2024 has been a whirlwind of a year including events involving sports, politics, music, pop culture, and cinema. Taking a time-capsule of this year is a good way to remember all that happened, and it is also an effective way to move into the new year.
January
On January 6th, the federal prosecution of former president Donald Trump began. This would be one of many investigations conducted against him throughout the year.
Google was hot in the press on January 16th after laying off hundreds of employees to invest in the rapidly growing area of artificial intelligence.
Another hot topic in January was the release of the Mean Girls movie. This remake was adored by many, starring popular actress Renee Rapp. Similar to last year’s success of Barbie, fans showed up to the movie theater in their favorite pink apparel.
February
February was a month full of celebratory events and appreciation, as we honored Black History Month.
On February 4th, the month kicked off with the Grammy awards. Taylor Swift won her 13th grammy and honored the event by announcing a new album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” Other winners included Miley Cyrus, Boygenius, SZA, and others.
The biggest event in February by far was the Super Bowl. The San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs faced off, and it ended in a win for the Chiefs. Usher headlined the halftime show with other artists, such as Alicia Keys, H.E.R, Ludacris, Lil John, and Will.i.am.
March
March began Women’s History Month. On March 4th, women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark became the all time leading scorer in NCAA basketball. This event furthered her massive career.
A catalog of albums were released this month including Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine, Kacey Musgraves’ Deeper Well, Adrianne Lenker’s Bright Future, Tyla’s self titled album, and Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter.
At the end of March, a tragedy struck Baltimore. On March 26th, the Baltimore Bridge was hit by an out of control cargo ship and collapsed, killing six construction workers and causing catastrophic damage to the bridge and port. The bridge is still under construction and is set to be finished in 2028.
April
In April, we had the biggest solar event in the past decade. On the eighth, we had a Total Solar Eclipse. This rare event only happens once every couple of hundred years.
Following the many music releases in March, April also brought us plenty of new albums such as Lizzy McAlpine’s Older, Conan Gray’s Found Heaven, Taylor Swift’s Tortured Poets Department. Child youtuber and dancer turned pop singer JoJo Siwa also released her single, Karma.
May
The Met Gala carried the weight of pop culture events in May. Famous guests showed up representing the Sleeping Beauty theme. Another event that was highly talked about was Billie Eilish’s third studio album, Hit Me Hard and Soft, which has now been nominated for Album of The Year.
On May 30th, former president Donald Trump was officially convicted of 34 felonies.
June
June was a vibrant month, celebrating Pride Month and Juneteenth. Another colorful addition to the month was the beginning of “Brat Summer.” Musical artist Charli XCX released her new album, BRAT, on June 7th. This electronic-pop album sent pop culture into a craze. The album created a massive new statement for pop music and has been nominated for nine grammys.
The main event of the summer was the Paris Olympics. The opening ceremony, on the 26th, kicked off the summer season with amazing performances and a shocking show from Celine Dion.
July
On July 21, President Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy for president and endorsed Kamala Harris as candidate.
August
August 11th marked the end of the Olympics. Many star athletes continued their fame through social media, including women’s rugby player Ilhona Malher, “Pommel Horse guy” Stephen Nedoroscik, and the break dancer Raygun.
There were also a multitude of musical events that occurred this August. Sabrina Carpenter announced her new album, Short n’ Sweet, while Oasis announced their reunion.
September
September celebrated National Hispanic Heritage Month. On the 26th, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a category four storm.
Throughout the year, musical artist Chappell Roan has increased in popularity with the release of her debut album, Rise and Fall of the Midwest Princess. September marked the one year anniversary of the album’s initial release, but her fame grew exponentially this year.
October
October 1st marked the second presidential debate. With only a month until the election, candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump debated current issues.
October was a big month for new music. Coldplay released their 10th studio album, Charli XCX released a BRAT remix (deluxe) album, and Tyler, The Creator released his much anticipated album, Chromakopia.
A month after Helene made landfall, Hurricane Milton formed. Milton had a terrifying upbringing and was predicted to hit as a category five storm. Milton was the strongest hurricane of 2024.
November
November was a crazy month overall. The release of the movie Wicked with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo took total control of the theaters, selling out all over the U.S. on its release weekend.
Arguably one of the most important events of the whole year was the election. On November 5th, Donald Trump became president elect.
December
December brought us another amazing Holiday Showcase and the longest Holiday Break we’ve ever had.
Happy New year Salem. We’ll see you in 2025!
