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Old media was a monologue; trending content is a conversation. Specifically, it is a remix. The most successful trends are those that invite imitation. Think of the “Charlie bit my finger” video—cute, but static. Now compare that to a TikTok template where users substitute their own punchline.

Entertainment today is defined by low friction, high reward participation. If a viewer can engage with a trend by simply pointing their phone at themselves and lip-syncing, the trend will scale exponentially.

As we look to the horizon, entertainment and trending content is about to get even more immersive.

Artificial Intelligence: AI will lower the barrier to entry even further. Soon, you won't need to know how to dance to start a dance trend; an AI avatar could do it for you. Deepfakes and AI-generated scripts will flood the feeds, forcing us to ask harder questions about authenticity. Cum4K.23.12.05.Cecelia.Taylor.Drenched.Rub.Down...

The "Disappearing" Act: The pendulum may swing back towards privacy. While TikTok trends are public forever, there is a growing desire for "niche" communities (Discord servers, closed group chats) where the pressure to perform is absent.

Longer Formats: Ironically, as short-form peaks, we are seeing a renaissance in long-form content. Podcasts and YouTube video essays (20 minutes to 4 hours) are becoming the new "trending" format for people who crave depth over instant gratification.

This new reality raises a controversial question: Is virality replacing virtuosity? In the world of entertainment and trending content, the answer is complicated. A classically trained guitarist might have immense talent, but if they don’t understand the hook—the first three seconds that stop the scroll—they will be ignored. Old media was a monologue; trending content is

Trending content relies on specific psychological triggers:

This has forced legacy entertainment—movies, music, and TV—to adapt. Streaming services now look at TikTok data to decide which songs to promote. Movie studios release "whisper campaigns" via influencers. The show Stranger Things saw a massive revival not because of a Super Bowl ad, but because of a trending dance trend using Kate Bush’s "Running Up That Hill."

To capitalize on entertainment and trending content, you must know where the battle is being fought. This has forced legacy entertainment—movies

Too much volume creates fatigue.

While TikTok breaks the news, YouTube provides the analysis. A viral moment on Twitter will drive traffic to a 20-minute YouTube breakdown video. YouTube is the archive of trending culture, where commentary channels digest the chaos of the short-form world.