From a wedding engagement that blew up the internet to the final chapter of one of TV’s most beloved franchises, 2025 was a huge year for pop culture that was chock-full of surprises.
The year kicked off with a bang in Bangkok, as the third season of HBO Max’s hit show “The White Lotus” entranced millions of viewers with its story of meditation and murder.
2025 was the year of streaming content. According to an Associated Press poll, 70% of adults chose to watch movies in the comfort of their own homes instead of in theaters, which comes as no surprise to film correspondent John Horn.
“Ticket prices are really high,” Horn said. “If you take a family of four, especially in a city like Los Angeles or New York, it’s a hundred bucks.”
Between that and the amount of pre-movie ads theaters show, Horn said, a film this year had to be really special to get audiences to venture out.
2025 did have some very special films, like Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners”; the sequel to last year’s holiday hit, “Wicked for Good”; and the Netflix animated movie that took the world by storm, “KPop Demon Hunters.”
This image released by Universal Pictures shows Cynthia Erivo, left, and Ariana Grande in a scene from “Wicked for Good..” (Universal Pictures via AP)
The “KPop Demon Hunters” soundtrack also went viral, with each of its 12 original songs going platinum.
Another astronomical musical achievement was Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album. Her tour grossed more than $400 million, becoming the highest-grossing country tour in history.
An Instagram post revealing the engagement between pop star Taylor Swift and tight end Travis Kelce earned more than 30 million likes in less than 24 hours.
Another musical milestone came in a moment captured on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert, when it showed a CEO embracing his date, who was not his wife. The incident resulted in both resigning from their roles.
Tragedy hit Hollywood when Rob Reiner, director of “When Harry Met Sally” and “The Princess Bride,” and his wife were killed in their home.
And in the legal spotlight, rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty of two counts in a sex-related felony case.
Only display Labubu dolls are left at the Pop Mart store at American Dream mall in East Rutherford, N.J., on Saturday, July 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
In the world of pop culture, a creature named Labubu became a top trend thanks in part to celebrity endorsements from Rihanna and Kim Kardashian and an appearance at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
Also seen at the parade — and on breakfast cereal boxes and footwear — was “Stranger Things.” The fifth and final season of the Netflix hit gave fans one more look at the “Upside Down.” Nearly 40% of U.S. households binged all four of the first episodes within 48 hours of release.
Alex Cohen
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