Music
Which artist broke records in 2023 by becoming the first person to have 12 songs simultaneously in Billboard Hot 100's top 40 with their album "Midnights"?
Taylor Swift
Which animated Spider-Man movie released in 2023 featured Miles Morales traveling through multiple dimensions?
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was the hit animated sequel that followed Miles Morales as he teamed up with other Spider-People to face a new threat across the multiverse.
What massively popular horror survival game featuring animatronic characters and jump scares released its first movie adaptation in 2023?
Five Nights at Freddy's, which became one of the most successful video game movies ever, earning over $250 million worldwide.
Who won the 2023 Super Bowl in February when the Kansas City Chiefs played the Philadelphia Eagles?
The Kansas City Chiefs won 38-35, with Patrick Mahomes leading a fourth-quarter comeback.
Which food item became a massive TikTok sensation in 2023, with users waiting in long lines to try it at Costco?
The Costco Chicken Pesto Sandwich became a viral sensation after TikTok creator Keith Lee reviewed it, leading to hours-long lines at Costco food courts across the US.
What genre of music saw a major revival among Gen Z listeners in 2023, leading to increased vinyl sales and a new wave of artists incorporating its sound?
Traditional folk music, particularly sea shanties and acoustic folk
What actress played Barbie in Greta Gerwig's blockbuster 2023 film "Barbie"?
Margot Robbie starred as Barbie alongside Ryan Gosling as Ken in the film that became one of the highest-grossing movies of 2023.
Which beloved Nintendo character celebrated their 35th anniversary in 2023 and starred in a hit animated movie featuring Chris Pratt as the voice actor?
Mario, who first appeared in Super Mario Bros. in 1985 and starred in The Super Mario Bros. Movie in 2023.
Which NBA star broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record in February 2023?
LeBron James broke the record, surpassing Kareem's 38,387 points during a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
What dance trend popularized on TikTok was inspired by Wednesday Addams and set to Lady Gaga's "Bloody Mary"?
The "Wednesday Dance" trend, inspired by Jenna Ortega's dance scene in the Netflix series "Wednesday," went viral with millions recreating her unique choreography.
Which music streaming service made headlines in 2023 by changing its royalty payment system to only pay artists for songs with at least 1,000 annual streams, and what was the main reason given?
Spotify; to combat artificial streaming and better support working musicians
The third Guardians of the Galaxy movie marked the final appearance of which beloved talking character voiced by Bradley Cooper?
Rocket Raccoon had his emotional backstory revealed and played a central role in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which was the character's final appearance in the MCU.
In 2023, which controversial change did Riot Games implement in professional League of Legends tournaments regarding player communications during matches?
Riot Games allowed players to communicate verbally with their teammates during competitive matches for the first time, ending the long-standing rule of chat-only communication during professional games.
Which Spanish teenage soccer sensation joined Real Madrid in 2023 and became the youngest player to win the Golden Boy award?
Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund and quickly became one of soccer's biggest stars at age 19.
Which two social media platforms launched direct competitors to Twitter/X in 2023?
Meta launched Threads and Bluesky opened to the public as alternatives to Twitter/X, with Threads gaining over 30 million sign-ups within its first day.
Which Latin artist's 2023 collaboration album featured songs in Spanish, English, and Japanese, breaking streaming records and highlighting the growing globalization of pop music?
Bad Bunny, with his album "Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana"
Which two famous actresses played Regina George's mother and daughter in the 2024 "Mean Girls" musical movie, connecting three generations of the franchise?
Lindsay Lohan had a cameo as a moderator while Avantika played Regina George, with Reneé Rapp playing young Regina and Tina Fey returning as Ms. Norbury.
What groundbreaking 1993 PC game is credited with popularizing the First-Person Shooter (FPS) genre and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023?
DOOM, developed by id Software, which introduced many innovations that became standard in FPS games and helped establish the genre's popularity.
In 2023, which MLB superstar became the first player to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a season while maintaining a .300 batting average?
Ronald Acuña Jr. of the Atlanta Braves achieved this historic "40-40-300" season.
Which TikTok creator became known as "Girl Math" originator, starting a viral trend of explaining questionable financial logic?
Samantha Jane helped popularize "Girl Math" with videos explaining concepts like "if you pay cash it's free" and "if you return something, that money doesn't count as spending," leading to numerous spin-off trends.
What significant change occurred in music production technology in 2023 that sparked debate about artificial intelligence in the industry, after an AI-generated song seemingly featuring Drake and The Weeknd went viral?
The rise of AI voice cloning technology in music production, leading to new copyright discussions and platform policies about AI-generated content
In 2023's "Oppenheimer," what innovative filming technique did Christopher Nolan use to create the Trinity Test explosion without relying on CGI effects?
Nolan used a combination of practical effects, including IMAX cameras and specialized lighting techniques, to recreate the nuclear explosion through real photographic elements rather than computer graphics.
The 2023 game Baldur's Gate 3 is based on which edition of Dungeons & Dragons rules, and what critically acclaimed studio developed both this game and the Divinity: Original Sin series?
Baldur's Gate 3 uses D&D 5th Edition rules and was developed by Larian Studios, who previously created Divinity: Original Sin and its sequel.
The U.S. Women's National Soccer Team was eliminated from the 2023 World Cup in the Round of 16. Which team knocked them out in penalty kicks?
Sweden eliminated the USWNT in penalties (5-4), marking the earliest World Cup exit ever for the U.S. women's team.
What is "de-influencing," and which TikTok creator is credited with starting this anti-consumerist trend in early 2023?
"De-influencing" was popularized by creator Paige Pritchard, who began making videos telling followers which trending products weren't worth buying, sparking a larger movement of creators being more critical about product recommendations and overconsumption.