It’s that time of year when I channel my renowned psychic abilities into predicting the future of pop culture. I’m locked in. I’m staring at my metaphorical crystal ball. I’m invoking my depth of sociological and PR knowledge. What else is a chronically online woman to do during the fake week in between Christmas and New Year’s?

In 2025, there was basically never a dull moment in pop culture. This year brought us some extremely unexpected romances (JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes, Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau), some psychosis-inducing television events (Love Island USA, The Summer I Turned Pretty, Heated Rivalry), and some iconic meme-birthing moments that will live on in the history books (“It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business,” “MM flip it around Wicked Witch”). Between the rigorous TV schedule and the endless TikTok discourses and edits, we’re all exhausted, but fulfilled.

What’s in store for 2026, you ask? Well, I’ve been hard at work crafting the world’s most accurate 2026 pop culture predictions list to answer that very question. I’m sure all of these will come true, but we’ll have to check back in this time next year. (Don’t mind me wishing for the Trisha Paytas one every time it’s 11:11.)

2026 Pop Culture Predictions

• Olivia Dean wins Best New Artist at the Grammys
• JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes engaged
• Super awkward High School Musical 20-Year reunion special, some cast members missing
• Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce make their red carpet debut
• Taylor Swift drops (several versions of) a 20th anniversary edition of debut with Miley Cyrus and Selena Gomez features
• Nicki Minaj disastrous Joe Rogan appearance
• Olivia Rodrigo hair transformation and new album
• Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s The Drama is gonna be a huge cultural moment kind of like Challengers was
• Euphoria season 3 is a flop
• Trisha Paytas is finally on Dancing with the Stars and partners with Ezra Sosa
• Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie host an award show, do a bunch of ads together, are literally everywhere
• Deadline announces that someone’s making (essentially) a lesbian Heated Rivalry
• There’s some kind of new version of Glee (even if it’s called something else) with a guest appearance by Lea Michele
• Sabrina Carpenter appears in Adults season 2 and generally takes on more acting roles
• Chappell Roan acting debut in a lesbian movie or TV show
• Taylor Frankie Paul ends up alone on The Bachelorette OR breaks up with the winner within a month
• Quinn (the audio erotica app) becomes very mainstream, a bunch of A-listers involved
• Lily Allen announces a West End Girl jukebox musical, opens in the West End (duh)
• Instagram face out, natural/individual beauty back in
• Cynthia Erivo makes a surprise appearance or two at Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine tour
• Rob Raush wins The Traitors
• Alix Earle gets a Broadway dance role
• More Sydney Sweeney scandals