In the 2010s, social media has allowed us to share moments and memes. It replaced the water cooler as the place where everyone discusses the biggest trending topics, and the discussions can now occur with any of your friends, associates, or anyone who follows the same hashtagss that you do. Here are our 20 favorites.
1. Pants on the Ground – 2010
American Idol is full of memorable auditions, but General Larry Platt’s takes the cake. His “Pants on the Ground” song was everywhere, and so was he. He performed that tune wherever he could and stretched his entertaining 15 minutes of fame.
2. Ain’t Nobody Got Time For That – 2012
Kimberly “Sweet Brown” Wilkins being interviewed about the fire she escaped in her complex was internet gold. Even better were the remixes of her interview that made their internet rounds.
3. Antoine Dodson -2010
Who can forget Antoine Dodson describing the home invader that came after his sister. “Hide yo kids, hide yo wife” was everywhere. As with most viral moments, many clever songs and remixes were created from this infamous moment.
4. Grumpy Cat – 2012
There are many cute cats online, but none as legendary as Miss Tarter Sauce, aka Grumpy Cat. Her grumpy demeanor won over the world, one frown at a time. R.I.P, Grumpy Cat.
5. Rebecca Black – 2011
“It’s Friday, Friday gotta get down on Friday.” In 2011, Rebecca Black and those lyrics were everywhere. Many dubbed “Friday” the worst song ever, but with her various TV appearances, video views, and her cameo in a Katy Perry video, Rebecca got the last laugh.
6. Yodeling Walmart Kid – 2018
10-year-old Mason Ramsey stole our hearts when a video of him yodeling in a Walmart went viral. Now he’s touring the world and hanging out with Justin Bieber
7. Planking – 2011
The internet brings about some interesting viral trends, and planking was no exception. As the movement got bigger, the planking locations got weirder. It was quite interesting to witness.
8. Kim K Broke The Internet – 2014
Kim Kardashian and Paper magazine coined the phrase “Break The Internet” with her cover that showed off her…assets. Even better than the cover were the people who mocked the cover afterward. Pure comedy.
9. Chrissy Teigen Crying – 2015
Most of what Chrissy Teigen does goes viral, but her crying while husband John accepted his 2015 Golden Globe will never be forgotten.
10. Smudge The Cat vs. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills -2019
Who knows why the internet combined a screenshot of a 2011 episode of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Smudge The Cat showing disdain for vegetables, but thank goodness they did. The memes are everywhere, and they are hilarious.
11. What Are Those?! -2015
A Vine video of a kid making fun of a police officer’s shoes sparked a “What Are Those” frenzy, and we all have Brandon Moore (Young Busco) to thank.
12. Damnnnn, Daniel -2016
Joshua Holz and Daniel Lara gained internet fame after an edited collection of videos showing Holz following and teasing Lara, and pointing out his Vans, went viral. Their appearance of The Ellen Degeneres Shoe one heightened their fame.
13. Ice Bucket Challenge – 2014
The Ice Bucket Challenge provided entertaining videos of people pouring buckets of ice over their heads, and it raised awareness for ALS research. It was a win-win.
14. What Does The Fox Say? – 2013
The “What Does The Fox Say” video by Ylvis was everywhere. It was both annoying and hilarious. The video is below, but we warn you, if you watch it, it’ll probably get stuck in your head again.
15. Gangnam Style – 2012
South Korean superstar, Psy, won our hearts with his catchy tune, “Gangnam Style.” Even better than the song, were those fancy dance moves that went with it.
16. Mannequin Challenge – 2016
In 2016, the #Mannequinchallenge hashtag was everywhere, and so were those amusing videos. Sports teams, celebrities, and even Beyonce got in on the action.
17. Baby Shark – 2018
The “Baby Shark” song started out as a kids nursery rhyme but exploded to become one of the most popular songs in mainstream culture. It was even remixed and played at nightclubs all over the world.
18. Harlem Shake -2013
After this song was released, videos were all over social media showing people wailing and dancing to the song. They are genius.
19. Cash Me Outside
After Danielle Bregoli, aka Bhad Bhadie, appeared on Dr. Phil and said her famous “Cash me outside, How about dah” phrase, the internet went crazy over her. The memes were everywhere, and Bhad Bhadie is now a household name.
20. On Fleek
We all want nice eyebrows, but when eyebrows are “on fleek,” they are pure perfection. Thank you to Peached Monroee for creating this legendary phrase.