We surfed and scrolled so you don’t have to.
Is it just us, or is today’s internet as complex as that 500-page, senior-year trigonometry textbook that still appears in your nightmares? There are so many niche conversations and conflicts happening in different corners of this zeitgeist labyrinth, you’d have to be near-superhuman (or incredibly addicted to your phone) to keep up with every trend peaking and falling across every social media app.
But at the same time, no one wants to miss out on the fun. In the spirit of giving, we’re compiling a weekly list of five trending topics, memes, videos, and other ephemera that are making the rounds online. Love them, hate them, or can’t stop sending them to your friends, these are the moments you don’t want to let pass you by.
This week, we’ve scoured social media for the internet’s most viral moments, and let’s just say that there are a few conversations that should be spotlighted. On deck, we have a surprisingly viral song, a new dental scam you absolutely shouldn’t fall for, and a trending celebrity pregnancy. Plus, a lesson of peace delivered via a nasty rap feud.
The song of the summer
Artists of all genres compete to craft the song of the summer, but you never know who or what will earn the crown. Sometimes, a contender comes out of left field — which seems to be the case for 2024. At the end of April, a creator took to TikTok to impulsively throw her hat in the ring — and she might have succeeded.
“I’m looking for a man in finance,” she chants (you can’t really call it singing). “Trust fund. 6’5”. Blue eyes.” She repeats these lines a few times, then the video ends.
“Did I just write the song of the summer?” the caption reads.
Surely she didn’t, you’re probably thinking. I could do that. Except that internet DJs have begun setting her words to music.
Plus, other creators have been chiming in to change up the lyrics:
If you’ve always had an idea for a song that you think could take off during the warmer months, it might be time to throw your hat in the ring. You truly never know what people might like.
Veneer techs
Did you know that you can skip dental school and make a tooth repair career for yourself anyway? Enter veneer techs, the latest horrific scam on social media.
This viral career path can be accomplished if you purchase dental tools, take a two-day training course, and then begin advertising veneer services on Instagram and TikTok. Though you won’t be licensed, you’ll get plenty of attention as long as you promise a brighter smile on the cheap.
As you’d probably expect, getting bargain veneers isn’t the best idea. One creator specifically points out that you can die of dental-related sepsis when you receive this shoddy cosmetic work.
At best, a patient who visits a veneer tech will end up paying a real, licensed dentist to fix these discount veneers when they inevitably fall out. One user uploaded a video showing off brand-new, sparkling white teeth. The video quickly smash-cut to footage of her in a dental chair, looking unhappy.
She clarifies in a comment that she spent just as much on her veneer removal as she initially spent on the new smile.
If someone you know feels tempted by an Instagram ad claiming that a paper-white smile can be obtained on the cheap, be sure to remind them that the stakes are high — no one wants to deal with dental-related sepsis.
Justin and Hailey Bieber
As you’ve likely heard (especially if you’re close to a young adult who grew up during Bieber-mania), Justin Bieber and his wife Hailey are expecting a baby.
A surprising number of young people have flocked to social media to…semi-jokingly lament the news. It turns out that every “former” fan of Bieber was still secretly holding a torch in hopes that he would pluck them from the crowd and confess his instant love.
One creator uploaded a video to remind us that Hailey Bieber doesn’t necessarily have it easy, though.
“Even someone as famous as Hailey Bieber has really annoying friends that comment something on her pregnancy announcement like ‘Oh my God, here come the tears again,’” she says. “Or, ‘Oh my gosh, finally, I can’t keep this secret any longer.’ Because that’s exactly what Kendall Jenner did.” Stars — they’re just like us.
Kendrick Lamar, Drake, and J. Cole
If you know someone who’s a devoted fan of rap music, they’re probably bursting with opinions over the ongoing feud between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake. While the pair have been on poor terms for years, the tension erupted over the past couple of weeks when the musicians began trading diss tracks that attack one another’s talent and far more sordid subjects.
While the two have been going for each other’s throats, other artists have gotten involved, some unintentionally. Drake, for instance, used an A.I.-generated recording of the late rapper Tupac on one of his songs aimed at Lamar. Drake subsequently took the song down after receiving a cease-and-desist order from Tupac’s estate.
But one artist wandered into the line of fire on purpose and is trending because he quickly changed his mind. Rapper J. Cole released a song entitled, “7-Minute Drill,” that took aim at Lamar with criticisms of Lamar’s discography.
Shortly after the release, however, Cole admitted that the song “didn’t sit right with his spirit” and removed it from streaming services. His gracious ability to bow out has been lauded by fans, especially as Drake and Lamar have escalated to brutally insulting each other’s families and accusing each other of engaging in various illegal and immoral activities.
As Drake and Lamar continue to fight, Cole has been most recently spotted literally relaxing on the beach.
