The Best Internet Memes of 2020

2020 was horrible, but the memes helped.

By Harpreet Singh | Updated: 30 December 2020 09:49 IST

2020 was all about face masks, good hygiene, and being locked up indoors

Highlights

We've picked some of the most hilarious memes and Internet trends of 2020
This year has been full of disappointments, but the memes helped
Tell us about your favourite memes of 2020 in the comments below

Life in 2020 hasn't been like a box of chocolates. The 'new normal' included everything from keeping most relationships virtual to spending more time in the kitchen. With everyone spending more time indoors, there was more pressure on the Internet to come up with funnier memes. Thankfully, the Internet never disappoints. And 2020, just like all previous years, has been a great year for memes. Today, we'll take a look back at some of the funniest memes and Internet trends that helped us get through this horrible year.

My plans vs 2020
Did you make plans for 2020? Well, we all did. When this year got off to an awful start with horrible wildfires raging across Australia and a global pandemic taking shape across several nations, people took to the Internet to show off their disappointment with the 'My plans vs 2020' meme. It was a great way for people to vent their frustrations after 2020 flushed everyone's plans down the toilet.

My plans 2020 pic.twitter.com/2nY6NlQlQZ
— Jenna WEAR A MASK Quigley (@JBomb11) May 18, 2020

my plans 2020 pic.twitter.com/UdrgzP6hFy
— New Jersey (@NJGov) May 20, 2020

Is it cake?/ Everything is cake
While 2020 was all about the coronavirus pandemic, it also involved a small part of the world turning into a cake. The 'Is it cake?' meme flooded users' feeds on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and other social platforms during summer this year. The meme consisted of videos of realistic items like shoes, bags, and even human limbs that are cut into using a knife to reveal they're actually made out of nothing but cake. Part surprising, part absurd, making everyone question reality. What if everything was really made of cake? The trend also triggered a series of parodies.

* looks at LEGO collection* are you cake? pic.twitter.com/FrBCP8qNYv
— Nerdist (@nerdist) July 12, 2020

Everything is a cake, Earth is a hyper-realistic cake pic.twitter.com/8y3wkvb3Dl
— 'åntë???? (@cornrowkin) July 13, 2020

Nature is healing
With everyone locked up inside, it was time for nature to kick back and relax. After all, humans almost always make things worse when they're out there. Air pollution levels started dropping while everyone was working and learning from home while some cities reported wildlife straying into urban areas (possibly to check if humans have left the planet or what). Some people even joked that humans are the actual viruses on earth, and without us, nature seems to be healing.

Venice hasn't seen clear canal water in a very long time. Dolphins showing up too. Nature just hit the reset button on us pic.twitter.com/RzqOq8ftCj
— Luca Santis (@Luke_Santis) March 17, 2020

Wildlife finally returning to Thames. Nature is healing???? pic.twitter.com/d6uBxSaIAx
— ruby ???? (@roobeekeane) March 29, 2020

Dancing pallbearers
A video clip of a group of men from Ghana dancing while carrying a coffin on their shoulders went viral on the Internet earlier this year. It sparked a series of memes you could laugh at only in 2020. The meme was created by attaching this video clip at the end of any general 'fail' moment. They went so viral that they even made a video, calling everyone to wear masks "or dance with us".

From NANA OTAFRIJA to all the doctors in the world ????
Thank you ????????
Mention ???????? all the doctors out there with your country flag. #COVIDー19 #CoffinMeme #benjaminaidoo #nanaotafrija #CoffinDance #Doctors pic.twitter.com/OVrv5Ib8pz
— Benjamin Aidoo (@nanaotafrija) May 5, 2020

This claim is disputed (Twitter)
Besides the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 was also the year for US presidential elections. The mad news cycle ensured social platforms had to stay on top to prevent misinformation from spreading across their networks. As a result, Twitter added 'disputed' and 'misleading' labels in November to relevant tweets. But meme Twitter took it upon themselves to convert the whole thing into a meme.

JUST TURNED IN A FLAWLESS FIRST DRAFT TO MY EDITOR!

!⃝ ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? my editor.
— Dom DiFurio???? (@DomDiFurio) November 17, 2020

I'm so sorry for how long I took to get back to you!

!⃝ ???????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????????????? ????????????????????????????
— Patrick Lenton (@PatrickLenton) November 17, 2020

How it started vs how it's going
With time somehow not moving at all, and that whole period from March to October feeling like 100 years, the Internet came up with yet another hilarious meme. The 'how it started vs how it's going' meme compared everyone's emotions and feelings at the start of the year with how they were feeling while in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Celebrities used the format to showcase their achievements.

How It Started: How It Is Now: pic.twitter.com/HG56LDNjjF
— Christian D. Harris (@chrxstianh__) October 4, 2020

How it started: How it's going: pic.twitter.com/8IiIHfXCn0
— Dr. Jill Biden (@DrBiden) October 12, 2020

Binod
A simple YouTube comment from a user called Binod Tharu involving just his first name became a massive meme in India during 2020. From one meaningless comment to thousands of hilarious memes, everyone quickly jumped in.

#binod
Comment section on every social media platforms - pic.twitter.com/MKIJgdCJF7
— Harish (@surkastik) August 7, 2020

In addition to the appreciation for #Binod, let us not forget another hero, Armaan, who has commented this on every tweet of ours for the last year. https://t.co/DNpf4CC36i
— Netflix India (@NetflixIndia) August 7, 2020

We probably missed some of the memes you may have come across, and found hilarious this year. Do drop a comment below and let us know about your favourite memes and internet trends of 2020.

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Further reading: Best of 2020

Harpreet Singh

Email Harpreet

Harpreet is the community manager at Gadgets 360. He loves all things tech, and can be found hunting for good deals when he is not shopping online. He has written about deals and e-commerce in India for many years, as well as covering social media and breaking technology news. More