In a year that blended the unexpected with the familiar, dictionary.com crowned the term “6-7” as the word of the year-yet the definition remained elusive. “We’re all still trying to figure out exactly what it means,” the site admitted, underscoring how pop culture can outpace language.
January
- Zendaya and Tom Holland announced their engagement, adding a fresh romance to the Hollywood scene.
- Demi Moore received a Golden Globe for her performance in The Substance.
- Fans flocked to bookstores for the third book in Rebecca Yarros’ romantasy series, Onyx Storm.
- A Nirvana reunion highlighted the FireAid fundraiser supporting Los Angeles wildfire relief.
- At the Australian Open, U.S. tennis star Coco Gauff drew a broken-heart gesture on a TV lens after TikTok’s app was temporarily unavailable.
February
- “Salutations!” says Samuel L. Jackson as he introduces Kendrick Lamar, the first solo hip-hop artist-and Pulitzer winner-to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
- Beyoncé received the best-album trophy for Cowboy Carter from the Los Angeles Fire Department during the Grammys, becoming the first Black woman to win the top prize in the 21st century.
- A viral TikTok trend surfaced when 87-year-old Doug Turner sent hand-penned party invitations to Pennsylvania neighbors, featuring the line: “4 p.m. until the cops arrive.”
- Beyoncé expressed stunned silence over her Grammy milestone.
March
- Oscar season highlighted Anora by Sean Baker and star Mikey Madison, while Adrien Brody earned an acting prize for The Brutalist.
- Wicked‘s stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande opened the show with a rousing number.
- Netflix’s Emilia Pérez won two prizes, but the film’s best-picture chances were dimmed by past tweets from star Karla Sofía Gascón.
April
- The Thailand-set third season of The White Lotus sparked conversation.
- Katy Perry’s 11-minute Blue Origin rocket trip drew mockery, including a tweet from Wendy’s: “Can we send her back.”
- On Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour, 13-year-old Blue Ivy emerged as a new star.
- Hailey Beiber sold her Rhode skincare and makeup brand for $1 billion.
May
- Cannes banned nudity on the carpet, questioning the future of the “naked dress” trend.
- Tom Cruise performed atop a classic biplane in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning.
- The Met Gala focused on menswear and Black style over the centuries; Spike Lee praised the event, saying, “It took a minute.”
- Taylor Swift bought back the rights to her first six albums, singing, “You belong with me.”
- Pope Leo XIV became the first U.S.-born pope on May 8, 2025.
June
- The KPop hit KPop Demon Hunters began streaming, later achieving a Netflix box-office win in August.
- Love Island USA premiered, chronicling a luxury villa in Fiji.
- Sabrina Carpenter’s Man’s Best Friend album cover-showing her on all fours with a man holding her hair-sparked debate over its intent.
- The Glastonbury Festival saw a rap-punk duo, Bob Vylan, spark a police probe after chanting “death” to the Israeli military.
July
- Oasis launched a reunion tour, with the Gallagher brothers maintaining harmony.
- A controversial advertisement praised Sydney Sweeney’s jeans, while American Eagle defended the denim focus.
- CBS announced the end of Stephen Colbert’s show in May 2026, removing a prominent critic of President Donald Trump.
- The Coldplay KissCam saga continued to dominate social media.
- The world mourned the deaths of Hulk Hogan, Ozzy Osbourne, and Malcolm-Jamal Warner.
August
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement, a moment that became one of Instagram’s most liked posts.
- The couple’s announcement was framed as a fairytale culmination of a courtship that began during the Eras Tour.
September
- The Emmys honored Seth Rogen’s satire The Studio and the medical drama The Pitt.
- 15-year-old Owen Cooper became the youngest Emmy winner in over 40 years for Adolescence.
- Jimmy Kimmel faced temporary suspension by ABC after comments that angered supporters of slain Charlie Kirk.
- Hollywood icon Robert Redford passed away, leaving a legacy of activism.
October
- The viral term “6-7” was used with a palms-up gesture, as noted by a TikTok trend.
- Bad Bunny hosted the season premiere of Saturday Night Live.
- Taylor Swift’s new album The Life Of A Showgirl set sales records.
- A Louvre heist captured global attention, featuring an oddly dapper stranger.
- Actress Diane Keaton died, remembered for her iconic fedoras.
November
- The Wicked press tour concluded with Jon M. Chu’s sequel Wicked: For Good.
- Jonathan Bailey, aka Fiyero, was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive.
- Robert Irwin won Dancing With The Stars, following in his late father Steve Irwin’s footsteps.
December
- The Oscars race intensified, with One Battle After Another-Paul Thomas Anderson’s father-daughter saga-emerging as a frontrunner.
- Warner Bros. secured a victory amid its stalled Netflix acquisition, facing antitrust challenges and a hostile takeover by Paramount.
Key Takeaways
- The year’s word of the year, “6-7,” remains undefined, highlighting pop culture’s rapid evolution.
- Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement, Beyoncé’s historic Grammy, and Pope Leo XIV’s historic election marked cultural milestones.
- Major film, music, and television events-from The White Lotus to KPop Demon Hunters-shaped the entertainment landscape.
In a year where a dictionary term, a pop star’s romance, and a papal first all captured headlines, 2025 proved that pop culture can be as unpredictable as it is unforgettable.
