Ah, 2025. The gift that kept on giving. Not only were we spoilt for choice with iconic pop culture tidbits that defined us in 2025, but now, I’ve collated it all in the one place to peruse at your leisure.
We laughed, we cried, and we probably had enough nervy b’s to make a poor Victorian child quiver, but there’s no doubting that this year fed us in terms of slay behaviour. What type of slay? I’ll leave that up to you to decide.
So, without further ado, behold: the master list of the pop culture moments in 2025 that actually put me in a flow state. Reminiscence at your own risk.
Nothing beats a Jet2 holiday (January)
@drunclecarl Nothing beats a Jet2 Holiday…
♬ Jet2 Advert – ✈️A7-BBH | MAN 🇬🇧
Okay, so the jingle itself is a little dated, but we started the year with Jess Glynne‘s “Hold My Hand” echoing in our ears (and on our FYPs) as it became the hallmark of Jet2.com’s slogan.
Hey, if you listen to the audio in full, the deals actually sound pretty sweet. I’m inclined to say they’re right. Nothing does beat a Jet2 holiday (not even that first sip of cold water after a three-hour long concert).
Kendrick taking on the Super Bowl (February)
Oh man, if there’s one thing that lives in my mind rent-free from this year, it’s Kendrick‘s damn smirk as he raps his lil’ heart out about Drake liking ’em young. Needless to say, the 13-minute extravaganza was equal parts iconic diss and political symbolism, so I can’t help but stan.
The performance was rife with commentary on the U.S., down to the very opening of the show — dancers creating the American flag with their bodies, but separated, representing the divide in the nation right off the bat.
Plus, we can’t forget about Samuel L. Jackson appearing as Uncle Sam, his patriotic attire designed to challenge Kendrick and his principles throughout the performance. Nevertheless, he persisted, and, I cannot stress this enough, he wasn’t sitting nor was he humble.
Combine all of this with the delightful sprinkles of putting Drake on blast throughout, and you’ve got yourself a performance for the ages. Next year’s Super Bowl performance will be a tough gig, I’ll tell you that much.
Ashton Hall and his balls-to-the-wall insane morning routine (March)
@ashtonhallofficial The Morning routine. Easy routes don’t pay well, get up.
♬ original sound – Ashton Hall
Would you wake up at 3:52am, remove your mouth tape, brush your teeth, and then jump straight into 13 minutes of push-ups by 4:20am?
Well, you’re lacking. Ashton Hall would.
A fitness influencer with a healthy 15 million combined following on Instagram and TikTok at the time of writing, Ashton dropped his morning routine video that quickly went viral. It racked up over 700 million views in just a couple of days, and when you watch the video, it’s easy to see why. It’s bonkers.
My personal highlights from the vid is the 5:49am ice water dunk (using Saratoga, because why wouldn’t he?) and the 8:43am banana consumption (where the peel is then used on his face, of course).
Ah, Ashton. Never change.
Katy Perry went to space… because that’s normal (April)
If you haven’t seen that pic of Katy Perry floating in a spaceship and holding a daisy to the camera, I’m not convinced you don’t live under a rock. It was everywhere.
On April 14, a group of six public figures, including Katy, TV presenter Gayle King, and film producer Kerianne Flynn, got to experience space as they were launched into orbit for 11 minutes.
The Blue Origin NS-31 flight was touted as the “first all-female crew flight since 1963”, and hailed by associates as a way to “inspire and empower women all over the world.”
So, in short, it was tokenistic as heck, and the public thought so, too. Perry herself responded to the criticism, saying she regretted “making a public spectacle out of it”.
That’s not firework behaviour, if you ask me.
Labubus — the 24K gold kind (June)
@lilzbullzmarbella2 My 24 karat gold Labubu #labubu #gold #labubuthemonsters #popmart ♬ La BEW BEW – Lilz Bullz Official
Honestly, this one’s pretty self-expanatory.
Labubus remained a huge craze of this year, and in particular, TikToker Liz Bullz went viral for her 24K gold Labubu.
“They made it by melting down gold bars […] and shaped it into a Labubu. The ring is also 24K gold,” said Liz in her video.
Between this and the uptick of people taking out literal insurance on their Labubus, I can’t decide if it’s a recession indicator or mass hysteria à la dancing plague of 1518. It’s probably a mix of both.
Bieber stood on business, and rightfully so (June)
If it hasn’t clocked to you by now, you gotta keep up. Justin Bieber‘s viral moment this year came from him confronting paparazzi after they, well, did what paps do.
After feeling as though the content captured would be twisted to paint the Biebs in a negative, unrealistic light, he took a stand.
“It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business, is it? I’m a human being, you’re standing around my car, at the beach,” says Justin in the video, clearly frustrated.
Not only was the Biebs met with resounding support for his stance, but it also created quite possibly one of the funniest memes of the year. I wish I could stand on business the way he does.
Trump & Musk call it quits (June)
The most hotly anticipated breakup of this year, that is, the one between Donald Trump and Elon Musk, was everything you could want — dramatic, messy, and oh so public.
Tensions started simmering between the pair when Musk declared he was “disappointed” with Trump’s “big beautiful bill” (i.e. legislation that included a mix of enhanced immigration enforcement and tax cuts).
Elon thought it was a “massive spending bill” that “undermined the work” of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
From there, it was chaos — I’m talking Musk’s incessant subtweets, Trump’s threats of cutting ties, and finally, Musk’s declaration of Trump’s involvement in the Epstein files.
@fallontonight Elon Musk is just somebody that Trump used to know. #FallonTonight #TonightShow #ElonMusk #Trump #JimmyFallon ♬ original sound – FallonTonight
Honestly, between that and all the TikTok edits of their heartbreaking end, I couldn’t keep up. The Internet is truly a whirlwind.
KPop Demon Hunters (June)
@pedestriantv We need a sequel RIGHT NOW. #kpopdemonhunters #huntrix #spotify ♬ original sound – PEDESTRIAN.TV
Just as Debby Ryan told the president of Disney Channel that she wanted to make history, June 20 was the date that Netflix well and truly did — A.K.A the date that KPop Demon Hunters dropped on the streaming giant.
The film is an animated musical action-comedy about a KPop girl group, HUNTR/X, who are also — you guessed it — demon hunters. Interesting premise, but brilliant movie, if I do say so myself.
Not only did the film itself take off, but the soundtrack did, too, with special sing-along versions of the film released as a limited theatrical run. It was widely praised for its animation style, voice acting, writing, and most notably, music. “Golden” is a certified banger (and its award noms prove that, too).
It even became the most-watched original title in Netflix history, with a whopping 325 million views and counting. Now that’s high praise.
The Coldplay kiss cam (July)
This one feels more like a screenplay than a real-life event. At Coldplay’s Massachusetts show on July 16, the kiss cam captured a couple embracing. Problem is, when they realised they were on camera, they quickly separated and hid their faces, and the rest is history.
It later came out that the pair was Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and CPO Kristin Cabot who, as you might’ve guessed, definitely aren’t together. Andy is actually married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, and the couple also have two kids.
Lord knows how conversations at the Byron household went down that night, but oh what I would’ve given to be a fly on the wall.
Directly after the incident, Chris Martin himself quipped “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” Touché, Chris.
Sydney Sweeney’s jeans are questionable at best (July)
I didn’t think a conversation about eugenics would make it onto this list, but like I said, 2025 was the year that kept on giving.
In a campaign to promote American Eagle’s jeans, Sydney Sweeney appeared in a series of still images and video clips with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
Now, we get it. Sydney Sweeney is hot shit. But some people took issue with the fact that the white, blonde-haired, blue-eyed face of the campaign was positioning her “genes” as the gold standard. When it’s explained like that, the problem becomes pretty clear.
It didn’t help that when Sweeney was interviewed by GQ in November of this year, she expressed little to no acknowledgement of her participation in the campaign and what it (albeit unintentionally) stood for.
When asked whether she wanted to address the criticism that “white people shouldn’t joke about genetic superiority”, especially given this political climate, her response was simple.
“I think that when I have an issue that I want to speak about, people will hear,” said Sweeney in response. You can bet that wasn’t received positively either.
Regardless, the ads itself were almost surreal in nature, sparking an instant response through both cultural outrage and meme-ification (both valid and called for, IMO).
Charli XCX got married!!!! (July / September)
Everything is romantic ‘cos our BRAT queen tied the knot this year!!!!!
In both a small, intimate London wedding and a huge Sicily bash later on in the year, Miss Girl tied the knot with The 1975 drummer George Daniel.
The pair sealed the deal in Hackney Town Hall, with pics on socials showing them and their fam posing outside the building post-ceremony.
Charli herself stayed true to nature, wearing a white Vivienne Westwood mini dress paired together with a traditional veil and white bouquet. Perhaps the most iconic move of all was keeping her signature black sunnies in tow the entire time. She’s nothing if not consistent.
In September, the pair continued the wedding festivities in Italy, including a “no expenses spared rave cave” to celebrate. For some reason, I was left off the guest list, but that’s a conversation for another time.
Celeb guests included Gabbriette Bechtel, Charli’s bestie and musical collaborator Troye Sivan, and Chicken Shop Date’s Ameila Dimoldenberg. Daniel’s fellow bandmates, Matty Healy, Ross MacDonald, and Adam Hann, were also present.
Between the star-studded guest list and the rave cave, this wedding was defs one for the ages, and a moment that no doubt rewired our brains in 2025.
The Summer I Turned Pretty (and Belly’s ring) took over our screens (July – September)
The Summer I Turned Pretty was never an unknown show, with healthy followings for both Season 1 and Season 2, but Season 3 seemed to take on a life of its own, with everyone and their mother having very strong feelings about Team Bonrad or Team Jellyfish. For the record, if it’s not Bonrad, you’re kidding yourself.
The third season of the Amazon Prime original series premiered on July 16, with weekly episodes airing until the series finale on September 17. Throughout those three months, we bonded, we celebrated girlhood, and above all, we roasted the fuck out of Jeremiah’s god awful engagement ring he gives to Belly.
The Internet ran rampant with commentary on the ring, from poor Conrad’s whimpering reaction to Belly’s defiant smirk impressing… no one, but interesingly enough, the cast themselves weren’t necessarily aligned with this viewpoint.
Speaking to PEDESTRIAN.TV back in July, Lola Tung, who plays Belly, mentioned that she loves the ring.
“I think it’s so them,” says Tung. “They’re young, and Jeremiah has already put his father in debt. Also, I think it’s beautiful.”
Well, that’s one way to look at it. Either way, the worldwide hate carried on, taking us through all the way until the end of the season (and the subsequent movie announcement).
@pedestriantv “It might be awkward for a little bit.” #tsitp #tsitpedit #tsitpfinale ♬ 咚 惊叹 – 成都潜在人工智能科技有限公司
I’m willing to bet that Taylor Swift‘s “Dress” playing when Conrad and Belly finally put us out of our misery is a core memory for fans globally.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce get engaged (August)
How can I journey through this list without talking about how our gym teacher and our English teacher got engaged???
On August 26, the pair shared that they’d officially decided to tie the knot (though the actual engagement took place a few weeks prior). We were treated to an entourage of imagery with enough camera angles to satisfy any Director of Photography.
We can’t forget about the ring itself, either, which looks straight out of a fairytale. Needless to say, the Swifties went crazy, with them happily welcoming in their new Daddy Swift with open arms.
Can confirm: the wedding will more than likely break the Internet once the time comes, so watch this space.
Bob Katter cracking the shits (August)
@pedestriantv Bob Katter’s brain snapping over a Nine journalist mentioning his Lebanese heritage was not on our bingo cards for today but here we are. Video: ABC News #bobkatter #australianpolitics ♬ original sound – PEDESTRIAN.TV
If there’s one learning I can take away from this year, it’s that I most definitely shouldn’t ask Bob Katter about his Lebanese heritage.
Now, as someone who is themselves Lebanese, the reaction is bizarre at best, but honestly? Can’t say it’s surprising coming from someone amongst the likes of Bob Katter.
The infamous moment came from a press conference that Katter was holding to discuss his participation in the March for Australia protests (A.K.A events that are seeking an end to “mass immigration”).
Following a spiel on migrants and “which ones” should be allowed in, Channel Nine journalist Josh Bavas popped the big question about Katter’s Lebanese heritage. Needless to say, he did not take it well.
“Oh mate, don’t say that, because that irritates me. I punch blokes in the mouth for saying that,” spits Katter, clearly infuriated.
When Bavas persisted and attempted to ask another question, Katter then accused him of being racist. Well, well, well, if it isn’t the pot calling the kettle black.
Harry Styles secretly running the Berlin Marathon (September)
@pedestriantv Harry entered the marathon under the false name of Sted Sarandos. Video: HS_News_ on X. #harrystyles #marathon ♬ original sound – PEDESTRIAN.TV
It’s official: Harry Styles entered his fitness arc this year.
The musician / all-round mega star ran the 2025 Berlin Marathon disguised as “Sted Sarandos” (a nod to Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos) with a time of 2:59:13.
If you’re not familiar with the running world, let me tell you — anything under three hours is pretty damn impressive.
Wearing a headband, sunglasses, and bright pink Nikes, Styles kept a low profile as onlookers slowly started to piece together that this was the man himself.
There were also pics shared online of Styles posing with other participants in the race, most notably Paralympic gold medal-winning runner Richard Whitehead.
The fact that some people train for years to achieve results like that make me wonder how hard the man was training. His years in One Direction taught him nothing if not endurance.
The in-broad-daylight Lourve robbery (October)
It’s not often we still hear about heists, but one happening in broad daylight at one of the biggest, most-visited museums in the world? Now that’s a wild concept.
According to multiple reports, four balaclava-wearing thieves took seven minutes to steal eight items: most of which were owned by Emperor Napoleon, his nephew Napoleon lll, and their wives, the empresses Marie-Louise and Eugénie.
The heist went down at 9:30am local time, and the unarmed (yes, unarmed!!!!) thieves smashed glass displays, grabbed multiple items, then fled on foot and continued their escape on motorbikes.
A lot of online goodness came out from this event, namely with people absolutely bamboozled as to how this could happen as quickly (and frankly, as easily) as it did. But perhaps one of my favourite takeaways from this entire ordeal is how it coincided with the release of Now You See Me: Now You Don’t almost perfectly.
Whilst it wasn’t a marketing stunt for the film (much to my dismay), the PR team surrounding the film still cleverly leaned into the rumours that it was. In interviews leading up to the film’s release, star Jesse Eisenberg made it very, very clear that he definitely wasn’t in Paris at the time of the robbery. Sure, Jesse, whatever you say.
Having a boyfriend is… embarrassing? (October)
@chantayyjayy Global syndication!!!!!! #britishvogue ♬ original sound – beth's edits
This opinion piece from British Vogue took the Internet by storm with its bold declaration that having a boyfriend may, indeed, be akin to a humiliation ritual in today’s day and age.
While the headline is polarising in nature, the actual content of the article delves into the shit from hard-launching partners into more subtle signs of kinship, toeing the line between being all loved up but without being “loser-ish about it”. It also emphasises the importance of having a boyfriend that adds value to your life, not takes away from it.
Needless to say, the Internet sure had their opinions, with general discourse tending to fall one of two ways: fervent, unequivocal agreeance, or the complete opposite.
Personally, I <3 my boyfriend to death, but I can see how the narrative of what being single is has shifted from repulsive to more desirable. Those on the Internet might not necessarily agree, but I digress.
Lily Allen’s album absolutely roasting David Harbour (October)
If you weren’t a Lily Allen stan before 2025, I’m willing to bet that you are now.
Her new studio album, West End Girl, was rife with digs upon digs at her ex-husband David Harbour, with claims about Harbour’s cheating, her sobriety wavering thanks to the disintegration of the marriage, and more.
My personal fave dig is the reference to the countless sex toys chronicled in the song “Pussy Palace”, which tells the story of entering a partner’s apartment to find they’ve been hooking up with someone else.
The lyrics read: “Duane Reade bag with the handles tied / Sex toys, butt plugs, lube inside / Hundreds of Trojans, you’re so fucking broken.” I mean?!?!?!?
The queen herself has capitalised on this success, too, and has since launched an online merch store based on the album. One of the merch items up for grabs is a USB that’s designed to look like a literal butt plug, referencing the lyrics of the song.
The rest of the album makes countless references to the infidelity, namely the songs “Ruminating”, “Sleepwalking”, and “Tennis”. Tea aside, the album is also made up of banger after banger from a music POV. Thank you, Lily Allen.
Zohran Mamdani becomes the mayor of NYC (November)
@amberyeet a man for the people!!!✊ NYC let’s not mess this up PLEASEEE @Zohran Mamdani #nyc #zohranmamdani #debate ♬ the name is MAMDANI – lester
History was made when Zohran Mamdani became the 111th mayor of New York City, making him the first Muslim to do so, and also the youngest to do it in more than a century.
The 34-year-old struck a real chord outside of the concrete jungle, with news of his election spreading globally and igniting a real passion we haven’t politically seen in awhile.
Of particular allure was the huge campaign focus he had on the cost of living for New Yorkers, promising residents free busy, city-run grocery stores, rent freezes, and more.
Online, the all-too-catchy Mamdani remix set to Gwen Stefani‘s “Hollaback Girl” showed the mayor-elect defending the pronunciation of his name, further bringing his bold, brave energy to the masses. He ain’t no Hollaback Girl, but you sure should learn how to say Mamdani.
Robert Irwin wins Dancing with the Stars (November)
@pedestriantv Always a 10 in our eyes. #robertirwin #dancingwiththestars #dwts ♬ original sound – PEDESTRIAN.TV
A decade after Bindi Irwin took home the crown in Dancing With The Stars U.S., brother and Australia’s Sweetheart Robert Irwin did the same whilst breaking the Internet with his stellar performance (and golly gee, those abs were next level).
Partnered up with dancer Witney Carson, the wildlife connoisseur dominated the dancefloor week upon week, winning over the hearts of all who laid eyes on him — yes, including the judges.
The three-hour finale showed the final five couples perform three dances each, with the total score coming together with the audience’s votes to claim a winner.
Rob ended up taking home the crown, fit with a tearful proclamation about the late Steve Irwin, claiming he just wanted to “make his dad proud”. I’m tearing up too, don’t worry.
With two Irwins now taking home the top spot, it’s safe to say that their talent goes beyond wildlife warrior and into full-blown stardom. I will truly protect the Irwins with my life.
Michelle Yeoh flipped it around, repeatedly (November / December)
@pedestriantv AhhahhhahhhUhhhh! #wicked #wickedmovie #wickedforgood ♬ original sound – PEDESTRIAN.TV
Last but certainly not least, Wicked: For Good hit cinemas this year, and we were once again met with our fair share of moments that had us cackling ’til the cows came home.
We’ve got Cynthia Erivo finding out that her missing hat from a year prior had been located by a fan (and her reaction is priceless), a reprise of “Witch Song” from The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon (I unironically love it, fight with the wall), and Ariana Grande and Bowen Yang sitting down to conquer another lie detector test with Vanity Fair.
I’d have to write an entire article on both Wicked press tours, but perhaps my favourite takeaway from this saga came from Michelle Yeoh herself.
I have a stinking suspicion that someone on set made the joke one time that Madame Morrible flipped around is Wicked Witch, and Michelle loved it, and has run with it ever since. I will never not watch a MM / WW video compilation in its entirety every time it graces my FYP. What a jewel to end my 2025 on.
Thank you, 2025, for bringing even more hilarious, nonsensical goodness into the zeitgeist. 2026’s got big shoes to fill.
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