The Biggest, Best—And Worst (So Far)

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

FACEBOOK

“Dog Gets A Sweet Fresh Cut”

Most-liked post | 5.7 Million Likes

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TWITTER

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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INSTAGRAM

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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Google

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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