Arts & Entertainment

Photos: Most Memorable Pop Culture Moments of 2021

Harry and Meghan spoke to Oprah, Bennifer reunited and Britney was freed: 2021 was a year of reunions, reopening, re-emergence and more.

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Britney Spears supporters celebrate the ruling that ended the pop singer's conservatorship, which had controlled Spears' life and money for nearly 14 years.
Britney Spears supporters celebrate the ruling that ended the pop singer's conservatorship, which had controlled Spears' life and money for nearly 14 years. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

ACROSS AMERICA — This year was packed with pop culture moments we soon won't forget.

Harry and Meghan spoke to Oprah. We listened as Taylor Swift sang about a failed affair and an elusive, still-missing red scarf. Bennifer reunited and Broadway reopened. #FreeBritney became reality and Daniel Craig said goodbye to James Bond.

It also was a year for reunions. The cast of "Friends" and three of the "Sex and the City" foursome blessed us with reboots and revivals. "West Side Story" made a splash 60 years after the original.

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As 2021 comes to a close, there was no shortage of iconic moments, here's a look at some of the most notable pop culture moments from this year.

Amanda Gorman

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American poet Amanda Gorman reads her commissioned poem "The Hill We Climb" during the 59th Presidential Inauguration at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 20. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, Pool, File)

Bernie Sanders Meme

Sen. Bernie Sanders became a meme while wearing mittens made from recycled sweaters when he attended President Joe Biden's inauguration ceremony on Jan. 20. (Jonathan Ernst/Pool Photo via AP, File)

Megan Thee Stallion

Beyonce, left, and Megan Thee Stallion accept the award for best rap song for "Savage" at the 63rd annual Grammy Awards in March. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Chloe Zhao

Chloe Zhao, winner of the awards for best picture and director for "Nomadland," poses in the press room at the Oscars in April. Zhao became the second woman to win the best director category after Kathryn Bigelow's win for "The Hurt Locker" in 2010. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

Friends Reunion

HBOMax released its anticipated "Friends The Reunion" in May. The reunion special saw the return of the main cast from the popular 90s sitcom to revisit memories of making the show. (Courtesy of HBO Max)

Sunisa Lee

Sunisa Lee of Team USA poses for a picture after winning the gold medal in the artistic gymnastics women's all-around final at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Ben and Jen Get Back Together

Jennifer Lopez, right, and Ben Affleck pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'The Last Duel' during the 78th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Kim Kardashian's Met Gala Look

Kim Kardashian attended The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion" exhibition in September. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Broadway Returns

"Hamilton!" creator Lin-Manuel Miranda gave a curtain speech at the Richard Rodgers Theatre as the show opened after being closed in early 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle)

Daniel Craig Says Goodbye to Bond

Daniel Craig attended the world premiere of the film "No Time To Die" in London in September. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham, File)

Squid Game Was Top Show

Netflix's break ut show "Squid Game" was released in September. It became the streaming services most viewed show of 2021. (Noh Juhan/Netflix)

Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Scott

Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian got engaged in October. The pair are preparing to tie the knot after barely a year together. (Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS)

Rust Set Shooting

This aerial photo shows the Bonanza Creek Ranch in Santa Fe in October. Actor Alec Baldwin fired a prop gun on the set of a Western being filmed at the ranch on Oct. 21, killing cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Astroworld Tragedy

Travis Scott performed at the Astroworld Music Festival in Houston in November. A surging crowd resulted in the death of ten people. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File)

Taylor Swift Knows "All Too Well"

Taylor attends the premiere of her "All Too Well" short film on Nov. 12. The re-release of her album "Red" revisited the song "All Too Well" and her rumored relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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