Top 10 Viral Moments of 2025: A Year of Surprising Trends and Scandals

The year 2025 was a wild ride for the internet, with a mix of heartwarming moments and shocking scandals that captivated the world. From the simple charm of a flower-seller at the Maha Kumbh to the surreal world of AI-generated art, here are the top 10 viral moments that made headlines in 2025. #1: The Maha Kumbh Viral Sensation - Monalisa Bhonsle The Maha Kumbh 2025 in Prayagraj was a convergence of ancient tradition and modern digital culture, where social media platforms became a gateway to the world's largest religious gathering. Monalisa Bhonsle, a young garland seller from Indore, stole the hearts of the audience with her simple charm. The event took place from January 13 to February 26. #2: Taylor Swift's Engagement The news of Taylor Swift's engagement to Travis Kelce sent shockwaves across the globe, with fans and brands alike taking to social media to express their excitement. The singer announced her engagement on August 26, posting a cryptic message on Instagram. #3: The Labubu Craze The Labubu dolls, created by Hong Kong-based artist Kasing Lung, became a global phenomenon in 2025. The furry elf-like dolls were sold as collectible "blind box" toys, making Wang Ning, the CEO of Pop Mart, China's youngest billionaire. #4: The Coldplay Kiss Cam Scandal A kiss cam moment during a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts went viral, leading to a corporate scandal. Andy Byron, the then-CEO of Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company's former HR head, were caught embracing on the jumbotron. The fallout was immediate, with Byron resigning and Cabot stepping down after an internal investigation. #5: The '67 Slang The Gen Alpha slang "67" confused boomers and millennials, but Dictionary.com declared it the Word of 2025. The term, which means "so-so" or "maybe this, maybe that," was widely used and even banned at several schools. It often accompanied a hand gesture where both palms face up and move alternately up and down. #6: AI-Generated Art Takes Over The internet became obsessed with AI-generated image creation tools, including OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Nano Banana. The latter allowed users to transform photos into lifelike 3D miniatures, while ChatGPT enabled users to create artwork inspired by Studio Ghibli. #7: The Prashant Trend A humorous misinterpretation of "croissant" as "Prashant" led to a viral trend on social media, prompting people to create rib-tickling videos. Brands even joined in on the conversation, making it a global phenomenon. #8: The Louvre Museum Robbery A brazen daylight robbery at the Paris's iconic Louvre Museum shocked the world, with eight priceless royal artefacts stolen. A video of the moment went viral online, showing a suspect cutting through the display case while visitors casually walked around. #9: India's Got Latent Row A video of social media personalities interacting with a contestant on comedian Samay Raina's YouTube show India's Got Latent went viral, promoting social media outrage and leading to multiple FIRs across states. The controversy started over a question about parents and sex. #10: Cracker Barrel Logo Controversy The unveiling of a new logo by Cracker Barrel sparked a backlash, with US President Donald Trump joining others in criticising the change. The company later apologised, stating that it would scrap the new logo and bring back the old one.