The 100 Greatest Internet Memes of All Time

From cats to fails, we take a look back at all the treasures that make that Internet great.

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

Contrary to our generation's belief, the meme came before the Internet. If you look up the definition of the word, you'll find this "an idea, behavior or style that spreads from person to person within a culture." Dig a little deeper (or scroll down the Wikipedia page) and you'll learn that word meme can be traced back to the 70s when evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins published a book called The Selfish Gene wherein he shortened the word "mimeme" which derives from the greek word "mimema" which means "something imitated".

When you take that into account it's makes perfect sense. Depending on how long you've been using the Internet, you've more than likely seen hundreds of funny things that multiple people find amusing enough to copy and reproduce. From “Dancing Baby” in the 90’s to “Tron Guy” in the early 2000’s to “The Honey Badger” in 2011, we’ve reviewed thousands of internet memes—ideas, images, catchphrases and videos that go viral and inspire imitation—to bring you our top 100 online sensations of all time. Read through, reminisce and try to keep a straight face.

RELATED: Urban Dictionary's 40 Funniest Definitions

100. Recut Movie Trailers

Not Available Interstitial

99. Stuff White People Like

Not Available Interstitial

98. The Most Interesting Man in the World

Not Available Interstitial

97. Fry Squinty Eye

Not Available Interstitial

96. Text from Hillary

Not Available Interstitial

95. Some eCards

Not Available Interstitial

94. The Cinnamon Challenge

Not Available Interstitial

93. We Don't Fuck With You Musically

Not Available Interstitial

92. Pants on the Ground

Not Available Interstitial

91. Crasher Squirrel

Not Available Interstitial

90. Planking

Not Available Interstitial

89. JK Wedding Entrance

Not Available Interstitial

88. Kanye West Interruption

Not Available Interstitial

87. Little Super Star

Not Available Interstitial

86. Scary Maze Pranks

Not Available Interstitial

85. Joseph Ducreux

Not Available Interstitial

84. Sneezing Baby Panda

Not Available Interstitial

83. Noah Takes a Photo of Himself Everyday for Six Years

Not Available Interstitial

82. Rage Comics

Not Available Interstitial

81. Charlie Sheen

Not Available Interstitial

80. Angry German Kid

Not Available Interstitial

79. Ceiling Cat

Not Available Interstitial

78. Shit Girls Say

Not Available Interstitial

77. Nintendo 64 Kids

Not Available Interstitial

76. Lazy Sunday

Not Available Interstitial

75. Afro Ninja

Not Available Interstitial

74. Christian Bale Rant

Not Available Interstitial

73. Jibjab

Not Available Interstitial

72. Keyboard Cat

Not Available Interstitial

71. Don't Tase Me, Bro!

Not Available Interstitial

70. Will It Blend?

Not Available Interstitial

69. Philosoraptor

Not Available Interstitial

68. Tron Guy

Not Available Interstitial

67. This is Sparta!

Not Available Interstitial

66. The Flying Spaghetti Monster

Not Available Interstitial

65. Hipster Ariel

Not Available Interstitial

64. Charlie Bit Me

Not Available Interstitial

63. "Bad Romance"

Not Available Interstitial

62. Billy Mays

Not Available Interstitial

61. Matrix Ping Pong

Not Available Interstitial

60. Ask a Ninja

Not Available Interstitial

59. Fuck Yeah Ryan Gosling

Not Available Interstitial

58. Back Dorm Boys

Not Available Interstitial

57. Aussie Party

Not Available Interstitial

56. The Hawaii Chair

Not Available Interstitial

55. Tom Cruise Kills Oprah

Not Available Interstitial

54. Miss South Carolina Answers a Question

Not Available Interstitial

53. Trololo Sing Along

Not Available Interstitial

52. Haters Gonna Hate

Not Available Interstitial

51. I'm Fucking Matt Damon

Not Available Interstitial

50. Literal Music Videos

Not Available Interstitial

49. Exploding Whale

Not Available Interstitial

48. Tebowing

Not Available Interstitial

47. Battle at Kruger

Not Available Interstitial

46. Boom Goes the Dynamite

Not Available Interstitial

45. Leprechaun in Mobile, Alabama

Not Available Interstitial

44. Advice Dog

Not Available Interstitial

43. Epic Rap Battles

Not Available Interstitial

42. Cute Overload

Not Available Interstitial

41. Winnebago Man

Not Available Interstitial

40. Antoine Dodson

Not Available Interstitial

39. Demotivational Posters

Not Available Interstitial

38. Bert is Evil

Not Available Interstitial

37. Impossible is Nothing

Not Available Interstitial

36. Fail

Not Available Interstitial

Year: 2008

The winner of two Webby Awards in 2008, FAIL Blog has been profiled in most major publications and popularized “fail” as both a noun and exclamation. The site’s YouTube channel is ranked 15th in subscriptions with nearly two billion views. FAIL Blog now consists of popular sub-sites like Engrish Funny and Ugliest Tattoos.

35. I Can Has Cheeseburger?

Not Available Interstitial

34. Skateboarding Dog

Not Available Interstitial

33. Condescending Willy Wonka

Not Available Interstitial

32. The Rickroll

Not Available Interstitial

31. Homestar Runner

Not Available Interstitial

30. Yatta

Not Available Interstitial

29. Postsecret

Not Available Interstitial

28. Based God

Not Available Interstitial

27. Where The Hell is Matt?

Not Available Interstitial

26. Rebecca Black's "Friday"

Not Available Interstitial

25. The Honey Badger

Not Available Interstitial

24. NONONO Cat

Not Available Interstitial

23. Dramatic Chipmunk

Not Available Interstitial

22. Diet Coke and Mentos

Not Available Interstitial

21. Hitler's Downfall

Not Available Interstitial

20. Double Rainbow

Not Available Interstitial

19. All Your Base Are Belong to Us

Not Available Interstitial

18. David After the Dentist

Not Available Interstitial

28. Jaheim

Not Available Interstitial

17. The Evolution of Dance

Not Available Interstitial

16. Obama Girl

Not Available Interstitial

15. Bros Icing Bros

Not Available Interstitial

13. Leave Britney Alone!

Not Available Interstitial

12. Lonelygirl15

Not Available Interstitial

11. Leeroy Jenkins

Not Available Interstitial

10. 2 Girls 1 Cup

Not Available Interstitial

9. Numa Numa

Not Available Interstitial

8. Star Wars Kid

Not Available Interstitial

7. Peanut Butter Jelly Time

Not Available Interstitial

6. Dancing Baby

Not Available Interstitial

5. I Regret Nothing

Not Available Interstitial

Year: 2004/2011

Did you kickstart a backlash by making an unpopular statement on Twitter or Tumblr? This meme is for you. The "I Regret Nothing" meme first popped up on the Internet in 2004 when the phrase was used in the web series Red vs. Blue. However, it's most recent and popular incarnation is the one seen above that features the spinning disco chicken from a Domino's Pizza commercial. 

4. Grape Stomp Lady

Not Available Interstitial

3. Chuck Norris Facts

Not Available Interstitial

2. Chocolate Rain

Not Available Interstitial

1. Charlie The Unicorn

Not Available Interstitial

Latest in Pop Culture