1. Pokémon GO Mania (2016)
If you saw clusters of people wandering around parks staring at their phones in July 2016, you weren’t imagining things, Alex Hern of The Guardian reports. Pokémon GO launched that summer and sparked a national frenzy — people were literally stampeding in Central Park to catch rare Pokémon. It was nostalgic, active, and social all at once, and that magic cocktail made it an instant hit. For a brief, shining moment, it felt like the entire country was part of one giant scavenger hunt.
But the excitement fizzled just a few months in. Server issues, lack of game updates, and safety concerns (hello, people walking into traffic) contributed to the drop-off. While the game still has a loyal player base, the nationwide obsession didn’t last. Let’s just say Pikachu is no longer leading fitness revolutions.
2. The Ice Bucket Challenge (2014)
In the summer of 2014, you couldn’t scroll through Facebook without seeing someone dump a bucket of ice water over their head, according to Amelia Hill of The Guardian. The Ice Bucket Challenge was a viral campaign to raise awareness — and money — for ALS research. Celebrities, CEOs, and everyday folks alike joined in, often nominating others and filming dramatic reactions to freezing water. It was silly, unifying, and surprisingly effective.
The campaign raised over $115 million for the ALS Association in the U.S. alone, which was used to fund critical research. But like most viral things, the challenge had a shelf life. By the next summer, it was rare to see a fresh video. Still, it made a lasting impact — even if it briefly turned every driveway into a splash zone.
3. Fidget Spinners (2017)
Remember when every kid, coworker, and uncle was spinning a fidget toy like their lives depended on it? Fidget spinners hit peak popularity in spring 2017 and were suddenly everywhere — in classrooms, YouTube tutorials, and even banned from schools for being “too distracting.” Originally designed to help kids with ADHD and anxiety, they quickly became a cultural phenomenon, Bruce Y. Lee of Forbes explains. For a solid three months, they were the must-have gadget — and then, just as fast, they vanished into junk drawers.
The toy market was flooded with cheap knockoffs, and schools started cracking down hard. Major retailers like Target couldn’t keep them on shelves — until they couldn’t give them away. By the end of 2017, the fad had all but disappeared, leaving behind a trail of abandoned plastic in car cupholders. It was the definition of a flash-in-the-pan trend.
4. Planking (2011)
Back in 2011, the hottest way to show off your creativity was… lying face down like a board, Amir Efrati of The Wall Street Journal explains. Planking became an internet sensation as people competed to find the weirdest, most precarious places to go stiff as a plank. It seemed harmless enough at first — just good, weird fun. But it escalated quickly into a daredevil stunt trend that even led to injuries and, tragically, at least one death.
The backlash came fast once the risks became apparent. Employers banned it, schools warned against it, and the novelty wore off. Soon, it was replaced by the next viral pose (we’re looking at you, “owling” and “Tebowing”). For a few surreal months though, lying still was the height of cool.
5. Beanie Babies Craze (1990s)
In the mid-to-late ’90s, grown adults were elbowing each other in stores to grab plush toys with pun-filled names. Beanie Babies weren’t just toys — they were supposed to be an “investment.” People believed they’d retire early off Princess the Bear or Peanut the Elephant. At its height, collectors paid thousands for rare pieces.
The bubble burst hard in the early 2000s. Market oversaturation and internet price transparency destroyed resale values. That Princess Diana bear now goes for about five bucks on eBay. Still, for a while, Americans were buying into plush-based retirement plans like it was gospel.
6. Segways as the “Future of Transport” (2001)
When the Segway was unveiled in 2001, it was hyped as a revolution in personal transportation. Tech leaders and media outlets predicted it would change cities forever — some even compared it to the invention of the car. But instead of transforming urban mobility, it became the punchline of a thousand jokes and a staple of mall cops and tourists. Turns out, no one wanted to spend $5,000 to stand while moving awkwardly through town.
It didn’t help that regulations barred Segways from sidewalks in many cities. They were also bulky, kind of dorky-looking, and harder to use than advertised. The company stopped making them in 2020, and their grand vision never really materialized. The future, it seems, had other plans — mostly involving bikes and scooters.
7. Hoverboards (2015–2016)
You remember these — those two-wheeled “hoverboards” that didn’t hover but definitely caught fire. Around 2015, they exploded in popularity as the go-to gift of the season (and sometimes literally exploded due to battery malfunctions). Celebrities rode them on talk shows, and kids zipped through malls on them — until cities, airlines, and schools banned them over safety concerns. By mid-2016, their reign had fizzled fast.
Even the name “hoverboard” was a bit of a scam — there was no floating involved, just a glorified self-balancing scooter. Once the novelty wore off and regulations piled up, the market collapsed. Add in the frequent YouTube clips of painful wipeouts, and you had a recipe for rapid decline. Today, they’re more often seen in clearance aisles than under Christmas trees.
8. Clubhouse App Craze (2021)
In early 2021, Clubhouse was the place to be — if you had an invite. The audio-only social network exploded during the pandemic when everyone was starved for connection and novelty. It was a mix between a conference call and a TED Talk, with Elon Musk, Oprah, and Mark Zuckerberg all making appearances. Rooms ranged from startup pitches to dating advice, and FOMO ran wild.
But once Twitter Spaces and other platforms copied the format, the novelty faded. Engagement tanked, the app’s exclusivity backfired, and users just… stopped showing up. By late 2021, it was clear Clubhouse was more of a quarantine-era curiosity than a long-term staple. It still exists, but it’s no longer the digital cocktail party it once was.
9. FarmVille Frenzy (2009–2011)
Ah, FarmVille — the game that turned Facebook into a field of digital crops and passive-aggressive neighbor requests. Launched in 2009, it let users plant virtual farms, harvest crops, and send cows to their friends, which for some reason became a daily ritual for tens of millions. At its peak, FarmVille had 32 million daily active users and practically defined Facebook gaming. But it was as addictive as it was annoying.
People grew tired of constant notifications, and Facebook eventually restricted how aggressively games could spam your feed. As smartphones took over and mobile gaming evolved, FarmVille’s clunky desktop interface felt outdated. Zynga shut the original game down in 2020. It was fun while it lasted — unless you were the friend who kept getting asked for fertilizer.
10. Silly Bandz (2010)
If you were around kids in 2010, chances are you saw wrists stacked with brightly colored rubber bands shaped like dinosaurs, animals, or musical notes. Silly Bandz were the trading cards of the elementary school crowd, with kids swapping and showing off collections like currency. Some schools even banned them for being too distracting. The appeal? You never knew if the one shaped like a unicorn would be the next rare find.
But the trend burned hot and fast. Within a year, the market was oversaturated, and interest dropped like a rock. Stores went from selling out to putting them in clearance bins. Turns out, when the novelty wears off, they’re just rubber bands again.
11. Harlem Shake Videos (2013)
In February 2013, for a solid two weeks, the internet was overtaken by the Harlem Shake. It started with a single YouTube video, then spiraled into a global dance meme where one person danced alone before a sudden jump cut to a costumed, chaotic group scene. Everyone from the U.S. Army to college dorms to corporate offices made one. It was weird, hilarious, and incredibly contagious.
Over 40,000 versions were uploaded in just a few weeks. But like most viral formats, its shelf life was extremely short. By the time mainstream brands joined in, the internet had already moved on. It’s now a time capsule from a very specific era of meme culture.
12. The Dress Debate (2015)
Blue and black? Or white and gold? In February 2015, a single photo of a dress posted to Tumblr sparked an internet-wide debate that somehow dragged scientists, psychologists, and even news anchors into the conversation. The world split into two camps, and everyone felt personally attacked if someone saw it differently.
The phenomenon became an overnight obsession, reaching 73 million pageviews on BuzzFeed in 24 hours. Experts explained it as a trick of lighting and perception, but by then it didn’t matter. People had already picked sides like it was the Super Bowl of optical illusions. A few weeks later, the hysteria cooled, and the dress was just… a dress again.
13. Tiger King Fever (2020)
In the early days of the pandemic, when the world was locked down and stress levels were high, America collectively turned its gaze to one bizarre spectacle: Tiger King. The Netflix docuseries dropped in March 2020 and instantly became the most talked-about show in the country. Joe Exotic’s bleach-blond mullet, murder-for-hire plots, and tiger-filled chaos were impossible to look away from — and memes were everywhere. It was escapism at its wildest.
But just as quickly as it roared onto screens, the obsession faded. Follow-ups, like a second season and dramatized versions, failed to recapture the original hype. Once the novelty wore off (and real-world events ramped up), Joe and Carole Baskin became yesterday’s news. Still, for a strange, caged-animal moment in time, Tiger King ruled the national conversation.
14. Google Glass (2013–2015)
When Google Glass debuted, it looked like the future — wearable tech with a heads-up display, voice commands, and camera capabilities. Early adopters (mostly techies and journalists) were excited, but regular folks? Not so much. It was expensive, invasive, and kind of made you look like a cyborg — hence the nickname “Glasshole” for users. Privacy concerns and social awkwardness sunk the device almost immediately.
By 2015, Google shelved the consumer version and quietly pivoted to enterprise uses. While it didn’t take off with the public, it laid the groundwork for today’s AR ambitions. Still, as a national obsession, it was brief and awkward — a vision of the future that came before we were ready (or willing). Even now, it’s often cited as a cautionary tale in tech launches.
15. YOLO Culture (2012)
“You Only Live Once” — better known as YOLO — took over pop culture in 2012 after rapper Drake dropped the term in his song “The Motto.” It quickly became an excuse for reckless decisions, spontaneous tattoos, and terrible financial choices. YOLO was hashtagged, memed, shouted across bars, and printed on tank tops everywhere. For a while, it felt like a national motto for impulsive living.
But as with all catchphrases, it didn’t take long to get overused and worn out. The term was parodied, mocked, and eventually replaced by the next millennial mantra. Still, for a brief moment, YOLO was the rallying cry for a generation looking to justify one more round of shots. And then, just like that — we all moved on.
