The year 2025 in pop culture was a fascinating blend of the reassuringly familiar and the utterly inexplicable. It was a period where global superstars reached new pinnacles, while a cryptic phrase like '6-7' could become Dictionary.com's Word of the Year without anyone being entirely sure what it meant. From fairy-tale engagements to historic awards and unexpected viral sensations, here's how the last twelve months unfolded.
Icons, Awards, and Unforgettable Moments
Certain narratives provided a constant backdrop to the year. Taylor Swift seemingly outdid herself once again, culminating her headline-dominating romance with NFL star Travis Kelce in a joyous engagement announcement. The pop titan also reclaimed the masters to her first six albums and released a new record, 'The Life of a Showgirl', which shattered sales records.
Meanwhile, Beyoncé solidified her legendary status. Her album 'Cowboy Carter' finally earned her the Best Album Grammy, making her the first Black woman to win the top prize in the 21st century. On her subsequent tour, a new star was born as her daughter, Blue Ivy, emerged as a formidable stage presence.
The awards season glittered with its own stories. At the Oscars, Sean Baker's 'Anora' triumphed, while the Emmys saw a surprise win for the edgy medical drama 'The Pitt'. A true Cinderella story was 15-year-old Owen Cooper, who became the youngest Emmy winner in over four decades.
From Cannes to Glastonbury: Scandals and Sensations
Controversy and conversation were never far away. The Cannes Film Festival's attempt to ban nudity on the red carpet was widely mocked, and the press tour for the 'Wicked' films became a global phenomenon. Politics intruded at the Glastonbury Festival, where duo Bob Vylan faced a police probe after leading a chant.
Social media lit up over Sabrina Carpenter's provocative album cover for 'Man's Best Friend', and Katy Perry faced widespread ridicule for her brief space tourism trip. A more charming viral moment came from 87-year-old Doug Turner, whose handwritten party invitations, promising fun "until the cops arrive", won the internet's heart.
The Viral and the Baffling: Defining a Digital Age
If one moment encapsulated the unpredictable nature of modern pop culture, it was the ascent of the phrase '6-7'. Declared the Word of the Year, it defied clear definition, serving as a 'linguistic time capsule' for a shared but indescribable feeling. Similarly, the K-pop animated series 'KPop Demon Hunters' became an unexpected, multi-generational hit, its catchy 'up up up' hook inescapable.
The world also said goodbye to several icons, losing Hulk Hogan, Ozzy Osbourne, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner within a tragic six-day period in July. In the business arena, Hailey Bieber's Rhode skincare brand was sold in a monumental $1 billion deal, and the potential acquisition of Warner Bros. by Netflix became a major, uncertain story dominating industry headlines as the year closed.
In the end, 2025 proved that pop culture remains an eclectic mix of grand achievements, intimate viral joys, and mysteries that bind us together in shared confusion. It was a year where a capybara could become the internet's favourite animal, a Coldplay KissCam could go hilariously awry, and the only appropriate response to 'How was your October?' was a shrug and a simple: 'Oh, 6-7.'
