Brat Summer to Demure Autumn: 2024 in Review

Besides evident factors such as the Summer Olympics and the presidential election, 2024 was a monumental year for pop culture. 

Charli XCX embraces her 'Brat' energy in live performance. Photo by Raph_PH via Flickr

There is no denying that 2024 has been an eventful year. Besides evident factors such as the Olympics and the U.S. election, 2024 has also been a huge year for pop culture. The past 12 months have seen the rise of stars such as Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter, blockbusters such as “Twisters” and “Deadpool & Wolverine” hitting the screens and people holding space for the lyrics of “Defying Gravity.”’

It would be impossible to name every relevant pop culture event in 2024, but here are a few that stand out in particular. 

5. Social Media Trends 

Every year, a few social media trends take society by storm and are catapulted into mainstream culture, and 2024 was no different. The incorporation of trends such as ‘Brat Summer’ into many politicians’ campaigns, such as Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Cory Booker, proves how pop culture is used as a segue to get younger generations to be more involved in mainstream news and politics. 

Throughout the year, TikTok has produced multiple viral trends, such as the “Apple Dance,” “Very Demure, Very Mindful” and numerous other dances to top trending songs. Social media trends will likely stay a relevant part of pop culture as 2025 approaches. 

4. Popular TV Shows and Films 

After the historic 2023 Writer’s Strike, 2024 was poised to be a big year for film and television. 

This year saw the return of shows such as “Abbott Elementary,” “The Boys,” “Outer Banks,” “Bridgerton” and “The Bear.” New TV shows that took the Internet by storm include “Baby Reindeer,” “One Day,” “Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and “Shogun.”

An honorable mention goes to the sixth season of “Love Island: USA,” as the show gained immense popularity over the summer due to the witty personalities of the islanders and the mind-boggling drama that took place in the villa. 

2024 was also a huge year for film. Various genres saw success at the box office this year, such as animated films, musical adaptations and classic blockbuster hits. Films such as “Inside Out 2,” “Civil War,” “Challengers,” “Deadpool & Wolverine,” “Twisters” and "Wicked" are notable highlights from this last year of film. 

When asked about the biggest films and TV shows of the year, Marist College student Alexa Campbell ‘25 said, “2024 was a really good year for horror movies. Films such as ‘Longlegs,’ ‘MaXXXine’ and ‘Alien: Romulus’ were standouts in this genre.” Campbell agreed that “Wicked” was a standout 2024 film and is an “example of a movie musical done right.” 

This year, Dylan Fedorys ‘25 noticed how fast films have lost public attention. “Movies lose relevance so quickly these days,” Fedorys said. He said that films such as “Alien: Romulus” were very hyped and anticipated, but once the film was released, no one was talking about it. 

3. Female Pop Star Takeover

One of the more unique pop culture events that took place in 2024 was the domination of female pop stars. As evidenced by the 2025 Grammy nominations and the fact that only women are nominated for “Best Pop Vocal Album,” female vocalists made their mark on the music industry this year. 

The rise of artists such as Chappell Roan, Sabrina Carpenter and Charli XCX, and the release of new music from established artists such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé and Billie Eilish, showcases how female artists are taking over pop culture.

With the release of many anticipated albums from female artists this year, it will be compelling to see if fans will feel a “music drought” throughout the upcoming year. 

2. Sports Moments

2024 was a massive year for the rise of sports, particularly women’s sports. If you didn’t know who Caitlin Clark was at the beginning of 2024, you sure do now. 

Women’s basketball was catapulted into mainstream media during the 2024 NCAA Division 1 Women’s Basketball Tournament. College basketball players, such as University of Iowa’s Clark and LSU’s Angel Reese, drew in massive amounts of viewers for these games. Both of these women were selected in the WNBA Draft, which further solidified the hype surrounding Women’s basketball. 2024 was undoubtedly a game-changing year for women’s sports, as these women have proven time after time that they are worth airtime and sponsorships.

Besides the rise of women’s basketball, the 2024 Summer Olympics brought athletes to the top of everyone’s attention. The Summer Olympics brought about many memes, such as viral Australian breakdancer Raygun, track and field champions Hunter and Tara Woodall’s heartwarming moments after their respective gold medal wins and America’s own pommel horse guy, Stephen Nedoroscik. 

1. Brat Summer 

Arguably the biggest trend to come out of 2024 is “Brat Summer.” On June 7, Charli XCX released her album “Brat,” a hyperpop album that makes listeners want to get on a dance floor. 

Soon after the album’s release, the aesthetic of “Brat Summer” came to life. “Brat Summer” culminated on social media, emphasizing a lime-green, party-girl aesthetic where people let loose and live freely. Glamour describes “Brat Summer” as “chaotic,” and as Charli herself said, “It can go that way, like quite luxury, but it can also be trashy.” 

As previously mentioned, “Brat Summer” not only infiltrated social media trends and pop culture, but it also made its way into other sectors of life, such as politics and news. People used the aesthetic of “Brat” as a way to connect with others. It is rare that an album can create such a cultural phenomenon as big as “Brat” has, but 2024 saw that to be true.