2024 has been a whirlwind of unforgettable moments, bold moves and cultural resets. From women dominating the world of sports to music comebacks that shook the charts, style trends that turned heads and stories that captivated us on screen, this year has been one to remember. Join us as we spotlight the standouts, celebrate the icons and toast to the best of 2024’s entertainment highs.
Women In Sports
From Olympic medals to record-shattering viewership, 2024 has generated huge victories for women’s sports. Sure, we all know Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky, but this year a multitude of other female athletes added on to their legacy.
Rugby Bronze Medalist Ilona Maher stole America’s heart this summer as she trampled opposing team members with her stiff arm on her way to the try zone. But she didn’t stop there. After Paris, Maher made headlines for challenging body image stereotypes by posing for the cover of Sports Illustrated and landing second place on Dancing With the Stars.
Tennis Player Coco Gauff also gained a following during her Olympic debut, leading the first full gender equality Team USA across the River Seine. Gauff notably beat Venus Williams in the 2019 Wimbledon Championships at just 15 years old, and has used her platform to advocate for mental health.
Caitlin Clark made the WNBA the forefront of sports media in 2024, going viral during her senior season at Iowa University. She drew 14.2 million viewers for her matchup against University of Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers in the semi-finals and 19 million in the finals against University of South Carolina, according to ESPN. She later joined the Indiana Fever as the number one draft pick, generating even more recognition for the WNBA.
Women are also being introduced into traditionally male fields in other ways. The Seattle Kraken hired Assistant Coach Jessica Campbell for the 2024-25 season, making her the first female behind the bench in the NHL. Additionally, in Long Beach, CA, the sports bar Watch Me! opened in July, showcasing only women’s sports on their televisions.
Best in Movies and Television
Starting with television, the second season of Peacock’s The Traitors was released in January. It soon was widely considered one of the best reality competition shows, winning the 2024 Emmy category. The gripping season featured prominent reality stars from The Real Housewives and Survivor to make reality television magic.
Additionally, Baby Reindeer was released in April. The show highlights an emotional story about a man dealing with a female stalker and explores deep and complex trauma. The show rightfully swept the limited series category at the 2024 Emmy Awards and became one of Netflix’s most popular shows, with over 52.8 million viewing hours, according to Deadline.
Netflix also released Nobody Wants This in September, a comedy about a podcast host and a rabbi falling in love despite their differences. The series, starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, quickly became popular on TikTok and was nominated for three Golden Globes Awards.
On the big screen, the world was left stunned by Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, a dramatic romance story starring Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. The film follows a love triangle between the three professional tennis players through various stages of life. Guadagnino’s cinematic excellence helped start a tennis craze on social media as some viewers suddenly wanted to start playing tennis after watching the film.
Breaking barriers and defying gravity, the movie musical adaptation of Wicked made its mark, bringing in $163 million in its opening weekend, according to NBC. With a star-studded cast including Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo and Jeff Goldblum, audiences sang their hearts out and are anticipating the second movie, releasing on Nov. 21, 2025.
Artists Who Bounced Back This Year
After four years since his last album, Wonder, Shawn Mendes released a new self-titled album, Shawn, on Nov. 15. Rated 3 out of 5 by Rolling Stone, the album is based on Mendes’ mental health breakthrough following the cancellation of his Wonder: World Tour. The album features vulnerable lyrics that explore themes of self-discovery and healing, presenting a more folk-inspired sound.
Adding another popular album to the year, Katy Perry released her new album, 143, on Sept. 20, debuting at number two on the Billboard 200. According to Perry, the title 143 is code for “I love you,” with each number corresponding with the amount of letters in each word, creating a personal and intimate connection with her fans. The album delves into many different themes including love, empowerment and complexities of relationships, further showcasing Perry’s evolution as an artist.
And of course, who could forget about Sabrina Carpenter’s rise to the top, starting with her first single of 2024, “Espresso?” The song hit number one on the Billboard Global 200 charts just two weeks after being released in April and is currently at number 15. The hit song also won multiple awards including “Song of the Year” at the MTV Video Music Awards and “Favorite Viral Song” at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Carpenter released another hit single just two months later titled, “Please, Please, Please,” hitting number one on the Billboard Global charts quickly after its release, now placing at number 35. Both singles received countless positive reviews and perfectly teased listens for her full album Short and Sweet, which was released in August and continues to be well-received.
Gen Z Redesigns Style
This year, Gen Z brought in a new era of fashion by choosing flexibility over formality. The younger generations are incorporating their newly constructed looks into the world, encouraging society to not judge a book by its cover. The ‘comfort’ style teaches the world to look beyond appearances as professionalism is multi-dimensional. The National Library of Medicine reported that to look good and “put together” is directly linked to a person’s ability to control and impact their performance and career. However, this upcoming style of comfort may introduce a new standard for professionals. Productivity may improve if people have a more relaxed or comfortable style.
With sweatshirts, sweatpants, slippers and pajama pants on the rise, there is a new standard for fashion this year. Wearing a more “traditional” outfit like jeans, trousers, blouses or button-downs is less common than ever. Bold patterns and glamorous accessories are now being combined with elasticated waistbands and soft materials. Stores like Forever 21 and Hollister still remain popular, but other retailers such as Lululemon and Nike have been catching consumers’ eyes more this year.
The change in the fashion trends people value now may be for the better. In a study from Northwestern University, researchers found that clothes affect a person’s psychology and performance. Feeling more comfortable in an outfit could uplift one’s mood while also reducing stress. The majority of teens today feel more like themselves in pajama-like clothing rather than in business casual.
Embracing the creativity and confidence that comfort can inspire may be the new fashion going into 2025.