From Taylor Swift's Eras Tour to Barbenheimer, 10 cultural trends that took over 2023
Cultural trends that defined 2023
2023 was a year full of iconic moments and new cultural beginnings after the stagnation that COVID brought around. From movies to art and fashion, a dynamic shift happened this year. Also, the concept of social media entertainment, which took over nearly every household during the pandemic, does not seem to stop anytime soon.
Below is a list of cultural trends that took over 2023.
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour
Taylor Swift was undoubtedly the Woman of the Year in 2023. She proudly dominated the headlines throughout the year, majorly because of her Eras Tour, which grossed more than $1 billion in revenue. Besides, the 34-year-old singer’s talent even benefitted the travel and hospitality industries, which saw a massive surge in demand.
Beyonce's Renaissance Tour
Another woman who ruled in 2023 was Beyonce. As per reports, her Renaissance tour contributed over $4.5 billion to the economy of America.
Barbenheimer
The movies ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ released at the same time in 2023. Despite the disparity in genres, the films became huge successes at the box office. Also, they gave birth to memes, jokes, and parodies, finally dubbed Barbenheimer.
Fashion market winners
2023 was a great year for luxury fashion houses as well. Citing data from the Savigny Luxury Index, Outlook reported that “LVMH, Kering, and Richemont collectively possess a commanding 62% share of the luxury fashion market.”
Theft and return of artifacts
Theft and return of art pieces continued to make headlines in 2023 as well. New York's Rubin Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced this year that they will be giving back the antiquities collected from an 11th-century Nepalese monastery and Southeast Asia’s archaeological sites.
SAG-AFTRA strikes
Hollywood almost shut down during the four-month-long SAG-AFTRA strikes, which saw actors asking for higher pay, royalty assurances, and transparency regarding viewership data.
Fight against AI
2023 saw writers like John Grisham, George R R Martin, and Jodi Picoult taking a stand against Artificial Intelligence (AI). They even sued OpenAI over its chatbot technology. The lawsuit reportedly stated, “The success and profitability of OpenAI are predicated on mass copyright infringement without a word of permission from or a nickel of compensation to copyright owners.”
Miss Universe
Miss Universe 2023 also created a lot of buzz. First, it included two transgender women, Marina Machete and Rikkie Kolle, in the pageant. But another major news was JKN Global Group, the owner of Miss Universe, filing for bankruptcy only a few days before the finale.
Treasures in disguise
2023 proved awesome for thrift shoppers as a pair in the UK purchased a tiny vase by a Japanese ceramic artist for $3.30. But eventually, they discovered its real value, which was about $12,000. Similarly, a thrift shopper from Richmond, Virginia, got a glass vase for $3.99 at Goodwill but sold it for more than $107,000 after realizing it was the Italian architect Carlo Scarpa’s work.
TikTok and Instagram reels and YouTube shorts
With the onset of the pandemic in 2020, usage of social media platforms skyrocketed as people were stuck inside their homes, basically doing nothing. But the craze of those sites has only surged after the return of normalcy. Now, almost everyone across the globe has access to entertainment just a click away.
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