YESTERDAY’S NUMBER ONES
Box Office: “Wuthering Heights”
Billboard Hot 100: “Choosin’ Texas” by Ella Langley
Billboard 200: “Octane” by Don Toliver
The New York Times Best-Seller List: “Stolen in Death” by J.D. Robb
YESTERDAY’S NUMBER ONES, 10 YEARS AGO
Box Office: “Deadpool”
Billboard Hot 100: “Pillowtalk” by Zayn
Billboard 200: “25” by Adele
The New York Times Best-Seller List: “NYPD Red 4” by James Patterson and Marshall Karp
IN MEMORIAM
Robert Duvall (1931 – 2026): Oscar-winning American actor and director best known for his roles in “The Godfather” and “Apocalypse Now”
Valentino Garavani (1932 – 2026): Italian fashion designer and founder of the Valentino brand
Catherine O’Hara (1954 – 2026): Canadian-American actress and comedian best known for her roles in “Home Alone” and “Schitt’s Creek”
James Van Der Beek (1977 – 2026): American actor best known for his role in “Dawson’s Creek”
CHRONICALLY ONLINE
2016 photo dumps have made their way across Instagram feeds nationwide, perhaps prompting Gen Alpha to say: “I was born in the wrong generation.” From nostalgic Snapchat filters to Starbucks Pink Drinks and Adidas Superstars, 2026 is the new 2016, according to the internet. Turn up “Closer” by The Chainsmokers, put on that bomber jacket, and stand still — you’re in a “mannequin challenge.”
WE SHOULD ALL KNOW LESS ABOUT EACH OTHER
Nepo baby Brooklyn Beckham — of David “bend it like” Beckham and Posh Spice Victoria — shocked Instagram with a multi-story statement accusing his parents of sabotaging his marriage to Nicola Peltz. Fans immediately dissected the wedding drama, blocked accounts, and brand politics, turning a private family rift into a very public pop-culture reckoning.
Bad Bunny throws a cultural block party, TPUSA flops hard
This past Super Bowl Sunday, Bad Bunny transformed Levi’s Stadium into a Caribbean street festival, celebrating Puerto Rican culture with bodegas, banana trees, and even a real wedding. Meanwhile, Turning Point USA’s “All American Halftime Show” alternative offered “Christian” counterprogramming via a performance by self-proclaimed “early mornin’ stoned pimp” Kid Rock. While Bad Bunny’s block party dominated social media timelines and trended globally within minutes, TPUSA only managed to pull a fraction of the viewership as audiences stayed on the field.
‘Bridgerton’ Season 4 sparks chaos, thirst, and fan discourse
After a widely thumbs-downed third season, “Bridgerton” fans are cautiously optimistic after Netflix’s recent release of the first half of Season 4. Deeming the second Bridgerton son’s romance as the show’s most fun, viral era in years, viewers flooded social media praising all things Benedict and dissecting excess subplots, shiny costumes, and increasingly unhinged sexual tension.
The world awaits news of Nancy Guthrie
On Feb. 1, the public was stunned to hear about the kidnapping of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie’s mother, Nancy Guthrie. Video surveillance footage released nine days later revealed a masked and armed individual at Nancy Guthrie’s home the night she was allegedly taken. Savannah and her siblings have taken to social media to plead for their mother’s return after multiple ransom notes.
Bill Nye gets his flowers
The “Science Guy” himself will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award at the fourth annual Children’s and Family Emmys at Jazz at Lincoln Center on March 1. Classroom nostalgia and tributes to Bill Nye’s decades-long impact on science education have since lit up the internet. With both science and education under threat, this award feels long overdue.
Winter Olympians ICE out
At the 2026 Winter Olympics, Team USA’s freestyle skiers have spoken out against Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents’ actions back home. 2022 gold medalist Chris Lillis and first-time Olympian Hunter Hess denounced ICE’s behavior, with Lillis telling reporters: “As a country, we need to focus on respecting everybody’s rights.”
Christian Cowan peeks behind the seams
English fashion designer Christian Cowan is embracing old Hollywood energy at this season’s New York Fashion Week. Taking inspiration from the 1920s to the 1950s, Cowan’s collection explores “the complexity of what wardrobe was for women back then.” In contrast to this season’s overall trend of polished elegance, Cowan’s deconstructed designs stand out as innovative and provocative.
Fan expectations wither to ‘Wuthering Heights’
Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s “Wuthering Heights” sparked controversy over its differences from the novel. While Fennell says this adaptation is her teenage take on the book, the movie’s end at the book’s middle has led some to describe it as not an adaptation at all. Nevertheless, this interpretation has soared at box offices, leaving viewers shocked and intrigued.
