Looking back at the past few years, the summer months have often been the time when pop cultural highlights arise to define the year. Whether it was Stranger Things back in summer 2019, Olivia Rodrigo’s SOUR in 2021, Taylor Swift’s Eras tour in 2023, or the Coldplay incident last summer, it’s these types of things that unite us and place our memories in a specific time and place.
Take Summer 2024, now lovingly called “Brat Summer,” when Charli XCX dropped her iconically green studio album, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan dominated radio stations with their earworms Espresso and Good Luck Babe!, the Dubai chocolate craze captivated snack culture, the public battle between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, cheetah print made a comeback, and Inside Out: 2 became one of the highest grossing films of all time.
Summer 2026 has some exciting things on the horizon for music, movies, television, and some slowly rising trends that will take over social media and our conversations. This summer has quite a slate of events, being America’s 250th July 4th Celebration, a slew of movies from Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey to the live-action Moana and Toy Story 5, the final season of Hulu’s The Bear, and tours of Harry Styles or Bad Bunny, music and entertainment are in no short supply. So, here’s the top five snippets of pop culture that will make this summer one to remember.
1. Olivia Rodrigo’s You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So In Love
If you have not heard it over the radio already, singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo has made a return to music, dropping singles drop dead and the cure, in addition to doing a double-duty on SNL in May, to help promote the arrival of her 3rd studio album on June 12th. As Rodrigo joked in her SNL monologue, “My last two albums were called SOUR and GUTS, this one is called You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So In Love, so I learned more words guys!”
Offering a softer angle at love and relationships on the first two singles, Rodrigo in an interview with Ryan Seacrest suggested the album would be a more romantic album, a big shift away from the more angsty teen rock that defined her first two albums. With the caliber of fame Rodrigo has gained from her music, it’s almost inevitable that her new music will captivate listeners across the world in the coming months.
2. Elle
“What, like it’s hard?” Legally Blonde is back this summer for the first time since the sequel came out in 2003, but this time, it’s Elle Woods in high school. Starring Lexi Minetree as Elle Woods, the eight-episode show is produced by the iconic Reese Witherspoon (and OG Elle Woods) herself, and promises some 90s nostalgia, drama, and of course, all things pink. The prequel series releases all eight episodes on Amazon Prime on July 1st.
3. Spider Man: Brand New Day
The last time Marvel fans saw Peter Parker onscreen was in 2021, which—spoiler alert—meant not just one Peter Parker, but three (Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire reprising their roles as Peter Parker as the Marvel universe opted to introduce the concept of the multiverse). The last film, Spider Man: No Way Home, became the 3rd highest grossing Marvel film in the franchise’s history, so this fourth installment of the Marvel Spider Man is nothing short of highly anticipated.
With the comeback of Tom Holland and Zendaya reprising their roles as Peter Parker and MJ respectively, fans excitedly await to see Peter Parker navigate super-heroism swinging through New York City without Stark Technology, and, hopefully, MJ and Peter’s reunion. With the increasing buzz about this film in the face of a lull for Marvel’s popularity, Spider Man: Brand New Day seems well positioned to be a box-office hit when it arrives in theaters on July 31st.
4. Ariana Grande’s Eternal Sunshine Tour
Since the release of her album Eternal Sunshine in 2024, fans have been long awaiting for an Ariana Grande concert, which was particularly stalled by her promotion of the two massively successful Wicked films, based on the 2003 Broadway musical, and her pursuit of other acting projects (like the new installment to the Meet the Parents franchise, which Grande stars in coming in November). Nonetheless, even with the wait, when Grande announced The Eternal Sunshine Tour, the first time she’s hit the road since her 2019 Sweetener show, fans lined up (well, queued up on the Ticketmaster website) to see the singer’s comeback. Grande will kick off her tour in Oakland, California, on June 6th, and will be performing in 10 cities total through the summer.
On top of her tour, Grande announced her 8th studio album, Petal, that will be released while she’s on tour on July 31st. The Thank U, Next singer will undoubtedly captivate fans as she returns to music in the coming months.
5. The Influence of Michael Jackson
Since the release of the Michael biopic in April, where the king of pop was portrayed by his own nephew, Jafaar Jackson, a new generation has embraced the artistry, dance moves, and beats of the Thriller singer. The film that recounts Jackson’s life has grossed over $797,000,000 worldwide. On Tiktok, the moonwalk has seen a particular resurgence, in addition to Gen Z’s discovery of songs like Human Nature, Smooth Criminal, and Rock With You. It’s not unlikely for his hits from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, to become the soundtrack to this summer’s late night drives and living room dance parties.
