Plot Twists of 2025: Who’s Taking Center Stage?

Overview

• As we approach 2025, the entities destined to capture our attention might not be who we expect. Sure, the usual suspects like Amazon and Facebook are still making moves, but it’s the traditionally niche players that are about to take center stage and become mainstream powerhouses.
• From tech platforms to political figures, the coming year will be defined by brands, personalities, and icons that are shifting the cultural narrative. Here's a look at who's set to dominate and why you should care.

Who’s Going to Make a Splash in 2025?

Before we start naming names, let’s zoom out and understand the magic. This list is based on insights gathered from a survey of over 7,000 FuseLight℠ data series, capturing the celebs, influencers and brands people are most interested in exploring. Through careful analysis, we've uncovered a plethora of information that highlights the entities capturing attention. This data offers a unique perspective on who’s likely to dominate the cultural landscape in the coming year—insight that goes beyond mere trends to reveal what’s driving the conversation.

Let’s get to it—who's generating the most buzz? The following charts visualize the top players that are currently of interest to Fuselight℠ users in 2024. These insights reflect both people and brands that are expected to dominate conversations in 2025.

Are you surprised by Reddit? I’m surprised by Reddit! Reddit and Trump stand out as the dominant players of each category, leading with a significant margin over other entities. To better visualize relative trends, all other values have been rescaled in comparison to their value, allowing for a clearer understanding of how these figures and brands stack up in relation to one another.

Brands set to dominate

1. Reddit’s explosive rise: Reddit is about to become a media titan, with public interest set to increase by 120% of its 2020 baseline. Its community-driven approach and minimalist design are resonating deeply, focusing on what you’re into, not who you know. Built from the ground up, Reddit thrives on a crowdsourced structure, prioritizing organic community-shaping content over polished algorithms. This stands in obvious contrast to the perfection-driven platforms that dominate elsewhere. What was once just a forum is now evolving into a cultural hub.

This forecast shows the projected public interest in Reddit through 2025, based on historical data and future trend analysis. Reddit already has an enormous amount of public interest.  What’s surprising here is that it’s set to grow even more. As depicted in the shaded area, there’s a strong upward trajectory in interest that signals Reddit’s growing cultural influence heading into the new year.

1. “Wicked” makes a comeback: After the first movie, with a second film in the works and a musical tour set for 2025, Wicked is ready to capture the hearts of both old fans and fresh followers, making it a major cultural phenomenon. Let’s just be clear here, Wicked as a brand is on the same chart as Facebook and Amazon!

People who are shaping 2025

1. Trump leading the charge: Trump is preparing for a significant surge in public interest, with searches expected to jump by 50% in 2025 compared to last year. This increase underscores his continued dominance in the political and media landscapes as one of the most controversial presidents of the United States. His influence seems to not just persist but intensify, keeping him firmly at the center of the national conversation.
2. Taylor Swift’s continued reign: With an anticipated album release and a 2026 tour on the horizon, Swift’s cultural footprint remains undeniable. Expect 2025 to bring even more milestones for her as she continues to impact both music and business.
3. Drake and Sabrina Carpenter strong presence: While Drake remains a powerful force in the entertainment industry, Sabrina Carpenter is making waves of her own. Carpenter’s rising popularity places her among the top influencers to watch in 2025, leaving her circle behind, including Barry Keoghan.

Bottom Line: The cultural landscape is shifting, and the brands and people we once thought were untouchable are now having to share the spotlight with a new cast of players who are changing the game. It’s not just about following trends; it’s about recognizing the cultural shifts that are shaping society in real-time. From Reddit’s surge in popularity to Trump’s continued dominance, these figures are not just catching attention—they’re altering the narrative. Whether through political drama, viral moments, or global media impact, their influence will be felt everywhere.

Looking Ahead: The rise of these figures signals broader changes. For instance, Reddit’s rise could signal a move away from traditional media giants, while figures like Trump and Swift will continue to prevail in both public and media discourse. Expect these icons to not only make waves in 2025 but set the stage for trends that will dominate the upcoming years.