2018's Top Trends, Ranked

The Marvel film united the Avengers and other Marvel characters to fight Thanos.

The 2018 film broke box office records.

Multiple wildfires burned California in November. The Camp Fire became the deadliest US fire in 100 years. It killed 85 people and burned over 150,000 acres in Butte County. The Woolsey Fire burned over 96,000 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, costing three lives.

On June 23, a Thai boys soccer team hiking in a cave got trapped. Seasonal flooding cut off their exit. Thai Navy SEALs freed the team and their coach after 18 days and several rescue missions.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un met US President Donald Trump in Singapore in June 2018.

The 2017 co-op sandbox survival game gained more popularity and showed its staying power in 2018.

The Trump administration's strict immigration crackdown separated thousands of immigrant children from their parents.

2018 was a midterm election year. Celebrities and public figures across America encouraged voting more than ever.

The international tournament happened in Russia from June 14 to July 15, 2018.

On November 30, the 41st US president passed away. He had Parkinson's disease. His state funeral occurred on December 5, attended by all living US presidents and many foreign leaders.

The biracial actor married Prince Harry on May 19, 2018.

Peter Parker's star shone brightly in 2018 between the filmSpider-Man: Into the Spider-VersePeter Parker's star shone brightly in 2018 and the Spider-Man PS4 game.

The Category 4 hurricanedestroyed the CarolinasThe hurricane hit the Carolinas and surrounding areas with up to 35 inches of rain, severe flooding, and winds up to 140 mph. Many roads and highways flooded for weeks after the storm, and 42 people died.

The Games in South Korea made Adam Rippon, Chloe Kim, and other world-class athletes stars.

The Queen of Soul died August 16 from advanced pancreatic cancer. Many notable people attended her Detroit funeral, and others paid respects during two days of open casket visits.

A student-led demonstration supporting tighter gun control happened March 24, 2018, in Washington, DC, after the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL.

The audio clip caused divisions among friends, families, and coworkers.

Ariana Grande's hit single took the pop charts by storm on November 3. Naming four exes, including Pete Davidson, the song broke multiple records and debuted at #1 on the USBillboardThe Hot 100. On November 30, Grande released a music video for the track. The video pays homage to the films.Mean GirlsLegally BlondeBring It On,and13 Going on 30.

The latest installment in the series earned praise from players and critics and created many funny memes.

TheGame of ThronesA star broke out of Khal Drogo's ponytail into household name territory with a star-turn as Aquaman.A slew of feel-good press followed.Jason Momoa appears in '2018's Top Trends, Ranked.

Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 27 regarding Dr. Ford's sexual assault claims against Judge Kavanaugh.

This includes releases such asA Quiet Place.Hereditary.Suspiria.Little Stranger.They Remain. andAnnihilation.

A new meme. Don't overthink it.

The rapper performed "This Is America" onSaturday Night Live.He debuted the accompanying video shortly before for wide appeal.

Journalist Eddie Brock tried to take down Carlton Drake, the notorious and brilliant founder of the Life Foundation. While investigating one of Drake's experiments, Eddie's body merged with the alien Venom, giving him superhuman strength and power. Twisted, dark, and fueled by rage, Venom tried to control the new, dangerous abilities Eddie found so intoxicating.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO faced an SEC investigation after tweeting on August 7 that he planned to take Tesla private. In September, he settled with the SEC and tweeted the music video forNaughty by Nature.Tesla's "O.P.P." stock soared and crashed repeatedly throughout the year.

A meme inspired by a scene in the anime seriesThe Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird.

The FCC rolled back Obama-era protections; the repeal started June 11, 2018.

After the Cambridge Analytica scandal, a movement started to leave the social media platform.

Bradley Cooper's remake of the classic Hollywood tale impressed audiences and critics. Cooper and costar Lady Gaga had a red carpet/PR lovefest. Everyone on earth played "Shallow" on repeat for weeks.

The Netflix series took October by storm, getting rave reviews from critics and horror fans.

For a few hours on the morning of December 27, Instagram switched from a vertical scrolling feed to a horizontal one. The internet was upset, and Instagram quickly reversed the change.Memes were made.Instagramcalled it a bug.

To mark the 30th anniversary of the athletic brand's "Just Do It" campaign, Nike enlisted Colin Kaepernick. His likeness appeared with the copy "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything."

The country's relationship with the Trump campaign and the 2016 election kept it in the headlines.

After being banned from wearing a bodysuit during play—a suit helping treat post-pregnancy blood clots—the tennis star wore tutus for August's US Open matches (one black, another in lavender).

Fans let Eevee ride on their heads, and some paid $50 for a Pokeball-shaped controller to increase their fun.

The celebrity couple got engaged in July and married in secret at a New York City courthouse in September.

In June, a raccoon climbed a Minnesota skyscraper and captured the nation's hearts.

Prince Louis of Cambridge was born April 23, 2018. He is fifth in line for the British throne.

Judge Brett Kavanaugh referenced three high school friends with nicknames during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Hannah Gadsby appears in '2018's Top Trends, Ranked'.This is a Netflix comedy special. Nanette is listed.Hannah Gadsby launched herself into the mainstream.

LeBron James is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time. LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers for his 16th NBA season.LeBron James is the greatest basketball player of all time.LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers for his 16th NBA season.

Cambridge Analytica, Facebook, and other scandals brought the issue of data worries to the forefront.

On September 6, 2018, high school senior Tyler Linfesty, 'Plaid Shirt Guy,' stood behind President Trump during his Montana speech. Linfesty did not openly mock or heckle the president, but his lack of enthusiasm got him [rest of sentence missing in input, kept as is].Linfesty lost his prime spot.

In June, Ariana Grande appeared.She appeared on SNL.Star Pete Davidson announced his engagement after a few weeks of dating. Conspiracy theorists got busy.. The couple broke up in October. The exes also got into a Twitter feud with Kanye West in December.

Republican Robert Mueller, a former Marine and lawyer who served as FBI director from 2001-2013, led the 2018 investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 election.

In September, a video of LiLo dancing went viral. Lohan filmed a reality series for MTV in Mykonos at that time.

The International House of Pancakes rebranded as IHOb in June to promote its burgers.

The book sold fast, claiming to show the inner workings of the Trump White House.

The topic of taxes on imports and exports between nations dominated news as President Trump changed policies affecting China, Canada, and other American trading partners.