"Rapid intensification" in weather terms denotes the swift and significant strengthening of a storm or tropical cyclone within a brief timeframe, typically occurring in 24 hours or less. This phenomenon is commonly observed in hurricanes, typhoons, and similar weather systems.
In pop culture terminology, they call it Taylor Swift.
From the blockbuster "Eras" tour that conquered the U.S. before a planet-vanquishing international leg, to the re-release of more albums on the road to reclaiming her catalog, to the record-smashing concert film, to becoming a billionaire – and yeah, that thing with "the guy on the Chiefs" – it all made for a year you could reasonably call "2023 (Taylor’s Version)."
There were, of course, non-Swiftian developments in pop culture. Beyonce, ever the superstar, had a huge tour herself, and ruled the box office with "Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce." Speaking of renaissance, look no further than Barbie – technically age 64 but now living her most fantastic life in plastic, thanks to Greta Gerwig’s record-shattering "Barbie." Through a mere coincidence of timing, Gerwig's candy-colored creation paired with "Oppenheimer" to fuel "Barbenheimer," a phenomenon that singlehandedly revitalized the multiplex.
There were comebacks, as always. The Rolling Stones never left, surely, but produced their best new music in decades. Even the Beatles released a new song. On TV, Samantha even made it back – for a minute – to the "Sex and the City" franchise. A pregnant Rihanna soared (literally) at the Super Bowl, and again showed us that nobody makes a more glamorous, more fashionably late Met Gala entrance.
If anyone needs a comeback, it’s the Golden Globes. The year begins with comic Jerrod Carmichael deftly navigating host duties, quipping, "I’m here because I’m Black" – a nod to the diversity scandal plaguing the awards. Speaking of scandal, nobody does it better than the royals: Prince Harry's "Spare" sells more than 3.2 million copies in one week. Also breaking records: Shakira's "BZRP Music Session #53," in which she bitingly sings of her ex, former soccer star Gerard Pique.
It’s Oscar time! And nobody gets slapped! "Everything Everywhere All at Once" lives up to its title, sweeping nearly every major category. Some may have skipped the Oscars entirely – namely, Pedro Pascal fans, catching the finale of "The Last of Us." In a Utah courtroom, Gwyneth Paltrow wins a battle over a ski collision but also nabs the "quiet luxury" fashion award. And the "Eras" era begins: SWIFT opens her tour in Arizona.
If Samuel Beckett had attended the Met Gala, he’d surely have written "Waiting for Rihanna." This is the year Jared Leto dons a giant cat suit, but still the animal world is most memorably represented by ... a cockroach! A real one, who walks the carpet and entertains the media waiting for Rihanna, until, squish! Bye, cockroach - and bye also to the Roy kids, aka Kendall, Roman and Shiv, who self-destruct gloriously in the final episodes of "Succession." Leave it to Hollywood's writers, now striking, to have the cleverest signs: "HBO Max Pays HBO Minimum," reads one. They will remain on strike for 146 days, joined by the actors in July.
Speaking of history, one famous bird is no more – Elon Musk drops a longtime logo and decrees Twitter will henceforth be called "X." Also history: Swift now has more No. 1 albums than any woman, eclipsing Barbra Streisand.
Guess who has 277 million Instagram followers? You know who. Guess who has almost double that? Lionel Messi that’s who, with 493 million. The Argentine soccer legend, in his first month with Inter Miami, thrills fans and gives a jolt of adrenaline to soccer in the U.S.
It’s a good month to be 80! Martin Scorsese becomes a TikTok star via daughter Francesca's silly videos and presents one of his most ambitious films yet, "Killers of the Flower Moon." In a much-awaited memoir, Britney Spears details her heartbreaks and her struggles, her relationships and her nearly 14-year conservatorship.
Hollywood’s writers and actors are thankfully, back to where they once belonged. This brings us to the Beatles: No, they aren’t getting back together. But six decades after Beatlemania ruled, a new and final tune, "Now And Then," is released, thanks to artificial intelligence. Cast members of "Friends" gather to mourn co-star Matthew Perry at his funeral.
Spotify announces 2023’s most-streamed artist – it’s Swift. Beyonce conquers the box office on opening weekend with her "Renaissance" film. Is it a foregone conclusion, finally, that Swift would close out her year staring at us from magazine covers as Time’s Person of the Year, in a year her fame achieved something akin to "nuclear fusion"?