Here Are the Top Ten Biggest Pop Culture Moments of 2023
GEN V’s official roundup for the most iconic happenings of the year is finally here
Here Are the Top Ten Biggest Pop Culture Moments of 2023
GEN V’s official roundup for the most iconic happenings of the year is finally here
Text by Ashanty Rivera
As 2023 nears its end, GEN V is looking back on quite an interesting (yet wildly entertaining) year.
To celebrate the coming of 2024, we’ve compiled a list of the most memorable pop culture moments the year had to offer from world-dominating tours, tumultuous relationships, iconic album drops, and TikTok trends to keep us occupied through the remainder of the year.
Rihanna Concert (AKA The Super Bowl)
Football: Super Bowl LVII: Rihanna performs at halftime during Super Bowl LVII between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs at State Farm Stadium.
Glendale, AZ 2/12/2023
CREDIT: Kohjiro Kinno (Photo by Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164304 TK1)
The long-awaited debut for the singer occurred on February 12th, 2023, where RiRi stunned in a custom red LOEWE ensemble and serenaded us with a compilation of her smash hits.
Hollywood Heartbreaks…
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Joe Jonas, Sophie Turner attend the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party Hosted By Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 12, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)Offset and Cardi B at the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards held at Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty Images)LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 17: (L-R) Spanish singer Rosalia and Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro attends The 23rd Annual Latin Grammy Awards at Michelob ULTRA Arena on November 17, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for The Latin Recording Academy)
Exactly how many couples called it quits this year? We lost count- but among them were Rosalía and Rauw Alejandro, Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas, Cardi B and Offset, Jodie Turner-Smith and Joshua Jackson, Ariana Grande and Dalton Gomez, and Britney Spears and Sam Asghari.
…& Hookups!
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 10: Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet are seen at the Final game with Novak Djokovic vs. Daniil Medvedev at the 2023 US Open Tennis Championships on September 10, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 15: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have dinner at Waverly Inn on October 15, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Gotham/GC Images)
As love went away for some, it bloomed for others. New relationships this year include Timothée Chalamet and Kylie Jenner, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, Halsey and Avan Jogia, and Jeremy Allen White and Rosalía.
Beyoncé & The ‘Renaissance’ World Tour
WARSAW, POLAND – JUNE 27: Beyoncé performs onstage during the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at PGE Narodowy on June 27, 2023 in Warsaw, Poland. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood)LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 30: Beyoncé performs onstage during the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 30, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood)LONDON, ENGLAND – May 29: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Beyoncé performs onstage during the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on May 29, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood)
We’re pretty certain all of the metallic garments on the market are still recuperating from the highly-anticipated Renaissance Tour. Taking place from May 10th- October 1st, Queen Bee’s world domination will forever burn in our hearts.
Barbie vs. Oppenheimer
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 09: Margot Robbie attends the World Premiere of “Barbie” at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on July 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)Irish actor Cillian Murphy poses on the red carpet upon arrival for the UK premiere of “Oppenheimer” in central London on July 13, 2023. (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS / AFP) (Photo by HENRY NICHOLLS/AFP via Getty Images)
Cinema was undoubtedly at its peak this year, and the spectacle of Warner Bros’ Barbie and Universal Pictures’ Oppenheimer was the most pivotal moment for film and pop culture- even calling for a new double feature based on the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon!
Olivia Rodrigo has got Guts!
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 12: Olivia Rodrigo attends the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 12: Olivia Rodrigo attends the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)
If Sour did not put Olivia Rodrigo on the track for pop icon status, her sophomore album GUTS did just that. Reaching number one on the charts instantaneously, Rodrigo claimed her spot as a pivotal figure in the industry.
Beckham Mania
English footballer David Beckham signs copies of his DVD ‘Really Bend it Like Beckham’ in London, 1st December 2004. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Did we binge-watch the entire Beckham Netflix documentary in one day? Of course, we did. Reveling in the success of a sports icon, his high-profile relationship with Victoria Beckham (Posh Spice), and his most fashionable looks was one of the best parts of the year.
Hunter Schafer’s Hunger Games Press Tour Looks
BERLIN, GERMANY – NOVEMBER 5: Hunter Schafer attends the Berlin premiere of “Die Tribute Von Panem – The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes” at Zoopalast on November 5, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by Gerald Matzka/Getty Images)LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 09: Hunter Schafer arrives at “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” World Premiere at BFI IMAX Waterloo on November 09, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 15: Hunter Schafer attends a screening of ‘The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes’ at the Metrograph on November 15, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Raymond Hall/GC Images)
The Hunger Games: The Balled of Songbirds and Snakes brought back all of the 2014 nostalgia we were longing for, including a nod to Effie Trinket in all of her flamboyant outfit glory. Hunter Schafer and stylist Dara Allen pulled all the stops to pay homage to the Capital’s fashion queen.
Pink Friday 2
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 12: Nicki Minaj attends the 2023 MTV Video Music Awards at Prudential Center on September 12, 2023 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Catherine Powell/Getty Images for MTV)
Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 ended the year in the cuntiest way possible. From club-worthy bops and a Billie Eilish sample, the album was well worth the wait, and we here at GEN V simply cannot stop listening.
So. Much. TikTok. Content.
Roman Empire’s, ludicrously capacious bags, girl math, and girl dinner, TikTok was fully capacitated with trends to keep us all entertained.
