understand and remember particular pieces of music
• Left parietal cortex and cerebellum, where movement, the senses (particularly vision) and spatial awareness are controlled

Music’s ability to impact the visual cortex means that when you hear a track for the first time, your brain will associate it with what you see around you and how you’re feeling at that particular moment. It will store this as a memory that’s recalled when the song is heard again in the future. 

The reward systems in the brain mean the ‘happy’ chemical dopamine is released during this process. That’s why we get the warm, fuzzy feeling we associate with ‘nostalgia’. It’s also why playing nostalgic music has been shown to boost peoples’ mood, improve personal connections and improve wellbeing. 

Nostalgic music trends

Although each individual will have particular tracks that link to their own memories and emotions, certain songs offer a sense of nostalgia that is more widely accessible, such as those with a link to cultural references as well as specific times and places. 

Most commonly, nostalgic music is split into ‘eras’, with particular tracks and genres associated with that decade. For example, 90s nostalgia music includes artists like the Spice Girls, Blur and Lauryn Hill alongside genres like Britpop, grunge and hip hop. In contrast, 2000s nostalgia music transitions to pop, R&B and indie rock with songs from artists such as Beyoncé and Rihanna. 

Genres and tunes also reflect the cultures of their time. For example, nineties’ youth culture was influenced by anti-establishment sentiment with songs such as ‘Black Boys on Mopeds’ by Sinéad O'Connor, ‘Killing in the name’ by Rage Against the Machine, and ‘Burn Hollywood Burn’ by Public Enemy. 

The early 2010s, on the other hand, were characterised by a greater sense of, and call for, personal liberation. This saw the rise of LGBTQ artists and allies with meteoric hits such as Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Born this Way’.

How can you follow music nostalgia trends?

Just as the cultures of the time inspired particular songs and genres, the revival of certain tunes in TV shows, films or as samples in new tracks can cause trends to resurface. 

For example, the 2023 release of the movie Saltburn led Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s 2001 track ‘Murder on the Dancefloor’ to re-enter the charts and social media posts. Before this, Kate Bush’s 1985 ‘Running up that Hill’ made it back into many people’s playlists in 2022 after it appeared in the Netflix hit show Stranger Things. 

Keeping an eye on streaming and download charts can help you stay on top of trending nostalgic tracks. Looking at Instagram Reels and TikTok feeds is also a great way to find old songs that are becoming more popular. Following the Instagram account @Creatives will give you a weekly update on the tunes going viral. 

If you have Spotify or Apple Music, following playlists like ‘Today’s Hits’ or ‘Trending Songs’ can help you find hot tracks to use in your content. 

How to choose nostalgia music

To select a nostalgic song, creators can follow a similar process to choosing any other soundtrack. First, take a look at what’s trending and create a shortlist. Then, explore other content using this track to see what mood and emotions are being inspired by it. This will help you narrow down which songs are most appropriate for you. 

Whichever song you choose, you need to make sure you have the rights to use it so you don’t infringe any copyright rules. Otherwise, your lovingly-created content could soon be removed from social media and other online platforms. 

If your track is well-known, it may be expensive to buy the full usage rights you need. However, you may be able to find claims-free songs that replicate your content’s rhythm and tone. By having access to a library of thousands of tunes, you can find an option that is similar to your nostalgic tune and can inspire the same feelings in your audience. Universal Music for Creators offers endless choice, including playlists inspired by viral hits and trends or different eras of music such as 80s synths and retro beats or classic 70s soul. 

To find your new favorite nostalgic track, browse our catalog and get unlimited access to more than 50,000 fresh new tracks and 200,000 SFX.