The Video: In January, a video surfaced of a young woman, later identified as an Italian student, letting out a primal, agonizing scream in the streets of Rome. The clip was stripped of its context and set to various songs, most notably the theme from Braveheart or audio of people chanting "Freedom."
The Discussion: This was the first major meme of the year that highlighted the psychological toll of lockdowns. The internet turned a moment of genuine distress into a symbol of the "Lockdown Generation." The discussion pivoted to the ethics of memeification: were we laughing at her pain, or laughing to cope with our own? It became a polarizing Rorschach test—anti-lockdown protesters adopted it as an anthem, while mental health advocates argued it was a symptom of a crumbling global psyche. It proved that in 2021, personal breakdowns were public property.
Platform: Instagram Reels | Views: 2 Billion (Audio uses)
Måneskin won Eurovision in May 2021, but the viral video wasn't the live performance. It was the endless Reels set to the "Slap House" remix of their cover of "Beggin'." The visual format was always the same: A slow-motion pan of someone looking cool, followed by a chaotic jump cut.
Why it went viral: Algorithmic audio. Instagram pushed this specific track hard. The Discussion: Music critics debated whether the remix ruined the original rock vibe (Måneskin fans hated it) or improved it. The meta-discussion was about forced virality—did users actually love the song, or did the algorithm just make it inescapable?
The Video: The announcement trailer for ABBA's "Voyage" concert showing digital "ABBAtars" performing "I Still Have Faith in You." The Discussion: While ABBA is ancient history to Gen Z, the technology went viral. Specifically, the discussions split into two camps: "This is creepy uncanny valley" vs. "This is the future of live performance." When ABBA performed "SOS" on the virtual screen, social media debated if human musicians were obsolete. Social Takeaway: 2021 blurred the line between "real" and "digital." For a generation raised on Fortnite concerts, seeing 70-year-old pop stars as 30-year-old avatars was weirdly normal.
Platform: Twitter/YouTube | Views: 30M+
While not a "dance," one of the most shared clips of 2021 showed a Tesla with "Full Self-Driving" beta engaged, repeatedly driving toward a child-sized mannequin and ignoring the sensors. Another famous clip showed a car driving directly into a train crossing arm.
Why it went viral: Fear. The clash between Elon Musk’s promises and physical reality. The Discussion: This sparked the year’s most heated debate on r/teslamotors and Twitter. Was the video staged? Or is "Full Self-Driving" a death trap? Regulators entered the chat. It split the internet into two camps: "Tech Bros" who said the driver should have taken over, and safety advocates who argued the software shouldn't fail that hard.
Platform: TikTok (Duets) | Views: 500M+ (Collective)
The year started with a bang—specifically, the beat of a capstan. Scottish postman Nathan Evans uploaded himself singing "Wellerman," a 19th-century whaling song. Within days, millions joined in via Duet, adding harmony lines, bass riffs, and even kazoo solos.
Why it went viral: The perfect storm of quarantine boredom and the human need for collective harmonization. The Discussion: Musicologists debated whether this was a "revival" or a "meme." More importantly, the discussion centered on digital collaboration. Brands rushed to make "shanty versions" of their ads, leading to a backlash about corporate co-opting of folk culture.
The Video: The most-followed Minecraft YouTuber in the world, known only as "Dream" (who wore a smiley-face mask), uploaded a video titled "hello." It was the first time his real face was shown. The Discussion: It broke the internet. For 30 minutes, Twitter crashed. The discussion wasn't about what he looked like (he looked like a normal white guy), but about the culture of parasocial relationships. Fans celebrated; haters posted cruel memes. It highlighted the intense pressure online creators face regarding their physical appearance. Social Takeaway: Anonymity is a superpower. The moment you reveal your face, you stop being a symbol and become a vulnerable human being.
Platform: TikTok | Views: 100M+
A woman posted a video surprising her long-distance boyfriend at college. The video was wholesome—she runs in, he looks up from the couch, they hug. But the internet sleuths dissected the 12-second clip frame by frame. He didn't stand up. He looked guilty. A hand moves in the background.
Why it went viral: True crime meets relationship anxiety. The Discussion: TikTok became the FBI. Users claimed the boyfriend was cheating because of the "camera pan angle." The girlfriend posted follow-ups saying everything was fine, but the mob didn’t believe her. This sparked a huge ethical discussion about "Parasocial Investigation"—does analyzing a stranger’s private video without consent make you a hero or a bully?
Platform: Twitter | Views: 50M+ (Video compilations)
Originating from the anime The Brave Fighter of Sun Fighbird, a still of a robot pointing at a butterfly saying, "Is this a pigeon?" was turned into video edits showing people pointing at obviously wrong things (e.g., a cigar, a cat, the moon).
Why it went viral: The absurdist format required zero context. The Discussion: Video editors competed for "best wrong label." While low-stakes, the discussion revolved around "Anti-Humor" in 2021. Was it funnier when the label was close to correct (pointing at a muffin saying "bread") or completely insane (pointing at a forest fire saying "slightly warm")? Reddit polls were furious.