The 'Iris' Effect
Remember when everyone and their mother (literally, thanks Drew Barrymore and Kevin Bacon) was posting 90s throwbacks to the Goo Goo Dolls’ 'Iris'? Well, the song lowkey took over the world all over again. By late September, the 1998 ballad was sitting pretty in the Spotify Global 50, outperforming fresh tracks from legends like Ariana Grande and BTS. It’s giving main character energy, but it's definitely not the only one. We’re seeing a total renaissance for old-school bops, with tracks like Fleetwood Mac’s 'Dreams' and The Killers’ 'Mr. Brightside' living rent-free on our playlists decades after they dropped.
Should the Grammys change the rules?
Real talk: nearly half of the songs currently dominating the Global 50 were released before 2025. This is a massive shift, yet the Recording Academy’s rules are still stuck in the past, only honoring new releases within a strict eligibility cycle. Pat Magnarella, manager for the Goo Goo Dolls, says the current system misses the point. 'There’s this whole new generation that’s discovering 'Iris,'' he noted, adding that for a 14-year-old today, it isn't an 'old' song—it’s just a new favorite.
Robert Reynolds, who manages The Killers, thinks it's a major L that the Academy doesn't acknowledge the streaming reality. He argues that if the Grammys already have historical categories, they should be able to honor tracks that are culturally popping off right now, regardless of their original release date. So far, the Academy is keeping quiet on the matter.
Why it matters
Why are we obsessed with the past? According to Luminate’s 2026 report, it’s all about the nostalgia factor. About 60% of Gen Z listeners are now vibing with music from the 90s or earlier—a huge jump from just 18% in 2021. For the Grammys to stay relevant, industry experts say they need to stop ignoring how we actually listen to music, or risk being completely out of touch with modern consumption.
