Top 10 Moments That Defined 2024 Pop Culture

2024 has been a year for the pop culture books. In no particular order, here are ten of the most culturally defining moments this year. 

1. Taylor, Travis, and The Tortured Poets Department

Taylor Swift continued her world domination this year, embarking on several more international legs of her record-breaking The Eras Tour, which is slated to end on December 8th in Vancouver, Canada. Swift shocked fans by adding a new era to her setlist, dedicated to her latest album and greatest achievement yet, The Tortured Poets Department, a chronicle of heartbreak and escapism. The album – selling a record-breaking 2.474 million copies in its first week – spent 15 weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 and became the most-streamed album ever within a matter of days. Swift continued making headlines and social media buzz alongside her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce, with frequent appearances at restaurants around campus like The Corner Store and The Waverly Inn!

2. Hippomania: Moo Deng

Capturing hearts amid a hectic year was a baby hippo from Thailand named Moo Deng – because why not? Moo Deng gained her online stan army after the Khao Kheow Open Zoo posted pictures of her in all her jolly glory. Videos of her playing and eating drew millions of views, doubling the number of daily visitors at the zoo who wanted to catch a glimpse of the world’s hippo darling. She was even spoofed on Saturday Night Live by cast member Bowen Yang, who cast the zoo animal as pressurized by fame.

3. Challengers

Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino drew commercial and cultural success for his April film, Challengers, starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist. The film, centering tennis players involved in a love triangle explores themes of love, ambition, and identity with a mix of sensuality and humor, appealing to both cinephiles and mainstream audiences. The movie’s score, dynamic visual techniques, and standout performances captivated audiences, with many of its memorable moments quickly inspiring viral memes. 

4. Cowboy Carter

The New York Times called it a “reinvention of American music.” Rolling Stone praised it as “artistic genius.” Billboard hailed it as a “cultural movement.” It takes only one listen to Beyoncé’s latest album, Cowboy Carter, to understand this record’s cultural impact. A contemporary celebration of Americana and Black culture, Beyoncé tells a story of country music’s legacy with the help of featured artists like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus, and Linda Martell. Cowboy Carter earned critical acclaim upon its release, along with eleven Grammy nominations – making it the second-most-nominated album in Grammy history. Needless to say, Beyoncé took country music and flipped it upside down on its cowboy hat. 

5. Brat Summer

Von Dutch meets cult classic: the aesthetics of Charli XCX’s dance-pop album brat exploded this summer inspiring listeners to embrace a mix of luxury and trash. From TikTok dances to fashion trends, brat became an anthem for confidence, partying, and pure debauchery. In an era of growing burnout and tension, “brat summer” embraced the flaws and chaos we all share, highlighting a youthful cultural defiance. The album’s references to the 2000s and pop culture figures made for a fun season soaked in nostalgia.

6. Chappell Roan: The Rise of a Star…and Midwest Princess

Blacklights, a mirror disco ball, and a newborn star. Pop star Chappell Roan ascended to fame with the release of her album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, featuring hits like “HOT TO GO!” and “Pink Pony Club.” Emerging from small-town Missouri, Roan’s unique embrace of anthemic pop music, theatrical performances, and bold visuals has launched her into the spotlight, where she has made a name for herself as an unabashed risk-taker and champion of artistry. She kicked off the year opening for Olivia Rodrigo on tour and has since been nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammys.

7. Kendrick v. Drake

Kendrick Lamar and Drake’s subtle decade-long beef seemed to bubble up earlier this year, manifesting in a war of diss track releases peppered with a range of personal attacks. Lamar released over 20 minutes of music across four songs targeting the Canadian singer, which Drake responded to in his own drops. Drake accused Lamar of being a fake activist and abuser, while Lamar targeted Drake for allegedly fathering a secret child. “Not Like Us,” one of Lamar’s tracks, broke the record for most weeks at number one on Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs Chart–if that’s any indication of who won the rap battle. 

8. Very Demure, Very Mindful

Dictionary.com named “demure” the word of the year – all thanks to a viral TikTok. Creator Jools Lebron unleashed a diction phenomenon after declaring her appearance “demure and modest and respectful at the workplace,” instructing others to follow suit. The video, which has now garnered over 12 million views, sparked a satirical criticism of the “clean girl” aesthetic, inspiring users to poke fun at various day-to-day tasks and experiences. 

9. Lookalike Contests

What’s one thing Jack Schlossberg, Zendaya, and Jeremy Allen White all have in common? They were all subject to lookalike contests this year, which spanned the country in search of the nation’s best celebrity doppelgängers. From New York–where NYU students, among others, joined the hunt for Timothee Chalamet’s lookalike – to Dublin, where Paul Mescal’s dupe was hailed for his Irish essence, the quest to find A-list twins truly went global. Take a look at some of the winners here. 

10. Wicked

One of Broadway’s biggest shows quickly became the movie of the year upon its release on Thanksgiving Day, and audiences are showing no signs of slowing down their space-holding for the film featuring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande. Wicked explores the backstory of Glinda and Elphaba, who eventually become Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz. The film has become the highest-grossing movie of all time based on a musical and has already generated substantial Oscar buzz thanks to its amazing performances, soundtrack, design, and effects.

From chart-topping albums to viral TikTok moments, 2024 was a year of bold creativity, fierce competition, and unforgettable stories that shaped the worlds of pop culture. Who knows what next year will bring?