Mid-way through 2023, Swift, Musk, Nvidia, Zelda and Johannes Vermeer are all big winners. The slasher flick Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey and Texans, laboring under a record-breaking summer scorcher, are among those who definitely are not.
Why wait until December to consider where we are and where we’re going? Six months into 2023, a clear picture has emerged of artificial intelligence creating killer stocks and stalking jobs, an armada of clean-energy vehicles zipping along while wildfire smog descends upon us, and of Elon Musk, Spare and a $3,500 virtual reality headset sparking constant chatter. It’s been a thrilling year that has been, at times, undeniably unsettling. Let’s pause amid the fireworks and take a look.
ENTERTAINMENT
MUSIC
Last Night, Morgan Wallen
Biggest song | 12 Weeks At No. 1
Runner-up: Flowers, By Miley Cyrus (8 weeks at No. 1)
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One Thing At A Time, Morgan Wallen
Top album | 12 Weeks At No. 1
Runner-up: SOS by SZA (8 weeks at No. 1)
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MOVIE
Super Mario Bros. Movie
Highest-grossing movie | $573 million domestic box office
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Big George Foreman
Worst-performing movie | $5 million domestic box office
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Past Lives
Best-reviewed movie | Director Celine Song
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Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey
Worst-reviewed movie | Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield
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TV
Next Level Chef
Single most-watched TV episode | 16.8 Million Viewers
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GAME
Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
Biggest video game of the year (but it’s close)
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BOOKS
Spare by Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex
Best-selling book | 1.2 million books sold (U.S.)
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Happy Place by Emily Henry
Best-selling new fiction | 366,045 books sold (U.S.)
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PODCAST
Joe Rogan (ahead of Crime Junkie and The Daily)
Most popular podcast
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EVENTS
The Indianapolis 500
Biggest single sports event (global) | 230,000 tickets sold
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Los Fabulosos Cadillacs Mexico City
Biggest music concert | 300,000 in attendance
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It’s All Taylor
Biggest concert tour | Grossed over $300 Million
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Phantom of the Opera’s final bow
Broadway’s biggest show
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Johannes Vermeer, Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam)
Most-attended museum show | 650,000 tickets sold
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STOCKS
Nvidia
Best-performing stock | 190% Increase In 2023
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Banks and vaccine makers
Worst-performing stocks
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Bitcoin
Best Assets | Surges 83%
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SOCIAL MEDIA
“Dog Gets A Sweet Fresh Cut”
Most-liked post | 5.7 Million Likes
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Elon Musk edges Rihanna
Most-liked post | 1.5 Million Likes
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Musk moves past Obama (but did he stack the deck?)
Most Twitter followers | 145 million
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Cristiano Ronaldo dominates (even Messi)
Most Instagram followers | 593 million
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TIKTOK
Khaby Lame
Most TikTok followers | 161 million
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VITAL SIGNS
The Jobs Surge
Best work news | 1.6 million new U.S. jobs
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Major layoffs
Worst work news | 200,000 layoffs from big employers
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Biggest single layoff | 12,000 jobs
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AUTOS
Ford F-Series
Best-selling auto | More than 329,000 sold through June
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Tesla’s Model Y
Best-selling electric vehicle | 138,000 sold—No. 2 behind all cars (Toyota Camry sold 140,467)
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WEATHER
116 degrees
Hottest Temperature | June 22, Tahoka, Texas
-36 degrees
Coldest Temperature | February 3, Old Forge, New York
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CRIME
330
Number of U.S. mass shootings so far (on track for an all-time high)
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MORE FROM FORBES
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maryroeloffs/2023/07/04/a-2023-halftime-report-the-biggest-best-and-worst-so-far/