Dictionaries define things. It鈥檚 their job. So when dictionary.com pronounced 鈥�6-7鈥� as their you鈥檇 think they would have, well, defined it.
But no. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all still trying to figure out exactly what it means,鈥� they told us of this year鈥檚 鈥渓inguistic time capsule.鈥�
But that鈥檚 just how pop culture works, isn鈥檛 it? Who鈥檚 to explain why parents alone in their cars were suddenly singing 鈥渦p up up鈥� from that song? Or why, in the Venn diagram of pop culture and zoology, that emerged victorious and beloved? Goodbye, Moo Deng. You鈥檙e adorable,
Despite our new obsessions, though, some things remained constant 鈥� by which we mean and , of course. It seems like every year gets bigger for Swift. But in 2025, she put a bow 鈥� 鈥� on it with Travis Kelce, announcing 鈥測our English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.鈥� As for 叠别测辞苍肠茅, the musical goddess she long deserved 鈥� and, on tour, introduced
So from the inexplicable to the familiar, here’s our annual, highly selective journey down pop culture memory lane:
JANUARY
They may not be TAYVIS, but they鈥檙e a delightful couple just the same: and TOM HOLLAND are engaged. Let鈥檚 hear it also for who wins a for her wild performance in 鈥淭he Substance.鈥� At the bookstore, fans go the third installment of REBECCA YARROS’ romantasy series. A , a fundraiser for relief efforts following the Los Angeles wildfires. At the Australian Open, U.S. the temporary back home, drawing a broken heart on a TV lens.
FEBRUARY
鈥淪alutations!鈥� says SAMUEL L. JACKSON, introducing 鈥� and Pulitzer winner 鈥� to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. (P.S. Is that SERENA WILLIAMS?) At the GRAMMYS, members of the Los Angeles Fire Department present BEYONC脡 with her 鈥� the artist in Grammy history becomes the first Black woman to win the top prize in the 21st century. In the age of TikTok, you never know what鈥檚 going to catch fire 鈥� like those hand-penned party invitations from 87-year old DOUG TURNER to his Pennsylvania neighbors, with the priceless line: 鈥�4 p.m. until the cops arrive.鈥�
MARCH
It鈥檚 OSCAR month! All hail to and Also scoring an acting prize is 鈥� who probably should have found another place to put his chewing gum. 鈥淲ICKED,鈥� an audience favorite, misses out on big prizes, but its stars, Meanwhile, the once-promising Netflix contender 鈥淓MILIA P脡REZ鈥� wins two prizes but sees best picture chances evaporate in the wake of an uproar over past tweets from
APRIL
The blender! The poisonous fruit! The lizard! ! 鈥� is certainly a talker. may be wishing she鈥檇 headed to Thailand rather than outer space: on a JEFF BEZOS Blue Origin rocket is widely mocked 鈥� even by Wendy鈥檚, which writes on X: 鈥淐an we send her back.鈥� On BEYONC脡鈥橲 鈥淐owboy Carter鈥� tour, a star has emerged 鈥� 13-year old BLUE IVY. In a megadeal, and makeup brand for a cool $1 billion.
MAY
A crisis, at CANNES! 鈥� do they think this will halt the 鈥渘aked dress鈥� phenomenon? Bonne chance. Also at Cannes, to entertain, this time atop a classic biplane in 鈥淢ISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING.鈥� Across the ocean, the over the centuries. 鈥淚t took a minute,鈥� says an approving SPIKE LEE. 鈥淵ou belong with me,鈥� SWIFT sings, buying Finally, cue the 鈥淐hicago Pope鈥� memes 鈥� in honor of the first American pope, . Later this year, he’ll
JUNE
鈥淭he world will know you as pop stars 鈥� but you will be much more than that.鈥� Like, perhaps, the surprise, multigenerational hit of the summer? 鈥淜POP DEMON HUNTERS鈥� starts streaming this month, and in August with its singalong screenings. On TV, it鈥檚 a new season of love 鈥� that is, chronicling the goings-on at a luxury villa in Fiji. It’s the album cover that launched a thousand conversations: Some are offended when SABRINA CARPENTER illustrates her 鈥淢AN’S BEST FRIEND鈥� album with a photo of her on all fours, with a man holding her hair. Is it offensive, a purposeful joke, or nothing at all? Meanwhile politics finds its way into the GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL in Britain, as after leading a chant calling for 鈥渄eath鈥� to the Israeli military.
JULY
and the GALLAGHER brothers are still getting along! goes the much-discussed advertisement, and American Eagle insists it鈥檚 about the denim. CBS says it will end STEPHEN COLBERT’S 鈥� a move that will remove from air one of President DONALD TRUMP’S most outspoken critics. We cannot leave July behind 鈥� although at least two people would have loved to 鈥� without mentioning the saga of the . Finally, within six days, the world loses three 鈥�80s icons: mustachioed , heavy metal and beloved 鈥淐osby Show鈥� actor
AUGUST
Let鈥檚 just give this whole entry to 鈥� because, baby, she said yes! TAYLOR-TRAVIS skeptics eat their words when the couple announces their happy news, in what’s destined to become one of the most liked posts in Instagram history. It鈥檚 the that began during the Eras Tour and for two years captivated millions around the world but especially Swifties, the pop star鈥檚 loving and fiercely protective
SEPTEMBER
Proving once again that Hollywood loves stories about itself, the EMMYS heap awards on Also triumphing is starring beloved 鈥淓R鈥� veteran NOAH WYLE that beats out the mighty 鈥淪EVERANCE.鈥� Perhaps the biggest Cinderella story of all: 15-year-old OWEN COOPER, Also this month, by ABC bosses for comments that angered supporters of the slain The world says Hollywood鈥檚 golden screen idol turned influential activist.
OCTOBER
鈥淪o, how was your October?鈥� 鈥淥h, 6-7.鈥� That鈥檚 apparently how one should use 鈥� accompanied by that palms-up gesture. You know who has better moves than that? BAD BUNNY, who In SWIFT updates, her new album The captures the world鈥檚 attention, not least for who walks into an AP photographer鈥檚 frame. Another sad loss: famous for her fedoras, vests and especially 鈥淟a di da, La di da.鈥�
NOVEMBER
Are we at the end of the yellow brick road? which reached all ends of the universe actual and fictional, wraps with the release of JON M. CHU’S second installment, 鈥淲ICKED: FOR GOOD.鈥� The reviews are but the movie That鈥檚 not enough for JONATHAN BAILEY, aka FIYERO, who is Another fan favorite, ROBERT IRWIN, is also having a very good month: a decade after his sister, BINDI, did the same, the son of late conservationist STEVE IRWIN is crowned winner of 鈥淒ANCING WITH THE STARS.鈥�
DECEMBER
One award after another! Excuse the rather obvious pun, but it鈥檚 the perfect one to describe While some films see their fortunes fade on GOLDEN GLOBE nominations day, the emerging favorite is of political resistance starring LEONARDO DiCAPRIO and Its success also lends a victory to WARNER BROS. in the middle of its NETFLIX acquisition deal 鈥� which, at year鈥檚 end, is in a holding pattern, facing antitrust challenges and a hostile takeover effort from PARAMOUNT, and sowing one fear after another that will change.
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