Memes on the internet are not lasting as long as they used to. I feel like we’ve gone from the biggest moments lasting a week to a much shorter lifespan of 72 hours. Very rarely does something break into the wider internet zeitgeist. In the same way that content and communities are becoming more niche, internet trends are too. We’re at the point now where every niche community has its moment of the year.
Despite all of that, I can think of 10 moments on the internet that managed to suck up all the attention. Here they are:
The Internet’s 2025 Rewind
1️⃣ The Coldplay Kiss Cam
You know you’ve gone viral when Good Morning America starts talking about it.
2️⃣ Labubu Madness
Impossibly hard to get, Labubus went nuclear this year, with some saying sales could reach over $1 billion by the end of the year.
3️⃣ 6-7
Dictionary.com’s word of the year continued the trend of the internet defining culture. Every major word of the year came from internet slang, with Merriam-Webster naming “slop” its word of the year this week.
4️⃣ TikTok Almost Gets Banned
Immediately as 2025 began, the TikTok ban was looming, with creators saying goodbye to the platform and even creating RedNote profiles. It never happened, and it looks like 2026 is the new deadline.
5️⃣ Kai Cenat’s Mafiathon 3
30 days, 1.1M subscribers, and LeBron James showed up to cut Kai’s hair. If there was ever a moment to show how streaming has completely stolen our attention, this was it.
6️⃣ Luke From Outdoor Boys Retires
Luke Nichols from Outdoor Boys stepped away from YouTube at the peak of his career. Wishing him the best, but we’ll miss YouTube’s unofficial dad.
7️⃣ Chicken Jockey and A Minecraft Movie
There was one moment from A Minecraft Movie that stood out far bigger than the rest. Theaters weren’t thrilled, but when you make a movie about one of the most influential things in a Gen Z’s life, what else do you expect?
8️⃣ Aura Farming (Boat Kid)
2025 was the year of aura, mogging, and farming clips. None did it better than the Indonesian boat racing kids.
9️⃣ Studio Ghibli AI Pictures
This was one of the first mass AI trends of 2025, and while Miyazaki has his own thoughts on AI, it definitely left its mark.
🔟 The First American Pope Elected
Despite the internet defining culture (and making up most of the moments on this list), electing a pope from America is still huge news. I think part of this was driven by how popular Conclave was, and people couldn’t stop talking about it. Chicago W.
If 2026 is anything like this year, get ready for more brain rot, bigger aura, and even more influential moments from internet culture.
Thanks for reading, and see you in 2026.
Do yourself a favor, and google 67. That’s it.
Outdoor Boys Has His First Interview Since Retirement
This is why he’s everyone’s favorite.
50 Names In The Boardroom
They cooked with that copy.
Oscars Move To YouTube In 2029
It’ll air right before the Streamer Awards on YouTube.
