2022, while not perfect, still provided some ashamedly entertaining pop-culture moments. From the infamy of Will Smith’s overplayed slap, to the feud among Olivia Wilde and “Ms. Flo,” last year was one to remember. This definitive ranking of pop culture events is everything you need to remember from 2022. 

7. Will Smith’s Slap

Although Will Smith’s act of violence against Chris Rock during the Academy Awards was shocking, it quickly shed its stunningness after the first few hundred replays. All we learned from this atrociously irrelevant slap was that “G.I. Jane” is off the table.

6. Try Guys Scandal

The Try Guys had been a consistently benevolent and entertaining comedy influencer group that warmed hearts and sparked joy in multitudes of people from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities. Well, until Ned Fulmer, who mentioned his loving wife in nearly every video, cheated on his partner with a Try Guys employee. Wow! Points for creativity, I guess? On a serious note, this action affected many people and is a little more serious than a simple slap.

5. “Euphoria” Season 2. 

“Euphoria” Season 2, however glittery and vibrant, was questionable. After Season 1 dedicated its storyline to building up unique, thought-provoking characters, Season 2 made a complete U-turn and suddenly decided that now, we hate them. From a series full of interesting twists and optimistic character development, it rapidly succeeded into an overly self-aware parody of itself, fully reliant on aesthetics to keep it afloat.

     4. Stranger Things Season 4?

Okay? Lowkey forgot this happened. Stranger Things is obviously an accomplished series, but I don’t know of anyone who truly believes the 13 hour long season was anything more than tolerable. We get it, “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush is a catchy song, but enough is enough. Leave well enough alone and give these poor high school characters a much needed rest.

3. Argentina Won the World Cup!

Yes! This was an amazing end to the year, and Leonel Messi’s World Cup career. The World Cup in Qatar, however controversial the location, brought people together and sparked joy in countless viewers. 

2. The Mess of “Don’t Worry Darling”

This over-hyped film had many controversial upsets, and to say the least, it was so fun. From Shia Labeouf’s speculated abandonment of the project, to Harry Styles and Chris Pine’s ‘juicy’ conversation at the Venice Film Festival, we only know one thing for sure: Florence Pugh is an icon.

1. “Midnights” Release by Taylor Swift!

This is everything we need in life. “Midnights” broke down countless records and barriers, making it the preeminent event of 2022. Sorry, I don’t make the rules. To put it plainly, Swift is truly a “Mastermind”. 

Most of these prominent happenings of 2022 were messy, but without them 2022 would have been stale. In conclusion, Taylor Swift deserves a Nobel Prize.