The Memes of 2011
A rainbow cat, a green creeper, and the 99 percent
The Social Boom, 2011–2015
Nyan Cat appeared in April and ran for years on a loop. A green creature from Minecraft gave the world a catchphrase that would still be sung ten years later, and Rebecca Black’s “Friday” showed how fast a song could be turned into a joke.
Meanwhile the Occupy Wall Street movement began in September, and Snapchat released its first version. The Internet was now a place where politics, games and jokes could not be separated.
Top memes of 2011
3 memes in the archive peaked this year, and 4 first went viral.
1Nyan Cat
22/100+1%Classic2011Peaked in 2011
2Rage Comics
10/1000%Classic2008Peaked in 2011
3Trollface
24/100+1%Classic2008Peaked in 2011
2011, month by month
The leading memes of the year on one scale, 0 to 100. The yellow dot marks each one’s highest month.
Nyan Cat
Nyan Cat: Apr 20, May 66, Jun 86, Jul 86, Aug 79, Sep 72, Oct 74, Nov 66, Dec 62 Rage Comics
Rage Comics: Jan 67, Feb 70, Mar 70, Apr 74, May 76, Jun 76, Jul 76, Aug 76, Sep 77, Oct 85, Nov 85, Dec 85 Trollface
Trollface: Jan 66, Feb 68, Mar 70, Apr 69, May 74, Jun 75, Jul 76, Aug 78, Sep 75, Oct 77, Nov 82, Dec 80 Success Kid
Success Kid: Jan 30, Feb 31, Mar 36, Apr 38, May 39, Jun 43, Jul 49, Aug 50, Sep 52, Oct 54, Nov 58, Dec 56 Creeper? Aw Man
Creeper? Aw Man: Aug 8, Sep 21, Oct 34, Nov 46, Dec 54 Rickroll
Rickroll: Jan 46, Feb 46, Mar 46, Apr 47, May 47, Jun 46, Jul 46, Aug 46, Sep 45, Oct 44, Nov 44, Dec 43
Attention index, 0 to 100 on one scale for the whole archive. Estimated from each meme’s key dates, not measured.
Timeline
Dated moments from the memes above, in order.
Millions of views. Within weeks the video ranks among the most-watched viral clips of the month.
A cat with a Pop-Tart body. Christopher Torres posts a looping animation of a flying cat with a rainbow trail.
Add a song. saraj00n pairs the animation with “Nyanyanyanyanyanyanya!” and uploads it to YouTube.
I hate sandcastles. A caption about a child who hates sandcastles makes the photo popular on image boards and Reddit.
The victory kid. The photo is reinterpreted as a symbol of everyday wins and spreads through Advice Animals.
I know that feel bro. Two Wojaks hugging become popular on 4chan.
Everywhere at once. Nyan Cat appears in games, remixes, costumes and merchandise.
Absorbed by officialdom. By the time the White House Twitter account posts a rickroll, the prank is more tradition than surprise.
Revenge. CaptainSparklez posts a Minecraft parody of a 2010 Usher single.
A server anthem. Players quote the opening line in servers and comment sections.
Shorthand. “Double rainbow” enters everyday speech for over-the-top enthusiasm.
Minecraft hits 1.0. As the game reaches its full release in November 2011, the parody grows with its audience.
What kind of memes
Categories across the memes active in 2011.