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Year in Review 2023-2024

Year in Review 2023-2024
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Year-In-Review-2023-2024Download

These Year in Review blurbs were used to create “Year in Review” pages that our customers could add to their yearbooks. Most of our clients design yearbooks for elementary schools, so our focus was to encapsulate the previous year while remaining as factual and unbiased as possible.

Pop Culture

Who Runs the World?

Beyoncé returned to the stage for her first solo tour in seven years during the summer of 2023. The Renaissance World Tour featured her album which debuted in 2022, Renaissance Pt. 1, was performed at 56 shows around the world, grossing over $570 million dollars, and selling over 2.8 million tickets. She went on to produce a film, capturing the process of orchestrating the tour, and highlighting the 2-hour performance Beyoncé gave in 39 cities. The film grossed over $21 million in the first week of its debut in December. At the 2024 Grammys, Beyoncé’s album won Best Dance/Electronic album, still holding her title as the most awarded artist in Grammy history.

Disney turns 100!

Disney is a centennial! The anniversary came in October of 2023, marking 100 years since the Walt Disney Company was founded. The company celebrated throughout 2023, adding special events and shows at its theme parks and resorts around the world.

Musk Bids “Adieu to the Bird”

Twitter has gone through numerous changes since the notable change in ownership when Elon Musk purchased the social network site for $X dollars in 2022. One of, if not the, most notable changes came in July 2023 when Elon Musk decided to rebrand the renowned app from “Twitter” to “X.” Musk bid adieu to the iconic bird logo, explaining that the old name no longer fits the app’s purpose in being an “everything app.”  

The Beatles’ Last Song

50 years after breaking up, and with only 2 surviving members of the world-renowned quartet, The Beatles released a new song “Now and Then” with the help of Artificial Intelligence. John Lennon wrote and recorded a demo shortly before his death, but it didn’t reach the other Beatles until years after his death when Yoko Ono sent McCartney the tape. Finally, in 2024, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr were able to add new vocal tracks on top of the original sounds of Lennon, enhanced with the help of Artificial Intelligence.

Movie Theater Resurgence 

Since 2020, movie theaters have seen a massive drop in attendance, but they are slowly making their comeback. The summer blockbuster season of 2023 brought back new hope. Notable movies like Barbie and Oppenheimer had some of the biggest box office weekends domestically and worldwide of the entire year. Many other projects like Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and The Little Mermaid grossed millions of dollars when they were released. Theaters are still striving to reach pre-pandemic sales numbers, but this is a promising milestone in the long-term recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Awards Season

  • Elton John achieved EGOT status after his final show Elton John Live: Farewell From Dodger Stadium won for Outstanding Variety Special (live).  
  • Ali Wong became the first Asian American woman to win for lead acting role in ANY category
  • Quinta Brunson wins Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Janine Teagues in Abbott Elementary
  • Ayo Edebiri wins Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role as Sydney Adamu in The Bear
  • Quinta and Ayo being the first Black women to win in their categories (Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series) in the same year!
  • Succession had 27 nominations and brought home 6 awards

The 66th GRAMMY Awards

  • Album of the Year: Midnights by Taylor Swift
  • Record of the Year: “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus, her first Grammy win
  • Song of the Year: “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish
  • Best New Artist: Victoria Monét

Golden Globes – Jan. 7, 2024

-“Beef” (limited series awards) (Wong, playing Amy Lau, became the first Asian actor to win the Golden Globe for best female actor in a limited series.) – 

-Barbie (Cinematic and Box Office Achievement) – 

-Christopher Nolan won (Best Director – “Oppenheimer”) 

-Lily Gladstone wins Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for her work in “Killers of a Flower Moon” – she is the first Indigenous person to ever be nominated in this category

2023 (Taylor’s Version)

After record-breaking presales, Taylor Swift kicked off her 2023 sold-out tour in March, performing her 3-hour show in Glendale, Arizona which temporarily renamed itself to “Swift City” during her visit. Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour captivated Swifties, and is planned to continue until the end of 2024. The Eras Tour broke the record for the highest-grossing musical tour ever, surpassing $1 billion in revenue. She ended 2023 by releasing the “The Eras Tour Concert Film,” in October, breaking more records for single-day ticket sales for AMC.

Swift also continued to top the charts with her new and re-recorded tracks which allowed Swift to regain control of her masters. Swift’s music was streamed more than 26 billion times on Spotify in 2023, making her Spotify’s top global artist of the year. Swift consistently made headlines throughout the year, stirring up conversation over her professional and personal life. Even her new relationship with Kansas City Chiefs Tight End Travis Kelce made headlines and continued to be a highlight in reports on both Swift and Kelce’s respective achievements. She also dominated award season, most notably winning her fourth Album of the Year Grammy for “Midnights,” in 2024.

Sports

Biles is Back!

In the end of 2023, Simone Biles made her comeback to competitive gymnastics in the World Championships in Belgium. Almost two years prior, during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Biles could only compete in one competition due to a mental block which inhibited her ability to safely compete. Biles came back as strong as ever, becoming the first woman to land the Yurchenko double pike vault at an international competition. Following her historic return to competition, Simone Biles confirmed her desire to compete in the 2024 Olympics.

Shiffrin for the Win

Michaela Shiffrin finished 2023 by winning a slalom race by a whopping 2.34 seconds, securing her 93rd career victory. It was the seventh-biggest winning margin in a woman’s World Cup slalom ever. Shiffrin now holds the most World Cup wins of any skier in history.

Damar Hamlin Returns to the Field

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin nearly lost his life after a hit sent him into cardiac arrest and he had to be resuscitated during a game in January 2023. Hamlin’s heart stopped on the field, and he was left in critical condition following the incident, but by October he made his return. His first regular-season game was triumphant, winning 48-20 against the Miami Dolphins.

Winners of Major Sports Leagues:

Super Bowl 2024 – Kansas City Chiefs won the 2024 Super Bowl 25-22 against the San Francisco 49ers. This is the first time an NFL team has won consecutively in 19 seasons. Now, the Chiefs have won three titles in the last five years.  

WNBA – The Last Vegas Aces beat the New York Liberty 70-69, winning the WNBA Finals and becoming the first team in over 20 years to do so.  

NBA – The Denver Nuggets Are the 2023 Champions

NHL – Las Vegas Golden Knights won their first Stanley Cup with a 9-3 victory against the Florida Panthers. 

2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup Winner – Spain, won 1-0 against England for their first title  

PGA Tournament winner 2023 – Brooks Koepka wins the 2023 PGA Championship

News/Politics

Israel-Hamas War

In October 2023, the deadliest period of violence in the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict began. On October 7, a Palestinian militant group called Hamas “stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip into nearby Israeli towns,” according to AP News, killing, injuring and kidnapping hundreds of civilians. Then in a televised address, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on Hamas, promising retaliation for the hundreds killed in the attack. The retaliation involved airstrikes on Gaza. Over 25,000 people have died in the ensuing conflict, and almost 2 million civilians have been displaced trying to escape the violence.

George Santos Removed from Congress

In December 2023, Republican Rep. George Santos was expelled following a House Ethics Committee Report which found “overwhelming evidence” that Santos broke the law and exploited his public position for his own profit. The report accused Santos of defrauding political supporters in his 2023 campaign, and alleged that he used campaign funds for his personal benefit, including cash withdrawals and personal purchases. Santos had been engrossed in scandals starting before he was even sworn in when the New York Times exposed him for fabricating details on his resume like previous work experience, education and even his heritage.

Summer of Strikes

Many union contracts were up for negotiation in 2023 and, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 450,000 workers were involved in major work stoppages throughout the year. Unions participated in strikes across many different industries – from the automotive industry to Hollywood to public school teachers.

Unprecedented Presidential History

In 2023, Former President Donald J. Trump became the first president in United States History to be indicted on criminal charges. As of February 2024, he has four impending court cases, two of which have yet to set a trial date. Trump has pleaded not guilty in each case and has continued with his bid for the 2024 Presidential Election.

King Charles’ Health 

In February 2024, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer. It’s an unprecedented announcement from the palace, which has historically kept the health of their monarchs extremely private. The announcement did not include many details about the King’s diagnosis, or when he will resume his public-facing duties, but ended by saying that King Charles III remains optimistic about his treatment.

2024 Elections

In 2024, the 47th President of the United States will be elected. In addition, 33 Senate seats and 435 House seats are up for election on November 5, 2024. These elections will affect the partisan balance in the U.S. Congress and the White House. For California, one of our senate seats will be decided in a special election; it will fill the rest of the Senator Dianne Feinstein’s six-year term that she held when she died in September 2023.

The Economy

In June 2022, inflation peaked at 9.1%, and since then the Federal Reserve has increased interest rates to slow inflation. Throughout 2023, inflation generally lowered, dropping by 3.1 percentage points from December 2022 to December 2023, according to the White House.

Deep Sea Excursion Ends in Tragedy 

In June 2023, a submersible diving 13,000 feet to view the Titanic on the ocean floor went missing. Speculation about what happened to the submersible, and the five passengers onboard, captured national attention as a five-day multinational search effort raced to find them before the submersible was set to run out of breathable air. The search ended tragically when authorities found debris consistent with “a catastrophic implosion.”  

Terrifying Take Off

In January 2024, Alaska Airlines made national news when part of the cabin flew off 20 minutes into the flight. All seats were filled except, miraculously, for the one next to the panel that detached from the plane. The flight immediately made an emergency landing, and all passengers survived. Alaska Airlines and United Airlines then canceled flights on other planes of the same model, and the Federal Aviation Administration announced it would investigate.

Weather & Science

Wildfires

Catastrophic wildfires affected thousands of people throughout North America in 2023. Particularly devastating wildfires broke records in Canada and Maui throughout the end of summer. In Canada, more than 45 million acres burned, surpassing the previous record set in 1989 by an additional 28.2 million acres lost. In Maui, the deadliest wildfire in the United States in the last 100 years destroyed the historic city of Lāhainā.

The Hottest Summer on Record

Summer of 2023 was the Earth’s hottest recorded summer since 1880. Especially hot weather affected the entire world, worsening wildfires like in Maui and Canada. Ocean temperatures also reached record levels at the end of summer, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The record-setting temperatures continue a long-term trend of warming primarily caused by human-driven greenhouse gas emissions.

Artificial Intelligence

Throughout 2023, Artificial Intelligence has made headlines. It has seemingly endless applications, but there is also a strong apprehension for the rapidly developing technology. Generative natural language interfaces, or chatboats, like ChatGPT became widely used and were integrated into many industries. Generative AI tools can create convincing images, videos, audio, and text, faster than people which is extremely useful, but it also increases potential for spreading misinformation.

Chandrayaan-3 Lands on the Moon!

In August 2023, led by the Indian Space Research Organization, India became the fourth nation to successfully land on the moon, and the first to land in the south pole region. The ISRO mission, the Chandrayaan-3, landed there because scientists believe that large deposits of frozen water are contained in craters on the Moon’s surface. This success positions India as the current leader in the exploration of frozen water on the Moon.

Snapshot

-Top 5 movies of 2023 (worldwide box office) 

1. Barbie – $1.45 Billion

2. Super Mario Bros – $1.36 Billion

3. Oppenheimer $957 Million 

4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 $845 Million

5. Fast X – $704 Million

-New movies expected to come out in 2024 

Dune – March 2024, Kung Fu Panda 4 – March 2024, Garfield – May 2024, Inside Out 2 – June 2024, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – September 2024

-Biggest social media platform and the biggest influencer from that platform – Facebook (forbes/statista) runner up is YouTube (forbes/statista)

-Top Influencers of 2023 

Social media trends

Trends

1) Roman empire trend

2) Moon phase trend

3) AI yearbook trend

4) Instagram notes number trend

5) Fruit Roll-Ups trend

6) Grimace shake trend

7) Girl dinner trend

8) Red boots trend

9) Dupe trend

10) NPC trend

-Top video games

  1. Zelda Breath of the Wild 
  2. Baldur’s Gate 3
  3. Alan Wake II

–Video Game to HBO Series 

The Last of Us – HBO adaptation of the video game https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/the-last-of-us-video-game-adaptation-gameplay-craig-mazin-neil-druckmann-1235489584/

-Top google searches of 2023 https://trends.google.com/trends/yis/2023/US/ 

Top Google Searches of 2023

People – 1) Damar Hamlin

News – 1) War in Israel and Gaza

Movie – 1) Barbie

Recipe – 1) Grimace Shake

-Books – top YA fiction 2023

  1. Albertalli, Becky. Imogen, Obviously.  
  2. Arnold, Elana K. The Blood Years.
  3. Baker, Kylie Lee. The Scarlet Alchemist.  

Spotify wrapped –  2023 

Most Played songs – 

1 – “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus

2 – “Kill Bill” by Sza

3 – “As It Was” by Harry Styles

-Minimum Wage – https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/minimumwage

Federal – $7.25 / hour – Highest minimum wage – $17 in the District of Columbia 

lowest – $5.15 GA basic minimum wage

-Median House Prices and Monthly Mortgage Payment 2024 

CA is the 2nd most expensive state for House Prices and Monthly Mortgage Payments — $743,362 – average monthly mortgage – $4,442

Postage Stamp 2024 – $0.68

Gallon of Gas: National Average price for 1 gallon of regular unleaded gasoline – $3.26

in CA average – $4.63

Pound of ground beef – $5.21  

12 eggs – peak in January 2023 – $4.82, but fell to $2.50 in December  

Fashion trends: 

Best Selling Shoes of 2023 – 

  • Nike Dunk Low Retro White Black Panda – retails $115 
  • Nike Air Force 1 Low ‘07 White – retail $115 
  • Adidas Yeezy Slide Onyx – retail $60