Pop Culture in 2025: Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Viral Trends/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Pop culture in 2025 delivered everything from surprise engagements to unexpected memes and musical milestones. Taylor Swift’s engagement to Travis Kelce, Beyoncé’s Grammy victory, and the mystery of “6-7” dominated the conversation. It was a year defined by viral moments, lasting legends, and pop’s unpredictable evolution.
2025 Pop Culture Quick Looks
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announce engagement, fueling massive online buzz
- Beyoncé finally wins Best Album Grammy for “Cowboy Carter”
- Zendaya and Tom Holland join the celebrity engagement wave
- “6-7” becomes the undefined, viral phrase of the year
- “KPop Demon Hunters” becomes surprise music and streaming hit
- Coldplay KissCam moment triggers July’s most awkward viral event
- Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, and Hulk Hogan pass away
- Emmys honor youngest winner in decades, Owen Cooper
- Netflix scores with “KPop Demon Hunters” singalongs
- “Wicked: For Good” closes out blockbuster musical year
Deep Look: Pop Culture in 2025 – A Year of Big Names, Big Moments, and Viral Chaos
Pop culture in 2025 was anything but predictable. While familiar icons like Taylor Swift and Beyoncé remained central to the story, the year was also marked by bizarre memes, unexpected TV hits, and viral catchphrases that no one fully understood. At the heart of it all was a single phrase that summed up the year’s confusing brilliance: “6-7.”
JANUARY kicked off with romantic headlines as Zendaya and Tom Holland got engaged, while Demi Moore won a Golden Globe for her performance in “The Substance.” Book fans devoured Rebecca Yarros’ “Onyx Storm,” and a partial Nirvana reunion at the FireAid concert captured rock nostalgia. Coco Gauff, mourning TikTok’s absence at the Australian Open, expressed herself with a broken-heart gesture drawn on a camera lens.
In FEBRUARY, the Super Bowl halftime show featured Kendrick Lamar, the first solo hip-hop artist to headline, introduced by Samuel L. Jackson. Grammy night crowned Beyoncé with Best Album for “Cowboy Carter,” making her the first Black woman in the 21st century to receive the honor. Meanwhile, a charming, handwritten party invitation from an 87-year-old man named Doug Turner went viral for its honesty and humor.
MARCH belonged to the Oscars, where Sean Baker’s film “Anora” triumphed and Adrien Brody scored a win for “The Brutalist.” The musical “Wicked” missed major awards but dazzled viewers through performances by Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo. Netflix contender “Emilia Pérez” saw its awards chances dwindle due to controversy surrounding a lead actor’s old tweets.
In APRIL, the third season of “The White Lotus,” set in Thailand, stirred conversation with wild twists and exotic visuals. Katy Perry’s return from a Blue Origin space flight became comedic fodder online. Blue Ivy, daughter of Beyoncé, stepped into the spotlight on her mother’s tour. Meanwhile, Hailey Bieber scored a billion-dollar payday by selling her skincare brand Rhode.
MAY sparked debate when the Cannes Film Festival banned nudity on the red carpet, while Tom Cruise drew praise for yet another daring stunt in “Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning.” The Met Gala focused on menswear and Black style history, which drew applause from filmmakers like Spike Lee. Elsewhere, Taylor Swift made headlines by reclaiming the rights to her first six albums, and Pope Leo XIV—the first American pope—became a viral sensation.
JUNE brought one of the year’s biggest pop culture surprises: the success of the animated, multigenerational hit “KPop Demon Hunters.” What started as a streaming project exploded into a box office triumph by August. On TV, “Love Island USA” continued to dominate reality television. Sabrina Carpenter’s album cover stirred debate, while politics crept into music as Bob Vylan’s Glastonbury chant sparked police involvement.
JULY saw the reunion of Oasis and the continued buzz around Sydney Sweeney’s denim-centric American Eagle campaign. CBS made waves by announcing the end of Stephen Colbert’s show in 2026. One of the month’s most awkward pop culture moments came from the Coldplay KissCam, which trended online for all the wrong reasons. The month ended on a somber note with the deaths of Hulk Hogan, Ozzy Osbourne, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
AUGUST belonged to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, who announced their engagement after months of speculation. Their storybook romance, which began during Swift’s Eras Tour, culminated in one of the most liked Instagram posts of the year. Swifties celebrated as one of pop’s most beloved figures found her “Love Story” ending.
In SEPTEMBER, Hollywood turned the spotlight on itself at the Emmys. Seth Rogen’s “The Studio” and Noah Wyle’s “The Pitt” took home top prizes, while 15-year-old Owen Cooper became the youngest Emmy winner in over four decades. Jimmy Kimmel was temporarily suspended after controversial comments, and the world bid farewell to screen legend Robert Redford.
OCTOBER saw the rise of the catchphrase “6-7,” a phrase that everyone used but no one could define. Meanwhile, Bad Bunny opened a new season of “Saturday Night Live,” and Taylor Swift’s new album “The Life of a Showgirl” shattered records. A stylish thief dominated headlines after a bold Louvre heist, and the death of Diane Keaton closed out the month with a wave of tributes.
NOVEMBER brought the long-awaited release of “Wicked: For Good,” the second part of Jon M. Chu’s musical adaptation. Though critics were mixed, box office sales remained strong. Jonathan Bailey, who played Fiyero, was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Robert Irwin, son of the late Steve Irwin, won “Dancing with the Stars,” following in the footsteps of his sister Bindi.
Finally, in DECEMBER, the Oscars race heated up. Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio and breakout talent Chase Infiniti, became the film to beat. Warner Bros., caught in a tense acquisition deal with Netflix and a takeover bid by Paramount, saw the film’s success as a critical lifeline amid industry upheaval.
Through every headline, one thing was clear: pop culture in 2025 was as unpredictable, emotional, and meme-worthy as ever. From the enduring reign of musical queens to viral catchphrases and surprise losses, the year offered an unforgettable blend of legacy and novelty.
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