By: Maya Cooper

October was a record-breaking month in the world of music and entertainment, and many new trends emerged across social media platforms. 

     One of the most anticipated music releases this month was Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” which was released Oct. 3. 

     According to Billboard, “The Life of a Showgirl” debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and earned four million album equivalent units in its first week. 

     Swift also brought her album release celebration to theaters Oct. 3-5 with ‘The Official Release Party of a Showgirl.’ Fans in attendance got a first look at the music video for ‘The Fate of Ophelia’; the album’s lead single, as well as behind-the-scenes footage of the music video, lyric videos of the album’s 12 songs, and explanations of the ideas behind the songs. 

     According to AMC, the film’s three-day theater run earned $34 million in box office sales and $16 million internationally.

     Other big movie releases of the month include “Tron: Ares” which was released Oct. 10, “The Black Phone 2” which entered theaters Oct. 17, plus “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere and Regretting You,” which both came out Oct. 24. 

     Although “Tron: Ares” led October’s box office sales, it has been considered a disappointing release. 

     According to Variety, the film, which stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee, and Evan Peters, cost $180 million to make, but only earned $33.4 million in its first weekend. Since then, the sales have dropped tremendously. 

     Additionally, many popular reality TV shows like “Survivor,” “Dancing With the Stars,” and “The Voice” started new seasons late September and into early October.

     According to Yahoo, “Dancing With the Stars” has had a spike in viewership this season, with live votes reaching 50 million during the ‘Dedication Night’ episode. 

     Some fan favorite celebrities this season are animal conservationist Robert Irwin, social media influencer Alix Earle and television personality Dylan Efron, who is also the brother of Zac Efron.

     On social media platforms like TikTok, fall trends have taken over as they do every year. Halloween movie nights and snack ideas plus everything pumpkin-flavored has been consistently going viral. “The Gilmore Girls” series also saw a resurgence of viewers because of its cozy New England setting that fans love during the fall months.

     October had many exciting releases, but there is also a lot to look forward to in November. “Wicked: For Good” will be hitting theaters on Nov. 21. On Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, both the sequel of the Blockbuster Disney movie “Zootopia,” and the first few episodes of the highly anticipated 5th season of “Stranger Things” are set to premiere.