If cinema was fighting for survival, television was drowning in abundance. 2021 saw the release of 559 original scripted series—a number that is physically impossible to consume fully.

2021 proved that weekly releases, not binges, drive conversation. Mare of Easttown (HBO) turned Kate Winslet’s Philly accent and a sad detective into a national obsession. Succession (Season 3) gave us "L to the OG" and the infamous "boar on the floor" scene. Even Dexter: New Blood revived a dead franchise for a limited series, proving that no IP is truly off limits.

After a year-long hiatus, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) returned with a vengeance. WandaVision (January) kicked off the year by proving that a surreal sitcom homage could be the watercooler show of the moment. It set the template for 2021’s media landscape: weekly theorizing, meme generation, and deep-cut analysis.

On the film side, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (September) proved that exclusive theatrical windows could still work, grossing over $430 million worldwide. But the true titan was Spider-Man: No Way Home (December). The film was not merely a movie; it was a nostalgia-driven event that broke pandemic box office records by weaponizing multiverse theory and decades of fan loyalty. It cemented 2021 as the year nostalgia became the primary engine of popular media.

In music, 2021 was defined by the lack of new blockbuster tours (due to rolling lockdowns) and the rise of the "catalog sale." Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, and Paul Simon sold their life’s work to Sony and Hipgnosis for hundreds of millions of dollars. This signaled that in popular media, the asset wasn't the next hit—it was the last hit.

Musically, Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour became the definitive Gen Z breakup album, blending pop-punk nostalgia for millennial parents and authentic angst for teens. Meanwhile, Adele’s 30 arrived to command the adult contemporary audience, proving that in a fractured media landscape, there are still a few unifying superstars left.

2021 was a vibrant year for music, with artists across genres releasing hit albums and singles.