As 2024 approaches its conclusion, we have prepared a list of this year’s most viral internet memes. It’s been a fantastic year filled with memorable trends, including celebrity moments, new movie launches, and award-season buzz. Notably, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, and Timothée Chalamet sparked plenty of chatter and playful jabs from online users after their Golden Globes appearances. Dive into the details below!
Celebrities at the Golden Globes
Award season could easily be deemed one of the most talked-about times of the year in Hollywood. The 2024 Golden Globes delivered several meme-worthy moments, but one that stood out was Selena Gomez whispering something to Taylor Swift, followed by Taylor’s surprised reaction.
According to lip readers, the Same Old Love singer was gossiping about Kylie Jenner, who was Timothée Chalamet’s plus-one that evening. The moment quickly became a template for hilarious memes. “Selena telling Taylor the Chiefs playoff game is on Peacock,” one X user captioned the scene. Another meme read, “Incredible to see the moment Selena Gomez broke the news to Taylor Swift that AFCB came from 2-0 down to win their FA Cup tie against QPR.”
Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part 2 was one of the biggest movies of 2024 and provided tons of memes for fans to bond over—most memorably, the Lisan al Gaib jokes. In the Dune universe, there’s a prophecy that Paul Atreides, aka Lisan al Gaib (Timothée Chalamet), is a long-promised savior destined to come to the aid of the Fremen community on Arrakis.
The internet turned this prophecy into a hilarious meme. The joke was that no matter what Paul Atreides did, Stilgar—who was the main believer in the prophecy—was always there to hype him up.
Joe Biden
Joe Biden stepped out of this year’s Presidential race to everyone’s shock. However, more than his political moves, the internet made a meme out of the ex-president’s demeanor during his recent visit to Brazil. Biden flew to the country to sign an International Conservation Day proclamation to protect the Amazon Rainforest from climate change.
He addressed the press while the reporters huddled together on a tiny path in front of him in the middle of a forest. After delivering his speech Biden left the tiny podium, turned around and seemingly disappeared in the forest. “me on my way to see wicked,” an X user quoted the hilarious meme at the time.
Timothée Chalamet As Bob Dylan
Timothée Chalamet transformed into legendary musician Bob Dylan for James Mangold’s biopic A Complete Unknown and the actor’s pictures from the set went viral on the internet. People compared Chalamet’s look — a brown jacket, blue jeans, and a hat — to other memorable characters from pop culture. Keira Knightley in Love Actually, Kelsi Nielson in High School Musical, and Joe Jonas from Camp Rock were some of the hilarious parallels.
Madame Web
Probably the worst movie of Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney this year! The Sony Spider-Man Universe film Madame Web did not make any buzz upon its release but later became famous for how bad the film was in terms of writing, emotional connection, predictable plot, and rotten audience rating score.
But the bottom line is that it will forever be a part of pop culture for all the wrong reasons and the memes it created. Netizens were quick to poke fun at the film, one X user wrote, “Madame Web is hilarious because they treat the birth of Peter Parker like it’s the birth of Jesus.”
But the rest of the story is about Jesus’s uncle’s co-workers having a bad day. “A life of Brian without the jokes,” he added. “Sometimes I go to Madame Web shrine, light a candle, and make a wish,” another user joked.
Adorable Moo Deng
There was a time on the internet this year when everyone was gushing over a baby pygmy hippo who was later identified as Moo Deng of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand. The adorable and naughty tiny hippo won over people’s hearts and created several memes in the aftermath.
“Moo Deng is a lifestyle icon and I need all of yall to get on board. Inexplicably moist at all times, slightly blurry in most photos, probably screaming or sleeping and round” one X user quipped.
Olympic Pistol Shooters
At the 2024 Olympics, Turkey’s Yusuf Dikeç pistol shooting performance became a meme-worthy moment because of his nonchalant demeanor at the national sporting event. While everyone showed up for the event wearing eye gear for better focus, Dikeç stormed in wearing casual clothes and no eye gear except his regular specs. He ended up earning a silver medal in the Team 10-metre air pistol competition at the Summer Olympics.
Very Demure, Very Mindful
TikTokker Jools LeBron had the world use the word “demure” after her video about maintaining a workplace demeanor went viral. Trans beauty influencer posted a video explaining how she did her make-up for work and advised listeners to keep it simple, avoid looking like a “clown” and finally to be “very demure, very mindful.”
The TikTok blew all over the internet and the White House hopped on to the trend, making it one of the biggest memes of the year.
Brother Ewww, What’s That?
“Ew! Brother, ew! What’s that? What’s that, brother?” went viral in 2024. The original video showed a Muslim man expressing his disgust towards his brother while he was lecturing a crowd in a YouTube video titled Are You a Man?! Very Powerful Speech! When the audio went viral on TikTok it was used by people in a hilarious context.
Tinashe Matches Freaks
Remember when Tinashe’s hit song Nasty was trending all over the internet and everyone were ‘matching their freaks’? Netizens couldn’t help but create memes and edits based on the lyrics. “Is somebody gonna match my freak? could be the existential question of our time,” a user wrote on X. “And i couldn’t help but wonder… is somebody gonna match my freak?” another wrote.
