From uplifting to degrading, these were the biggest pop culture moments of 2025

By Scottie Andrew, Leah Asmelash and Eleanor Stubbs, CNN (CNN) — This was the year of rot, slop and rage. Everything that happened in pop culture in 2025 felt like a huge deal, and not all of it made sense. Perhaps you joined the national barfight over Sydney Sweeney’s jeans or speculated about the “Wicked”