Fifty-two weeks, 365 days, 8760 hours and tons to recap. Twenty-twenty four was full of trending moments including new music, food, movies and pop culture moments that will be extensively remembered. With a year as memorable as this past one, we are going to do a deep dive into the ins and outs and biggest events of the year.
Music:
2024 was a year where a handful of up-and-coming artists turned their music into hit songs and social media phenomenon practically overnight.
Charli xcx’s “BRAT,” which came out on June 7, did more than just capture the essence of summer – it became summer. The infectious album somehow managed to influence everything from vibes to the color of Kamala Harris’ campaign to the iconic neon green. Charli’s album blew up so much that she became an arena-filling sensation, as she sold out shows and gave the world a new definition to pop.
In addition to BRAT summer being a big music trend last year, Chappell Roan was also a dazzling star in 2024. Her hit, “Good Luck, Babe!” caught many fans’ attention in addition to her “Midwest Princess” tour in 2023 and 2024 which left fans equally obsessed with her catchy lyrics and bedazzled looks. Clearly, the sparkly renaissance was real.
Another exceptional album was “Short n’ Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter, which spent four weeks perched at number one on the Billboard 200. Before she became musically relevant, Carpenter was a familiar face from Disney Channel’s “Girl Meets World,” playing Maya Hart, although her transition from TV star to pop star was seamless. Her album was not short of just a radio hit, but users across social media even crafted popular trends consisting of videos relating to her lyrics about significant others. Sabrina was able to carry her album from the radio onto stage, bringing Short n’ Sweet to life with a tour that had fans singing along to every word sung.
Fashion:
Twenty-twenty four brought out the best in everyone’s closets, resurrecting old trends and reinstituting them into current closets. Think of it as a 2000s revamp, with undertones of modernization and self-awareness.
Most people’s shoe game was head-on with all different styles of Adidas, but most popularly, the Sambas. Once the humble soccer shoe, the Samba became everyone’s favorite as it’s perfect for every occasion and comes in basically every color imaginable. On the flip side of the shoes, there were Birkenstocks. Although not just any, the Boston Soft Footbed Birkenstock caught everyone’s eye as it unofficially was the definition of “don’t over think it” – easy to slip on and easy to style.
Low-rise baggy jeans were back, and in full force. After years of high-rise dominance, teenagers seemed to collectively decide this year that a longer top paired with lower jeans just seemed to work, and it did. Whether it was about comfort or aesthetics, one thing was made clear: low-rise jeans were the light-house of 2024.
Although throughout all trends, the animal print comeback was arguably the most exciting. Cheetah and leopard prints were seen all over brands like PacSun, Hollister, ZARA and Urban Outfitters, as they all evidently wanted to spice up their collections. Some brands embraced the low-rise trend, while others stuck to their roots with the classic high-rise look.
Movies:
Last year yielded a substantial number of blockbuster films that achieved outstanding results, touching the hearts of millions of moviegoers.
Bringing back a beloved favorite from Disney, “Inside Out 2,” released on June 14, had a poignant plotline that masterfully displayed the complexity and hardships of adolescence through the lens of soon-to-be high school freshman Riley Andersen. Just as Riley aged between the original movie and the sequel, so did many audience members who watched the original film as children in 2015. The portrayal of anxiety as both an emotion and as the main antagonist appealed to teens who understood what Riley was going through while still being enjoyable for the whole family.
While there were plenty of moving movies throughout the year, one cannot forget the value of a simple slapstick action-comedy. “Deadpool v. Wolverine,” released on July 26, was a breath of fresh air for Marvel Studios, contrasting the raunchy, meta, not-so-family-friendly humor of Deadpool with the serious and stoic Wolverine. The film introduced the antagonist Cassa Nova, Professor X’s evil twin sister, while also connecting it back to the Time Variance Authority, a concept previously explored in the “Loki” series on Disney Plus. Trademark of all the Deadpool films, it was overall a great balance of vulgar fun and sprinkled-in emotional beats that didn’t take itself too seriously.
The year finished off with the film adaptation of the classic Broadway musical “Wicked” (Nov. 22), starring Ariana Grande as The Good Witch of the North, Glinda, and Cynthia Erivo as the Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba. Although only covering the first act of the stage play, “Wicked” still managed to stay faithful to much of the original stage play, drawing in both casual viewers and dedicated Broadway fans. The story’s main message about how outcasts such as Elphaba are mistreated by society played a big role in the original play’s success, and by extension, the film’s.
Memes:
Gen-Z humor in 2024 was just another evolution of the absurd amalgamation of thoughts and feelings that is the internet, reflecting the increasingly tumultuous world that younger generations have learned to cope with.
Jojo Siwa’s “Karma’s A Bitch” inspired an onslaught of mockery from the online world, mostly due to the sudden “transformation” from the rainbow-themed former Dance Moms star to a much edgier and “adult” persona.
Jojo Siwa was not the only big name who underwent big changes in 2024. Nickado Avocado’s Two Steps Ahead video had its fair share of time in the limelight, an unanticipated move that pointed out the secret to farming views as a content creator. His off-camera weight loss transformation shocked the internet, yet what was moreso noteworthy was his dramatic monologue detailing his plan. After being the subject of countless jokes and jeers in his YouTube comment section for years, his response created a sense of smug triumph above it all.
With a new year also comes a chance for the algorithm to churn out plenty of viral videos for those looking for their five minutes of fame. Although brain rot has evolved rapidly in the past year to plague the For You Pages of millions of teens, one clip stood out: The “Hawk Tuah” girl. Haliey Welch, the girl in the street-interview style video, would go on to start the “Talk Tuah” podcast, only further cementing the idea that people on the internet can get famous for literally anything.
As 2025 progresses, who knows what new cultural trends will emerge from the constantly shifting sea of pop culture? Happy New Year, Falcons!