We didn’t start the fire, #ItWasAlwaysBurningSinceTheWorldsBeenTurning.
Here’s a look at the biggest social media trends in 2014:
#PolarVortex
2014 kicked off with a winter that just would not end. The Polar Vortex brought record snowfall and freezing temperatures in the northern U.S. through April. Thanks, Canada!
US will soon learn meaning of “polar vortex” as record cold descends on Midwest Monday. http://t.co/nHR2UuUopEpic.twitter.com/o1jwgp0uGC
— Jim Roberts (@nycjim) January 4, 2014
#SochiProblems | #Sochi2014
The Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia were plagued with some initial setup issues. Journalists covering the event were greeted with oddly spaced toilets and funky water. But in the end the Olympics went down without major problems. Except this one:
Four out of five Olympic rings light at opening of Sochi Winter Olympics. Photos of the year http://t.co/nN8dANmQmapic.twitter.com/Mi5dEj9GQy
— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) December 11, 2014
You may have missed it but @MikaelaShiffrin just became youngest to win slalom GOLD #GoTeamUSAhttp://t.co/Vf9Ekk7Daqpic.twitter.com/9nQCzEexfK
— US Olympic Team (@USOlympic) February 21, 2014
#Selfie | #Oscars
The 2014 Oscars were immortalized by the greatest selfie...
If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscarspic.twitter.com/C9U5NOtGap
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2014
…since Buzz Aldrin
Did you know I took the first space selfie during Gemini 12 mission in 1966? BEST SELFIE EVER http://t.co/JfPAiVXmLkpic.twitter.com/DuwDXvcDmp
— Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) July 19, 2014
#Ebola | #Africa | #EbolaNurse
The largest Ebola outbreak in history struck West Africa this year. It was also the first time Ebola came to the United States.
Dallas Nurse Nina Pham says goodbye to her staff before her transfer to Maryland: http://t.co/Patk3qVGUt
— Digg (@digg) October 17, 2014
.@TIME names the #Ebola fighters Person of the Year for 2014 http://t.co/AZHmOOQuso#TIMEPOYhttps://t.co/l7phXPB76Dpic.twitter.com/eY7fzLtPsQ
— Twitter for News (@TwitterForNews) December 10, 2014
#BringBackOurGirls | #HeForShe | #Feminism | #yesallwomen | #WhyIStayed | #GamerGate | #RayRice
Women’s issues and feminism took center stage this year. Emma Watson delivered a breakthrough address to the United Nations on feminism and men's role in it.
That conversation continued in the Ray Rice domestic abuse case and in stories on sexual assault in college and the military.
Eyes welled with tears from @EmWatson incredible speech. http://t.co/rqszzhX6Qa#HeForShe#IAmAFeminist
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) September 23, 2014
Our prayers are with the missing Nigerian girls and their families. It's time to #BringBackOurGirls. -mo pic.twitter.com/glDKDotJRt
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) May 7, 2014
#RIPRobinWilliams | #PhilipSeymourHoffman
We lost many great artists this year. But the suicide death of Robin Williams was a gut punch for those who were uplifted by his comedy. Dramatic actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died of a drug overdose at the height of his fame. At 46, he’d already won an Oscar and had been nominated for three others.
Genie, you're free. pic.twitter.com/WjA9QuuldD
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) August 12, 2014
#WorldCup | #ThingsTimHowardCouldSave | #WorldCupBite | #GermanyWins
At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the heroics of American goalie Tim Howard will never be forgotten. Though Luis Suarez might take a bite out of it.
@Larry__96@Seanlockyear#thingstimehowardcouldsavepic.twitter.com/7pu90TiQ2a
— Graves (@RyanGravesOJB) July 2, 2014
The People vs. #LuisSuarez by @EricEssagofhttp://t.co/AFnyRtxe3P#WorldCupBite#ProfessionalAthletes#GetYourLifeTogether
— Law Street (@LawStreetMedia) June 30, 2014
#ICantBreathe | #BlackLivesMatter | #Ferguson | #NoIndictment | #DonaldSterling
Racial tensions came to a head in 2014 with the police deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. Protests over the lack of a grand jury indictment of the two police officers resulted in riots, protests and – yes – thoughtful conversation around the country.
Ferguson, Missouri is cleaning up from a night of riots after a grand jury did not indict. http://t.co/W4Ef87QJZipic.twitter.com/HOpr9JbO9I
— Scripps National (@ScrippsNational) November 25, 2014
The “Selma” Cast Wore #ICantBreathe T-Shirts To Their Premiere http://t.co/cyvpxlR6DQpic.twitter.com/NhL0tTnVaN
— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) December 16, 2014
#LetItGo | #Frozen
Let go of your fears, cast away your inhibitions. People took this lesson from Disney’s Frozen, released on home video in February, and incorporated the song just about everywhere.
VIDEO: Dog wakes up from nap to sing 'Let It Go': Does he love it or hate it? Either way, it's adorable. http://t.co/I8Ictqjbpg
— Social In Detroit (@SocialINDetroit) December 2, 2014
#ImComingHome / #TheKingIsBack
@KingJames’ reversal of The Decision (2010) was met with open arms in Cleveland. Miami fans may regret walking out on the Heat’s last NBA Finals for a long time.
He's coming home. LeBron James will return to Cleveland in 2014-15. pic.twitter.com/LxPcbdseVK
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 11, 2014
Lebron and his fans #Teamcavspic.twitter.com/HZMsKsJ6Nn
— ..... (@itweetsssss) July 11, 2014
#Decision2014 | #Election | #Midterm | #BourbonSummit
No matter what side you were on in the 2014 midterm election, it was a massacre for Democrats.
Here's the breakdown of how Republicans gained control of the Senate. #Election2014http://t.co/xQij5W0aukpic.twitter.com/HbO8h8bHMX
— DecodeDC (@DecodeDC) November 5, 2014
#ISIS | #ISIL | #IslamicState
The Islamic State seemed to come out of nowhere in 2014, but the seeds of it were planted long before. What started as a spin off of Al-Qaida is now a major force in the Middle East, enough to pull the United State back into the conflict.
How the United States fights ISIS from the sea: http://t.co/d4jUrwKy97pic.twitter.com/fRERWV2Xag
— Newsy (@NewsyVideos) December 17, 2014
#MarsOrbiter | #CometLanding | #Antares | #SpaceShipTwo | #Dragon | #GoGetThoseGeckos
Space travel took several large but shaky steps for mankind in 2014. India sent its first orbiter to Mars and the European Space Agency landed on a comet for the first time ever. American company SpaceX built on its success under contract with NASA.
.@ESA_Rosetta See for yourself! ROLIS imaged #67P when we were just 3km away! Glad I can share. #CometLandingpic.twitter.com/b6mcid2fsn
— Philae Lander (@Philae2014) November 12, 2014
Then Antares blew up. The web was filled with amateur video of the Orbital Sciences’ rocket explosion, which was visible on much of the east coast. Soon after, a test pilot died when Virgin Galactic’s space plane, SpaceShipTwo, broke up during a test flight.
BREAKING: Private, unmanned #Antares rocket explodes at @NASA launchpad in Virginia pic.twitter.com/pxtAsWLNBn
— Jacobus Januszewicz (@sohinopibena) November 10, 2014
Earlier in the year, the world held its breath to find out if the Russian "sex geckos" would survive their trip into space. They didn't.
@magnus72 The space geckos need our help #getthosegeckospic.twitter.com/DBsyERd0Mz
— Holly (@holly_holly5) July 31, 2014
#IceBucketChallange
Millions of dollars were raised for ALS research thanks to this viral video campaign.
THE ENTIRE @patriots team takes the #IceBucketChallenge. Yes. Including Tom Brady. WATCH: http://t.co/UVmZmIWnEypic.twitter.com/dswcEnFQhe
— NFL (@nfl) August 12, 2014
#Malaysia | #Flight370
For two months, CNN provided nearly round the clock coverage of the crash, to high ratings but a critical panning. The Internet speculated and waited. The wreckage of Malaysia Flight 370 still hasn’t been found.
Malaysia Airlines says it has lost contact with a flight carrying 227 passengers en route to Beijing. http://t.co/xFJqzF9rJP
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) March 8, 2014
#ObamaTanSuit
This was a thing?
Frankly, I think the caption on the first photo is the best one of all in this WaPo #ObamaTanSuit recap: http://t.co/m4MpnCEZ0M
— Alison Rowland (@arowla) August 29, 2014
Gavin Stern is a national digital producer for the Scripps National Desk. Follow him on twitter at @GavinStern.
