And with that, the 2025 season comes to an end. Cue video montages of clips recorded from the past months, candid photo dumps and mental reflections of the past that led to present, as disbelief that the year has come to an end kicks in.
As the year wraps up, one can’t help but look back at all that has happened. It’s been one for the books in the realm of music and entertainment. Pop mavens restored the charts to full-blown pop glory, courtesy of Lady Gaga’s Mayhem, Sabrina Carpenter’s Manchild and Taylor Swift’s Life of a Showgirl, to name a few. On the silver screen, A24 brought a sleuth of buzzy films, with the likes of Materialists, Marty Supreme and Eternity. And streaming platforms had a field year, with K-pop Demon Hunters and Adolescence finding its way to our homes, alongside the finale of The Summer I Turned Pretty as Belly finally makes up her mind.
Considering our chronically online nature, it comes to no surprise that we’ve been circulating around a fair pie of satirical moments and whacky TikTok sounds, now immortalised as memes or pure internet fodder. The rise of the performative male arrived in the form of selvedge denim, matcha and feminist literature in hand. A contentious topic was raised for discourse—can 100 men successfully defeat one gorilla? And the top playlist on my Spotify Wrapped was none other than ‘Seven Minute Louvre Heist’: short and sweet.
A total uproar then. But all in good fun. Below, see the 25 pop culture moments that left a lasting impression in 2025, from the good, the bad and the ugly.
1 / 25
Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance
Aside from being the first solo rapper to headline the Super Bowl halftime show, Kendrick Lamar’s formidable performance turned 65,000 heads in the audience for a few reasons. From Samuel L. Jackson’s appearance as Uncle Sam and Serena Williams’ crip walk to the false intro to ‘They Not Like Us’, hot off the heels of his feud with fellow rapper Drake. And who could forget SZA coming onstage for a mesmerising rendition of their hit track ‘Luther’? Amidst the unrelenting sea of red, white and blue with the rapper dead centre, the performance embodied a stark political statement with no holds barred, in true Kendrick fashion.
2 / 25
Mayhem ensued
This is Gaga as we know it. The multi-hyphenate released her Mayhem album earlier this year, sparking the return of her signature irresistible synth-pop tracks you can’t help but dance to. It was a gift that kept on giving as she embarked on a world tour. ‘The Mayhem Ball’ turned stadiums around the world into Gaga’s world, with nights of immersive storytelling, larger-than-life theatrics and the pulsating beats of her enigmatic discography. Pure cinema.
3 / 25
Adolescence, or well, Owen Cooper
There are two big takeaways to glean from the four-part series (with every episode recorded in one take, mind you): the terrifying realities of deep-rooted ‘manosphere’ rage that haunts the future generation, and the gift of an actor that is Owen Cooper.
4 / 25
To infinity and beyond
Katy Perry in space? A sentence hard to believe but rings true to every word. As if it couldn’t get more bizarre, she launched into space aboard billionaire Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin rocket, together with an all-female team. The stars in the Milky Way were even privy to a live performance of Louis Armstrong’s ‘What a Wonderful World’ by Perry herself.
5 / 25
Put a ring on it
It seems 2025 was the year all our favourite celebrity couples took their relationship status to the next level. A mighty list ensues: there’s the lavish garden proposal of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce that took the internet by storm; Dua Lipa, Zendaya and Miley Cyrus subtly showing off the rocks on their fingers in photos; and of course, the wedding bells that resounded for Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco, as well as Charli XCX and George Daniel.
6 / 25
Labubu mayhem
Ah, Labubus. Hate it or love it, one can’t deny the effect of this cheeky doll. This devious cartoon character created by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung dominated every city, looped around handbags as snaking queues surrounded Pop Mart stores for a chance to get a mystery Labubu, hidden in a blind box. Even Michelle Yeoh can’t get enough, with the figurine in all sizes and colours appearing on her feed as she flaunts her growing collection.
7 / 25
Justin Bieber standing on business
“It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business?” In case it wasn’t clear, Justin Bieber means business. Trust that phrase has its permanent place in my vocabulary, as the viral video of Bieber in heated conversation with paparazzi eventually became an internet meme. Well aware of its impact on pop culture, he showed full support on his social media, even sporting a hoodie with the phrase. It reached its ultimate form as a track on his newest album Swag II, in collaboration with Druski.
8 / 25
Kris Jenner's makeover
Kim? Is that you? Surprise, it’s her mother: Kris Jenner. Ahead of her 70th birthday, the Kardashian matriarch embarked on an extensive facelift. She took to Instagram to debut her ‘new face’, bearing an uncanny resemblance to her daughter. The makeover can only be credited to renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr Steven Levine, who even has a referral passcode for consultations initiated by Jenner’s social circle.
9 / 25
Jennie, Jennie, Jennie
Who’s doing it like Jennie? It’s safe to say there’s none. Amidst an addictive hit single, a viral Tiktok dance, and a star-studded tracklist feature, we’re constantly reminded that nobody can compare to the style, energy and allure the Blackpink singer embodies with every step.
10 / 25
My little soda pop
Where do we even begin? It’s undeniable that K-pop Demon Hunters was the biggest breakthrough of the year. The animated film broke records as the most-watched original title in the history of Netflix, a feat that comes to no surprise. The cherry on top? The chart-topping original soundtrack. Where earworms—think ‘Golden’ or ‘Soda Pop’—that had both children and adults alike humming the tune for days.
11 / 25
The infamous Coldplay concert
A surefire to air dirty laundry? A Coldplay concert, at its Boston stop to be exact. It’s a proven method, as seen on Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and fellow Chief People Office Kirstin Cabot. If one gets caught, it would be best to play it off and act amicable, or else any extreme response may just be brought to the attention of Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin, who hinted at infidelity into his microphone for the whole stadium to hear.
12 / 25
Nothing's better than a Jet2 holiday
The audio that perpetuated our screens this past summer. From a distance, the opening of Jess Glynne’s ‘Hold My Hand’ can be heard before diving into the budget airline’s audio on summer travel savings. Passport? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Now all that’s left is a Jet2 holiday, where you can get up to 50 pounds off per person—hefty savings for a family of four.
13 / 25
Performative male summer
If the peak of last year’s summer was defined by celebrity lookalike contests, this year’s summer would be measured by the performative male, with wired headphones and a matcha in hand. It’s the latest masculine flaw the internet has picked up on—men with progressive and emotionally attuned tendencies that’s admirable at first, but superficial upon further inspection. But how does one spot a performative male? Simple. Feminist literature, tote bags and a penchant for Clairo songs are major telltale signs.
14 / 25
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3
It’s been a long journey for Team Conrad. The season finale of the hit series aired this summer, and loyal fans of the show were sat as they anticipated the long-awaited outcome of The Summer I Turned Pretty’s rocky love triangle. It’s a blissful ending for Bonrad supporters, but the real treat lies in the pursuit—the pure devotion, desperate longing and the ghost of what could have been, exemplified through the prolonged stares of Conrad’s piercing blue eyes. It’s evident: a man who yearns is a man who earns.
15 / 25
Twice at Victoria's Secret Fashion Show
This one’s for all my Twice ladies. It’s been one hell of a year for the group with 2025 marking their 10th anniversary. And what better way to celebrate than setting a record? The K-pop mavens became the first girl group to perform at the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, and amidst their world tour no less. Their sugar sweet hits were the perfect groove for the runway, but their stage outfits stole the show, with the push-up bra Tzuyu donned selling out moments after.
16 / 25
The Louvre heist
A museum heist belongs in a movie, and it looks like life is a blockbuster. This list wouldn’t be complete without the Louvre heist, where $100 million worth of the French Crown Jewels were deftly stolen by robbers within 10 minutes in broad daylight. An incident so surreal that netizens can’t help but romanticise it, posting satirical ‘POV’ videos of robbing the museum, creating themed playlists for the heist and even playing it out to be a marketing strategy for Now You See Me: Now You Don’t that was coincidentally in theatres shortly after.
17 / 25
Oasis's reunion tour
Dreams do come true. When the Gallagher brothers announced the end of their notorious rivalry with a reunion in 2024, many couldn’t believe it. Fans rushed to buy tickets for their highly anticipated world tour, but nothing could prepare them for the show. It was the revival of 90s Britpop. The duo crooned their well-known hits like ‘Wonderwall’, ‘Don’t Look Back In Anger’ and ‘Champagne Supernova’, as a devoted, euphoric crowd sang the lyrics back to them.
18 / 25
Cortis made their debut
Watch them go. Hybe’s newest boy group debuted in August but they’ve already made their mark. Made up of a self-producing motley crew, their debut album already has their style written all over it as the five members played a hand in the production and choreography. With an energetic end-of-year award show performance that harkened loud cheers from the crowd, it’s clear that Cortis is the K-pop group to watch in 2026.
19 / 25
Katseye brought all the boys(and girls) to the yard
Kelis’s throwback ‘Milkshake’ anthem saw a revival in 2025, all thanks to Katseye’s infectious Gap ad. As the denim brand so tactfully illustrated, a captivating choreography routine, the world’s hottest girl group and an authentic driving message of self-expression, style and freedom is the recipe for an iconic campaign. Sydney Sweeney’s jeans may be great, but can she dance in them the way Katseye does? We think not.
20 / 25
67
Who would’ve thought mere double-digits would avalanche into a colossal internet sensation overnight? While highly amusing for some and a little traumatic for others, there’s no doubt that this trend changed the way we viewed numbers. Any time 67 is mentioned, a relentless hand gesture must follow suit, regardless of the situation and context. Even brands can’t get enough, with Sol De Janeiro releasing a limited edition ’67’ perfume mist, much to customers’ delight.
21 / 25
Man's best friend is none other than Sabrina Carpenter
It’s Sabrina Carpenter’s world, and we’re all just living in it. With two Grammy awards bagged, countless magazine covers, a sold-out world tour and her newest album Man’s Best Friend released this year, the bite-sized pop star continues to make her mark on the music scene, in the shape of a lip-glossed kiss. Not to mention her Grand Ole Opry debut, further cementing her rightful status as pop’s princess.
22 / 25
Alexa, play Lux by Rosalía
If you hear symphonies in your ears, it’s probably Lux by Rosalía. The Spanish singer revisited her classical roots with this album, recorded in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, the tracklist is sung in 14 different languages, each attributed to a female saint. It’s spiritual, immersive and genre-bending–an experience only Rosalía can achieve.
23 / 25
Is having a boyfriend embarrassing now?
A provocative viewpoint that sparked a riotous debate online, reflecting on the qualms of modern love and dating. But the question remains: is it? Single might just be the new black.
24 / 25
The Wicked: For Good press tour
While Wicked: For Good was one of the most anticipated films of 2025, one can’t help but set their eyes on the press tour instead. Mighty Easter eggs can be found in the interviews and global premieres, from Cynthia Erivo’s animated expressions immortalised as memes, to Glinda and Elphaba’s unbreakable connection intensely translated off-screen a friendship too close for comfort. And for those unaware, Michelle Yeoh would like to let us know that her character Madam Morrible’s initials ‘MM’ translates to ‘WW’ when flipped, cunningly revealing her wicked witch nature.
25 / 25
The Marty Supreme press run
Marty Supreme paints the internet orange all over. From roaming sky blimps and ping pong ball-shaped bodyguards, a Zoom call spoof sees Timothée Chalamet pitch outlandish marketing ideas for his newest biopic, where he transforms into the boisterous Marty Supreme as he zealously chases his ping pong dreams. But the biggest takeaway from this moment? Orange windbreakers are the it-clothing item to covet this season.
