By JOCELYN NOVECK AP National Writer
Dictionaries define things. It’s their job. So when dictionary.com pronounced “6-7” as their 2025 word of the year, you’d think they would have, well, defined it.
But no. “We’re all still trying to figure out exactly what it means,” they told us of this year’s “linguistic time capsule.”
But that’s just how pop culture works, isn’t it? Who’s to explain why parents alone in their cars were suddenly singing “up up up” from that “KPop Demon Hunters?” song? Or why, in the Venn diagram of pop culture and zoology, it was the capybara that emerged victorious and beloved? Goodbye, Moo Deng. You’re adorable, but so 2024.
Despite our new obsessions, though, some things remained constant — by which we mean Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, of course. It seems like every year gets bigger for Swift. But in 2025, she put a bow — or ring — on it with Travis Kelce, announcing “your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married.” As for Beyoncé, the musical goddess finally won that best album Grammy she long deserved — and, on tour, introduced a new force: her daughter, Blue Ivy.
So from the inexplicable to the familiar, here’s our annual, highly selective journey down pop culture memory lane:
JANUARY
They may not be TAYVIS, but they’re a delightful couple just the same: ZENDAYA and TOM HOLLAND are engaged. Let’s hear it also for DEMI MOORE, who wins a GOLDEN GLOBE for her wild performance in “The Substance.” At the bookstore, fans go wild for “ONYX STORM,” the third installment of REBECCA YARROS’ romantasy series. A NIRVANA reunion highlights FireAid, a fundraiser for relief efforts following the Los Angeles wildfires. At the Australian Open, U.S. tennis star COCO GAUFF mourns the temporary loss of TikTok’s app back home, drawing a broken heart on a TV lens.
FEBRUARY
“Salutations!” says SAMUEL L. JACKSON, introducing KENDRICK LAMAR, the first solo hip-hop artist — and Pulitzer winner — to headline the Super Bowl halftime show. (P.S. Is that SERENA WILLIAMS?) At the GRAMMYS, members of the Los Angeles Fire Department present BEYONCÉ with her best album trophy for “COWBOY CARTER” — the most awarded and nominated artist in Grammy history becomes the first Black woman to win the top prize in the 21st century. In the age of TikTok, you never know what’s going to catch fire — like those hand-penned party invitations from 87-year old DOUG TURNER to his Pennsylvania neighbors, with the priceless line: “4 p.m. until the cops arrive.”
MARCH
It’s OSCAR month! All hail to SEAN BAKER’S victorious, Brooklyn-set “ANORA” and its star, MIKEY MADISON. Also scoring an acting prize is ADRIEN BRODY for “THE BRUTALIST” — who probably should have found another place to put his chewing gum. “WICKED,” an audience favorite, misses out on big prizes, but its stars, CYNTHIA ERIVO and ARIANA GRANDE, perform a rousing opening number. Meanwhile, the once-promising Netflix contender “EMILIA PÉREZ” wins two prizes but sees best picture chances evaporate in the wake of an uproar over past tweets from star KARLA SOFÍA GASCÓN.
APRIL
The blender! The poisonous fruit! The lizard! And SAM ROCKWELL! The Thailand-set third season of “THE WHITE LOTUS ” is certainly a talker. KATY PERRY may be wishing she’d headed to Thailand rather than outer space: her Earth-kissing return from an 11-minute trip on a JEFF BEZOS Blue Origin rocket is widely mocked — even by Wendy’s, which writes on X: “Can we send her back.” On BEYONCÉ’S “Cowboy Carter” tour, a star has emerged — 13-year old BLUE IVY. In a megadeal, HAILEY BIEBER sells her Rhode skincare and makeup brand for a cool $1 billion.
MAY
A crisis, at CANNES! The film fest bans nudity on the carpet — do they think this will halt the “naked dress” phenomenon? Bonne chance. Also at Cannes, TOM CRUISE again shows he’ll risk life and limb to entertain, this time atop a classic biplane in “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: THE FINAL RECKONING.” Across the ocean, the MET GALA turns its focus to menswear and Black style over the centuries. “It took a minute,” says an approving SPIKE LEE. “You belong with me,” SWIFT sings, buying back the rights to her first six albums. Finally, cue the “Chicago Pope” memes — in honor of the first American pope, LEO XIV. Later this year, he’ll reveal his WORDLE strategy.
JUNE
“The world will know you as pop stars — but you will be much more than that.” Like, perhaps, the surprise, multigenerational hit of the summer? “KPOP DEMON HUNTERS” starts streaming this month, and in August will give Netflix a big box office win with its singalong screenings. On TV, it’s a new season of love — “LOVE ISLAND USA,” that is, chronicling the goings-on at a luxury villa in Fiji. It’s the album cover that launched a thousand conversations: Some are offended when SABRINA CARPENTER illustrates her “MAN’S BEST FRIEND” album with a photo of her on all fours, with a man holding her hair. Is it offensive, a purposeful joke, or nothing at all? Meanwhile politics finds its way into the GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL in Britain, as rap-punk duo BOB VYLAN spark a police probe after leading a chant calling for “death” to the Israeli military.
JULY
OASIS begins a reunion tour, and the GALLAGHER brothers are still getting along! “SYDNEY SWEENEY has great jeans,” goes the much-discussed advertisement, and American Eagle insists it’s about the denim. CBS says it will end STEPHEN COLBERT’S show in May 2026 — a move that will remove from air one of President DONALD TRUMP’S most outspoken critics. We cannot leave July behind — although at least two people would have loved to — without mentioning the saga of the COLDPLAY KISSCAM. Finally, within six days, the world loses three ’80s icons: mustachioed wrestling icon HULK HOGAN, heavy metal godfather OZZY OSBOURNE, and beloved “Cosby Show” actor MALCOLM-JAMAL WARNER.
AUGUST
Let’s just give this whole entry to pop culture’s biggest “LOVE STORY” — because, baby, she said yes! TAYLOR-TRAVIS skeptics eat their words when the couple announces their happy news, in what’s destined to become one of the most liked posts in Instagram history. It’s the fairytale culmination of a courtship that began during the Eras Tour and for two years captivated millions around the world but especially Swifties, the pop star’s loving and fiercely protective fan base.
SEPTEMBER
Proving once again that Hollywood loves stories about itself, the EMMYS heap awards on SETH ROGEN’S movie-biz satire “THE STUDIO.” Also triumphing is “THE PITT,” the edgy medical drama starring beloved “ER” veteran NOAH WYLE that beats out the mighty “SEVERANCE.” Perhaps the biggest Cinderella story of all: 15-year-old OWEN COOPER, the youngest Emmy winner in over 40 years for the searing “ADOLESCENCE.” Also this month, JIMMY KIMMEL is temporarily suspended by ABC bosses for comments that angered supporters of the slain CHARLIE KIRK. The world says goodbye to ROBERT REDFORD, Hollywood’s golden screen idol turned influential activist.
OCTOBER
“So, how was your October?” “Oh, 6-7.” That’s apparently how one should use the new viral term — accompanied by that palms-up gesture. You know who has better moves than that? BAD BUNNY, who hosts the season premiere of “SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE.” In SWIFT updates, her new album “THE LIFE OF A SHOWGIRL”sets sales records. The shocking LOUVRE HEIST captures the world’s attention, not least for the impossibly dapper stranger who walks into an AP photographer’s frame. Another sad loss: DIANE KEATON, famous for her fedoras, vests and especially “La di da, La di da.”
NOVEMBER
Are we at the end of the yellow brick road? The “WICKED” press tour, which reached all ends of the universe actual and fictional, wraps with the release of JON M. CHU’S second installment, “WICKED: FOR GOOD.” The reviews are much less, er, enthusiastical this time, but the movie defies gravity at the box office. That’s not enough for JONATHAN BAILEY, aka FIYERO, who is named People’s Sexiest Man Alive. Another fan favorite, ROBERT IRWIN, is also having a very good month: a decade after his sister, BINDI, did the same, the son of late conservationist STEVE IRWIN is crowned winner of “DANCING WITH THE STARS.”
DECEMBER
One award after another! Excuse the rather obvious pun, but it’s the perfect one to describe momentum in the OSCARS race. While some films see their fortunes fade on GOLDEN GLOBE nominations day, the emerging favorite is “ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER,” director PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON’S father-daughter saga of political resistance starring LEONARDO DiCAPRIO and newcomer CHASE INFINITI. Its success also lends a victory to WARNER BROS. in the middle of its NETFLIX acquisition deal — which, at year’s end, is in a holding pattern, facing antitrust challenges and a hostile takeover effort from PARAMOUNT, and sowing one fear after another that the very nature of entertainment will change.