01
Zoom Cat Lawyer
A lawyer entered a court hearing as a terrified kitten and had to assure the judge: “I’m here live. I’m not a cat.”
Archive score95
Internet archive / 2021
Internet moments from 2021
Backdrop
The Internet in 2021
Year reference
The Ever GivenA supply-chain failure became a universal meme.
Source: NASA Earth Observatory- Short video and remix tools made duets, stitched reactions, and remote collaboration a normal creative language.
- The internet was still negotiating a post-lockdown identity: more creator-led, more platform-shaped, and more comfortable making everyday rituals into content.
Follow the thread
Trails from 2021
Archive order
Archive picks
02
The Wellerman Sea-Shanty Wave
“Soon may the Wellerman come” introduced a brief period of widespread online sea-shanty harmonies.
Archive score93
03
Bing Bong
A postgame “bing bong” turned a subway-door sound into a widely repeated New York victory chant.
Archive score93
04
Emotional Damage
One shouted reaction turned “emotional damage” into a common response to a cutting remark.
Archive score93
05
No Bones Day
If Noodle the pug returned to bed, followers took it as a cue to take the day more slowly.
Archive score92
06
Berries and Cream (The Little Lad Revival)
A 2007 candy-commercial jingle came back fourteen years later, and the Little Lad was ready to dance again.
Archive score92
07
Emily Mariko’s Salmon Rice Bowl
Leftover salmon, cold rice, an ice cube, and parchment paper drew millions of viewers to a lunch routine.
Archive score91
08
Bernie’s Inauguration Mittens
Bernie Sanders sat down at an inauguration and immediately got added to every location on Earth.
Archive score90
09
Lanky Kong listens to DK Rap for the first time
An early creator-controlled upload reveals the comedy voice before it became a larger internet rabbit hole.
Archive score90
010
Friday / “It’s Friday Then”
“It’s Friday then, it’s Saturday, Sunday, what?” turned a dance track into the week’s most persistent little countdown.
Archive score89
011
Brian’s Hat
A colleague showed up in a loud safari hat, and everyone was desperate to know where the hat came from.
Archive score88
012
Tables
A driver’s-ed teacher refuses to explain why a woman’s job is “tables,” making the non-answer the whole joke.
Archive score88
013
Baked Feta Pasta
A Finnish food blogger’s tray of tomatoes and feta became the internet’s low-effort dinner project.
Archive score82