Hard to believe, but 2025 is almost over. And what a wild, culture-packed year it’s been. Social media was bursting with iconic memes, unforgettable shows and films, standout moments in music, fashion, art, and everything in between.
From the Labubu obsession to the Coldplay concert scandal and the historic election of America’s first pope, we’re counting down the biggest pop culture moments of the year.
#1 The World Welcomes an American Pope
On May 8, 2025, US Cardinal Robert Prevost became Pope Leo XIV. He was the first American to lead the Catholic Church. His selection followed the passing of Pope Francis in April and was one of the year’s most historic moments, as reported by Al Jazeera.
The announcement was met with celebration worldwide. Leaders offered congratulations, and Catholics expressed joy. The moment was especially significant for the US, which had never seen one of its own take the papal seat.
Tributes also poured in for Pope Francis. His legacy included bold stances on LGBTQ+ inclusion, climate action, and peacebuilding. He passed away due to ongoing health issues, according to TIME.
In his first address, Pope Leo XIV emphasized compassion, dialogue, and the Church's role in embracing all people.
© Photo: te_amamos_muito_papa_l / Instragram
#2 Coldplay Concert Kiss Cam Incident
In July, a 15-second TikTok clip sparked one of the year's most viral moments. Former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were caught in a compromising moment on a Coldplay concert Kiss Cam.
Within 12 hours, the internet was flooded with speculation, memes, and theories (per Business Insider).
The footage inspired everything from parody videos to mascot reenactments, serving as yet another case study of how quickly online narratives can spin out of control. Fans swarmed the CEO’s wife’s Facebook, while LinkedIn accounts linked to the pair disappeared overnight.
Adding to the chaos, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin made a joke about an affair during the show. What started as banter ended up eerily close to the truth.
© Photo: blvkpanda_ / Instragram
#3 A New Taylor Swift Era
Taylor Swift broke the internet in August with a one-two punch: she announced her engagement to NFL star Travis Kelce, then dropped the news of her twelfth studio album.
The couple’s joint Instagram post featured a gold-bezel diamond ring and the caption, "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married." Predictably, it racked up millions of likes and reactions.
The engagement silenced months of speculation about their relationship status. Then came the next wave. On August 12, Swift revealed The Life of a Showgirl, complete with a 12:12 promotional blitz that saw brands from Starbucks to United Airlines join the rollout (per Euro News).
The album smashed records, selling 3.5 million equivalent units in its first week, according to Pitchfork.
© Photo: taylorswift and killatrav / Instragram
#4 Black Dandyism At The Met Gala
Even six months later, the 2025 Met Gala remains unforgettable. It was a runway of brilliance and bold statements. With a theme like "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style," the event celebrated Black dandyism, the expressive 20th-century fashion movement defined by pride and elegance.
Fashion Evo outlined how this aesthetic has shaped culture through generations. From Zendaya and Janelle Monáe to Bad Bunny and Colman Domingo, the looks were a fashion feast.
Standouts included Lewis Hamilton’s all-white ensemble with a beret, Doechi in a playful Louis Vuitton three-piece, Andre 3000 sporting a piano backpack, and Diljit Dosanjh’s bold Sikh-inspired reinterpretation. Bored Panda rounded up the night’s best.
© Photo: keithpowers / Instragram
#5 Tokyo ‘25 World Athletics Championships
The 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo delivered nine days of high emotion and unforgettable athletic feats. There were record-smashing performances and heartfelt farewells.
Jamaica reclaimed the men’s 100m title thanks to Oblique Seville. He was the first to do so since Usain Bolt in 2016. The win brought nostalgia, but it also brought sadness. Legendary sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce competed for the final time.
Rising stars shone just as bright. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden from the US took home gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay.
Botswana’s Collen Kebinatshipi clinched gold in the 400m and 4x400m. Pole vault phenomenon Mondo Duplantis thrilled fans by setting a new world record of 6.30m as he won gold (per A Mile A Minute).
© Photo: joelmarklund / Instragram
#6 Superman and Fantastic Four Return to the Big Screen
2025 brought highs and lows for comic book fans. It marked the first year since 2011 (excluding 2020) that no superhero film crossed the $700 million mark at the global box office, as reported by ComicBookMovie.com.
But it also brought back two iconic franchises: Superman and the Fantastic Four.
The new Superman film, starring David Corenswet in the lead role alongside Nicholas Hoult, Rachel Brosnahan, and Milly Alcock, was a well-received revival of the beloved DC hero.
Director James Gunn confirmed a sequel for July 2027. It became one of the year’s most talked-about releases.
Marvel fans also welcomed The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Critics and audiences praised it. Excitement surged over its connections to upcoming Spider-Man and Avengers films.
Other comic book titles released this year, including Thunderbolts* and Captain America: Brave New World, did not make the same cultural impact as the DC and Marvel flagships.
© Photo: dcfilmnews / Instragram
#7 Anna Wintour Steps Down as Editor-in-Chief at Vogue
On June 25, Anna Wintour stepped down as Editor-in-Chief of Vogue, ending an era. She was long considered the most powerful woman in fashion media. Wintour had led Vogue since 1988 and was credited with transforming the magazine into a global authority.
The internet erupted with reactions as fashion fans debated what her exit could mean. BuzzFeed highlighted some of the wildest posts, including one calling it "the fashion version of Beyoncé quitting music."
Media personality Megyn Kelly joined the conversation on her podcast, referencing Wintour by playing Miranda Priestley's iconic speech from The Devil Wears Prada, a character inspired by Wintour herself.
Fortunately, she isn’t disappearing altogether. Wintour will continue in senior roles at both Vogue and Condé Nast. She will remain involved in steering the industry's most influential events. So don’t worry, Dame Anna remains, and the Met Gala won’t be without its iron hand.
© Photo: designerbrandsmilano / Instragram
#8 Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Victory Lap
Kendrick Lamar made Super Bowl history with a halftime performance that felt like a victory speech. Performing in front of over 127 million viewers, Lamar used the moment to close out one of the most intense rap beefs in recent memory, with a fiery rendition of his diss track "Not Like Us."
His 13-minute set, which the BBC clocked to the second, featured a mix of old hits and newer tracks. Cameos from Samuel L. Jackson, SZA, Mustard, and even Serena Williams lit up the stage. The buzz spilled over into Grammy weekend, where Lamar took home five Grammys, all tied to "Not Like Us."
Speculation swirled that legal threats from Drake might stop the performance altogether. But Lamar leaned in. He stared straight into the camera and delivered the now-iconic "Hey Drake" line, launching another wave of memes that VIBE called one of the internet's most significant moments.
© Photo: Ibeautehomme / Instragram
#9 Aura Farming Dance
The phrase "aura farming" entered the internet's vocabulary in 2025, thanks to a viral TikTok dance and the infectious charm of 11-year-old Indonesian boy Rayyan Arkan Dikha.
The term, defined by Know Your Meme as "an act of constantly trying to look cool or badass," gained traction after clips of Dikha dancing on a boat during the traditional sport of Pacu Jalur went viral.
Between June and July, TikTok was flooded with tributes and remixes of the original video. Celebrities jumped on the trend, too. ABC News reports that stars like Travis Kelce posted their own takes on Dikha's routine, cementing his status as a global sensation.
© Photo: cecepjia.sport
#10 “Nothing Beats A Jet2 Holiday”
If you somehow missed this meme in 2025, it was a viral TikTok sound in which people matched the upbeat Jet2 Holiday ad jingle to funny accident or fail videos. The sound quickly spread to X, Instagram, and Snapchat.
The viral clip came from a 2022 ad from British airline Jet2. It featured Zoe Lister over Jess Glynne’s 2015 track "Hold My Hand" (per Know Your Meme). The meme gained traction in late 2024 but exploded in 2025. Forbes estimated over 1.4 million TikToks used the sound by July.
Even Jet2 got in on the fun with a self-referential campaign. The airline’s remix ads, using the same sound, reached 12 million views by April (via CBC).
© Photo: pando_spotter and airways.photos / Instragram
#11 Sinners, Weapons, and the Horror Resurgence
In a standout year for horror, Sinners and Weapons cemented their place as instant classics. One look at the Halloween costume trends made it clear these films had a hold on pop culture.
Directed by Ryan Coogler, known for Black Panther and Creed, Sinners became a defining cultural moment. The film's cast and scenes helped keep the vampire genre alive.
A striking sequence about Black music sparked months of online discussion and won praise from Variety and Entertainment Weekly.
Fans obsessed over Michael B. Jordan's dual role as the Smokestack twins and Hailee Steinfeld’s turn as 'Mary.' A 10-minute behind-the-scenes clip of Coogler explaining film formats went viral. It fueled demand for IMAX screenings.
Weapons built hype before anyone entered a theater. Its stripped-down, creepy viral marketing campaign was described by Collider as simple yet terrifying. If you haven’t watched it yet, brace yourself.
© Photo: filmatic / Instragram
#12 Beyonce Finally Wins Album of the Year Grammy
After five nominations and years of snubs, Beyoncé finally won Album of the Year at the 2025 Grammys. The long-overdue win echoed last year’s Oscar triumph for Christopher Nolan. It quickly became one of the defining moments of awards season.
There was no shortage of celebration. Already the most awarded artist in Grammy history, Beyoncé added two more firsts to her name: the first Black woman to win Album of the Year in the 21st century and the first ever to win Best Country Album.
Her genre-blending triumph drew praise across social media (per The Independent UK).
The night’s most viral moment came when Taylor Swift announced her win for Best Country Album. Standing beside daughter Blue Ivy, Beyoncé appeared stunned as the audience roared. It was the perfect image to close out a barrier-breaking year.
© Photo: yarifashionstudio
#13 The Wicked: For Good Press Tour
Fans embraced Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's take on Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked, and 2025's press tour for the sequel Wicked: For Good brought even more reasons to stan.
The first round of press events had already sparked excitement, but this tour was something else.
The sequel's rollout became a spectacle of its own, filled with viral moments and emotional interviews. Vogue noted how quickly fans began to miss the pair after the first tour ended. But they didn’t have to wait long.
A tearful Erivo at the New York premiere, a flood of memes, and nonstop coverage on X and Instagram helped turn this into a year-defining press tour.
© Photo: billboard / Instragram
#14 "6-7"
Last year gave us "skibidi" and "rizz." This year, it was all about "6-7."
No one really knows what '6-7' means, but fans often shout it for fun or surprise, quoting, “It’s provocative, it gets the people going."
In 2025, teachers in the US and UK reported spontaneous shouts of "six-seveeeen" in classrooms. This happened anytime someone mentioned a textbook page, a math problem, or any reference to those two numbers (per The Guardian).
In October, Dictionary.com crowned "6-7" as its Word of the Year. The site admitted there is no fixed definition.
What we do know is that it originated from Skrilla’s 2024 track "Doot Doot (67)." Basketball highlight reels helped drive the meme's popularity.
And of course, no 6-7 moment feels complete without the dance. Just ask UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who went viral for shimmying through a school visit (via Economic Times).
© Photo: the_engineer_bro / Instragram
#15 Labubu Craze
Rihanna has a Labubu. David Beckham has one too. In 2025, it seemed like everyone owned one of these furry collectibles.
Labubu dolls were 2025’s most buzzed-about fashion accessory. Sold in blind boxes, the toys sparked collector frenzy for rare editions. Wired covered a brawl in a London store over sold-out stock. The Thai government even appointed Labubu as an official tourism ambassador.
What makes them so desirable? Aside from their roots in Kasing Lung’s The Monsters book series, not much. But Labubu still accounted for a third of Pop Mart’s $630 million in revenue in 2025 (via Fortune).
© Photo: ootd.labubu / Instragram
#16 Stranger Things Finale Crashes Netflix
Nothing screams pop culture power like crashing Netflix. Within seconds of the final season’s first four episodes going live, the streamer temporarily went down.
According to Page Six, it took five minutes to recover, just long enough to remind fans who is boss in the Upside Down.
Since its debut in July 2016, Stranger Things has shaped pop culture in many ways. From Halloween costumes and streaming models to a Billboard chart-topper, the series has been everywhere.
So even with Netflix boosting its bandwidth by 30 percent, a traffic surge was bound to happen (via The Hollywood Reporter).
With the finale set to drop on New Year’s Eve, anticipation is sky-high. How will it end? If online chatter is any indication, fans are bracing for impact.
© Photo: mozistar / Instragram
#17 Trump and Elon Musk’s Whirlwind Friendship
One of the most unpredictable storylines of 2025 came from the back-and-forth friendship between President Trump and Elon Musk.
Their relationship kept resetting with every new policy clash or Truth Social meltdown. CNN mapped out the chaos, including Musk’s later apology after a string of inflammatory posts.
The drama kicked off after Musk left the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in May.
From there, it spiraled. Musk threatened to form a new political party, claiming Trump owed his 2023 win to him. Trump responded with his own warnings, including pulling federal subsidies and contracts tied to Musk’s businesses.
Things reached a peak when Kanye West inserted himself into the feud, pleading, “Broooos please noooooo.
We love you both.” The post went viral before disappearing. Eventually, Bloomberg confirmed that the pair reconciled in November.
© Photo: realdonaldtrump / Instragram
#18 Love Island USA Season 7
Season 7 of Love Island USA didn’t just dominate screens. It became Peacock’s most-watched reality season to date and one of the defining obsessions of summer 2025.
The New York Times dubbed it "the pop culture obsession of the summer," and they weren’t wrong.
Need numbers? During the NBA Finals, Love Island generated nearly 4.4 million mentions across Reddit, X, and Snapchat. The entire NBA Finals series logged 2.51 million (per Meltwater).
The season earned every bit of that attention with standout cast moments, wild twists, and fan-favorite couples.
Rapper Megan Thee Stallion’s guest appearance turned heads, and Justin Bieber gave the show another viral push by using the "I’m a mommy/Mamacita?" meme on Instagram. Even after the finale, couples like Nico and Olandria kept the buzz going.
© Photo: loveislandusa / Instragram
