The Young Folks writers have come together to list the very best in pop culture for the year 2012!
From the Presidential election to Honey Boo Boo Child, 2012 had really made its mark in history. Check out each writer’s list below, and tell us which big pop culture moments were your favorite this year in the comments!
Gabrielle Bondi’s Top 10 Pop Culture Moments
I honestly really dislike Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit single, but I can’t deny the cultural impact this song has made this year. It was the thing to make cute parody videos of Call Me Maybe and upload them to YouTube. It played at least 50 times on the radio daily. Now that’s it has been nominated for a couple Grammys (unfortunately) pretty much shows how much impact this extremely catchy, yet nonsensical song has had on the music industry. Looks like Jepsen might be here to stay.
2. 50 Shades of Grey
When you weren’t listening to “Call Me Maybe” on loop, I’m pretty sure you had your ear talked off about Christian Grey, the romantic interest in the mega-bestselling, formerly Twilight fanfiction, 50 Shades of Grey. Author E.L. James has given what Twilight fans, now grown-ups, what they always wanted from Twilight: lots and lots of sex. Everyone was talking about this book in every single way possible throughout the year.
3. The Hunger Games
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The Hunger Games proved it a real phenomenon when the film premiered early this year. It was one of the major pop culture moments I was happy to take part in. I love The Hunger Games, and it’s so awesome to see how far and wide it grew because it really deserving of all the recognition it received.
4. The Avengers
Nothing made a splash at the box office, like The Avengers! This awesome superhero movie HULK-SMASHED previous records. Not only was it a big financial success, but it was actually a very good and entertaining movie. Director Joss Whedon pleased both comic nerds and general audiences by making an ambitious, witty and at times, heartwarming movie.
5. “Gangnam Style”
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No one expected K-Pop to be such a hit in the U.S. Well, Psy proved them wrong with his hit single, “Gangnam Style.” He’s likely a one hit wonder, but he definitely made his mark this year, especially when his music video became the first video to hit one billion views on YouTube.
6. Homeland
This was personally a big pop culture moment for me. I totally became obsessed with Homeland this year. Friends and I spent hours speculating about the plot and characters. “Is Brody a good or bad?” “OMG! What are you doing, Carrie???” “Dana is the real terrorist.” It seems many others are as captivated as we are. The Golden Globes and Emmys gave Homeland their top honors this year. It really is the best show on TV right now.
7. The End of Twilight
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The release of Breaking Dawn Part 2 marked the end of the Twilight saga this year. It was bittersweet, and the movie was completely fan-pleasing. As a fan, I was happy with how it all ended and that it ended, especially after all the crazy ‘Robsten is Broken” drama that preceded it.
8. Lena Dunham and Girls
Lena Dunham was probably one of the most talked about newcomers this year. She and her HBO show, Girls, were the subjects of numerous articles, either praising or bashing her. I personally was somewhere in between. I’m not a fan of Girls; I just couldn’t relate. But I did like the amount of discussion it caused within several communities. Whether it was a call for more diverse casts or a call for shows centered on real young women, it showed Hollywood that there was audience looking for something authentic in entertainment.
9. Channing Tatum is everywhere
2012 was a big year for Mr. Tatum. He romanced audiences in The Vow, he made us die laughing in 21 Jump Street, and he revealed his depth and… other things in Magic Mike. He rounded out the year by being named People’s Sexiest Man Alive and announcing that he was a father-to-be. After a great year like this, you can’t doubt that Channing Tatum is here to stay.
10. Who is Gossip Girl?
With its low ratings and well, bad last season, you would think that no one cared about who Gossip Girl is anymore. Yet, its season finale scored some big ratings where it was finally revealed who Gossip Girl truly was. (You can see who it was here.) It shocked some, while others were unsurprised. I was mostly disappointed by how boring this big reveal was. Nevertheless, they finally answered the question that many fans thought would go unanswered.
Nick Foster’s Top 10 Pop Culture Moments
Nothing happened. That means we won, right?
2. “Gangnam Style”
Nice to know that if your song is catchy enough, it doesn’t matter if you called for the murder of the USA. Point to Psy!
3. Manny Paqcuiao
Those of you who don’t follow boxing still probably know about the horrible year Manny Paqcuiao had. I on the other hand, couldn’t be happier this overrated brawler is finally out of the top tier conversations.
4. Barack Obama won again.
We finally stopped acting like he was Bagger Vance and treated him like the adequate President he always was. Oh yeah, and Romney was there too.
5. Honey Boo-Boo
I’ve never seen the show, but I have to say that her continual success based on the pure hatred of others is going to lead to an influx of copycats. What I’m saying is we might unknowingly end the economic crisis by paying low income families to be on display for the rest of us to hate. Innovation!
6. Trayvon Martin
Nobody talks about Trayvon Martin anymore. Because of that, and a lot of other reasons, this was important to me culturally.
7. Bow Wow Goes Broke!
This was yet another sign that the careless world of my childhood has left and been replaced with the real world.
8. Occupy Wall Street
Did you know it’s still going on? I didn’t. Do you care? I don’t. Viva La Revolution!
9. Hurricane Sandy
The Hurricane gave us David Letterman’s finest low point. I urge you to find videos of it on YouTube.
10. Curiosity
We made it to Mars on a rover… Again. This time I guess it was a really good one though so, I guess, yay?
Luciana Villalba’s Top 10 Pop Culture Moments of 2012
2. “Call Me Maybe”
3. 50 Shades of Grey
4. Honey Boo Boo Child
5. The 2012 Presidential Election
6. 2 Chainz
7. One Direction takeover in the US
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