2024 REVIEW: A year in pop culture

As 2024 wraps up, let’s look back at the moments we couldn’t stop talking about during month of the last year.

It’s rewind time! 2024 gave the U.S. a wide array of hot topics to post, discuss and distract us from school, work and politics. Music, movies and celebrity news provided a variety of corresponding events throughout the year, as well as many random moments that caught the world by a media storm. 

January started the year off hot, being headlined by airplane mishaps and an interesting tourist destination. An Alaska Airlines door plug blew off while the aircraft was 16,000 feet in the air, resulting in potential fliers reconsidering their aviation plans.  

In Chicago, a rat-shaped hole in a sidewalk became a pilgrimage spot, a place of worship and for two people, the site of a marriage ceremony. The sidewalk slab was later removed by the city in April, with its current whereabouts unknown. 

February hosted America’s biggest sporting event and a powerful political message that sparked nationwide discussion. Super Bowl LVIII was the most watched U.S. broadcast since the Apollo 11 moon landing. Usher performed, Beyoncé teased new music and the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers. It ended with pop star Taylor Swift kissing her boyfriend, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.  

In late February, Aaron Bushnell set himself on fire outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., a moment that drew comparisons to Thích Qu?ng ??c, the Buddhist monk who set himself on fire protesting the Vietnamese government. 

March was forwarded by the music world as the annual Academy Awards took place. Beyonce, who is one of the biggest singers of the last 20 years, switched genres and immediately dominated the music scene.  

At the 96th Academy Awards, Ryan Gosling stole the show with his performance of “I’m Just Ken” from the Barbie movie, which also saw Oppenheimer win seven awards including Best Picture, Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.  

Beyoncé also released her eighth studio album, “Cowboy Carter,” a country album that made the singer the first black woman to top the Top Country Albums chart. The album later became the second-most nominated album in Grammy history at the upcoming 67th Annual Grammy Awards. 

April was dominated by a female singer, along with news about a popular social media app that would affect millions across the country.  

Taylor Swift released her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” along with its expansion “The Anthology.” The album topped charts worldwide and is nominated for Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album at the upcoming Grammys in February.  

TikTok became a controversial platform following President Biden signing a bill to ban the app across the country on April 24, pending the sale of the app, which still hasn’t happened as the deadline grows closer. 

May was highlighted by one of the hottest rap beefs in years, along with a historic moment in U.S. politics. Canadian rapper Drake dropped the diss track “Family Matters,” aimed at fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar. Within 24 hours, Lamar released “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us,” taking social media by storm, with influencers like Kai Cenat sharing their reactions online. The popularity of the song has resulted in multiple Grammy nominations and Lamar has since been announced as the halftime performer at the next Super Bowl. 

At the end of the month, President Trump became the first former president to be convicted of a felony, receiving 34 counts. 

June saw summer arrive along with the cultural domination of two singers and slang adopted by famous artists and their fandoms. Charli XCX released her sixth studio album “Brat,” sparking perhaps the cultural highlight of 2024, brat summer. Chappell Roan’s 2023 album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” skyrocketed in popularity, gaining a cult following.  

June also saw the popularity of Hailey Welch, otherwise known as the hawk tuah girl, whose street interview resulted in a podcast, throwing the first pitch at a New York Mets game and a cryptocurrency coin. 

July brought the historic Olympic Games in France where French metal band Gojira became the first band of the genre to perform during an opening ceremony. The infamous Australian breakdancer Raygun’s performance took the global stage and Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikeç’s minimalistic methods got him a silver medal.  

The month also brought the birth of the baby hippo known as Moo Deng on July 10. This resulted in visitors traveling from around the world to Thailand to view her in her enclosure. 

August was dominated with celebrity news, ranging from pregnancies to divorces. Jennifer Lopez filed for divorce from Ben Affleck, Justin and Hailey Bieber welcomed their first child, and Cardi B both announced her pregnancy and filed for divorce from rapper Offset.  

In the film industry, the newest Crow movie flopped in theaters and the latest Alien movie, “Alien Romulus” was released despite strong critical acclaim. 

September saw an assassination attempt on the former president and the passing of a famous actor who participated in many famous films over the last 50 years. President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania that killed one and injured three, including Trump.  

Famous actor James Earl Jones, known for his roles in Star Wars, The Sandlot and The Lion King passed away at age 93, resulting in tributes such as the Empire State Building honoring the late actor with a light show. 

October was highlighted by another celebrity death and a star-studded conclusion to the MLB season. Former One Direction singer Liam Payne passed away following a three-story fall from a balcony while the singer was inebriated.  

The World Series took place between the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, fronted by their league’s respective MVPs Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. The Dodgers would win four games to one, resulting in street celebrations including riots, fireworks and overall chaos. 

November was forwarded by politics as the U.S. election took place, alongside a questionable sports bout between two celebrities. Donald Trump defeated Kamala Harris to become the 47th President of the United States, marking his second term.  

In the entertainment world, Jake Paul defeated Mike Tyson in a boxing match streamed on Netflix, peaking at 65 million viewers. The fight was questioned due to Tyson’s age and lack of intensity, with him being 31 years older than his opponent. 

December has so far concluded 2024 with a controversial murder and an influx of online celebrity look-alike contests. UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was murdered in New York, with the suspect Luigi Mangione now arrested and charged with murder, causing the internet to trend with the motto “Free Luigi.” 

There was even a look-alike contest held for him days after the murder. Although the contests have been happening for months, they have continued into December. Notable contests have included Jeremy Allen White, Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya, with most contests resulting in $50 prizes or a trophy. 

As 2024 draws to a close, 2025 will bring new cultural moments that we will likely be talking about as the media cycle continues to provide entertainment.