Less than 2 months ago, we left behind the wild ride that was 2021 and entered into 2022. Although it hasn’t been very long, 2022 is already full of cultural obsessions, drama, and news. Let’s take a look at some of the biggest pop culture fixations that have gripped the public this year so far.
1. Euphoria
After the incredible success of its first season in 2019, Euphoria’s long-awaited return graced viewers’ screens on January 9th. The dramatic portrayal of high school, relationships, friendships, addiction, and teenage life piqued the interest of countless fans when it premiered. Nearly 2 years later, Rue, Jules, Maddy, Kat, Cassie, Fezco, and Nate are back and it’s more intense than ever. According to an exclusive article from Variety.com, season 2 of Euphoria has seen over a 100% increase in viewership. Aside from views alone, the show is garnering quite a bit of attention on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Ever since the season 2 premiere, social media has been buzzing with fan theories, criticisms, praises, and discussion in general. With only a few episodes left in the season, it’s safe to say that the attention will only increase in the coming weeks.
2. Kanye West vs. Pete Davidson
In 2021, Kim Kardashian West and Kanye West filed for divorce, a decision that completely shook the internet. Since this announcement, Kim started dating SNL’s Pete Davidson and Kanye began seeing actress, Julia Fox. Without much delay, chaos ensued. Over the last few weeks, Kanye has made quite a few comments through social media that speak out against Davidson. These comments range from calling out other celebrities who were previously seen with Pete Davidson to posting text messages between Kim Kardashian and himself to telling his followers to harass Davidson. As can be expected, this feud set social media and news outlets ablaze with discussion. Many people are praising Kanye, who claims to be fighting to keep his family together, while others are criticizing his methods. Additionally, there has been quite a bit of discussion about the rapper’s mental health. In 2017, Kanye first discussed his bipolar disorder diagnosis. Because of this fact, many are questioning whether or not West is healthy and whether or not the media attention towards Kanye’s actions is helpful for his mental health and the mental health of others. Regardless, this controversy has been trending across the internet and has left many on the edge of their seats.
3. Wordle
If you haven’t heard of Wordle yet, get ready for a brand new obsession. Wordle is a daily word gamer that was recently acquired by the New York Times. Each day, players are given a 5 x 6 grid. Then, players start with one 5-letter word. Letters in grey are not in the final word. Letters in yellow are in the final word but in the wrong slot. Letters in green are in the final word and the correct spot. The goal is to guess the word of the day as quickly as possible. Wordle scores and strategies have been shared far and wide across the internet, prompting memes and complex solving algorithms alike. As a daily Wordle user, I encourage you to give it a try if you haven’t yet.
4. Rihanna’s pregnancy
On January 31st, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky released maternity photos, announcing Rihanna’s pregnancy with their first child. These pictures were exactly what one would expect from the fashionable couple. They caused quite the buzz on social media. As one of this generation’s most prominent pop icons, an announcement such as this from Rihanna left fans completely ecstatic. She has not confirmed exactly how far along she is, but it seems that the baby will be born somewhere around the middle of this year. Without a doubt, the arrival of Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s baby is sure to spark excitement among the masses.
5. Superbowl Halftime Show
Superbowl LVI took place on February 13th at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. It featured the iconic Pepsi Halftime Show, which many considered the best in a long time. It featured Dr. Dre, Eminem, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Kendrick Lamar, and Anderson Paak. A combination of 90’s hits and more current music, this performance drew in audiences of all ages and musical interests. Aside from the songs themselves, the gathering of such prominent and respected stars made for an incredible performance. The Pepsi Halftime Show of 2022 will certainly go down in history as one of the best.