Reflecting on 2025's pop culture feels like a fever dream, with social media trends moving at lightning speed. The year saw the Coldplay Kiss Cam scandal, Katy Perry's space flight, and the baffling 6-7 meme all within 12 months. Terms like 'brainrot' and 'rage-bait' entered daily vocabulary, while AI-generated 'slop' flooded platforms with surreal footage.
The Wicked press tour dominated headlines, with stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande's emotional interviews going viral. A helicopter interruption saw Erivo cover her face as Grande mimed a protective force field. Michelle Yeoh's repeated explanation of her character's initials 'MM' flipping to 'WW' became a meme. The tour ended sourly when a fan rushed Grande at a Singapore premiere.
At a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts, a couple caught on kiss-cam reacted guiltily, prompting singer Chris Martin to joke about an affair. Internet sleuths identified them as the CEO and HR executive of AI firm Astronomer; both resigned. The story spawned parodies at sports events and TV shows, with Gwyneth Paltrow commenting.
Katy Perry's 11-minute space flight on Blue Origin in April drew mockery, especially when she kissed the ground upon return. Wendy's tweeted 'Can we send her back?' Perry later became 2025's 'most surprising couple' with former Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, going Instagram official in December.
Justin Bieber's confrontation with paparazzi outside Soho House in Miami became a meme. He told a photographer, 'It's not clocking to you that I'm standing on business,' later releasing a song titled 'STANDING ON BUSINESS' on his album Swag.
