# Popstar! Best of 2025: The Fan-Voted Entertainment Rewind That Defined the Year

## From Tayvis Engagement Bliss to Viral Mysteries, Fans Crowned 2025’s Most Unforgettable Moments

If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that pop culture doesn’t just happen to us — we create it, meme it, stream it into oblivion, and vote on what matters most. This year, Popstar Magazine handed the microphone (and the ballot box) directly to the fans, and thousands responded with their picks for the entertainment moments that truly defined our year.

Hosted by the ever-charismatic Elizabeth Stanton, with commentary from Devon Werkheiser, Garrett Clayton, Carmen Hodgson, Daniel Curtis Lee, and Anna Maria Francesca Perez de Tagle Kline, *Popstar! Best of 2025* delivered a fan-powered countdown spanning movies, music, viral internet chaos, fashion moments, and everything in between. The special aired this week as a glittering year-end celebration, reminding us why we fell in love with entertainment in the first place.

## The Year Taylor Swift Said “Yes”

Let’s be real: the moment Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce announced their engagement in August, the internet collectively lost its mind. With 37 million likes and counting, their Instagram announcement — captioned simply, “Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married” — became one of the most-liked posts in history.

The proposal itself was pure romance: a custom-built rose garden at Kelce’s Missouri home, a 10-carat diamond ring designed by the NFL star himself, and a timing so perfect it happened right after Swift guested on the *New Heights* podcast. Swifties everywhere are already planning the wedding of the century, and honestly, we can’t blame them.

## Beyoncé’s Long-Overdue Grammy Glory

In a moment that felt like the universe finally correcting itself, Beyoncé won Album of the Year at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards for *Cowboy Carter*. Despite being the most-awarded artist in Grammy history, Queen Bey had never taken home the night’s biggest prize — until February 2025.

Her shocked reaction to winning Best Country Album became an instant meme, perfectly encapsulating the disbelief and joy of a moment decades in the making. And speaking of making history, Bey’s tour introduced the world to her daughter Blue Ivy as a bona fide performer, proving star power is definitely genetic.

## The Animated Phenomenon No One Saw Coming

Who had “an animated K-pop demon-hunting girl group becoming Netflix’s biggest hit ever” on their 2025 bingo card? *KPop Demon Hunters* dropped in June and immediately became a cultural juggernaut, racking up over 500 million views and becoming the most-watched original title in Netflix history.

The film’s soundtrack dominated charts with four simultaneous Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 songs — a first for any film soundtrack. The catchy earworm “Golden” generated 1.2 billion streams, and sing-along theatrical screenings topped the box office in August, pulling in nearly $20 million. Parents found themselves humming “up up up” in grocery store aisles, while kids demanded Huntrix merchandise for every occasion. The movie’s success proved that audiences were hungry for fresh, culturally-rooted storytelling that celebrated both K-pop artistry and Korean mythology.

## The Viral Phrase Nobody Could Explain

If someone asked you “How was your October?” and you responded “6-7” with that palms-up gesture, congratulations — you were officially fluent in 2025’s most baffling viral trend. Even Dictionary.com, which crowned “6-7” as their Word of the Year, admitted they were still trying to figure out what it actually means.

But that’s the beauty of internet culture. Sometimes the most memorable moments are the ones that defy explanation, unite us in confusion, and somehow still manage to perfectly capture a vibe.

## Blockbusters, Breakouts, and Box Office Magic

The movie landscape delivered major moments, from Tom Cruise’s death-defying stunts in *Mission: Impossible – Final Reckoning* at Cannes to the long-awaited *Superman* theatrical release. *Happy Gilmore 2* became a streaming favorite, while the *Wicked: For Good* finale closed out one of the longest press tours in recent memory (seriously, Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo earned hazard pay for that marathon).

Paul Thomas Anderson’s *One Battle After Another*, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and newcomer Chase Infiniti, emerged as the Oscars frontrunner, while Seth Rogen’s *The Studio* dominated the Emmys alongside Noah Wyle’s gripping medical drama *The Pitt*.

## Music Milestones and Surprise Moments

Taylor Swift didn’t just get engaged — she also released *The Life of a Showgirl*, which shattered sales records, and bought back the rights to her first six albums, performing a celebratory “You Belong with Me” that had fans in tears.

Bad Bunny hosted *Saturday Night Live*, Katy Perry’s brief space flight became meme fodder (with Wendy’s asking if they could “send her back”), and Hailey Bieber sold her Rhode beauty brand for a cool $1 billion. Meanwhile, Jonathan Bailey was crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive, and Robert Irwin won *Dancing With the Stars*, continuing the Irwin family legacy a decade after his sister Bindi’s victory.

## The Moments That Made Us Feel

Not everything was glamorous red carpets and viral TikToks. Nirvana reunited for FireAid, supporting Los Angeles wildfire relief efforts. The entertainment world said goodbye to legends including Hulk Hogan, Ozzy Osbourne, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and the incomparable Diane Keaton. And Jimmy Kimmel faced a brief suspension from ABC, sparking important conversations about late-night comedy and free speech.

Meanwhile, the Cannes Film Festival attempted to ban nudity on the red carpet (spoiler: it didn’t work), and the Met Gala celebrated menswear and Black style through the centuries, earning praise from Spike Lee who noted, “It took a minute.”

## Love Was in the Air

Beyond Tayvis, 2025 blessed us with other swoon-worthy moments. Zendaya and Tom Holland announced their engagement in January, proving superhero love can exist off-screen. The *Summer I Turned Pretty* fandom remained divided over Team Conrad versus Team Jeremiah (with celebrity opinions split accordingly), and the romantic drama dominated BookTok and water cooler conversations alike.

## Fashion, Influence, and Internet Royalty

From Sydney Sweeney’s omnipresent American Eagle denim campaign to Sabrina Carpenter’s controversial album artwork sparking heated debates, fashion and music collided in unexpected ways. The Coldplay KissCam incident became one of those “if you know, you know” moments that dominated social feeds for weeks.

And let’s not forget Pope Leo XIV — yes, the first American pope — who somehow became a viral sensation and promised to share his Wordle strategy later in the year. Because even spiritual leaders need to be relatable in 2025.

## The Bottom Line

*Popstar! Best of 2025* reminded us that entertainment is a collaborative experience. Fans don’t just consume culture — they shape it, celebrate it, and decide what deserves to be remembered. From the predictable (Taylor and Beyoncé dominating) to the delightfully bizarre (KPop demon hunters and mysterious “6-7” gestures), this year gave us everything.

As we close out 2025, one thing is crystal clear: when fans are given the power to crown their favorites, magic happens. And judging by the passion, creativity, and sheer enthusiasm displayed in every vote counted for this special, 2026 has some seriously big shoes to fill.

Until next year’s rewind, keep streaming, keep voting, and most importantly, keep making culture the chaotic, beautiful, unforgettable experience it’s meant to be.

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*Popstar! Best of 2025 is available for viewing on multiple networks. Visit Popstaronline.com for more entertainment news and to cast your vote for next year’s biggest moments.*

How to Watch:

Popstar! Best of 2025 airs on The CW and CW+
Airdate: December 26, 2025
Time: 8:00 PM