2023's Iconic Pop Culture Moments: Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Celebrity Divorces

As we approach the end of 2023, we're grateful to have made it through. This year has been filled with a whirlwind of events, from Beyoncé and Taylor Swift dominating the spotlight to controversies surrounding NFL safety, labor disputes, high-profile divorces, and court battles. As self-proclaimed pop-culture scholars, we've been keeping a close watch on it all.

So gather around, fellow culture fiends. Here are the things that defined pop culture this year, for better or worse.

Barbenheimer rules the box office

Margot Robbie as Barbie in "Barbie," which took over our summer and dominated our Halloween costumes.

The simultaneous release of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer," two highly anticipated films of 2023, by Warner Bros. and happening over the same summer weekend, created a significant theatrical event reminiscent of the impact observed when Tony Stark died in the MCU (no longer a spoiler). This was a moment unlike any other we have witnessed in recent times.

Celebrity memoirs reign

Instead of pitting the pair against each other, movie fans launched a viral campaign to have them shown on the same day as a unique double feature. Dubbed "Barbenheimer," this movement propelled both films to the top of the box office, providing a much-needed boost to theaters. The key takeaway here is that audiences simply want to enjoy great movies, regardless of whether they are filled with historical dread or adorned in bright pink.

All the girlies (plus Prince Harry) were writing this year.

Ted Shaffrey/AP

The year was marked by a wave of celebrity memoirs. Britney Spears' "The Woman in Me" offered a glimpse into her 13-year conservatorship, while Prince Harry's "Spare" revealed insider stories about the house of Windsor.

Barbra Streisand, of course, needed nearly 1,000 pages to recount her remarkable life and even Julia Fox, at 33, had a book-full of unbelievable stories. The accompanying audiobooks made the texts even richer: There was five-time Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams nonchalantly reciting the Justin Timberlake/Ginuwine "fo shizz" passage from Spear's memoir; Prince Harry went viral for reading descriptive lines about his penis. Their honesty paid off: All four memoirs became New York Times best sellers.

Scandoval shocks the Bravo universe

M3GAN slays

When "Vanderpump Rules" star Tom Sandoval was unfaithful to his fiancée and co-star Ariana Madix with their co-star Rachel Leviss, it sent shockwaves through the fan community. The overwhelming support for Madix was unprecedented, drawing attention from even those who do not typically watch Bravo. When the revelations were aired on "Pump Rules," fans were captivated and the episode about the aftermath of the breakup became the highest-rated in the series. Madix, despite the heartbreak, has shown resilience by releasing a book of cocktail recipes and preparing for her upcoming role in Broadway's "Chicago."

The stuff of American Girl doll nightmares.

Universal Pictures

The AI's ability to create horror stories through extracting text from books and generating eerie art continues to unsettle us. The film "M3GAN," portraying a murderous android with a preteen appearance who takes down her adversaries amidst TikTok dances and sardonic remarks, has brought a mix of hilarity and suspense. This character is set to become the centerpiece of a series of films, showcasing her dark and sarcastic nature.

George Santos lands on Cameo post-Congress

The former Republican representative from New York was ousted from Congress in December following a House Ethics investigation that revealed his misuse of campaign funds and multiple violations of federal laws. Despite his disgraceful exit, the ex-politician swiftly transitioned to a new career on Cameo, offering personalized video messages for a fee. His range of topics covered everything from dealing with critics to bizarre scenarios such as transferring the essence of a deceased partner into a mannequin. At the time of writing, these custom videos were available for $500 each.

The Simpsons strangles on

One of the few constants throughout the three-decade, 35-season run of "The Simpsons" is the family's yellow skin, Springfield's lack of a specific location, and Homer's habit of strangling Bart. Despite this, fans were convinced that the donut-loving father had finally stopped his antics after a joke from a recent episode went viral off-air. Homer quipped, "See, Marge, strangling the boy paid off," before quickly adding, "Just kidding, I don't do that anymore. Times have changed."

Pedro Pascal fever hits new heights

Series creator Matt Groening and producer James L. Brooks dispelled the rumors by releasing a new illustration of Homer choking the young troublemaker, this time for the purpose of "clickbaiting." According to the team, "Homer Simpson was not able to comment as he was occupied with strangling Bart."

In February, Pedro Pascal starred in the Protective Mom sketch on "Saturday Night Live" alongside Marcello Hernández and Chloe Fineman. Pascal's convincing portrayal of a mother, complete with a pink outfit and an old-lady wig, added humor to the skit.

Pedro Pascal gained a new following this year for his role as Joel in "The Last of Us," HBO's well-received adaptation of the popular video game. Pascal's portrayal of the tough, zombie-fighting protagonist who undergoes a transformation while journeying through a post-apocalyptic USA with a spirited teenager has earned him an Emmy nomination. In addition, he also charmed audiences as a host on "Saturday Night Live" and garnered attention on TikTok fancams. With rumors of joining the MCU circulating, it seems Pascal's schedule will be packed, as he is already a beloved figure in American entertainment.

Eras and Renaissance tours make summer sing

Beyoncé performing in Warsaw, Poland, completely blowing the country's collective mind (we assume).

Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Formula 1 races away with our hearts

Taylor Swift's "Eras" tour and Beyoncé's "Renaissance" tour were the highlights of our summers. Whether you rocked all-alien chic at "Renaissance" or sported friendship bracelets at "Eras," these tours captivated fans around the world. They broke records, raked in billions for Live Nation, and sold out stadiums, with their iconic concert films also bringing in massive profits. It's safe to say that the year truly belonged to these two queens.

The fifth season of "Drive to Survive," Netflix's docudrama series on Formula 1, debuted in February, introducing a variety of F1 terminology into popular language (cue scenes of us navigating traffic during rush hour, speeding down the freeway, and urging ourselves to "push push").

Beyond our fast-paced daily commutes, F1 made significant strides in the US this year. Major American car manufacturers, including General Motors and Ford, have expressed interest in joining the sport, and the season concluded with the first grand prix in Las Vegas in over 40 years. The event became a celebrity hotspot, and despite initial skepticism from locals, witnessing drivers zoom down the iconic Strip was truly remarkable. While F1 may not yet rival football as America's favorite sport, it certainly deserves credit for its efforts.

Everyone goes on strike

Striking Writers Guild of America workers picket outside the Sunset Bronson Studios building on May 2 in Los Angeles.

Eric Thayer/Getty Images

Autoworkers, actors, hotel workers, writers, health care workers - you name it, they probably went on strike. The biggest of these strikes was seemingly the WGA strike, a nearly five-month long saga that, along with the SAG-AFTRA strike, brought Hollywood to a screeching halt. Who would have guessed that we would miss watching the most beautiful among us promote their work?

Trump makes history

The truth is, we did, and the revelation unveiled some of the darker side of the industry, particularly when one studio executive told Deadline that they would let the strike go on until writers "begin losing their apartments and losing their houses." The writers themselves tremble at the prospect.

The history-making mug shot in question.

Fulton County Sheriff's Office

The mug shot of former president Donald J. Trump garnered widespread attention. With his bloodshot eyes and distinctive facial expression, Inmate No. P01135809's photo sparked intense debate and analysis. It was captured after Trump's indictment for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia, making it a highly significant and controversial image.

Trump will go down in history for many things, and being the only president to have a mugshot is one of them.

Travis Kelce finds a new fanbase

At this point, Kelce has one of the most recognizable mustaches in America.

Travis Kelce, tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs, had a strong start to the year with his team making it to the Super Bowl, where they faced off against his older brother Jason and the Philadelphia Eagles. In a win for younger siblings, the Chiefs came out on top, and the game was dubbed the Kelce Bowl.

After receiving a significant amount of publicity, Kelce began dating an indie artist named Taylor Swift, propelling him to unexpected celebrity status. His previous social media posts became viral as Swift's fans delved into his past, and his ex-girlfriend shared details of their relationship. Kelce found himself the subject of more questions about his personal life than his football career, reminiscent of the celebrity obsession of the early 2000s. Thank you, Kelce, for the nostalgic resurgence of intense public fascination.

Celebrities get divorced

While Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce celebrated the autumn of love, it seemed to be the year of divorce for many other celebrities. Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner, Jodie Turner-Smith and Joshua Jackson, Cardi B and Offset, Jeremy Allen White, Reese Witherspoon, Tina Knowles, Tia Mowry, Deion Sanders, Hugh Jackman, Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Sofía Vergara, Ricky Martin, Billy Porter, Kevin Costner, David Lynch, Lukas Gage, Maren Morris, and others all experienced the end of their marriages. Womp womp.

Artificial intelligence begins its takeover

The impact of AI on our society became even more pronounced this year, building on the foundation established by the introduction of ChatGPT. Despite warnings, companies have continued to embrace AI, exemplified by Spotify's increased investment in the technology following significant layoffs. Gannett's use of AI to produce reports on high school sports led to errors and a subsequent pause in the initiative. Additionally, an author raised concerns about AI-generated books being published under her name.

RIP to our best friends brothers girlfriends Netflix account

It all seems like a scene from a sci-fi film, and those always have a perfect ending for the characters! However, it looks like the invasion will persist, but of course, we have nothing to be concerned about.

Threads, Bluesky and Twitter replacements rise

The single Netflix account that we all shared to binge "Bojack Horseman" at two in the morning or hate-watch "Emily in Paris" has become a victim of Netflix's recent password crackdown. This move has effectively increased new subscriber sign-ups while depriving us of account access. Those sneaky enforcers! We hope they're satisfied.

We never fully agreed on a replacement, did we? This year, Twitter inexplicably became X (thanks to Elon!) and essentially destroyed the platform. According to our friends at CNN Business, Musk turned Twitter "into a shadow of its former self." Yikes.

In response, a variety of alternatives have emerged. Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, Spill and T2 have all experienced different levels of success in the aftermath of X, although none can rival the Twitter of its prime. Perhaps instead of a replacement, it would be nice for all of us to take a break from social media. Wouldn't that be nice?

Hip-Hop turns 50, and André 3000 makes a flute album

"New Blue Sun" is André 3000's first solo album.

Epic via AP

Not every year does a music genre deeply rooted in American culture celebrate its 50th anniversary. And it's also not every year that a prominent figure of this genre, André 3000, releases a debut solo album that defies expectations. "New Blue Sun" is not the typical hip-hop album, but a gentle and uplifting flute journey.

It comes as no surprise from the OutKast artist, known for sporadically playing a wind instrument in public for years. The title of the opening track captures this inner conflict: "I Swear, I Really Wanted to Make a Rap Album but This Is Literally the Way the Wind Blew Me This Time." The future of hip-hop may be uncertain, but with the guidance of Three Stacks, we are eager to see where it leads.

Damar Hamlin changes the state of the NFL

Just 48 hours into the start of the new year, all eyes were fixated on Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. The sequence of events has been recounted countless times. Hamlin, during a late-season matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals, absorbed a blow to the head and chest region. After getting back on his feet and taking a few steps, he collapsed backward. It was later disclosed that the then-24-year-old had suffered a cardiac arrest on the field. As he was being taken off on a cart, some players knelt in prayer while others shed tears.

Ayo Edebiri becomes our favorite comedian

Despite Hamlin's limited return to NFL action, the incident served as a stark reminder for the nation's beloved professional sports league, already under scrutiny for player safety. Even with the recent positive attention surrounding the Kelce-Swift romance, it remains uncertain whether these concerns have been adequately addressed as another season approaches its end.

Ayo Edebiri, pictured here in "The Bear" and no doubt giving Jeremy Allen White's Carmy a much-needed wake-up call, spent the year ruling Hollywood.

Are you a fan of her Emmy-nominated role as no-nonsense chef Sydney on "The Bear"? Or perhaps you've been won over by her endearing portrayal of the quirky Josie in the gay fight club comedy "Bottoms" (imagine Edebiri tipping her imaginary hat and saying "good evening"). Maybe you've spotted her in the front row at Thom Browne during fashion week. Or perhaps you've excitedly recognized her in one of the many supporting roles she's taken on this year, from a key voice in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem" to a somewhat inept stage combat coach in "Theater Camp," to Janine's flighty sister on "Abbott Elementary."

No matter how you know her, you probably love her.Ayo Edebiri quickly established herself as a rising star worth rooting for.

Rihanna drops the mic at the Super Bowl

Rihannapregnant, and still performing? That's icon status.

Rihanna revealed her second pregnancy during the Super Bowl halftime show, showcasing her iconic style in designer clothing. Dressed in a cherry-red jumpsuit paired with a breast plate from Loewe and oversized coats by Alaïa, she captivated the audience with an unforgettable performance of her greatest hits, all while proudly displaying her baby bump. Her confident return to the stage stole the show, leaving a lasting impression that outshined the Super Bowl winner.

Celebrities go to court

Gwyneth Paltrow appeared in court in Park City, Utah to counter a retired optometrist's claim that she crashed into him while skiing. Paltrow insisted that he was actually uphill of her and had crashed into her. She emerged victorious in the case, was granted her requested $1 in damages, and bid the optometrist farewell with the words, "I wish you well" as she left the courtroom.

Image: Rick Bowmer/Pool/Getty Images

Celebrities had a busy year appearing in court, with Gwyneth Paltrow's Utah case involving a retired optometrist accusing her of a skiing incident being a standout. Young Thug's ongoing RICO case in Atlanta, accusing the rapper of leading a violent gang, also captured attention, particularly with the controversial use of his lyrics as evidence.

Former President Donald Trump has made multiple court appearances this year, including a New York civil fraud trial. His mug shot, taken in Georgia after turning himself in on criminal charges related to the 2020 election fraud, has been a lucrative source of income, earning him millions of dollars.