20 reasons millennials are having a great year, pop culturally speaking

Fuller House ushered in a new wave of ‘90s nostalgia that was unmatched, and while some reboots fared better than others, it left millennials wondering what other shows would return one day. King of the Hill is just one of a handful from yesteryear that’s ready to make a big comeback with new episodes focusing on the Hill family in the present day, with Hank and Peggy retired, Bobby mastering his chef ways, and the rest of the gang dealing with everything from drones to ride shares.

Many millennials fell in love with Noah Wyle when he was on ER, and would never have guessed that over 15 years later, Wyle would still be their medical show crush thanks to The Pitt.

It’s been over 30 years since Backstreet Boys got their start, and they’ve shown no real signs of stopping or even slowing down as their most recent residency at Sphere in Las Vegas has been a big hit for fans looking to relive their youth, if just for one (or two) nights.

Lindsay Lohan is a celebrity that millennials will defend with their entire lives, and rightfully so. She starred in some of their favorite movies growing up. Yes, she had a bit of a rough patch, but millennials had faith in their girl and knew one day she'd rise like a phoenix. They could’ve never guessed it would be in a sequel to 2003’s Freaky Friday, but they aren’t complaining. They are embracing and celebrating!

According to Vogue, one of the big trends in fashion in 2025 is witchy looks. Which, in the ‘90s, was one of the most popular styles among young people due to The Craft, Halloweentown, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and, of course, Hocus Pocus.

Two major things happened in 2005: It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia debuted, and Fall Out Boy became a household name among any teen with a lot of angst after their sophomore album, From Under the Cork Tree, dropped. Fast forward to 2025, and It’s Always Sunny had a Fall Out Boy reference in their crossover episode with Abbott Elementary.

Older millennials who were 17-19 might have gotten to experience the girl power wonder that was Lilith Fair at the tail end of the ‘90s, but for those who were too young, Hulu has a documentary exploring the festival.

Given the state of the Earth, a Captain Planet reboot with Leonardo DiCaprio backing it is needed now more than ever.

If there is one actor millennials will always love, it’s Adam Sandler.

Katie Holmes is pulling triple duty as the writer, director, and star of a film trilogy, Happy Hours. It would’ve been news no matter what, but it rocked people to their core who were die hard Dawson’s Creek fans when photos from the shoot showed Holmes alongside none other than her former onscreen beau, Joshua Jackson.

On the final night of Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Tour, she brought out Michelle Williams and Kelly Rowland. For a moment, all was right with the world.

South Park has been an integral part of the millennial experience since 1997, and it proved that in 2025, it still has the ability to make headlines with one whopper of a premiere as it kicked off its 27th season.

Millennials know a thing or two about a craze that makes zero sense, has no actual value, and is based around a toy. Labubu reawakened their Beanie Baby brains and allowed them some joy via collecting.

The All-American Rejects were a favorite among the budding emo kids of the mid-2000s. The band never went away, but did make a huge statement in 2025 when they fought back against overpriced concerts by playing a number of random backyards throughout the US.

There is always room in the hearts of millennials for anything related to Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Clueless celebrated its 30th anniversary, and a whole generation spent a lot of money on the commemorative merch that was released from Loungefly purses to Walmart accessories.

Kids today will never understand what it meant to hear “The Boy is Mine” for the first time in 1998. Brandy and Monica were both R&B titans by the time they were 15, and, in the longstanding tradition of the music industry, they were pitted against one another. They decided to put that “beef” to rest with a timeless duet, but then kind of parted ways, and that was that. During the pandemic, they participated in a Verzuz, and a few years later announced they’d be hitting the road together for the first time, blessing millennials with the ultimate night out.

If there is one thing about horror movies, they love to keep a franchise going. Fans of the original I Know What You Did Last Summer expected a third installment years ago, given how I Still Know ended, but it never happened. Now, the franchise is back with a new cast of characters as well as a couple of familiar faces.

Kim Coles and Erika Alexander teamed up to give fans of Living Single an inside look at the hit Fox series with a podcast that also has other former costars stopping by from time to time.

Warped Tour was the pinnacle of every pop-punk and emo kid's summer, but like most things, it went away. In 2025, it was announced that it was back, though. Sort of. Three weekends throughout the year would bring the music festival back into the lives of millennials who still had a little teen angst left in them.