Top 10 Pop culture moments of the decade #6: Vine
Even after it's gone, Vine remains to a be a highly influential cultural artifact
Helen ZhangAn entire decade has passed and, surprisingly, we are still here. From the world ending in 2012 to fidget spinners, this decade has been filled with iconic and weird memories. In this segment, our writer reflects back on this decade and decides which pop culture moments were the most memorable or the most influential.
Although it was short-lived, Vine has heavily contributed to our social interactions and our popular culture landscape — actually, we are still quoting vines to this day.
Vine was founded in 2012 and became the most downloaded free app on April 9, 2013. However, in 2016, the app closed down. Afterward, TikTok and Music.ly rose in popularity.
Vine birthed a new line of celebrities — notably, Shawn Mendes and Edmonton’s own Ruth B. received their start on Vine by posting short six-seconds covers. Comedy skit stars that are popular on Instagram, like Lele Pons and King Bach, originally got their start producing content regularly on Vine.
Some of these videos added new meaning to regular sentences (oh my god, they were roommates) and added new vocabulary to our everyday life (on fleek).
Vine is incredibly versatile as well. It was a conversation starter when you’re at a party where you don’t know anyone. It’s a way to show your friends you’re thinking of them. It’s also great for relaxing and unwinding at the end of the day.
Additionally, DeRay Mckesson, a civil rights activist, notes that Vine was incredibly useful in showcasing the Ferguson protests. Tracy Clayton, the host of the “Another Round” podcast at BuzzFeed, contends that Vine gave young creatives of
Even now, after it was shut down, people are still replaying old Vine videos on YouTube. And it’s successor, TikTok, cannot emulate the iconic nature of Vine.
This app was a game-changer, and although it’s gone it will live on in memory. Thanks, Vine!
