We consumed pop culture oh so differently this year, as the experiential was suddenly replaced by the virtual. But our celebrities and cultural and political figures stepped into the breach and provided a steady diet of content to keep us distracted over the long months of lockdown. The highs were, well, less high due to the isolation, and the lows were often lower due to some terrible losses. But the pandemic did force culture to shift online and community to carve out new pathways of connection. The silver lining may be that without the bright lights and loud gatherings and busy social and travel schedules, we were forced to stop and appreciate the little things in life more. There were some innovative solutions that charmed us, while a yearning for the old world made nostalgia a hot ticket. Here are our favourite pop culture moments of 2020.

An Age-Defying Spectacular

Way back in the before times — also known as January — J.Lo electrified the Super Bowl halftime stage along with her special guest, Shakira. Fans were not only wowed by the singing and dancing, which included some epic booty shaking, but by how Lopez, who turned 51 later in the year, had with this performance singlehandedly redefined what it means to look 50 now. She’s not just in good shape — she’s actually somehow in better shape than she was as a backup dancer for New Kids on the Block 30 years previous. In addition, the two Latina superstars lit an inspirational spark at the beginning of a year where the push for inclusion came to dominate the conversation.