Virality often starts on Imgur. And in 2013, 13 of the Internet’s favorite images started on the popular photo sharing site.
Imgur combed through millions of cat GIFs and advice animals to select its picks for the best images of the year. The list of rankings includes moments born out of big events, like Beyoncé at the Super Bowl and Miley’s VMA performance, and one-off oddities so strange that people couldn’t turn away. Enjoy!
13. Panoramic Shot Gone Wrong
The panoramic setting on your smartphone can produce epic landscape photos. Or it can make you look like a deformed Disney villain. Views: 2.2 million IMAGE: IMGUR, KNUCKZTVE
12. Fishy Photobomb
Everyone was photobombing in 2013 — even creatures under the sea. Views: 1.5 million IMAGE: IMGUR, SICK_NERD_BALLER
11. Skywriter Over L.A.
A comedian in Los Angeles launched a Kickstarter project so he could hire a skywriter to freak out people on the ground. Views: 2.5 million IMAGE: IMGUR, THEANDREWGEORGE
10. Cat Bath
A cat. A bathtub. Instant Imgur gold. Views: 2 million IMAGE: IMGUR, PIPERTAKESPICTURES
9. Finland’s Sky Halos
Ice crystals that form in cirrostratus clouds act as prisms, creating a halo effect in the sky. Views: 350,000 IMAGE: REDDIT SLOPPITY
8. Achey Breaky Heartbreak
Miley Cyrus’ controversial performance at the 2013 MTV VMAs broke Billy Ray’s achy break heart. This Photoshop job dominated the Internet on the day after the show, making this the second biggest Imgur post of the year in terms of views. Views: 7.8 million IMAGE: IMGUR, THISS
7. Drug Safe
A Redditor moved into a former drug house and asked the community how he should open a safe he found in the basement. After cracking the safe, the OP discovered … nothing. The safe was empty. Views: 2.2 million IMAGE: REDDIT DONT_STOP_ME_SMEE
6. Government Shutdown
The government shutdown kept this cute toddler from enjoying Washington’s National Zoo. Views: 424,000 IMAGE: IMGUR, SUPERBONNIE
5. Doge
The doge ruled the Internet in 2013. One of the year’s top memes, this Shiba Inu was Photoshopped into basically everything. Views: 359,000 (not including spinoffs and parodies) IMAGE: IMGUR, PROBABLE_FOREIGNER
4. In the Way Guy
A random stranger with bad timing crashed a special moment between a couple at Disney World. A little Photoshop magic later, the “In the Way” meme was born. Views: 806,000 IMAGE: IMGUR, SPNKYHAPPY
3. Funeral for Harold Percival
A veteran named Harold Percival died in October with no close family or friends to attend his funeral. The Internet responded and on Nov. 11, 300 strangers showed up to pay their respects at Percival’s funeral. Views: 1.5 million IMAGE: IMGUR, BLIMEYGUVNOR
2. Pope Selfie
Selfies were inescapable in 2013. Even Pope Francis got in on the action with the holiest use of the front-facing camera to date. Views: 1.5 million IMAGE: IMGUR, NSFW_PORN_ONLY
1. Unflattering Beyonce From the Super Bowl
Beyonce is fierce. Sometimes she’s so fierce, her face twists into unflattering shapes. Queen B’s Super Bowl performance produced unbecoming images that B’s representation sought to hide. Instead, the Internet took hold and Photoshopped the pics into infamy. Views: 1.6 million IMAGE: IMGUR, COOLESTGUY1234
