pop culture
Mainstream media trends
Pop culture—short for popular culture—is the mainstream entertainment, media, trends, and ideas that dominate a society at a given time.
It encompasses music, movies, television, fashion, memes, celebrities, and viral moments that capture widespread attention: The show is full of pop culture references.
Pop culture is often contrasted with high culture or fine art, though the boundary shifts constantly.
What's pop culture today may be studied as cultural history tomorrow.
Famous mainstream singer
- hit singleCommercially successful song
- chart-topperSong at position one
- music videoVisual companion to songs
- world tourJourney visiting many countries
K-pop · boy band · diva · one-hit wonder · earworm · anthem · Grammy · collaboration
Shared online humor
- viralSpreading quickly online
- hashtagLabeled link for posts
- TikTokShort-form video service
- influencerPerson with promotional reach
content creator · trending · clickbait · stan · fandom · reaction video · challenge · tweet
Enormously successful entertainment property
- HollywoodAmerican film industry center
- BollywoodIndian film industry
- box officeTicket sales revenue
- premiereFirst public performance
trailer · franchise · sequel · reboot · cult classic · rom-com · cinematic universe · movie star
Episodic TV comedy series
- reality TVFilmed unscripted programming
- binge-watchingRapid consecutive episode viewing
- streamingReal-time digital delivery
- series finaleA show's concluding episode
pilot · primetime · Netflix · cable drama · spinoff · rerun · cliffhanger · showrunner
Dressing as media characters
- conventionAgreed standard of behavior
- fanfictionAmateur work using existing characters
- shippingTransporting goods to destinations
- canonAccepted authoritative works
headcanon · Comic-Con · merch · collectible · superfan · stan · tribute · fan art
Return to ancestral type
- retroEvoking recent past
- rebootCycle power intentionally
- reunionGathering after separation
- remakeNew version created
vintage · revival · classic · iconic · millennial · childhood · Y2K · callback
Skate and hip-hop clothing
- red carpetCeremonial welcome flooring
- celebrity styleFamous people's clothing choices
- athleisureExercise-meets-everyday fashion category
- vintageQuality from past eras
thrift · fast fashion · Met Gala · merch · brand deal · logo · hypebeast
pop star
Famous mainstream singer
- hit singleCommercially successful song
- chart-topperSong at position one
- music videoVisual companion to songs
world tour · K-pop · boy band · diva · one-hit wonder · earworm · anthem · Grammy · collaboration · comeback
meme
Shared online humor
influencer · content creator · trending · clickbait · stan · fandom · reaction video · challenge · tweet · going viral
blockbuster
Enormously successful entertainment property
- HollywoodAmerican film industry center
- BollywoodIndian film industry
- box officeTicket sales revenue
premiere · trailer · franchise · sequel · reboot · cult classic · rom-com · cinematic universe · movie star · red carpet
sitcom
Episodic TV comedy series
- reality TVFilmed unscripted programming
- binge-watchingRapid consecutive episode viewing
- streamingReal-time digital delivery
series finale · pilot · primetime · Netflix · cable drama · spinoff · rerun · cliffhanger · showrunner · guilty pleasure
cosplay
Dressing as media characters
- conventionAgreed standard of behavior
- fanfictionAmateur work using existing characters
- shippingTransporting goods to destinations
canon · headcanon · Comic-Con · merch · collectible · superfan · stan · tribute · fan art · fan theory
throwback
Return to ancestral type
remake · vintage · revival · classic · iconic · millennial · childhood · Y2K · callback · anniversary
streetwear
Skate and hip-hop clothing
- red carpetCeremonial welcome flooring
- celebrity styleFamous people's clothing choices
- athleisureExercise-meets-everyday fashion category
vintage · thrift · fast fashion · Met Gala · merch · brand deal · logo · hypebeast
- trivia categoriestrivia, facts, history, science, geography
- 20th CenturyWorld War I aftermath, Cuban Missile Crisis, atomic bomb, New Deal, Nazi Germany
- 20th century cultureRoaring Twenties, Jazz Age, Great Depression, baby boom, civil rights movement
- cultural conceptstrends, movements, icons, fads, phenomena
- mass culturemass media, mass communication, entertainment, television, Hollywood
- culturemusic taste, beliefs, food preferences, custom, festivals
pop culturehigh culture
Society's esteemed artistic traditions
high art · fine art · elite culture · classical music · art house
pop culturefolk culture
Traditional practices of communities
traditional culture · ancient traditions · folklore · oral tradition · classical antiquity
culture, popular, cultured, cultural, populism, popularize, multicultural, popularized, culturally