| Updated:
The year 2025 will be remembered as the 365 days in which Taylor Swift got married, Donald Trump clashed with Elon Musk, and the reality show Celebrity Traitors captivated the nation. Here are nine cultural moments that defined the year.
Cultural moments of 2025: Britpop’s back, baby!
Table of Contents
Could anything have topped the Oasis reunion this summer for sheer cultural impact? What began as a potentially cynical cash grab from two brothers transformed into a joyous celebration, reminding everyone of Oasis’s powerhouse status during the vibrant 1990s—arguably the last time the UK felt genuinely optimistic. All but three songs on the setlist were from that incredible mid-90s run when Noel Gallagher seemed incapable of writing a bad song. Purists, however, might argue that Pulp’s reunion was even better, with Jarvis Cocker proving his songwriting prowess, even if he couldn’t fill stadiums.
Trump becomes Palpatine, Elon assumes role of Darth Vader
When Donald Trump first entered the political arena in 2017, many dismissed his rise as an anomaly. The MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements were gaining momentum, and his administration felt chaotic and temporary. That sentiment had vanished by January 2025, when tech titans Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, and Sundar Pichai publicly paid homage to a two-term president. Joe Biden now seemed the outlier. The world had shifted, and the leaders of America’s most valuable companies were eager to show their respect. The ensuing love-in and dramatic fallout between Musk—embracing his inner Darth Vader—and Trump dominated headlines throughout the year.
TayTay’s mixed bag of a year
“I like shiny things but I’d marry you with paper rings,” Taylor Swift sang in 2019 about her then-boyfriend Joe Alwyn. A lot has changed since then. In August 2025, the pop superstar announced her engagement to American football tight end Travis Kelce—and a dazzling diamond ring (estimated at up to $2 million). The picture-perfect proposal, staged in an enchanted garden at their Missouri mansion, became the most reposted image on Instagram, solidifying the couple’s status as America’s golden pair.
Concerns that the engagement would stifle Swift’s songwriting—known for its breakup anthems—were confirmed in October with the release of A Life of a Showgirl, her 12th and arguably most disappointing album. It included a diss track aimed at Charli XCX and an entire song, “Wood,” dedicated to her fiancé’s anatomy. However, 2025 also brought a victory: Swift regained ownership of the masters of her first six albums, ending a six-year battle with Big Machine Records and the era of “Taylor’s Versions” rerecordings.
Cultural moments of 2025: Stranger Things comes to an end (almost)
The show that turned the world Upside Down reached its conclusion. In 2016, Will Byers disappeared, launching a cultural phenomenon. Netflix’s most successful show sparked a Kate Bush revival and fueled yet another pop culture clothing line. But after nearly ten years, Stranger Things has reached its final chapter. The last episodes are set to drop over the Christmas period. What will we do without Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington?
Celebrity Traitors brings out the worst in us all
The Celebrity Traitors proved that, in uncertain times, schadenfreude unites a nation. From Kate Garraway’s baffling speculation about sun-dried tomatoes to Stephen Fry’s consistent inability to be clever, the show’s most enjoyable moments punctured contestants’ public personas. But it wasn’t just about betrayal—there was camp, wit, and Claudia Winkelman’s impeccable style. Alan Carr’s unorthodox tactics—cop
