Before heading into the new year, 2025 certainly delivered our cultural world a whirlwind of moments—some iconic, some chaotic, and some so delightfully bizarre that they instantly became part of our core memory. From viral obsessions to headline events, this year gave us plenty to laugh about, argue over, and ultimately cherish. These standout moments didn’t just define the year, but captured the spirit of an era we’ll be looking back on for years to come. Here are the top 10 culture moments from 2025 that are truly worth reminiscing over.
- . Katy Perry’s Trip to Space
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While the star didn’t take a trip to Mars to visit E.T., she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to join the all-female crew mission with Blue Origin on NS-31, with Gayle King, Lauren Sanchez, Aisha Bowe, Amanda Nguyen, and Kerianne Flynn. They joined hands in prayer, ringing a bell, and touched the capsule they would make history with. During the 11-minute flight on April 14, 2025, Katy held a daisy and smiled at the camera for her daughter, Daisy. Oprah stood alongside Orlando Bloom, Katy’s fiancé at the time, and sobbed as she watched Katy experience 4G for the first time. This was the ultimate empath moment. After returning to earth, they praised the sky, celebrated the mission, and Katy kissed the ground. Not only did these ladies go to space and back, but they looked good while doing it.
- . TikTok Ban
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On January 19, 2025, Generation Z faced one of their biggest fears—the TikTok ban actually coming into effect. While the world was at war, Americans were fighting against their own government for deleting their favorite social media network. Since the threat was made by Trump back in 2020, just half a decade ago, this threat was at the very back of our minds. With data breach concerns over users’ data being stored and sold, it was a top priority for the White House to take the fun out of TikTok lovers. While their logic is valid, I fear we are all well aware of how dangerous social media can be when it comes to our data and sensitive information, given how we use these apps.
Our non-subtle reactions prove how much it means to us having a little time to doom scroll here and there, as it helps us decompress from the heavy world around us (the same one that tried to ban TikTok). Users were preparing to switch to similar apps in the midst of the chaos, like Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, to get their quick fixes of entertainment. Even after the 12-hour ban, everyone came back running to their comfort app on January 20th.
- . “It’s not clocking to you”
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Whether publicity stunt or not, Justin Bieber was seen crashing out at the paparazzi one minute and popping up on the charts the next. Celebrities like JB seem to be over the constant confrontation on the streets, so he took it upon himself to make a song out of frustration. “Standing on Business,” featuring Druski, is a short 50-second rant in his latest album, “Swag,” using his direct quote to paparazzi that went viral. Personally, I think this would have been a hit off the album if he had opened with the line and then cut to a diss track, but I could see where he wanted to prove a point without wasting more of his energy.
People started using his phrases, “It’s not clocking to you,” and “standing on business,” in real-life scenarios and for online comedy.
- . One Wicked Friendship
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We all have an emotional support item in the prime of our adulthood. Whether that’s a water bottle or stuffed animal, there’s no shame. When it comes to one’s attachment at the hip, you normally don’t think of your co-star. Wicked fans couldn’t help but notice that Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo were spotted together almost 24/7 in constant emotional states. I’d say their friendship is wholesome, and they being cast together was meant to be. However, I can’t help but lose it a little when they get emotional over the slightest questions, theories or comments on their performance in the films Wicked and Wicked: For Good.
- . Labubus making a comeback
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While these controversial dolls were introduced in 2015, they’re making a mark on the next generation in 2025. Whether you think they’re cute, creepy, or somewhere in between, everybody has one! It’s the next collectible doll with a mystery inside, which most people use as fashion accessories on their bags, belts, or purses. I’d rather not buy a piece of plastic with a face that reminds me of the “smile” movies, only to get over this consumerism craze within a week. It doesn’t help that celebrities like BLACKPINK’s Lisa, Dua Lipa, and Emma Roberts. Lizzo even dedicated a line to the dolls in her freestyle rap, “YITTY ON MY TITTYS (FREESTYLE).”
If you are still into this trend or wish to keep collecting, beware of the Lafufus! These dupes of the Labubu dolls are often sold for less than the “real thing,” or they scam buyers into paying more. These fabricated editions of the original are often sold on city streets, gas stations, and many unofficial websites.
- . Coldplay Concert Cheating Scandal
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There was nothing casual about the Coldplay concert on July 16th, 2025, at Gillette Stadium outside Boston. The innocent tradition of the “kiss cam” at sports events and live shows went horribly wrong for the CEO of Astronomer, Andy Byron, and his Chief Human Resources Officer, Kristin Cabot. While Kristin’s soon-to-be ex-husband, Andrew Cabot, was on a date at the same concert, Andy Byron was (somewhat) happily married. When the couple that was seemingly together ducked in response to the sudden spotlight on the Jumbotron, the lead singer of Coldplay, Chris Martin, noticed.
“Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just really camera shy!”
While this moment may have ruined their lives, it quickly became a viral spoof around the world. Still, I wonder if they would have remained calm if this storm would have ever made waves in the first place.
- . Sydney Sweeney’s Jeans
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The American Eagle advertisement “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans” sparked major backlash, and it wasn’t over the Euphoria star looking “too good in them.” The controversy stemmed from the ad script.
“Jeans are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color, my jeans are blue,” as the camera pans from her waist as she buttons the jeans up to her blue eyes. People all over the internet were giving their reactions and opinions to these lines, implying that blonde hair and blue eyes are the “superior gene” to possess. While the “fun police” are busy overanalyzing the commercial, Euphoria fans and Sydney Sweeney enthusiasts recreated their own parodies.
- . The Unserious Reactions to the Louvre Heist
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An unexpected robbery took place on October 19th, 2025. Four robbers stealthily broke into the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, in the early morning hours. While people walked around, tourists and visitors entered the museum, the robbers were already gone, and so was the jewelry. All four, disguised as workers to avoid suspicion, used a vehicle-mounted lift to the first-floor balcony window where the Galerie d’Apollon was located and gained access to historical jewelry of great heritage. They took necklaces, earrings, brooches, and other items of Napoleon heritage, despite dropping a crown covered in diamonds that belonged to the wife of Empress Eugénie of France and wife of Napoleon the third.
You can’t have everything when you rob a place in just eight minutes. What they did succeed at was inspiring people’s last-minute Halloween costumes this October. I saw quite a few videos on my “For You Page” inspired by the stolen wedding gift that Napoleon gave to his second wife, Marie-Louise of Austria, like the emerald necklace and earrings. It wasn’t picture-perfect, though; these costumes were very last-minute and rushed, much like the robbery itself.
- . Dancing with the Stars Season 34
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Premiering September 16th, 2025, this season totaled the most streams EVER! One of America’s favorite competition shows, “Dancing with the Stars,” featured drama, dances, and diverse contestants, making it the biggest talk of the town. Stars like Elaine Hendrix from the The Parent Trap, Danielle Fishel from Boy Meets World, Jen Affleck and Whitney Leavitt from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, as contestants for this highly anticipated season. In the finale on November 25, 2025, we watched the intense moments of social media influencer Alix Earle with dancer Val Chmerkovisky against Australian conservationist Robert Irwin with Witney Carson, before the winner took home the Mirrorball trophy. Alix Earle took her followers on a journey through her pages, capturing videos, photos, and funny bits, and we watched her blossom as a dancer and as a woman. Robert Irwin dedicated most of his performances to his dad, Steve Irwin. His late father wasn’t the only one who felt proud, as his older sister, Bindi Irwin, won the DWTS Mirrorball trophy on season 21, and she was surely filled with pride in the crowd after watching her little brother.
Ignoring the accidental early reveal by Julianne Hough—watch the reactions of the stars and what it meant to the winners!
- . 67?
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Saving the cringiest moment for last, 67! I still don’t know what this means, so I’ll leave this here.
No matter how silly, unserious, or cringe these moments may have been, in years to come, we will feel nostalgic over these 2025 cultural moments!