The Top 10 Memes of 2020

The year was tough but at least we got some laughs.

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  • Cover photo via Ocean Spray.

Memes have been a constant in the Internet culture for years now, but 2020 was perhaps when we most looked after them for some instant relief and distraction from a chaotic period. With many of us isolated at home and most entertainment options and venues shut down for months, social media became the main place where we could share our frustrations, anxieties, jokes, and imagination with others – all of which ended up being translated into easily shareable and relatable posts. From cakes to TikTok challenges, here are some of our top memes from this past year. 

Bong Joon-ho’s Oscars

Ah, February. The world still wasn’t (officially) living a pandemic and awards ceremonies were still a thing. South Korean director Bong Joon-ho made history at the 2020 Academy Awards taking home the Oscars for Best Original Screenplay, Best Director, and Best Picture for the film “Parasite.” And also presented us with an incredible set of meme-able photos.

Gal Gadot’s “Imagine”

Via Instagram/@gal_gadot.

The beginning of quarantine no doubt left all of us scared and confused. In an attempt to lift everyone’s spirits, Gal Gadot assembled a team of A-listers to… sing John Lennon’s “Imagine.” Let’s just say it didn’t exactly have the result they probably had anticipated.

How the Email Found Me 

“Hope this email finds you well” became the ultimate early quarantine tagline. But even though the sender’s intentions were probably good, who could say they were actually well this year?

Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams”

@420doggface208

Morning vibe #420souljahz #ec #feelinggood #h2o #cloud9 #happyhippie #worldpeace #king #peaceup #merch tacos #waterislife #high #morning #710 #cloud9

♬ Dreams (2004 Remaster) – Fleetwood Mac

Perhaps the most wholesome meme of 2020 was this TikTok of Nathan Apodaca, a.k.a. @420doggface208, cruising on his longboard while he drinks some cranberry juice and lip-syncs to Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit “Dreams.” After the video went viral, some of the band’s members posted their own versions and the song even re-entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

Everything is Cake

That soap bar? Cake. The vase? Cake. Those Crocs? Cake. In 2020, the everything-shaped cake phenomenon took over social media – props to the talented artists behind the confections. 

#WAPChallenge

Back in August, Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion teamed up to deliver the iconic single we came to know as “WAP.” It prompted weird discussions, criticism, and, of course, plenty of memes. 

How It Started vs. How It’s Going

Nostalgia provided a nice place of comfort this year, and many people decided to look back on their path to becoming who they are today. 

Dear Men, What is Preventing You…

After a Twitter user’s post demanding what was preventing men from having ripped abs went viral, others decided to pose the same question alongside their own funny, unrealistic expectations. What is preventing men from looking like this? 

Sad Will Smith

In July, Jada Pinkett Smith brought herself and Will Smith to her Facebook show “Red Table Talk” for an open conversation about a certain relationship – or “entanglement” – of hers while the two were apart in 2015. The couple has seemingly moved on from the episode and now calls each other “life partners” – but Will’s sad face became an instant meme nonetheless. 

#BlackLivesMatter

Not exactly a meme in the “traditional” sense, but social media became an even stronger tool in promoting activism and educating users on social movements, especially as Black Lives Matter demonstrations took over streets around the world. (But let’s not jam the #BLM page with black squares, okay?)

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