ALBUMS
• Acid Rap: The second mix tape released by Chance the rapper was featured as the No. 1 mix tape of 2013 by Rolling Stone, calling Chance, "The strongest new voice in hip-hop."
• Nothing Was the Same: Drake’s third studio album has been nominated for the best rap album of 2013, featuring Jay-Z and Jhene Aiko on this 13-track wonder.
• Yeezus: Kanye proved himself in this album that is different from anything he has ever released. The tracks are beautifully dark and sometimes off putting which prove his ability and creativity as an artist.
BOOKS
• The Cuckoo’s Calling: Though originally well-received by critics, this detective novel was not overly popular until some interested critics did their own detective work, discovering that the author, listed as Robert Galbraith, was actually J.K. Rowling. Focusing on a war veteran investigating supposed suicides in London, it shot to No. 1 on nearly every best-sellers’ list mere hours after Rowling was outed as its author.
• The Goldfinch: After an 11-year break, Donna Tartt’s newest novel burst onto the scene, being named to the New York Times‘s list of Ten Best Books of 2013. After surviving a terrorist attack in a museum that leaves him without a mother, Theo Decker takes a painting by Carel Fabritius, which lends its name to the novel.
• Allegiant: The final edition of Veronica Roth’s Divergent trilogy found everyone from teens to adults rushing to the bookstore. The series, focusing on a dystopian society in which all must devote their lives to upholding one virtue — honesty, selflessness, bravery, peace, or intelligence — is being adapted into a movie to be released in March 2014.
FILMS
• Gravity: Revolutionary effects, Oscar-winning actors, and earth-rocking thrills made Gravity an instant hit among science-fiction and suspense fans alike … even if it made space seem a lot less fun than say, Star Trek: Into Darkness.
• 12 Years a Slave: A startling but ultimately powerful glimpse at American slavery, the film had a fairly quiet release at the box office, but it is sure to make a splash come award-season — and become a common presence in history classrooms.
• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: This year was full of memorable sequels, from Iron Man 3 to The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, but few were as highly anticipated and critically acclaimed as Jennifer Lawrence’s return to District 12 as the tenacious Katniss.
POP CULTURE MOMENTS
• Miley Cyrus at the VMAs: Miley reinvented herself in this past year, transforming from a young teen to a full-fledged adult, and she made sure everyone knew when she released an album in October. With the release came a slew of appearances and performances, including the moment she infamously twerked on Robin Thicke at the VMAs.
• North West: Kanye West and Kim Kardashian welcomed their first child into the world, North West. The baby was unveiled on Kris Jenner’s talk show and from then on, America was fascinated with everything this power couple did.
• Breaking Bad Series Finale: Vince Gilligan’s maniacal, twisted, but brilliant television show was the most talked about media event of 2013. The show saw its end this past fall and captured audience’s attention everywhere. The show’s protagonist, Walter White, became a hot Halloween costume, and the show’s other main character, Jesse Pinkman, won over the hearts of every fan.
YOUTUBE VIDEOS
• "The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)": A music video that made its way into just about every corner of the Internet, "What Does the Fox Say?" is bizarrely charming and without a doubt the voice of YouTube 2013.
• "How Animals Eat Their Food": A video in which a man demonstrates to a less than interested friend how various animals eat. A simple concept combined with perfect timing makes this a hilarious video easy for anyone to enjoy.
• "I Knew You Were Trouble, Goat Edition": A video from early 2013, a goat is portrayed "singing" a shouted line in a Taylor Swift song. The video led to a number of other songs receiving their very own "Goat Editions."
