Remember 2025? It feels like a decade ago, but the pop culture landscape of that year was so unhinged, so utterly chaotic, it’s still sending shockwaves. From celebrities literally reaching for the stars to slang that caused menu changes, 2025 was a year that redefined “insane.”
Let’s take a wild ride back through the most unforgettable, head-scratching, and downright bizarre moments that shaped 2025.
Blast Off! The “Astro-Pop” Era Kicks Off with Katy Perry
Eva Rinaldi creator QS:P170,Q37885816, Katy Perry, 2011, CC BY-SA 2.0
If you thought celebrity endorsements couldn’t get more extreme, you clearly weren’t ready for 2025. The year’s most surreal moment undoubtedly belonged to Katy Perry, who didn’t just sing about fireworks—she became one. In a move that launched a thousand memes and a new era of “Astro-Pop,” Perry launched into low Earth orbit aboard a Blue Origin flight.
The highlight (or lowlight, depending on your perspective)? Her ethereal rendition of “What a Wonderful World,” performed while holding a single daisy in zero gravity. The internet, predictably, exploded. While some hailed it as a groundbreaking artistic statement, critics were quick to label it a “tone-deaf luxury joyride.” Regardless, Katy Perry as an “actual astronaut” was a narrative no one saw coming.
The Cuddly Chaos: How Labubu Conquered the World
Every year has its must-have collectible, but 2025’s obsession bordered on cult-like. Enter Labubu. These “creepy-cute” vinyl monsters, creations of artist Kasing Lung, went from niche art toys to a global phenomenon.
The tipping point? When K-pop sensation Lisa from BLACKPINK and global icon Rihanna were spotted with these mischievous-looking figures clipped to their designer bags. What followed was pandemonium. Supply couldn’t keep up with demand, prices skyrocketed on resale markets, and suddenly, everyone from elementary schoolers to investment bankers had a Labubu dangling from their backpack. The craze even spawned “demonic energy” conspiracy theories on TikTok and, bizarrely, culminated in a giant Labubu float dominating the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. We told you it was insane.
“6-7” & “It’s Not Clocking To You”: Slang That Broke Brains and Menus
Remember when internet slang felt confined to… well, the internet? 2025 said, “Hold my beer.” The year was dominated by two phrases that burrowed their way into everyday conversation with alarming speed:
- “6-7”: Uttered with a strange, almost vacant expression, “6-7” became the ultimate “brainrot” term. It had no discernible meaning, yet it was deployed for every vibe, reaction, and social media caption imaginable. The sheer ubiquity of “6-7” reached such a fever pitch that In-N-Out Burger, bless their hearts, reportedly removed order #67 from their ticket system to stem the tide of bewildered customers and confused staff. You know a trend is out of control when it impacts fast-food operations.
- “It’s not clocking to you”: A seemingly throwaway line from a paparazzi confrontation involving Justin Bieber quickly became the go-to retort for anyone accusing another of being “delusional” or simply not understanding. It was snappy, slightly dismissive, and perfectly captured the online discourse of the moment.
The Scandals & Spectacles: From “Coldplaygate” to Kendrick’s Super Bowl Statement
2025 was also a year of unforgettable viral moments and head-spinning celebrity drama:
- Coldplaygate: During a seemingly wholesome Coldplay concert in Massachusetts, the “Kiss Cam” inadvertently captured a high-profile tech CEO and his colleague sharing a rather intimate moment. The internet, with its insatiable appetite for gossip, did what it does best: it went into overdrive. The ensuing digital detective work revealed both individuals were married—to other people. What started as a lighthearted concert moment spiraled into a colossal legal and PR nightmare, proving that no moment is truly private in the age of viral content.
- Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Takeover: If there was any doubt about Kendrick Lamar’s cultural dominance post-Drake feud, his 2025 Super Bowl halftime show laid it to rest. Not only did he deliver an electrifying performance, but he single-handedly resurrected bootcut Celine jeans as a fashion statement and, in a moment that sent the internet into raptures, brought out Serena Williams to Crip Walk alongside him. It was a mic drop heard around the world.
- The “100 Men vs. 1 Gorilla” Debate: For months, social media was gripped by a truly nonsensical debate: who would win in a fight, 100 average men or one silverback gorilla? This argument, devoid of any real-world relevance, spawned countless “scientific” video essays, heated Twitter threads, and felt like a collective descent into a shared fever dream.
Fashion’s Fever Dream: Merkins, “Good Jeans,” and Frazzled Chic
Jay Dixit, Sydney Sweeney at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival 04 (Cropped), CC BY-SA 4.0
The fashion and beauty worlds of 2025 were equally wild:
- Sydney Sweeney’s “Good Genes” Ad: A seemingly innocuous campaign for American Eagle, playing on the pun of “genes/jeans” with Sydney Sweeney, somehow ignited a surprisingly deep and controversial online discourse about eugenics, genetic perfection, and unrealistic beauty standards. It was a marketing campaign that went sideways in the most unexpected way.
- Skims “Merkins”: Just when you thought Kim Kardashian’s Skims couldn’t push boundaries further, they launched “Merkins”—yes, pubic wigs. While many dismissed it as a transparent publicity stunt, it undeniably dominated conversations, proving that sometimes, even the most absurd ideas can capture the zeitgeist.
- The “Frazzled English Woman” Aesthetic: Embracing the cozy-but-chaotic vibes of early 2000s British rom-coms (think Bridget Jones post-breakup, wrapped in a blanket), this aesthetic became the unlikely winter trend. It celebrated comfortable dishevelment and a certain “I just woke up like this, but make it fashion” attitude.