To stay up-to-date with up-and-coming ideas and innovations, these May 2021 pop culture trends highlight the most significant headlines of the month.
One notable event lets dedicated Murs fans upgrade their virtual concert tickets using non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The underground rapper partnered with The Hot Blocks, a virtual store that focuses on the intersections of hip-hop and blockchain, to make the upgrade a reality. The world of cryptocurrency also welcomed Doja Cat's NFT to the marketplace with her Juicy Drops launch.
Another big move in the world of pop culture this month is NSYNC's Lance Bass' collaboration with Fruit Smash hard seltzer to release the Say Bye to Basic hotline. The hotline gives fans a chance to win a year's worth of Fruit Smash hard seltzer.
Top 35 Pop Culture Trends in May
35
Headphone-Equipped Face Masks
The Honeywell x will.i.am 'Xupermask' Has HEPA Filters and More
34
Cartoon Stoner Sneakers
The adidas Towelie Campus 80s Were Launched to Celebrate 4/20
33
Pancake Stack Slippers
Denny's Recently Launched the Limited-Edition Pro Loungers Slippers
32
Pop-Up Sci-Fi Tents
The Star Trek: TNG Shuttlecraft Justman 2-Person Camping Tent is Lightweight
31
Limited-Edition Pop Culture Clogs
The Lightning McQueen Crocs are Available Now in Limited Numbers
30
Movie-Themed Nail Polishes
The Sally Hansen Miracle Gel and Disney’s 'Cruella' Collection is Chic
29
Gen Z Edition Mattresses
Simmons Created a Special Edition Mattress with Charli & Dixie D'Amelio
28
Alien-Themed Tennis Shoes
adidas Has Unveiled an Eco-Friendly Yoda Stan Smith Silhouette
27
Customizable Artful Denim Capsules
Disney Joins Levi's and Keith Haring on a New Apparel Capsule
26
Content-Conscious Entrepreneurial Initiatives
India Reynolds Harnesses OnlyFans for a Brand Boost
25
Anime Ninja-Themed Apparel
LIBERE's Street Ninja Collection Celebrates Naruto Characters
24
Holographic Retro Cosmetics
The about-face beauty Daytripper Drop Takes Cues from 60s & 70s Style
23
Digital Fashion Magazines
Issued by Bottege Veneta Replaces the Brand's Online Presence
22
Cartoon Animal Graphic Tees
UNIQLO's Pokémon All-Stars Celebrates the Generation 1 Pokémons
21
Sci-Fi-Themed Cup Collections
The CORKCICLE x Star Wars Drinkware Collection is Celebratory
20
Anime-Themed Candy Bars
Bandai Candy Unveils More Chocolate Bars Inspired by Demon Slayer
19
Cartoon Sponge Cake Pillows
Tokyo Banana Launches a Special Pikachu Tokyo Mega Huggy Pillow
18
Next-Gen Beauty Pageants
Revolution Beauty Created a Beauty Pageant for the Tiktok Generation
17
Singer-Created NFT Marketplaces
Doja Cat is Releasing a Digital Asset Collection on Juicy Drops
16
Virtual Concert NFT Upgrades
LA Rapper Murs Offers New Kind of Virtual Concert Experience
15
Collectible Superhero Figures
Hot Toys Recently Unveiled a New Captain America™ Figure
14
Celebratory Droid Building Sets
The LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 Set Celebrates Lucasfilm's Anniversary
13
Weekly Release Streaming Schedules
Netflix Will Slowly Release The Circle and Too Hot to Handle
12
Cinema-First Movie Releases
WarnerMedia is Planning to Return to Cinema-First in 2022
11
Open-Source Machine Learning Tools
Magenta Explores the World of Music and Art Through AI
10
Anti-Binging TV Schedules
Disney+'s WandaVision Was Released in Weekly Doses
9
Convenience Store Anime Series
7-Eleven Japan Created the Animated Mini Series Rainbow Finder
8
Long-Term Metaverse Visions
Epic Games is Investing in Future Growth Opportunities
7
Building-Sized Beverage Campaigns
Brutal Fruit Debuts the New Ruby Apple Spritzer With a Unique Ad
6
Crossover Dating Series
Pepsi and MTV's Match Me If You Can Celebrates the Pairing in Pepsi Mango
5
Boyband Seltzer Promotions
Fruit Smash and Lance Bass Have Unveiled the Say Bye to Basic Hotline
4
Positive Shareable Poetry
Nokia Phones Commissions Empowering "Text-Able" Poetry
3
Weekly Sci-Fi Show Releases
Paramount+ Strategically Avoids the Binging Stream Model
2
In-App Podcast Subscription Programs
Spotify is Launching a New Service with No Added Fees
1
Blurring Gel Primers
Rare Beauty's Always an Optimist Pore Diffusing Primer Smooths Fine Lines
Related Ideas
Interactive K-Pop Film Toys
Furby Furblets KPop Demon Hunters Take After Favorite Characters
Superhero Lifestyle Collections
Disney Drops Brand Collabs for The Fantastic Four: First Steps
K-POP Boy-Group Tech Lines
CASETiFY x TOMORROW X TOGETHER Features Starry Visuals and Designs
Summery Streaming Series Cosmetics
KISS x The Summer I Turned Pretty Products Celebrate the Series
Sci-Fi Creature Collectibles
The Grogu Tiny But Mighty Series Figures Revsits On-Screen Looks
Rock Band Tech Accessories
CASETiFY x Oasis Pays Homage to the Band's Dark 90s Aesthetic
Pop-Star Coffee Partnerships
Dua Lipa Becomes Nespresso's Global Brand Ambassador
Swedish Candy Pop-Ups
BUBS' Sweeteasy Brings Indulgent Candy Traditions to US Consumers
Summer Soda Brand Campaigns
Sprite 'Turns Up the Refreshment' With its Immersive Campaign
Disruptive Streetwear Label Drops
Named Collective Unveils Its Midnight and Crush Collections
Next-Gen K-Beauty Pop-Ups
MUSKAT Hosted a Five Day Immersive Experience in L.A.
Collectible Pop Culture-Referencing Toys
Mattel Debuts Its 2025 San Diego Comic-Con Showcase
Baby Collectible Tech Lines
Sonny Angel x CASETiFY Has Returned for Another Adorable Collaboration
Candy-Inspired Sodas
Candy Lips Recreates Childhood Flavors Without Artificial Sweeteners
4/20 Marketing Campaigns
Fat Tuesday and Still G.I.N. By Dre and Snoop Limited Offer
Collectible Brand Clothing Collabs
The Vans x Pop Mart Mega Space Molly Range is Space-Age
Anime Sports Apparel
My Hero Academia x NBA Capsule Merges Anime Fandom with Basketball Culture
Wellness Swap Pop-Ups
Bragg's Trendy Trade-In Helped People Exchange Fads for ACV
Luxury Menswear Apparel Pop-Ups
Louis Vuitton's Soho Pop-Up Showcases the Fall/Winter 2025 Vision
Festival-Inspired Luxury Fashion Campaigns
Burberry Celebrates the Energy of British Music Culture
Beautifying Self-Care Bundles
Olive & June x Bubble Collaborated on Skin and Nail Care Kits
Y2K-Inspired Denim Campaigns
Gap Debuts ‘Better in Denim’ with KATSEYE for Fall 2025
Next-Gen Jelly Bean Campaigns
Jelly Belly Bean Appétit Entices a New Generation of Fans
Pop Icon Wearable-Audio Partnerships
The Bose × LISA Pop-Up will Spotlight the Ultra Open Earbuds
Creator-Led Style Collabs
MAC Cosmetics and Depop are Reintroducing Gen Z Shoppers to Lipstick
Nostalgic Soda-Inspired Suites
Olipop Introduced 'The Time Travel Travel Agency' in Texas
Summery Lip Balm Activations
e.l.f. Cosmetics Spotlights Its Melting Lip Balm at Coachella
Collectible Fandom Bundles
The KPop Demon Hunters Funko Pop Bundle Features Five Iconic Characters
Throwback Walkie-Talkie Collectibles
Stranger Things Upside Down Capsules Series 3 Thrills Fans
Island-Style Lager Activations
Kona Big Wave Partners with Spotify for Summer-Forward Experiences
Plush Beauty Keychains
Ulta Beauty x Mini Brands Pops Plush Keychains Feature Hero Products
Soda-Inspired Beauty Sets
The Tower 28 x poppi Fizz + Frost Holiday Duo Shares a Festive Color
Punkrock Band Tribute Cards
Green Day Gets the Garbage Pail Kids Treatment in a Topps Card Release
Vintage Band T-Shirt Capsule
Levi's Launches a Joint Sonic Youth Band Tee Collection
Nostalgic Soda-Brand Streetwear
Market Studios x Mountain Dew Drop an Exclusive Streetwear Launch
Video Game-Themed Beverages
Candy Can and Bandai Namco Entertainment Partner on Exclusive Collab
Playful Tech Accessory Events
CASETiFY Hosted an Event for Takashi Murakami’s FLOWERS Bloom
Fandom Culture Retail Experiences
EB Games x Vibrant Marketing Launch an 'EB Trends' Store Concept
Singer Festival Merch Capsules
SKYLRK Bieberchella Capsule Launches for Coachella 2026
Marathon Running Brand Pop-Ups
Bandit Running is Launching Its Boston Marathon Pop-Up
Anime-Inspired Limited Phone Accessories
CASETiFY and Dragon Ball Z Launch a New Collaboration
Stylized Collectible Figures
POP MART Launches the 'Arcane: League of Legends Blind Box Series'
Festival Fashion Denim Pop-Ups
A New Levi’s® Pop-Up Will Bring Festival Style to Old Montreal
Members-Only Plush Collectibles
Baby Three x T-Mobile Collaborated on the No Filter Series
Customizable Triple-Texture Candies
Gummi Popz Target Tweens and Teens
Soda-Inspired Skincare Collaborations
poppi and Bubble Skincare Partnered for Lip Products
Signature Soda Merchandise Collections
poppi Launches a Limited-Edition Alpine Blast Inspired Line
Y2K Lip Gloss Campaigns
Lancôme’s Juicy Kissing Web Stars Celebs from Hit 2000s Shows
Artistic Hip-Hop-Inspired Cereal Campaigns
Froot Loops Launches 'Follow Your Ears'
Comprehensive Easter-Inspired Collaborations
Peeps' 2026 Spring Collaboration Lineup is Impressive
Summer-Inspired Japanese Snack Collections
TokyoTreat Minimart Has Launched a Special Summer Line
Girl Group Beauty Campaigns
LANEIGE Taps KATSEYE for a JuicePop Box Lip Tint Campaign
Fandom-Honoring Building Block Sets
LEGO® Spotlights Iconic Pop Culture Films and Series
Sensorial Beauty Pop-Ups
The Pinterest x NYX Gimme Gummy Bar Entices Gen Z with ASMR & More
Digitized Music Group Experiences
Toca Boca Partners with KATSEYE for a Unique Digital Experience
Fruit-Inspired Cosmetics Collections
Fenty Beauty + Fenty Skin Unveil the Fresh N Icy Fruitz Line
Festival-Themed Cocktail Promotions
Kylie Jenner's Sprinter Vodka Soda Arrives at Coachella
Influencer-Driven Fashion Events
Pacsun Collaborated with Prominent Gen-Z Creators
3D Animal Gummies
Bazooka Brands Launches the Juicy Drop® Gummy Mystery Cube
Fat Tuesday 4/20 Campaign
Nationwide Promotion with Still G.I.N. by Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre
Sensory ASMR-Style Toys
Incredible Group's Squishi Toys Appeal to Gen Z Consumers
Restaurant Pop-Star Collaborations
McDonald's Partnered with BTS For the Second Time on New Meal
Glowing Neon Hair Collaborations
Hally Hair's Collaboration with Sour Patch Kids Glows in the Dark
NFT-Tied Energy Drinks
'NFT Energy' Empowers Brands Through Collaborative NFT Ventures
Gen Z Soda Campaigns
Enjoy the Moment with a Coca‑Cola Targets a Generation That Wants to Unplug
Immersive Curl-Powered Pop-Ups
göt2b is Helping Gen Z & Millennials Celebrate Their Waves & Coils
Beach-Inspired Phone Accessories
PopSockets x Electric Picks Collab on Jewelry-Like Accessories
Music Scene-Informed Luxury Campaigns
Burberry Taps Twiggy for Spring 2026 Advertising Campaign
Sour Frozen Pop Bites
GoodPop x SmartSweets Launched a Limited-Edition Poppable Treat
Mix-and-Match Candies
Juicy Drop MashUps Feature Sour Crunchy Candies for Wrapping in Sweet Sheets
Underground Culture-Inspired Collabs
Vintage Culture x Von Dutch Loves Debut a Capsule Collection
Youthful Hair Mists
Mane is Launching Scented Hair & Body Mists for Millennials & Gen Z
Football-Themed Sour Candies
Sour Patch Kids MVP Top Picks Mix Combines Multiple Products
Game-Inspired Y2K Collaborations
FlyQuest Taps Von Dutch to Prove that League Isn't Dead
Comprehensive Fast Food Reports
Yum! Brands, Inc. Explores Food Trends Influencing the Industry
Extra-Vibrant Soda Packs
Poppi's VIBES Party Pack Gives Favorite Flavors a Limited-Edition Look
Musician-Led Beverage Campaigns
poppi Tapped Charli xcx and Rachel Sennott for the Super Bowl
Gen-Z-Forward Vinyl Collections
Urban Outfitters Launches its 2025 Singles Day Vinyl Series
Museum-Inspired Spring Fashion Capsules
Pacsun is Partnering with the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Culturally Inspired Fall-Ready Streetwear
BAPE Introduces its Connect with People Collection
Nostalgic Candy Beverages
Candy Can and Bubblicious Launch a Bubble Gum-Flavored Soda
Singer-Centric Graphic Apparel Capsules
FREAK'S STORE Presents the Billie Eilish Capsule
Canadian Creator-Approved Campaigns
The Hacksmith and Mentos Launch a Fizz-Powered Innovation
Crispy Candy Contracts
Mars Invites Gen Z to "Legally Acknowledge the Crunch" of Skittles Pop’d
Nostalgic Summer Ice Creams
Jeni's Super Fun Times Collection Captures the Essence of the Season
Cultural Newsletter Subscriptions
American Eagle Launches Gen Z-Focused 'Off The Cuff' Publication
Y2K Mall Pop-Ups
Vita Coco's Nostalgia Mall Pop-Up Revives 2000s Mall Culture
Animated Film Pop-Up Tours
MINISO and Disney's Zootopia 2 Launch 'Fun Fur Every You!'
Production-Led Live Commerce Events
P.Louise Launches Get Unteddy With Me on TikTok Shop
Early 2000s Denim Collaborations
Bubly and Apple Bottoms by Nelly Partner for the 'Apple Bubly'
Halloween Blind Boxes
Pop Mart Unveils New Halloween-Themed Blind Boxes Starring Fan-Favorite IPs
Retro Sports Drink Revivals
Gatorade partners with Stranger Things to relaunch its 1987 campaign
Comprehensive Wellness-Celebrating Initatives
Live Love Spa Marks National Wellness Month
Album-Honoring Merch Collections
Tyler, the Creator Launches Merch to Celebrate Cherry Bomb
Highly Anticipated Coffee Pop-Ups
NBA All-Star Jimmy Butler Presents the BIGFACE Coffee Pop-Up
Health-Boosted Candies
Baby Bottle Pop's Adulthood Survival Collection Recognizes Popular Callouts
Pop-Up Sports Hospitality
Toronto’s FIFA Fan Festival Turns Urban Spaces into Immersive Fan Hubs
Candy-Inspired Tonal Streetwear Launches
Skylrk Candy Drop Launches Candy-Hued Streetwear
Streaming Moments Surge
Spotify’s Wrapped 2025 Engages Users with Personalized Year-in-Review
Audio Experience-Integrated Beverage Packaging
TapTunes, Inc. Has Introduced Virtual Wax
Grape-Flavored Better-For-You Sodas
Culture Pop Soda Emphasizes Whimsical Branding and Good Flavor
Vodka LGBTQIA+ Initiatives
Absolut x Paris Hilton Celebrate Pride at the OUTLOUD Music Festival
90s-Era Snack Product Campaigns
The Pringles One You Pop Campaign Revives the Tagline for Gen Z
Blind Box Fashion Collaborations
Cider Teams Up with POP MART to Unveil a New Collaboration
Vibrant Game Console Covers
Sony's New 'Hyperpop' PS5 Covers are Bright and Stylish
Cultural-Influence Fashion Capsules
Denim Tears Presents its 5th Quarter Collection
Pop Culture Wedding Collections
A Dynamic Duo Inspired The Engagement Era Collection by The Knot
Manchester Music Events
Keep Walking Live: Manchester Activates Venues Across the City
Gum Brand Activations
EXCEL® Gum Gets a Bold Refresh with Concert Activations to Match
Star-Studded Lip Gloss Campaigns
Lancôme Celebrates Juicy Tubes Legacy with Y2K with 'Kissing Web'
Nostalgic Fashion Capsules
Selena Gomez's Throwback Collection Revisits Her Most Iconic Roles
K-Pop Movie Shoe Capsules
Vans Releases a New Collection Themed Around K-Pop Demon Hunters
Japanese-Inspired Cream Soda Collaborations
Shonen Soda Joins Forces with Munch Addict
Branded Motosport-Inspired Initiatives
Monster Energy Takes Over Miami for the Miami Grand Prix
In-Store Music Series
Vans Off the Wall Campaign Hosts Live Performances at Oxford Street Flagship
Art-Focused Retail Capsules
Mattel and MoMA Partner to Craft a New Collaborative Collection
Retailer Music Festival Partnerships
7-Eleven and Live Nation Have Partnered for Festival Season
Unique Music Merchandise
Strange Music Launched NNUTTHOWZE Siqnaling The Siqly EP Merchandise
Expansive Summertime Cannabis Products
Squier's Speciality Elixirs Launched a Large Product Range
Sober Dance Parties
Daybreaker and FlavCity are Teaming Up to Host a Record-Breaking Event
Nourishing Personality-Packed Combos
The New Summer Jamba Bundles Tap into Popular Personas
Virtual Idol Concerts
Pokémon feat. Hatsune Miku VOLTAGE Live! Marks Project Voltage’s First Stage
Exclusive Pop-Up Events
Man’s Best Friend Pop-Up Offers Limited Merch & Immersive Album Experience
Instant Commerce Dessert Drops
Gopuff Launches Selena Gomez’s Exclusive Ice Cream Bars
Collaborative Beauty Events
Stoney Clover Lane X Hello Kitty and Friends Host a Pop-Up Event
Iconic Band Apparel Series
FREAK’S STORE Band Shirts Honor Legends with Long-Sleeve Designs
Large-Scale Drag Conventions
The Fierce & Fabulous Expo Will Take Place in June 2026
Rock Band-Collaborative Iced Drinks
Green Day and 7-Eleven Drops Kerplunk Kandy Grape Slurpee
Live Music Pizza Partnerships
Boston Pizza and Live Nation Canada Form a Partnership
Sporty Collaborative Fashion Capsules
Born X Raised Launches a Collaborative Sports Range
Cultural Sports Collaboration
The Weeknd and Toronto Blue Jays Unite for a World Series Collection
Music Memorabilia Auctions
Julien’s Auctions is Hosting Its 'Music Icons' Event at Hard Rock Cafe
Nostalgic Boy Band Commercials
T-Mobile Tapped Backstreet Boys for the Super Bowl This Year
Woman-Led Music Events
The Hard Rock x The Coca-Cola Company Women Empower Series is Launching Now
Expansive Month-Long Fashion Celebrations
Fashion Art Toronto Marks Its 20th Anniversary
Animated Charging Cable Collections
Beats Introduces its New Beats Cables with the Pill People Ad
Sci-Fi-Themed Doughnut Lineups
Pinkbox Doughnuts is Celebrating May the 4th Be with You Day
Cultural Korean Products
Musinsa is a New Platform Specializing in K-Culture Products
Delectable Career-Themed Ice Pops
Happy Pops Launches the Barbie Career Collection
Musician Bake-Off Campaigns
The Food Club's Boy Band Bake-Off Features Members of NSYNC