Netflix’s Season 2 of Arcane, very much like in its initial release, was highly praised by audiences, not only retaining the 100% Critics Score on Rotten Tomatoes, but also achieving the criteria for being “Certified Fresh,” a status in which the top five Rotten Tomatoes critics achieve 75%+ satisfaction scores. With the season’s fresh 2D animation style, quick-paced drama and action, creative world-building, and cleverly crafted character dynamics among many other aspects of Arcane, it is not surprising that this show ended up being one of the best adult animated shows of 2024. Despite the shows’ massive success, fans were distraught to hear that the producing company, Riot Games, decided that season two is where the series ends due to the financial burden Arcane brought. [Avery Yang]

Charli XCX made her return to dance and electronic pop music this year with the release of her album titled “brat.” Fans praised the album and created a style of living dedicated to what the album signified. Due to its summer release, “brat summer” was invented, and as an evolution to hot girl summer, brat summer was all about female empowerment and accepting yourself while embracing the chaos of it all. It inspired women to be the most happy version of themselves while being confident and bold. Style wise, “brat” was one of the themes that brought Y2K fashion back last summer, and with it came a neon green color that stayed throughout the season. [Aniya Grant]

Have you seen this chill guy before? This basic drawing of a dog with a human body, wearing a grey sweater, red shoes, and with its hands in their jeans has grabbed a lot of attention on the Internet. Appropriately named “Chill Guy,” this character was originally created in 2023, and has blown up on social media throughout 2024. A “chill guy” describes someone’s personality being nonchalant or relaxed and unaffected by what others think of them. Whether it be something negative or positive that is thrown at them, chill guys just don’t care. It’s popularity has become so big that some people even turned this character into a “cryptocurrency.”[Raymond Aguirre Jr.]

Roblox, the well known video game, heightened in popularity this year due to the rise of the in-app game called Dress to Impress. In this game, players choose different clothes and accessories provided to match a theme within the allotted time. Other players can then rate their peers up to five stars based on how well the outfit fits the prompt. With different in-game codes, which give players new accessories, and a VIP option using Roblox currency for entry, everyone is able to dress to impress. This game has become popular among TikTok users who show different outfit hacks and reveal different codes for players interested in the fashion game, making it a 2024 staple. [Madison O’Neill]

With this year’s Presidential Elections predicted to have been a close race between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and Republican candidate Donald J. Trump, many were unsure of what the outcome of this race would be following President Joe Biden’s decision to not run for re-election. Swing states that determined the outcome of this race included Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Despite an initial lead for the Harris-Walz campaign in Pennsylvania, the key in winning this election, the Trump-Vance campaign was able to gain the electoral votes of all the swing states, securing the Republican party’s majority in the White House. [Madeline Khoo]

On September 19, a catalog was discovered in Salzburg, Germany containing music compositions and other pieces. These pages were written by famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, one of the most famous and renowned composers of all time. Most of the work known in that library were famous works by Mozart, but a new piece was found, tucked away, by historians. Written by a teenage Mozart around the 1760s, this 12 minute piece, “Serenade in C,” is part of a collection of writings that were completed by Mozart early in his career. Before moving to Italy, Mozart grew up in Salzburg, becoming popular through his unique compositions. Many of the pieces held in the library were recorded and documented works by Mozart, but this one happened to slip through the cracks, being lost for over 200 years.  [Dallas Mangold]

Released on November 22, “Gladiator II” served as the sequel to the popular 2000 film “Gladiator.” The movie follows the same story line of the original movie, following the return of Lucius, the son of the main character from the original movie. Keeping the same suspense, action, and themes of the original story, “Gladiator II” did not disappoint fans of the original film. Grossing over $430 million in the box office, it is safe to say that the Gladiator name has been kept clean from any failed sequels or prequels, so far. However, there is a chance for a possible “Gladiator III,” which director Ridley Scott confirmed in an interview. Nonetheless, “Gladiator II” was no disappointment, marking a good year for movies in 2024. [Dallas Mangold]

The new generation has assembled to decorate their cakes with, not frosting, but multiple photos of their “Hear Me Outs.” This trend has taken over social media platforms by storm where people reveal their absurd and unrealistic attractions towards nearly anything ranging from celebrity crushes and cartoon characters to animals and inanimate objects. Each “Hear Me Out” revealed is typically followed by laughter filled with disbelief and a detailed, but illogical, explanations that brings light to the reasoning behind their romantic feelings. Though this trend became especially viral in 2024, it is still expected to be seen for some time as a result of its continuing popularity and entertainment. [Kaylani Hsu]

After nine years, the childhoods of many were cured with the release of the sequel to “Inside Out.” “Inside Out 2” included four new emotions, Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui, in addition to the original five as Riley navigated a new step in her life, puberty. Many moviegoers who first watched “Inside Out” as a child in 2015 became teengagers or even adults by the premire of “Inside Out 2,” allowing them to closely relate to Riley’s experiences of growing up in a complex world. “Inside Out 2” ultimately became 2024’s highest grossing animated film surpassing $1 billion and a new core memory in the lives of spectators. [Jiaying Hou]

President Jimmy Carter passed away on December 29th. At the age of 100, Carter was the longest living president of the United States. Not only was Carter the 39th president of the U.S., but he was also awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his peace negotiations and campaigns for human rights. Carter was a president who stood for peace, human rights, and love, and his single term of presidency clearly reflected that. Although we are now leaving 2024 and entering a new year, America as a nation is sure to remember the former president with much love, respect, and honor. [Janelle Lim]

The 2024 infamous celebrity beef was an intense rap battle between the well known artists Kendrick Lamar and Drake. A feud that had been slowly building over the years, but publicly denied, was finally thrown to the spotlight. Starting on March 22, spanning several songs, these two rappers were shamelessly ruthless during their debate. What first started as a seemingly silly feud turned into a shocking reveal of Drake’s alleged predatory behavior. The unanimous winner, deemed by the internet, was Kendrick, who in total released five songs against Drake. From these songs, “Not Like Us” gained much popularity for the catchy beat and cutthroat bars. [Allison Caganap]

On October 16, Liam Payne, former member of the internationally renowned boy band One Direction (1D), tragically passed away after reportedly falling from the third-floor level of a hotel in Argentina. The sudden and unexpected death sent shockwaves through past “Directioners” and music fans around the world. Payne, 31, was not only known for his work with 1D, but for his successful solo music career. Fans had been eagerly anticipating a possible 1D reunion, as Payne had expressed his excitement about the idea of getting the band back together. However, the hopes for a reunion were bittersweet, as their last 1D reunion was Payne’s funeral. His death marked a heartbreaking moment for both his fans and those who admired his music beyond the band’s fame. [Estelle Ignacio]

In September 2024, Moo Deng, a two-month-old pygmy hippopotamus from Thailand, became an internet sensation after adorable images of her went viral. Her playful expressions and tiny size captured the hearts of millions, even leading to fan art from across the globe. The combination of the silly phrase and the charming, goofy expression of the hippo captured the internet’s attention for a brief period. The zoo where she lived saw a surge in visitors, with people flocking to see the young hippo in person. Although it didn’t last long, Moo Deng’s image lives on in internet culture, leaving an important impression as one of the most adorable viral memories from 2024. [Danviga Karthik]

Nara Smith, a model and TikTok influencer, has experienced a growth on social media over the past year. Known for her unique videos where she prepares everything from scratch, ranging from meals to snacks, she does it all while wearing designer clothes. She has attracted over 9 million followers with her content consisting of homemaking and high fashion. While being known for her cooking, she decided to introduce her husband, Lucky Smith in her videos together. After some videos, they began to display intimacy online which sparked a second wave. Different parodies of them together caused her fame to skyrocket once again. Smith’s unique aesthetic has sparked people from all over the world to watch her lifestyle, making her a prominent influencer. [Annika Lim]

The Paris 2024 Olympics, officially the XXXIII Olympiad, was held in France from July 26 to August 11, with some events that started on July 24. There were 329 events in 32 events played by 10,714 athletes from 204 nations, including the Individual Neutral Athletes (AIN) and Refugee Olympic Team (EOR) teams. Top 10 countries by medal count included U.S. (126), China (91), Japan (45), Australia (53), France (64), Netherlands (34), Great Britain (65), Republic of Korea (32), Italy (40), and Germany (33). Notable firsts and records broken at the Paris Summer Olympics include Botswana’s Tebogo winning the first gold in men’s 200m, Dominica’s LaFond clinching the country’s inaugural Olympic medal in women’s triple jump, and Simone Biles achieving multiple firsts for Team USA, ultimately making this year’s Olympics record-breaking. [Valentina Rodriguez]

Sean “Diddy” Combs, also referred to as P-Diddy, was a famous music artist in the early 2000s, but is now facing serious legal challenges after being charged with racketeering, sex trafficking, harassment, abuse, and other crimes. Allegedly, his girlfriend, Cassie Ventura, had filed a lawsuit against him and accused him of similar offenses. The offenses of this man were beyond inhumane, and a “Diddy List” was curated with the testimonies of those who were affected by his actions. In September 2024, he was officially arrested and is now detained at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. Combs’ official trial is expected to occur in May 2025. [Laila Kumar]

For its short-lived run on the wonderful app that is Tiktok, the “Queen Never Cry” meme left a lasting impact on 2024’s meme culture, if only for a brief remainder of the year. The meme originated from a Webtoon novel called “The Ki Sisters,” depicting a mother after birthing a child. The panel shows the child sobbing (reasonably so), to which the mother replies with the infamous “queen never cry” line. Immediately, the baby turns stone-faced, and truly, is a queen who never cries. The format became widely replicated, with users drawing their favorite characters in the position of either the infant or the mother. A masterful usage of free will, and a masterful meme that will be remembered…probably not for very long. [Lia Dimapasok]

Chappell Roan has been a significant figure that largely grew in popularity from her hit single “Good Luck, Babe!” With this single, Roan’s song has been nominated for Grammy’s Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Pop Solo Performance. Roan gradually grew this year not only from her single, but her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess,” including hit songs “Pink Pony Club,” “Femininomenon,” and “HOT TO GO.” Roan not only stands out as an amazing music artist, but as a fashion icon with her lavish concert outfits and amazing makeup looks. Now after Roan’s rapid growth this year, she still is growing among other amazing music artists. [Nicholas Tovmasyan]

Following the widespread mainstream of her song “Nonsense” which debuted in 2023, Sabrina Carpenter has grown to become a household name of pop music. Through her catchy lyrics and fun personality, Carpenter has had the most successful and influential year of her career. This year, she proved her influence through her hit single and debatably song of the summer, “Espresso.” In 2024, Carpenter rose to fame from the release of her album “Short n’ Sweet” and later went on to embark on a sold out arena tour. “Please, Please, Please,” “Taste,” and “Espresso” have made their impact on pop music and will never be forgotten as three of the hit songs of 2024. [Aniya Grant]

According to the Associated Press, TikTok was already banned from government and military personnel since December 2019. Trump has since attempted to ban American companies from collaborating with TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, in August 2020, and has enacted a 30-day federal action to ensure the app was deleted from personnel in February 2023. Then in April, President Biden passed a bill which forces ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok operating in China, to sell TikTok to an American company by January 19 following a review of the situation by The Supreme Court on January 10. If ByteDance chooses not to, the app will be banned in the U.S. This ultimatum has worried many song artists who rose to fame thanks to the platform’s algorithm. [Avery Yang]

On December 4, Brian Thompson, the chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare was shot in Manhattan and pronounced dead at 7:12 a.m. at Mount Sinai West Hospital. The suspect in the shooting, Luigi Mangione, a 26-year-old data engineer, was arrested and charged with a first-degree murder count that described the killing as an act of “terrorism.” The public reaction toward this ordeal, oddly enough, lends the majority of its sympathies to the alleged killer as opposed to the victim. Mangione has been lauded as something of a folk hero for committing what many deem to be an act of vigilante justice. [Kaitlyn Luu]

The famous TikTok influencer, Vexbolts, became one of the last memes of 2024 as TikTok users from all over the world made it their mission to spread the “unfollow Vexbolts” campaign all over TikTok and other social media platforms. The goal of the campaign was to encourage people who followed Vexbolts to unfollow him as a way to “punish” him for his “cringy” and “annoying” content. The mass unfollowing of Vexbolts was set to happen on December 31, so users could metaphorically leave Vexbolts in 2024 with the approach of the new year. However, before December 31, Vexbolts popularity skyrocketed and he gained millions of followers, which was the opposite of what the campaign intended. Finally on December 31, Vexbolts lost millions of followers and the campaign seemed to have worked until Vexbolts started slowly regaining followers in the next few days. This final meme of 2024 proved what heavy influence social media trends have on us today. [Marijose Rodriguez]

With an iconic color scheme of green and pink, and iconic names like Elphaba and Glinda, the famous broadway play, “Wicked,” was adapted into a two-part movie, the first part releasing in theaters on November 22, making it a staple of this year’s pop culture. The movie tells a story of powerful friendship with memorable musical numbers like “What Is This Feeling?,” “Popular,” and “Defying Gravity.” Alongside the tear-filled interviews of Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba) and Ariana Grande (Glinda), the meme of “holding space for ‘Defying Gravity,'” and the specially made sing-along versions of the movie, “Wicked” transcended worldwide expectations and earned its spot as a part of 2024. [Stephanie Lyn]

On July 26, Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine made a spectacular return to the big screen, this time teaming up with the iconic Deadpool in the movie “Deadpool & Wolverine.” This was Wolverine’s first appearance since his emotional farewell in 2017’s “Logan,” where he sacrificed himself while sharing a sentimental moment holding hands with his “daughter,” Laura. The new movie didn’t undo his death, but instead set place in the multiverse, allowing fans to see Wolverine in an alternate reality. Directed by Shawn Levy, “Deadpool & Wolverine“ was praised for its blend of crude humor and intensive action scenes. The comedic duo between Jackman’s Wolverine and Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool made the movie a massive hit globally. [Nancy Wang]

Recently, Jodie Langel, a vocal coach known for her knowledge on various vocal techniques, held a vocal workshop for those seeking her help on becoming better vocalists. One student in particular sang “I’d Rather Be Me” from the famous musical “Mean Girls,” but struggled on belting the line “raise your right finger.” Langel taught the student a technique to help raise her soft palete while belting, which consisted of replacing the words “right finger” with “ya ya ya.” Although just a simple technique, the phrase “raise your ya ya ya” along with a purple heart emoji, quickly became a meme.  [Terran Chu]

Zara Larson’s rendition of “Symphony” by Clean Bandit made a sudden comeback across social media platforms after its initial release in 2017. The song, which previously peaked at number 10 on Billboard’s Hot 100, reemerged in the form of a meme around August when TikTok creator @heiratet overlaid “Symphony” to an image of a dolphin with the words “I’m depressed” written across. The trend quickly caught on, motivating thousands of users to make versions of the original meme with random, often cynical, messages ironically placed over colorful images of the happy sea creature. The “Symphony” craze, as with most trends, quickly simmered, however, for the few months it lasted, individuals were able to relive their favorite childhood song. [Elisabeth Lee]