The year 2014 was when the aesthetics and vibes became viral on social media. Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, and Vine made the year a monumental time to be alive. This popular yet gloomy style emerged, encouraging a frenzy of images with colt schemes and often heavily processed images that captured the depressing aspects of daily existence. Black and white blurry and overexposed photos brought back memories of vintage effects and sparked nostalgia.
All this while we witnessed childhood stars transform into adults, scandals, timeless albums, peak dystopian media, celebrity marriages, terrible TV endings, and social media challenges. It makes me feel old coming to terms with the iconic year turning 10 years old. It was a year for pop culture. I wanted to highlight some of the events that took place in this historic year. Let’s revisit some events from the time capsule.
The famous selfie
This broke the internet and became the most liked Tweet and the time and for what? It’s just a bunch of celebrities taking a photo. Now it can be looked at as a cursed image. Brad and Angelina’s public divorce, the downfall of Ellen, Kevin Spacey being a no, and Jared Leto iykyk.😒 This will forever haunt the Academy Museum.
Pop Bible?
In November 2014, Swift released the album of all albums. Complete with faded Polaroid pictures, unrestrained colors, cherry lipstick, noir sunglasses, cool sweaters, dreamy nightgowns at the beach, and “boys and boys and girls and girls.” The music videos during this era were top-tier and they were whole films. Swift went on to dominate the year winning Album of the Year at the 2016 Grammys. This album was too perfect, almost like a wildest dream.
The mistreated album
Ariana Grande coming off the set of Nickelodeon’s Victorious blew up in the music scene with “Yours Truly” in 2013 and then her second studio album in 2014. Out of all 6 of her albums “My Everything” is her most underrated. The song “Just a Little Bit of Your Heart” is my favorite and the strongest from this time. This incredible sophomore album does not get the same treatment as her other albums. Justice for this incredible body of work.
Changed Lives
When the “Anaconda” music video came out it started a roar. Everyone from children to the elderly was either praising it or shutting it off. The way parents and teachers gave warnings about this video and thought it was the most vulgar thing ever lol. The video achieved over a billion views on YouTube and made Nicki the first female rap song to achieve this. The cultural impact this had needs to be added to textbooks across the nation. Nicki Minaj, the legend that you are.
Mother Convention
“Bang Bang” features Jessie J, Nicki Minaj, and Ariana Grand as they joined forces and did what needed to be done. Create and insinuate cunt. This trio mixed so well and the performances that came with this song were everything.
First things first…
It was everything. This Collab cured the nation. The song was already so fun but the music video with inspirations from Clueless was the cherry on top. We ate this up and licked the plate squeaky clean.
Clap Along
I think I speak for everyone when I say I can hear this photo. This song was inescapable. You could've just been throwing out the garbage and hear this from a car driving by. Till this day if I hear it immediate flashbacks invade me. It’s truly a trap and Pharrell was so iconic for that.
Wig
From Dance Moms to becoming the star of Sia music videos’ came the stardom of the talented Maddie Ziegler. The song had every singer making covers trying to attempt Asia’s vocals as well as dancers taking inspiration from this contemporary piece.
Inescapable Trend
The ice bucket challenge helped raise awareness of ALS which was such a random way of doing this so-called activism. Many celebrities participated in the challenge and called out others to follow.
Back-to-back weddings
A lot of evil drama has happened behind the scenes of both of these marriages and both ended in divorce. Still, at one point in time approximately 10 years ago they got hitched and the public was so in love with them.
Girl…
How I Met Your Mother gave us the worst ending of all time. Writers should take notes from season 9 if they are interested in murdering a great show. No words.
Besties
This show was bonkers in the best way. NYC during the middle and late 2010s was a peak. Leave it to Ilana and Abbi to get into any normal situation and find a way to mess things up. The relationship between these two is so hilariously heartwarming showing the lengths they would go for each other.
“Okay? Okay”
To be on Tumblr at this time was chaotic. This movie reminds me of much simpler times. The chokehold this had on every future Wattpad writer. John Green setting up their first kiss in Anne Frank’s attic was crazy.
Boom, boom, boom…
Then along came this banger. This was so Tumblr flower crown vibes. Our generation's introduction to the great Charlie XCX. Whenever I hear this now it reminds me of how the atmosphere was different.
Trauma
After Surviving two Hunger Games now, having to be the face of a revolution!
The hanging tree by JLAW and the iconic quote, “If we burn, you burn with us!” And “It’s the things we love most that destroy us.” Lorde’s song at the credits was the cherry on top. Dystopian film after another and the world’s introduction to Theo James. The world was a better place when the constant stream of dystopian media was all the rage.
Barbie would never!
Her soul or your soul? No, because why would you purchase that doll in the first place? Adding on to the conjuring universe, Annabelle is alive and thriving. Terrorizing a couple and taking their baby’s soul. Director said cut but Annabelle heard, cunt.
Couple Goals!
Straight couples are crazy. Everyone should watch this with their SO. She was a mastermind and calculated every decision and made it impossible for Nick to escape her. More and more everyday people drive me closer to thinking the way Amy Dunne does.
Enigmas
The perfect photo to define this year for teens across the globe. The best display of soft grunge that nails the 2014 Tumblr aesthetic. They just served and left with no trace of who they are, what their names are… kind of iconic.
For whatever reason for the resurgence of 2014 pop culture, I am overwhelmed with nostalgia and relatable to know what many others experienced this year showing us a glimpse of our adolescence; even if we didn’t know the impact it leaves over time.
Written by Daniel Rojas