All The Things That Were A Thing In 2019, Ranked

Amy Boal
Updated November 7, 2023 91.3K views
Ranked By
18.6K votes
2.5K voters
Voting Rules
Vote up the people, places, things, ideas, memes, and other ~stuff~ that is most defining 2019.

Update: Check out Events Which Defined The Year 2020

What 2019 news, culture, films, memes, and people in general are making headlines and appearing all over whatever feeds you rely on for up-to-date info? To help catalog the year, here are 2019's trending topics, from the biggest news stories to the most popular trends. Some of them directly tie into 2018's most common topics, but 2019 is already making itself stand out in increasingly new and innovative ways. Meghan and Harry have welcomed Archie The Sussex Baby to the world, Game of Thrones upset pretty much everyone, and Aunty Becky made a big mistake. But what will happen next? Will millennials kill Facebook at last? Will people care about yet another Avengers film (spring update: they really did!)? Will Bird Box still be a thing come summer (spring update: no, not really)? From the top trending topics in the world, to notable memes, this is everything that went viral in 2019.

What were the biggest and most famous topics in 2019? Which 2019 cultural events had the biggest impact? What happened in 2019 and left a mark? Which of these things did your mom ask you to explain? Vote up the stuff that most represents 2019 to you. And if you want a month-by-month breakdown, check out the trending topics of January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, and December 2019. 

  • The Amazon Rainforest Fires
    1

    The Amazon Rainforest Fires

    476 votes

    In August 2019, Brazil's space research center INPE said the Amazon rainforest, home to nearly 3 million plant and animal species, and 1 million indigenous people, saw an 84% increase in fires from 2018. The rainforest is a vital source of carbon contributing to the health of the planet.

    According to the INPE, fires in the Amazon are normal during the country's dry season, but 2019 saw almost 73,000 fires through August, and National Geographic ecologist Thomas Lovejo suggests the cause is land clearing instructed by President Jair Bolsonaro. 

  • The First Picture Of A Black Hole
    2

    The First Picture Of A Black Hole

    592 votes

    On April 10, the Event Horizon Telescope captured the first photo ever of a black hole. The photo looks just as Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity would suggest, as spacetime is warped by the black hole's substantial mass. 

  • Area 51
    3
    576 votes

    The event "Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us" popped up on Facebook and 1.5 million users RSVP'd. Though many assume the event is a joke, the number of people interested in storming the government base prompted the US Air Force to warn against a civil invasion.

  • On April 15, a fire started in the attic of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. The blaze quickly spread throughout the iconic structure. The fire was put out nine hours after it started, just after the cathedral's spire completely burned and collapsed. Authorities opened an investigation, as the cause of the fire is unknown.

  • The conclusion to 2018's Infinity War brought in a staggering $1.2 billion globally in its first weekend alone. Fans laughed, cried, and beat up people who spoiled the film. 

  • In November, The Mandalorian debuted on Disney+ and with it came the relentlessly adorable Child, whom fans dubbed "Baby Yoda" due to his resemblance to the titular green Jedi.  

  • 'OK Boomer'
    7

    'OK Boomer'

    280 votes

    In response to the growing distaste between generations, Generation Z as well as some younger millennials adopted the phrase "OK Boomer" to fight back against claims that they "don't ever want to grow up."

    "OK Boomer" became a media sensation, with countless kids and young adults creating art projects, merchandise, memes, and videos for what The New York Times described as a "rallying cry."

  • The President Is Impeached
    8

    The President Is Impeached

    225 votes

    In a historic moment in American politics, the House of Representatives voted to impeach President Trump on December 18 for obstructing congress and misusing his power. He is the third President to face being removed from office by the Senate.  

    He is accused of pressuring Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensk "to announce an investigation" against Democratic front runner Joe Biden during the 2016 election

  • The Christchurch Mosque Terror Attacks
    9

    The Christchurch Mosque Terror Attacks

    368 votes

    On March 15, a white supremacist terrorist live-streamed two shootings at the Al Noor Mosque and the Lindwood Islamic Center in Christchurch, New Zealand. He killed 50 people. The act added fuel to the continuous debate on gun control. 

  • Greta Thunberg Addresses The UN
    10

    Greta Thunberg Addresses The UN

    364 votes

    At the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, 16-year-old Swedish student Greta Thunberg addressed the United Nations General Assembly in regard to an apparent apathy toward climate change. 

    Thunberg's speech rang true for many climate change activist around the globe. She inspired a worldwide walk out when she began hosting weekly sit-ins outside the Swedish Parliament with a "School Climate Strike" sign. By September, over 100 countries saw students, employees, and ordinary people join her in her protest.

  • Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' Remix Feat. Billy Ray Cyrus
    11

    Lil Nas X's 'Old Town Road' Remix Feat. Billy Ray Cyrus

    536 votes

    Lil Nas X released a remix of his song "Old Town Road" with Billy Ray Cyrus, and the country community was split on how to take the country-trap bop. We all got horses in the back now.

  • Joker stands alone in its interpretation of the clown prince of crime. It follows Arthur Fleck as he transforms from an outcast clown-for-hire and failed comedian into Gotham's most ardent nemesis. 

    Todd Phillips' adaptation, released October 4, broke the record for highest grossing R-rated film of all time with $788.1 million in worldwide ticket sales.

  • Between his unplanned road trip with fellow United Airlines passengers to his cameo in Netflix's Always Be My Maybe, Keanu Reeves has reemerged as one of 2019's biggest stars. 

  • Hurricane Dorian
    14

    Hurricane Dorian

    212 votes

    Hurricane Dorian struck the northern Bahamas during the first weekend in September and continued up through the East Coast from Florida to Canada. When Dorian hit the Bahamas, it was a Category 5 storm, the strongest storm to have ever touched down on the island. The storm officially claimed at least 45 victims by the time it settled in Canada. 

    Evacuees from the Bahamas landed in Nassau or Florida with nearly 70,000 people on the island without food or shelter.

  • The president announced October 27 that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was slain in a US raid. The president said removing the ISIS leader was "the top national security priority of [his] administration."

    No US personnel perished in the raid, but the president announced that casualties included two of Baghdadi's wives, who were wearing self-immolation vests, and three children the ISIS leader took with him in his attempt to find refuge in a tunnel.

  • US Women's Soccer Team Wins The World Cup
    16

    US Women's Soccer Team Wins The World Cup

    283 votes

    On July 7, the US women's soccer team defeated the Netherlands 2-0 and won the World Cup for the fourth year. 

  • US / China Trade War
    17

    US / China Trade War

    216 votes

    President Trump imposed tariffs on $250 billion of Chinese exports to the US in May. The president indicated that China would foot the bill, while American economic thinkers and organizations, including White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow, say US consumers will bear at least some of the financial burden as well.

  • The College Admissions Scandal
    18

    The College Admissions Scandal

    258 votes

    On March 12, Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin and other parents were arrested for allegedly bribing college officials and athletic heads to get their children into some of the country's most elite universities. The revelation sparked outrage and reignited the debate surrounding the exclusivity of higher education. 

  • The HBO cultural force went out with a whimper, leaving most fans disappointed, and even angry.

  • The final film in the latest Star Wars trilogy, The Rise of Skywalker, premiered December 20th. Rey practices her Jedi training as she faces the First Order as well as questions about her identity. 

  • Everyone Running for President in 2020
    21

    Everyone Running for President in 2020

    276 votes

    20+ Democrats are vying to challenge Trump, while William F. Weld is the only Republican challenger to date.

  • thank u, next
    22
    448 votes

    Pop superstar Ariana Grande made fans' year when she released thank u, next, her fifth studio album. The album came only six months after her album Sweetener - and just months after her very public breakup with SNL star Pete Davidson

  • Grounding Boeing 737 Max Airplanes
    23

    Grounding Boeing 737 Max Airplanes

    220 votes

    On March 10, Ethopian Airlines flight 302 crashed after takeoff, killing all 157 of its passengers. Less than six months prior, another Boeing 737 Max crashed and killed all 189 of its passengers. Countries and airlines quickly grounded the model

    On June 2, Boeing said some of its 737s, including the 737 Max airplane, might have faulty wing parts.

  • Bird Box
    24
    368 votes

    The 2018 Netflix film inspired countless 2019 memes and led to a social media challenge in which participants had to go about their regular days blindfolded. Even Netflix said, "Please do not hurt yourselves."

  • The Government Shutdown
    25

    The Government Shutdown

    283 votes

    A partial government shutdown spanned the last weeks of 2018, into 2019, the result of disagreements between President Trump and the Democratic Party over funding for a border wall.

  • Chernobyl
    26
    195 votes

    The five-part HBO miniseries about the Chernobyl disaster in Russia in 1986 exploded in June in both Russia and the US. Tourist rates spiked in the deserted city.

  • Lady Gaga And Bradley Cooper
    27

    Lady Gaga And Bradley Cooper

    268 votes

    Easily one of the best duos of 2019, Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper sparked romance rumors after their sultry performance at the Oscars. Lady Gaga has repeatedly stated that the two are simply working together, and the chemistry audiences see is exactly what they aimed for. 

  • Captain Marvel
    28

    Captain Marvel

    330 votes

    On March 8, Brie Larson made her MCU debut as Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel. The film made $450 million globally during its opening weekend.

  • The Bottle Cap Challenge
    29

    The Bottle Cap Challenge

    201 votes

    The bottle cap challenge saw social media users, celebrities, and even robots attempt to precisely unscrew a bottle cap using their foot or some other unexpected object. Taekwondo instructor Farabi Davletchin is said to have started the challenge by kicking the cap off a water bottle. Since then John Mayer, Mariah Carey, Jason Statham, and more have taken it upon themselves to attempt the challenge. 

  • Texas Border Facility Crisis
    30

    Texas Border Facility Crisis

    152 votes

    On June 21, The Associated Press (AP) reported on a Texas Border Patrol station holding hundreds of migrant children in unsafe conditions. According to the AP, "kids are taking care of kids, and there's inadequate food, water, and sanitation for the 250 infants, children, and teens."