The 50 Biggest Pop Culture Moments in New Jersey

New Jersey has made a huge impact on pop culture, from TV and film to music and memes.

Illustration: Emily Krill

Sure, we’re known for Sinatra, Springsteen and The Sopranos, but New Jersey has added so much more to the cultural landscape. Here are the 50 biggest pop culture moments in New Jersey’s history.

 

1. The Sopranos Premieres

Still of Tony Soprano

Photo: RGR Collection/Alamy

When The Sopranos debuted on HBO on January 10, 1999, nobody could have predicted that a little show about a New Jersey mobster/suburban family man would become one of the most iconic pieces of television ever made. It was especially personal for New Jerseyans. It filmed in our homes, our stores, even our strip clubs. It inspired other productions to flock to the Garden State, a trend that grew as the years went by. Sure, there were critics—mostly Italian American groups who said the show reinforced stereotypes—but even they would be hard-pressed to deny its impact on our state and pop culture. The 2007 series finale is debated to this day, and fans still flock to Holsten’s to sit in Tony’s booth. The show had a revival during the pandemic, and we can’t imagine its popularity ever dying. —Julie Gordon

2. Bruce Springsteen’s Debut Album Released

Bruce Springsteen’s debut album, Greetings From Asbury Park, N.J., came out in January 1973 to average sales but critical raves and launched Springsteen on a path toward superstardom. Singles included “Blinded by the Light,” “Spirit in the Night” and “Growin’ Up.” The cover features a 1970s souvenir postcard proclaiming Springsteen’s Jersey roots, despite a push by the record company to promote him as a New York City artist, and despite the crime and civil unrest Asbury Park was experiencing at the time. In 2013, Rolling Stone deemed Greetings “one of the 100 greatest debut albums of all time.” —Julia Martin

[RELATED: Read Our Cover Story With Producer of the Year and Proud New Jerseyan Jack Antonoff]

3. ‘What Exit’ Joke Originates on SNL

“What exit?” It’s the biggest Jersey joke of all time—quite the accolade, considering the number of Jersey jokes out there. But what’s the origin? It was Valentine’s Day 1981 when Joe Piscopo (a Passaic native), in the SNL sketch “Paulie at the Card Store,” said, “You’re from New Jersey? What exit?” Piscopo went on to use the zinger throughout his career. For New Jerseyans, the joke makes perfect sense, since the Turnpike and Parkway crisscross the state from Bergen County to Cape May County. —Connor Carlin

4. Bet on Atlantic City, Monopoly, and Miss America

Atlantic City boasts a slew of historical accolades that resonate beyond the state’s borders. This resort town has a permanent place on a globally known board game (yes, Monopoly, we know where St. James Place is); it boasts the first sand-evading, wood-planked, raised walkway—the country’s first boardwalk, built in 1870, rebuilt in the 1890s, and still standing. Then there’s the phenomenon of the Miss America pageant, which began in AC in 1921. And, of course, in 1978, East Coast casino gambling began with the opening of Resorts International in AC. —Deborah P. Carter

5. On the Waterfront Shows Hoboken Grit

Hoboken may have lost its grit, but in 1954, its shabby bars and dockside shanties provided the perfect locations for the classic Marlon Brando film On the Waterfront. Rooftop scenes were shot along Hudson Street, and two historic churches—Our Lady of Grace (for exteriors) and the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul (interiors)—figured prominently. —Ken Schlager  

6. Mall Culture Is Born

When it opened its doors on October 11, 1961, the Cherry Hill Mall became the first enclosed shopping center on the East Coast, birthing mall culture as we know it. It led the region by creating an air-conditioned, 1.3 million-square-foot, dual-winged megaplex. The mall offered an experience beyond retail that included fountains, a pond, tropical plants, and an aviary with exotic birds. Today, many malls are shuttering as patrons return to downtown shopping areas or go online, but the Cherry Hill Mall continues to thrive, with 130 stores and plenty of eateries—but no more birds. —DPC

7. Campbell’s Soup Gets More Than 15 Minutes of Fame

May 1969 Andy Warhol cover of Esquire magazine

Can you name a more iconic soup than Campbell’s? The “mmm mmm good” brand’s Camden factory made the world’s first jar of ready-to-eat soup, beefsteak tomato, in 1895; two years later, the process of condensing came along, allowing for the small cans we know today. Fast-forward to 1962, and the Jersey soup became a pop-culture icon thanks to Andy Warhol. His Pop Art piece Campbell’s Soup Cans features 32 cans of the soup, which the artist ate daily for 20 years. The Camden factory is still in operation. —Emily Melvin

8. Broadway’s Hamilton Name-Checks New Jersey

Alexander Hamilton was a Jersey boy. He lived and studied in Elizabeth, fought at Trenton, Princeton and Freehold, spent two brutal winters in Morristown as General Washington’s aide-de-camp, helped turn Paterson into an industrial city, and died in a duel with Aaron Burr in Weehawken, the very spot where his 18-year-old son had been killed dueling two years earlier. So it’s not surprising that Lin Manuel-Miranda tossed a few Jersey jokes into his Broadway musical Hamilton when it opened in 2015. One laugh line is, “Everything is legal in New Jersey,” from “Blow Us All Away,” a reference to the Garden State’s reputation for overlooking illegal activities such as gambling and, fatefully in Hamilton’s case, dueling. —J. Martin

9. New Jersey Earns Place as the Diner Capital of the World

Let’s face it: New Jerseyans are hungry to claim diner supremacy. Although we weren’t technically home to the first diners—those cropped up in Rhode Island and Massachusetts before the turn of the 20th century—we can thank Bayonne’s Jerry O’Mahony for giving us serious greasy-spoon credibility. The key moment came in 1912, when O’Mahony, who owned horse-pulled lunch wagons in Hudson County, pivoted to building such wagons himself. He sold his first to a restaurant entrepreneur who operated it in what is today Union City. “The transaction helped set in motion New Jersey’s golden age of diner manufacturing, which in turn made the Garden State the diner capital of the world,” local diner expert Michael Gabriele explained in New Jersey Monthly’s 2018 diner-themed issue. —Jennifer Finn

10. Whitney Houston Remembered in Starry Home-Going Ceremony 

When Whitney Houston died suddenly in February 2012, her star-studded home-going ceremony was held at her childhood church, New Hope Baptist in Newark. Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys and Houston’s cousin (and fellow New Jersey native) Dionne Warwick performed. Kevin Costner and Clive Davis delivered eulogies, and Oprah Winfrey and Mariah Carey were among the mourners in the nearly four-hour-long ceremony. The 48-year-old’s casket was carried to Fairview Cemetery in a golden hearse, a fitting farewell for music royalty. —Dionne Ford

11. Chris Christie Becomes a Beach Meme

Chris Christie beach meme

It was Fourth of July weekend in 2017, the day after Governor Chris Christie had shut down the state’s parks and beaches because of a budget standoff, when a photographer caught him lounging near the state-owned governor’s beach house at Island Beach State Park. Christie denied being there until a photo surfaced of him in shorts, baseball cap and flip-flops. It triggered widespread outrage and countless memes of him in his beach chair in preposterous and hilarious locations. —J. Martin

12. Jersey Shore Invades the Jersey Shore

Love it or loathe it, Jersey Shore became a phenomenon when a group of 20-something party animals with nicknames like “Snooki” and “The Situation” invaded our TVs—and beaches—as the show hit MTV on December 3, 2009. Seaside Heights, where the cast lived, quickly gained national name recognition and became a tourist spot. In the years since, it’s tried to shed the party-town image portrayed on screen. As the cast grew older, the show spun off into Jersey Shore: Family Vacation to includes the stars’ partners and kids. Season 7 premiered in February. —JG

13. Aaron Rodgers and Tommy DeVito Dominate Football Headlines

For Jersey football teams, 2023 was a rollercoaster year. Future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers moved from Green Bay to the Jets, bringing high hopes that he’d lead the team to their first Super Bowl win since 1969. That dream was quickly quashed when he was injured in the fourth play of his debut, sidelining him for the season. The Jets would end up with yet another losing season. The Giants also failed to make the playoffs, struggling after losing their starting quarterback to injury. But fans were able to turn lemons into limoncello when Cedar Grove local and third-stringer Tommy “Cutlets” DeVito became the feel-good story of the year as the Giants’ starting quarterback—fully embracing his Jersey and Italian American roots along the way. —JG

14. Jersey Brings Us ‘Rapper’s Delight’

The Sugarhill Gang

Photo: Pictorial Press Ltd/Alamy

Although it is named after a neighborhood in Harlem, Sugar Hill Records, which introduced hip-hop to the mainstream with the 1979 Sugarhill Gang classic “Rapper’s Delight,” was formed and based in Englewood. Legendary producer Sylvia Robinson brought together Englewood’s Wonder Mike, Big Bank Hank and Master Gee at her Bergen County studio and changed the face of modern music forever. —CC

15. Jaws Reportedly Inspired by New Jersey Shark Attacks 

Many believe Jaws was inspired by the first recorded fatal shark attacks in American history, which occurred off the coast of Jersey in 1916. Jaws novelist and screenwriter Peter Benchley insisted that wasn’t true—even though his story of a man-eating shark terrorizing a fictional New York summer resort is very similar to what happened here. Either way, Benchley wrote the novel while living in Pennington, and Steven Spielberg (who lived in Haddonfield as a kid) made it into cinematic history in 1975. —Ed Condran

16. Bon Jovi Changes the Face of Rock

Perth Amboy native Jon Bon Jovi formed his eponymous rock band in Sayreville in 1983. Their first hit may have been “Runaway,” but Bon Jovi has stayed close to the Garden State over the years, particularly through his philanthropic JBJ Soul Kitchen Community restaurants. —JF

17. Philip Roth Puts Newark in the Spotlight 

Author Philip Roth grew up in the Weequahic section of Newark, which inspired much of his writing. Roth set his 1959 novella, Goodbye, Columbus, in tonier Short Hills, but his best-known novel, Portnoy’s Complaint (1969), put Weequahic High School on the literary map. —KS

18. NJ’s First Drive-In Movie Theater Opens

On June 6, 1933, a culture of Friday night hangs, first dates and seeing a film from the comfort of your car was born. The first drive-in movie theater in America, Camden Drive-In, was located in Pennsauken, initiating a boom that would sweep the country. Now, there is only one drive-in left in Jersey: Vineland’s Delsea Drive-In. —EM

19. Stone Pony in Asbury Park Becomes an Icon

The iconic music venue in Asbury Park that launched the careers of Bruce Springsteen, Southside Johnny and Jon Bon Jovi is still a vibrant music hub. Repeatedly threatened by development, the Pony was saved by the musical community and renovated in 2000, with a summer stage facing the ocean. A visit there is a pilgrimage to rock fans around the world. —J. Martin

20. Gotham City Is in New Jersey 

Since its introduction in Batman #4 in 1940, Gotham City has served as the Dark Knight’s stomping grounds. Though the location of Gotham has varied in different Batman incarnations, the most consistent is somewhere in southern New Jersey. DC writer Mark Gruenwald referred to “Gotham City, New Jersey” in Amazing World of DC #14 (1977), and artist Dick Dillin gave a detailed map showing Gotham near Egg Island in The World’s Greatest Superheroes (1978). —CC

[RELATED: How New Jersey Shaped Stan Lee Into a Marvel Legend]

21. Surviving Action Park Is a Rite of Passage   

Surviving Vernon’s Action Park, nicknamed Traction Park and Class Action Park due to its dangerous rides, was a rite of passage for Jersey youth in the early ’80s. One of the country’s first waterparks, it attracted about 1 million thrill-seeking visitors a year and later spawned movies, TV shows and books. It closed in 1996 after six fatal injuries and legions of broken bones, reopening, with safer rides, as Mountain Creek Water Park in 1998. —J. Martin

22. Teresa Giudice Flips Table on The Real Housewives of New Jersey

It was the table flip heard round the world. In 2009, when an outraged Teresa Giudice flipped a restaurant dinner table over during the Season 1 finale of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, she cemented the show’s place in pop-culture history and set the stage for dramatic reality-TV moments to come. That includes RHONJ’s current 14th season. —JG

23. Michelle Obama’s Official Portrait Painted by NJ Artist

Split image of Michelle Obama's official portrait and a photo of its artist, Amy Sherald of Jersey City

Michelle Obama portrait photo: Randy Duchaine/Alamy; artist Amy Sherald photo: Kyle Knodell

Art lovers already knew Amy Sherald for her sober-faced, matter-of-fact portraits of African Americans when, in 2018, she painted the official likeness of Michelle Obama to hang in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, skyrocketing her reputation. The colorful, softly hued painting became an iconic image of one of the nation’s most popular first ladies. In 2020, Sherald’s posthumous portrait of Breonna Taylor for the cover of Vanity Fair also gained national attention. Today, the artist continues her work from her Jersey City studio. —DPC

24. Four Seasons Rise to Fame 

Jersey’s famed doo-wop/rock quartet, the Four Seasons, led by Newark native Frankie Valli, officially formed in 1960 after a failed audition (as the Four Lovers) at a Union County bowling alley called—you guessed it—the Four Seasons. Hits like “Sherry,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry” and “Walk Like a Man” followed. Jersey Boys, the Tony-winning musical about the group, charmed Broadway from 2005 to 2017, and a Clint Eastwood film hit theaters in 2014. A streaming adaptation stars Wyckoff-raised Nick Jonas as Valli. —JF

25. New Jersey Monthly Debuts

Former Princeton roommates Hendrix Niemann and Christopher Leach founded this very magazine in the 1970s, and it’s still going strong today. “We felt the coverage, both broadcast and print, of New Jersey tended to be overly negative and stereotypical,” Niemann told NJM in 2016 about their reason for starting it. The first issue came out in November 1976. The magazine has always covered serious issues plus the fun side of life. In 1982, Norman B. Tomlinson Jr. of the Morristown Daily Record bought NJM and moved it from Princeton to Morristown, where it remains today under the leadership of his daughter, Kate S. Tomlinson, the publisher/editor in chief. —JG and KS

26. Kevin Smith Films Clerks

Poster for "Clerks III"

When Kevin Smith caught Slackers in 1990, the Red Bank native was inspired. He maxed out his credit cards and made the now iconic movie Clerks for less than $30,000. The 1994 film, which was shot at a Leonardo Quick Stop, became a critical and commercial success and was selected for preservation by the United States National Film Registry. Smith made two sequels. He remains a force in Jersey arts as the owner of the Red Bank comic book shop Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash. In 2022, he purchased Atlantic Moviehouse, where he used to go as a kid. —EC

27. Yogi Berra Leaves His Mark 

Yogi Berra stamp

Legendary New York Yankees catcher Yogi Berra lived in Montclair for more than 50 years, so it was fitting that in 1998, the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center opened at Montclair State University. Along with exhibits honoring the achievements of Berra and others, it provides educational programs and camps emphasizing respect and sportsmanship. Two months after opening, Berra and his former manager, George Steinbrenner, with whom he hadn’t spoken in 14 years, reconciled there. Berra died in 2015 at age 90. —J. Martin

28. Zach Braff Releases Garden State

A lot of filmmakers shoot in New Jersey, especially since Governor Phil Murphy reinstated tax incentives in 2018. But fewer set their plots here. An exception is Zach Braff. The actor/director, who grew up in Maplewood and South Orange, filmed and set his acclaimed 2004 directorial debut here, even titling it Garden State. A decade later, his 2023 movie, A Good Person, filmed at his high school, Columbia. “I love my hometown, and I want to tell stories about my hometown,” he told New Jersey Monthly last year. —JG

29. The Fugees Score Big-Time  

In 1996, South Orange-based hip-hop trio the Fugees had a huge hit with their second album, The Score. The New York Times said the album placed the band at the “forefront of pop music.” The Fugees’ version of the Roberta Flack song “Killing Me Softly With His Song” reached number 1 in more than 20 countries. Lauryn Hill and Wyclef Jean both went on to have huge solo careers. In 2023, Hill gave a nod to her hometown when she invited members of the marching band her high school, Columbia, to perform with her at the Prudential Center. —Jacqueline Mroz

30. @NJgov Rocks Social Media

With its viral “your mom” tweet in December 2019, @NJgov proved official government accounts don’t have to be boring. Melding Jersey attitude and pride, the X (formerly Twitter) account posts important updates along with memes praising full-serve gas. The edgy account battles @nycgov about bagels and more. Cocreator Megan Coyne now posts from the account @WhiteHouse, but Jersey’s account is still going strong. —Sharon Waters

31. Carole King Sings About Suburbia 

In the early 1960s, Carole King, who would become one of the most successful female songwriters of all time, was living near Pleasant Valley Way in West Orange with husband and collaborator Gerry Goffin when they wrote their hit song “Pleasant Valley Sunday.” It went on to become one of the Monkees’ most successful singles, peaking at number 3 on the charts. Goffin apparently wanted to write the song because he disliked their suburban life; it was a commentary on the boredom and conformity of it. —J. Mroz

32. War of the Worlds, With Alien Invasion Set in NJ, Sparks Panic

The infamous 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast ignited panic when listeners thought aliens were invading Earth—with their entry point in New Jersey. Orson Welles’s fictional radio drama, based on H.G. Wells’s sci-fi novel of the same name, said that Martians had invaded the small community of Grovers Mill in West Windsor. Since the 1980s, a bronze monument to the broadcast has stood there. —JG

33. Cake Boss Premieres

TLC’s reality show Cake Boss skyrocketed a family-owned Hoboken bakery to national stardom when it premiered in April 2009, bringing its lively owner, Buddy Valastro, along for the ride. The original Carlo’s Bakery set up shop in 1910. Now, there are nine Carlo’s locations and 28 vending machines across the county. Cake Boss went off the air in 2020, but Valastro debuted two new shows on A&E in 2023. —EM

34. Sea Hear Now Festival Rocks Asbury Park 

Sea Hear Now has brought superstar musicians to Asbury Park’s shores since its inaugural festival in 2018. The likes of Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Nicks, Dave Matthews, Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters and more mega-acts have made this a top-notch jamboree for music fans of all ages each September. The festival also includes surfing and art. —Gary Phillips

35. WBGO Becomes NJ’s 1st Public Radio

Newark is to thank for introducing the state to public radio. In 1979, WBGO 88.3FM aired for the first time, playing jazz music from Newark. It soon became a 24-hour station affiliated with NPR. WBGO remains active today. —EM

36. Les Paul Changes Music in NJ 

Music legend Les Paul created the first solid-body electric guitar design. Though he was born in Wisconsin, Paul spent much of his life in Mahwah, and his most influential discoveries were made in the Bergen County town. In September 2011, the Mahwah Museum honored Paul by unveiling a permanent exhibition titled “Les Paul in Mahwah.” He died in 2009 at age 94. —EM

37. Rachel Zegler Gets Her Big Break

Still of Rachel Zegler in "West Side Story"

Photo: Courtesy of Ramona Rosales/Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp

After a nationwide search that drew 30,000 aspiring actresses, Clifton’s own Rachel Zegler was picked to play Maria in Steven Spielberg’s 2021 adaptation of West Side Story, which filmed in Newark and Paterson. The now 22-year-old has since been in box office biggies like Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and her star is only poised to rise. —CC

38. Judy ‘Blume’s’ in New Jersey

Judy Blume, the beloved author of books for children, young adults and adults, grew up in Elizabeth. She began writing in 1959; her books include bestsellers Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. In 2015, Blume published In the Unlikely Event, based on a bizarre series of plane crashes that took place in her hometown in the early 1950s. Blume has sold more than 82 million copies of her books. —J. Mroz

39. The Watcher Creeps Us Out

How would you feel if you moved into your dream home and discovered that someone was watching your house and your family’s every move? That’s the story behind The Watcher, a real-life drama that took place on a suburban street in Westfield and was turned into a popular Netflix show in 2022 starring Naomi Watts and Bobby Cannavale. In both reality and fiction, the family was plagued by ominous letters and sinister threats. The real Watcher was never found. —J. Mroz

40. VMAs Choose Newark 

In 2019, the MTV Video Music Awards eschewed cities like New York and LA for Newark’s Prudential Center, marking the first time the awards show was held in New Jersey. The show featured Jersey tributes including performances by Wyckoff’s Jonas Brothers. The VMAs returned to the Rock in 2022 and 2023. —Leigh Scheps

41. New Jersey Mourns Anthony Bourdain

There are few people who blended a love of food, travel and Jersey pride quite like Anthony Bourdain. The late chef and host of numerous travel shows grew up in Leonia and considered himself a Jersey boy, regardless of where life took him. In his words, “to know Jersey is to love her.” After his passing in 2018, legions of local fans mourned him, and the state created the Anthony Bourdain Food Trail, featuring 10 local restaurants profiled on his show Parts Unknown. A map can be found at visitnj.org. —CC

42. Cheaper by the Dozen Based on Real Family

Published in 1948, the novel Cheaper by the Dozen was based on the real-life stories of a Montclair couple (authors Frank Bunker Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey) and their 12 children. A bestseller, the book inspired several film and stage productions. The actual Gilbreth house, on Eagle Rock Way, last sold in 2015 for $2.75 million. —KS

43. Count Basie Comes Back

Red Bank native Count Basie kicked off his jazz career playing Jersey Shore nightspots. He became a giant of the Swing Era after relocating to Kansas City, but on February 3, 1938, he triumphantly returned to his hometown for a show at the River Street School, about a mile from the theater that now bears his name. —KS

44. Addams Family Has New Jersey Roots 

Black and white photo of Charles Addams in 1952

Charles Addams in 1952 Photo: Courtesy of Library of Congress/Bob Sandberg

Charles Addams, the cartoonist who in 1938 created the macabre Addams Family for the New Yorker that spawned the legendary TV show, grew up in Westfield, playing in the Presbyterian Cemetery and drawing cartoons for the Westfield High School yearbook. Two houses there, on Elm Street and Dudley Avenue, inspired the ghoulish family’s mansion. The TV show, which ran on ABC from 1964 to 1966, has inspired movies, other series, songs and, some think, goth subculture. —J. Martin

45. Friday the 13th Scares America 

Fans still flock to Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco in Hardwick to see where Friday the 13th was filmed in 1979. The special tours showcase the Boy Scouts camp that served as Camp Crystal Lake, where the movie’s murders happened. The slasher film that spawned a franchise was also shot at locations in Hope and Blairstown, where Roy’s Hall shows the cult classic every Friday the 13th. —SW

46. Author Harlan Coben Comes Full Circle 

Blockbuster mystery author Harlan Coben, who grew up in Livingston and now lives in Ridgewood, is the author of more than 35 bestselling novels, with many set in Jersey and adapted into Netflix series. All things Garden State aligned when the TV version of his thriller Shelter, which aired last year, was filmed at his alma mater, Livingston High School, and 20 local towns. —J. Mroz

47. Paper Mill Gets Saved and Nabs a Tony 

Millburn’s Paper Mill Playhouse, opened in 1938, suffered a financial crisis in 2007. A save-the-theater campaign raised more than $1 million in four weeks to finish the season. In 2016, the Paper Mill was awarded the Regional Theatre Tony Award, elevating its status as two shows, A Bronx Tale and Bandstand, transferred to Broadway. —LS

48. Jersey Fans Go Wild For Taylor Swift

Nobody had a bigger 2023 than Taylor Swift, so it’s only fitting that she caused a commotion not once but twice in New Jersey last year, first with a trio of massive, sold-out MetLife Stadium shows in May and then when she traveled to Long Beach Island for the wedding of her close pal and collaborator Jack Antonoff to the actress Margaret Qualley. Swift literally stopped traffic upon her arrival in Beach Haven, attracting hordes of fans and, unsurprisingly, causing a bit of uproar among locals for all the fanfare. Fun fact: Swift, who grew up in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, spent her childhood summers at the Jersey Shore. —JG

49. SZA Defends Maplewood Hometown

Sza on red carpet

Photo: UPI/Alamy

Maplewood singer SZA stood up for her dad’s favorite family-owned café, Village Coffee Shop, in 2017 when a Starbucks set up shop nearby. The Grammy winner shared frustration with changes in her hometown, urging city slickers flocking to the ’burbs to “shop local and be polite,” writing on social media that people who move to small towns need to “learn how to be a part of a community.” —Falyn Stempler

50. Pinegrove Shuffle Goes Viral  

In 2016, the band Pinegrove, formed by Montclair natives Evan Stephens Hall and Zack Levine, broke out in the indie-rock world. Their album Cardinal was recognized by Spin magazine, and they regularly toured North America and Europe. The band went on hiatus in 2022, so it was a surprise a year later when social media began buzzing with new Pinegrove-inspired videos. Not only was the group not forgotten, but their lyrics and beats had become the backdrop for an arm-flowing, one-step dance dubbed the Pinegrove Shuffle. After a TikTok video went viral, countless new versions popped up and led to a huge increase in Pinegrove plays on streaming platforms. —DPC


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