2017 pop culture trends
2016 broke many things – predictions, records, hearts – and will be a tough act to follow, but expect more of the same in 2017, says Coco Khan
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Your support makes all the difference.More celebrity merchandise
No longer the preserve of superfans and Superdrug bargain-hunters, celebrity merch went mainstream in 2016. Notable arrivals included Beyoncé’s Ivy Park, Kylie Jenner’s Kylie Cosmetics, and the continued success of Kanye West’s Yeezy line.
But, the absolute winner of the celebrity merchandise category is (and it pains me to say), Donald Trump with his Make America Great Again range. It was such a hit that Kid Rock recently added Trump-related items to his merch offering due to “overwhelming” demand.
Internet challenges RIP
The idea that internet challenges are “not to be taken seriously” was truly buried this year after the Power of Makeup and Mannequin Challenge. OK, so both didn’t have quite as many entries as the Ice Bucket Challenge, but the sheer profile of some (the Mannequin challenge in The White House, my word) was truly staggering. But do complications with this season’s U Name It Challenge spell the end for further challenges as we know them?
The original clip features Grammy-winning gospel singer Shirley Caesar recounting all the things she has on her Thanksgiving table to feel grateful for (beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes… you name it). The clip underwent several remixes from musicians, some as high-profile as Snoop Dogg, while viral videos of people dancing to the mix filled the social media airwaves.
However, could rumours of a lawsuit from Caesar to DJ Suede (one of the remixers) spell the end of the free-for-all that defined internet challenges?
The return of club culture – but in what incarnation?
After a high-profile campaign to save Fabric, the acclaimed nightclub will reopen its doors next year following work from London's mayor, Sadiq Khan, and the newly designated Night Czar, Amy Lamé. When it returns, its door policy (which was already notably difficult and strict) will be even tighter.
Undoubtedly a win for campaigners looking to preserve the UK’s reputation and heritage as a leader in nightlife, it may set the bar too high for smaller clubs, forcing further closures or implementation of (arguably unnecessary) harsh, fun-ruining, door policies.
Skepta will write an autobiography for next Christmas
For the uninitiated, grime is the British musical genre that has gripped the nation in recent years. A once underground movement with its first notable incarnations emerging in the early noughties, its newer artists have enjoyed chart-topping singles, headline shows and international acclaim. Leader of the pack is Skepta, whose astronomical success as a British urban artist is largely uncharted territory. Where next for the star? With a rumoured film on the cards with grime collective Boy Better Know, a growing profile in the US and notches on his belt in the fashion realm there’s only one place left: a chart-topping autobiography.
Reaching peak Kanye West
While he is never far from the headlines, 2016 has been an extraordinary year for West after successful releases of his album and fashion line. However, the cornerstone of his success is not those interested in the celebrity tittle-tattle that follows him and his wife, Kim Kardashian-West, around. Rather, it is his fans: committed, often evangelical, and in love with his music.
But 2017 may be the year it (to use his words) All Falls Down for the rapper, as even his most committed members of his fanbase are left reeling by his antics, namely his association with the xenophobic Donald Trump, despite his being a vocal supporter of anti-racism. My theory: it will come to a head if West plays the Trump inauguration, a gig most musicians have refused.
Back to British music festivals
This year, Bestival migrates to the mainland after fans complained that costs for the hitherto Isle of Wight-based event had spun out of control. The cost of attending UK festivals has crept up, benefiting a number of affordable European rival offerings. But how will triggering Article 50 impact those? It remains to be seen, but if the pound plummets and air fares rise, the return of the Great British music festival may be imminent.
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