2025 will be a year to remember. Whether you were deep into TikTok memes you could not escape, counting down the days for the next Stranger Things season or making Olivia Dean your new personality, this year was one that lived online. Some moments had us glued to our screens, while others took over the world and a few were even suggested to be permanently banned. In a year shaped by shared screens and emotions, memes became our source of humor and “vocal stims,” music soundtracked our lives and movies gave us something new to argue about in TikTok comments. Here is a wrap of 2025’s best movies, music and memes.
Movies: From long-awaited sequels to viral hits, 2025’s film lineup kept theaters and TikTok movie editors equally busy.
- A Minecraft Movie:
A video game brought to life, powered by endless amounts of nostalgia and memes like “chicken jockey” and fans throwing popcorn in the theaters.
- Superman:
A remake of the classic DC Comics superhero that focused more on hope and humanity rather than just action.
- Wicked: For Good:
After a long wait, the payoff was worth it. Wicked: For Good delivered more than big musical moments; it brought emotional, romantic scenes that fans had been anticipating.
- How to Train Your Dragon:
The live-action adaptation remained true to the original but managed to make the story feel more emotional and realistic.
- Sinners:
A dark yet beautifully cinematic film that was highly praised for its strong performances and its blend of vampire horror with themes of racism and identity.
- KPOP Demon Hunters:
An unexpected worldwide hit that blended hints of action, romance and catchy songs that took over radios and many people’s TikTok For You pages.
- Frankenstein:
This Netflix original film, based on Mary Shelly’s classic piece of literature, has been praised for its visually striking take on gothic atmosphere and deep emotions. Guillermo del Toro transformed the tale into a film centered on emotion, isolation and the true meaning of society rather than just horror.
- Fantastic Four: First Steps:
The new reboot reflects a connection between strong family dynamics and its retro-futeristic aesthetic that broke away from Marvel Studios’ usual movie formula.
- My Fault: London:
A dramatic Prime Video original romance that blew up online for its messy storyline and binge-worthy appeal.
Music: Whether it was replaying through headphones or trending online, music reflected everything from heartbreak to chaos, shaping 2025 as a year of experimentation and innovation.
- The Art of Loving: Olivia Dean
Olivia Dean’s new studio album showed a deep dive into love in different forms. The album resonated with listeners for the honesty and comfort it exudes.
- Man’s Best Friend: Sabrina Carpenter
A pop album filled with catchy and quotable lyrics that quickly took over TikTok audios and music conversations.
- Hurry Up Tomorrow: The Weeknd
Dark and emotional, the album stood out as The Weeknd’s final project and a reflective culmination of his career.
- So Close To What: Tate McRae
Focused on heartbreak and growing up, So Close To What connected with listeners for its relatability and fun, yet deep songs.
- Virgin: Lorde
More personal and raw, the album showed Lorde sharing intimate experiences in songs that felt introspective.
- Debí Tirar Más Fotos: Bad Bunny
Bad Bunny’s newest studio album leaned into nostalgia and reflection, showing a more personal side of his music.
- Getting Killed: Geese
Geese’s innovative approach to rock music stood out for its raw energy and unpredictable sound.
- Music: Playboi Carti
Experimental and chaotic, Playboi Carti’s third studio album sparked nonstop debates and made listeners either obsessed or confused.
Memes: Some of the funniest moments of 2025 came from memes that made absolutely no sense on the surface, yet somehow still resonated with people. Countless memes were circulating on the internet, but these are some of the most popular.
- 67:
A completely meaningless meme that fully took over classrooms, restaurants and the world.
- Trump & Musk’s Public Breakup:
Their very online “breakup” turned into memes faster than anyone could keep up with.
- Nothing Beats A Jet2 Holiday:
A very overplayed audio on TikTok that lasted all summer.
- Italian Brain Rot:
Memes that feature Artificial Intelligence-generated characters with Italian names and meaningless backstories.
- 100 Men vs. 1 Gorilla:
A fake debate that spiraled into endless arguments, jokes and unhinged hypotheticals.
- Zendaya Hat Theory:
Fans overanalyzed a single outfit choice by Zendaya and somehow turned it into a full “theory.”
- Labubu Matcha Dubai Chocolate:
A random combination of words that became an actual thing. It is built around an expensive Gen-Z chocolate and a popular stuffed animal made in Hong Kong that fuels American consumerism.
- Performative Males:
Memes which called out guys who acted “woke” and feminine solely to impress girls.
- John Pork & Tim Cheese lore:
An absurd fictional storyline created by characters dressed and acting like humans, which somehow resulted in one of the biggest internet “lore” ever made. (RIP John Pork)
Despite the amount of media we consumed this year, media culture continues to bring society together, allowing us to connect no matter the distance of our screens.
