2025 has certainly been an interesting year for pop culture. Across music, film and social media, we’ve seen stories of nostalgia and acknowledgement of humanity flourish, with unique points and flaws alike being celebrated as rebellion has sparked against the cultural deprioritization of the arts. There have been so many great moments in pop culture this year, but here are just a few of the best ones:
1. Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter winning Album of the Year
There was plenty of competition at this year’s GRAMMYs, as well as plenty of room for history to be made. Beyonce’s Album of the Year win was her first, despite having been nominated four times before (with many seeing this win as long overdue), and this year’s awards also made her the most awarded and most nominated artist in GRAMMY history. After historic controversies surrounding ‘music’s biggest night’ and issues of bias, including allegations of racism, there seems to be an effort being made to right the wrongs of the past and allow for fairer consideration of artists and their work.
2. The Labubu craze and trinket culture
Regardless of your feelings on Labubus (I’m a hater personally) the little gremlins were everywhere throughout 2025. And as much as I hate this specific brand of plushie, I think it benefits the overall culture to develop a widespread acceptance of ‘childish’ interests such as plush keychains and collectibles. In a world that is increasingly feeling more serious and scary by the day, creating a more whimsical life is becoming a priority for the younger generation. Having a favourite character on your bag is a small, low-cost way to show your personality and interests, and overall brings more joy to a world in desperate need of it.
3. Kpop Demon Hunters mania
If ever there was a film able to break out of its target audience and reach every demographic imaginable, it’s Kpop Demon Hunters. A story about living authentically and acknowledging the struggles of others was bound to resonate, but the addition of a catchy soundtrack and a solid visual identity was the boost KDH needed to become Netflix’s most watched original title in history. Even the backstory behind the making of the film is inspirational, with production taking over seven years and the final product being a love letter to Korean culture – giving the film’s reception an even more heartwarming significance.
4. Lily Allen’s comeback with West End Girl
Perhaps the most significant music release of this year, West End Girl is a brutally honest glimpse into the slow breakdown of a marriage through coercion, degradation and betrayal. The album tells a story of a victimised wife going through the stages of grief, and finding closure within herself to be able to leave a destructive dynamic. It is devastating and empowering all at once, and despite the messy feelings divulged, there is a level of maturity throughout that allows for a satisfying conclusion that ‘There is nothing I could do / You’re stuck inside your fruityloop.’
5. Wicked For Good press tour
Ending the year on a high, we have the pure unseriousness of the Wicked For Good press tour. From Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande’s… unique bond, to Michelle Yeoh’s oft-repeated Madame-Morrible-to-Wicked-Witch hand manoeuvre, even those not swept up in the excitement of the film can enjoy the meme potential that comes out of every cast interview we’ve seen.
Hopefully 2026 will bring the same interesting blend between earnest sentimentality and surreal humour that this press cycle (as well as pop culture more generally) has shown the public longs for.
