By Samantha Sidi ’16, Arts and Entertainment Editor

1. Ray Rice Incident: Exposing the Flaws in Victim-Blaming

The Ray Rice incident of May 2014 sparked a debate over the way our society views victims, along with the very real setback the incident caused the feminist movement. The Ray Rice situation has prompted people to examine the way the NFL handles incidences of domestic violence, along with an evaluation of the way the victims are treated while the perpetrators are relatively unscathed. Ray Rice was ultimately suspended from the NFL after multiple criticisms and scrutiny occurred due to the NFL’s mismanagement of the case.

2. An Emerging Star: Lupita Nyong’o

The newest starlet in Hollywood is the beautiful Lupita Nyong’o who became famous for her breathtaking Oscar performance in 12 Years a Slave. Nyong’o has influenced the way society views beauty and especially the beauty of a black woman by exposing her previous feelings about her body image and accepting her own beauty. This made her an idol for young girls everywhere, despite their skin tone.

3. Taylor Swift’s Album 1989

Without allowing her music to be on Spotify, Taylor Swift came out with a new album that sold a whopping 1.3 million copies its first week, which is the highest first-week sales tally for an album by a female artist since Britney Spears’ Oops!…I Did It Again was released in 2000. Swift’s YouTube views for “Shake It Off” have increased by 120%, and the album has dominated Billboard charts, iTunes, and of course, the radio.

4. The Unfortunate Goodbyes

2014 marked the year of the deaths of iconic and noteworthy stars, Robin Williams, Joan Rivers, and Oscar De La Renta. These stars all contributed to our society by bringing us laughs, in Williams’ and Rivers’ cases, and by introducing incredible design and artful new clothing, in De La Renta’s. These stars will surely be missed, but their legacies will live on. Williams’ most popular performances in movies like Good Will Hunting and Insomnia will continue to be celebrated. Rivers’ legacy of being an outspoken female comedian and De La Renta’s famous designs, worn by the likes of Jacqueline Kennedy and Sarah Jessica Parker, will be remembered for years to come.

5. LeBron’s Return

LeBron James’ surprising (and unfortunate for Miami Heat fans) return to Cleveland created joyous celebration in his honor, only four years after his controversial move to Miami after free agency. However, James decided to right his wrong and return to his home state to play for the team that, one could say, developed him into the player that he is today.

6. Jimmy Fallon’s Exciting New Job

Jimmy Fallon took over the reigns of the popular late night television show, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, in February 2014. He brought his characteristic charm and jokes to the iconic Late Night set in New York City. His premiering episode featured a plethora of stars including Tina Fey, Joe Namath, Rudy Guiliani, Mariah Carey, Tracy Morgan, Joan Rivers, Kim Kardashian, Seth Rogan, Lindsey Lohan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Mike Tyson, Lady Gaga, and Stephen Colbert, with the musical guest Will Smith. The debut week garnered top ratings for the network—the most in 20 years—with 8.490 million viewers.

7. The New Happy Couples

A multitude of famous people decided to take the plunge and officially commit to their significant other with marriage in 2014, including George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. Each of the weddings was, of course, unique. Alamuddin wore one of Oscar De La Renta’s final creations when she married George Clooney in Venice, Italy. The Kardashian-West nuptials also occurred in Italy at the Forte di Belvedere in Florence, Italy. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie finally tied the knot after ten years together, in the South of France with their children in tow.

8. The Future Royal

Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, is once again pregnant, and there is speculation that she is expecting not one, but two future royals who are possibly both girls, and who would be named the traditional blue-blood names of Elizabeth or Victoria. Many excitedly await the arrival of the twins, while admiring Kate’s impeccable maternity style as she travels around the world to the traditional royal functions.

9. How I Met Your Mother’s Controversial Ending

How I Met Your Mother concluded in March 2014, and the finale sparked controversy among the viewers and devoted fans. Many viewers felt betrayed and claimed that the ending wasted the nine years they spent watching the show primarily because the main characters, Ted and Robin, ended up together. Others felt angry about how the mother was killed, whereas some viewers felt that the ending fast-forwarded through the lives of the main characters too quickly. Ultimately, the ending did not satisfy, and the creators of the show announced that an alternate ending would be released with the DVD of the final season.

10. Raising Awareness: The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Over the summer, the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge flooded social media and was participated in by the likes of the Newark Academy community, along with multiple celebrities from Justin Bieber to the senator of New Jersey, Cory Booker. The Challenge raised over 100 million dollars by creating widespread awareness about the disease through funny and sometimes heartwarming videos.