Tech

21 Memes That Perfectly Describe 2020

From Tiger King to the fly on Mike Pence's head.

by Lauren Grant
Netflix; Jim Dyson/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

While a healthy diet, exercise, and proper sleep are important in order to function, there’s another big requirement… memes. And this year more than ever, they've been the antidote for a much-needed smile. The top memes of 2020 take the cake for not only being laugh-out-loud funny but also for banding much of the world together in these strange and chaotic times.

It's safe to say things started getting weird on the internet once Tiger King hit Netflix in mid-March, and the memes continued to roll in and get all the likes in group chats ever since. We all empathized with the “My Plans Vs. 2020" meme, which symbolized all the canceled trips, unworn outfits, and blowout parties that never happened this year. There were also the memes that blew our minds, like when everything was cake. On the lighter side, viral memes inspired by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's "WAP" and Bong Joon-Ho’s kissing Oscars photo gave us the joy we needed to recognize that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Still can’t decide what your favorite meme of 2020 is? Revisit each wild part of this year by checking out these top memes.

1

Tiger King Memes

We should've known that 2020 was going to be a wild ride once Tiger King debuted.

2

The Dolly Parton Challenge

Dolly Parton proved she fully understands how profile pictures work across social platforms this year and went viral in the process.

3

Villain Vs. Actual Villain Meme

These memes will have you second-guessing every character in your favorite films. And yes, Nate was the real villain in The Devil Wears Prada.

4

Will Smith Memes

The perfect meme for when something isn't funny — but it also kind of is.

5

My Plans Vs. 2020 Memes

Making light of an odd situation has become a specialty in 2020. This popular meme pokes fun at what we could've been doing.

6

"I Am Once Again Asking..." Memes

Bernie has once again given us a good meme.

7

Choose Your Quarantine House Memes

If you were going stir crazy with your housemates at any point this year, you probably sent your friends tons of these memes.

8

"And I Took That Personally" Memes

This meme is ideal for any situation that you've taken... personally.

9

Wash Your Hands Lyrics Memes

The CDC recommends that you sing "Happy Birthday" while washing your hands, but Miley Cyrus and the rest of the internet decided other songs were better.

10

Bong Joon-Ho's Kissing Oscars Memes

Not only did we get an amazing film with Parasite, Bong Joon-Ho's Oscar win will now live on forever as a meme.

11

Vice Presidential Debate Memes

The vice presidential debate gave us memes galore, including this relatable look from Kamala.

12

How It Started Vs. How It's Going Memes

Whether your situation got better or worse this year, this meme was here to tell everyone.

13

"Look Who Came Out Of Their Room" Memes

For when you're dreading spending time with family.

14

WAP Memes

Cardi B and Megan The Stallion's hit "WAP" inspired all of us to get down with our freaky sides — even if that means being in bed by 7 p.m.

15

"This Claim Has Been Disputed" Memes

Thanks to Twitter's misinformation labels, this meme took off to fact-check just about everything.

16

The Fly On Mike Pence's Head Memes

The real star of the VP debate was the fly that landed on Mike Pence's head.

17

"You About To Lose Yo Job" Memes

When you caught someone doing something shady while on the job this year, you added this video to your tweet calling them out.

18

Hip Hop Harry Memes

Some of us got a blast from the past when Hip Hop Harry was resurrected. Stemming from this year's protests against racism and police brutality, this meme was used to celebrate when progress was being made. Who's next?

19

Gossip Girl Memes

Early on in the pandemic, Twitter and Instagram users started changing around the letters in Gossip Girl and creating memes out of new TV show names. A back-to-basics meme but hilarious nonetheless.

20

Everything Is Cake Memes

This was the year that everything ended up being cake. The popular trend sent many into a downward spiral, but hey, we got great memes out it.

21

Draw 25 Memes

This meme has forced us to answer the tough questions or suffer a heavy hand. Would you rather go through 2020 again or draw 25? Go ahead and draw 25.