The year 2016 was quite an eventful one, and not just because of the massive earthquakes and hurricanes that devastated various parts of the world. A lot of significant changes took place in the world of arts and entertainment, social media, politics, and business.
Arts and entertainment was certainly dominated by the “big four” of Netflix, Amazon, Netflix and Spotify, with competition coming in the form of Disney+, Apple+, and more.
Business was also dominated by corporate giants, Starbucks, and Amazon, which acquired Whole Foods.
The year 2016 was quite an eventful one, and not just because of the massive earthquakes and hurricanes that devastated various parts of the world. A lot of significant changes took place in the world of arts and entertainment, social media, politics, and business.
Arts and entertainment was certainly dominated by the “big four” of Netflix, Amazon, Netflix and Spotify, with competition coming in the form of Disney+, Apple+, and more.
Politics was dominated by the presidential elections in the United States, with Hillary Clinton emerging as the winner in the popular vote and Donald Trump becoming the president-elect.
Social media was dominated by a few big names, with TikTok taking the cake as the most used and popular app, with Facebook and Instagram following close behind.
The Top Stories And People To Follow
A big change that took place in the world of arts and entertainment in 2016 is the shift from reality TV to original content.
Traditional reality TV shows are on the decline, while platforms like TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram are evolving to showcase original content that reflects today’s social trends and lifestyles, such as fashion, celebrity, and sports.
The top stories, as determined by Buzzfeed News, of 2016 were as follows:
- The Top Story Of 2016: This content is popular on TikTok and other platforms because it feels like a combination of the fun of scrolling through social media and the ability to get instant news updates.
- The Story Of 2016: This is similar to the previous story, but it focuses more on the viral aspect of social media and the role that algorithms play in trending topics and content.
- The Last Story On Earth: This was the most-talked-about TV show of last year, inspiring a whole genre of viral content that pokes fun at apocalyptic fiction, such as The Handmaid’s Tale, Mad Max: Fury Road, and The Walking Dead.
- One Of The Most Influential Shows Of All Time: This is the story of Game of Thrones, which became so popular that it influenced other television shows and films, such as the Avengers and the Lord of the Rings.
- The Most Popular Film And TV Show In Entertainment History: This was determined by a combination of views and comments, with the most-viewed film being Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the most-viewed TV show being Game of Thrones.
- The Most Influential TV Show: This is the story of The Simpsons, whose unusual brand of satire and dark sense of humor set it apart from other comedy shows.
- The Most Iconic And Influential Band: This is the story of The Beatles, whose unique blend of rock, pop, and R&B fused together a generation and continue to influence musicians to this day.
As you may have guessed, many of these stories came from TikTok, whose users often feel a need to tell the world their top stories at the end of each day. This is similar to how users on Instagram and other platforms often post their daily routines as a reminder to “check out” their page. This strategy gives these platforms a lot of engagement, causing them to accumulate billions of views and countless likes per day.
One of the biggest trends that took place in 2016 is the rise of the “influencer.” More and more people are seeing fashion as a form of entertainment, especially on TikTok, where users can engage with brands through sponsored videos that can range from a few seconds to several minutes in length.
The top 10 influencers on TikTok in 2016 were as follows:
- 1. Tiffany Haddish
- 2. Megan Jayne Crabbe
- 3. Carli Lloyd
- 4. Kiki Page
- 5. Grace Helbig
- 6. Shani Hilton
- 7. Michelle Phan
- 8. Ryann Rose
- 9. Hayley Kawai
- 10. Elle MacLeman
What is an influencer?
An influencer is a popular person who creates content (usually in the form of videos) that influences others to buy a product or service. Influencers typically work with brand agencies to promote their products and work regularly with brands to get free products to give away as prizes in contests or to use as decoration in videos.
Because influencers are generally very famous, their content is often seen as “influencer-proof” and can be used as inspiration for other brands. Influencers usually get paid per video posted, ranging from $500 to $5,000 per month, and some make much more than that.
Trending Topics And Hashtags
A major change that took place in the world of arts and entertainment in 2016 is the rise of “influencer marketing.” Influencers are now able to promote a brand or product through content that is not only entertaining, but is also related to that brand or product in some way. This content can then be shared by the influencer’s audience, which is usually composed of people who are already interested in that brand or product.
Trending topics and hashtags are a way of capturing attention on social media platforms like Twitter, where the loudest voices tend to rise to the top. These topics allow people to follow the conversation and find content that relates to their interests.
The top trending topics and hashtags of 2016 were as follows:
- 1. Election (US)
- 2. Orlando (US)
- 3. #StarWarsTheForceAwakens (Film)
- 4. #BlackLivesMatter (Hashtag)
- 5. Royal wedding (British)
- 6. #Trump2016 (Hashtag)
- 7. #Loveislove (Hashtag)
- 8. #KARDIOLS (Hashtag)
- 9. #ZikaVirus (Hashtag)
- 10. #MarchMadness (Hashtag)
The Most Influential People In Each Industry
Websites like Trending Today and Film Business Worldwide published the top 40 most influential people in each industry in 2016, and the list is as follows:
1. Jennifer Aniston
2. Meryl Streep
3. Angelina Jolie
4. Amy Poehler
5. Julia Roberts
6. Reese Witherspoon
7. Sandra Bullock
8. Katie Holmes
9. Gwyneth Paltrow
10. Kerry Kennedy
11. Cate Blanchett
12. Tina Fey
13. Sheryl Sandberg
14. Reese Witherspoon
15. Claire Foy
16. Nicole Kidman
17. Jennifer Lopez
18. Angelina Jolie
19. Julia Roberts
20. Cate Blanchett
21. Michelle Obama
22. Emma Stone
23. Mila Kunis
24. Gal Gadot
25. Lena Headey
26. Amal Clooney
27. Helena Bonham Carter
28. Reese Witherspoon
29. Jessica Chastain