Jonathan Bailey’s bulge, Gaga’s 'Mayhem' and hung bottoms: Grindr Unwrapped is here!

Grindr has once again pulled back the curtain on what makes queer culture tick with the release of Grindr Unwrapped 2025. Now in its fifth year, the annual report has become a cultural compass, drawing insights from the app’s 15 million monthly users and more than 32,000 votes - triple last year’s tally. The result? A snapshot of global gay and pop culture trends that dominated the grid and beyond.

From celebrity obsessions to music moments and fashion fads, this year’s Unwrapped proves that gay culture doesn’t just follow trends - it creates them. “The internet moves fast, but the gay internet is driving,” says Tristan Piñeiro, Grindr’s SVP of Marketing and Communications. “Unwrapped is our annual pulling of receipts. It proves gay culture doesn’t just follow trends, we create them. What starts in our community today becomes mainstream culture tomorrow.”

The 2025 edition introduces playful new categories such as Mother-in-Training, Press Tour of the Year, and Wig of the Year, expanding its lens on the pop culture phenomena that shaped queer life this year. And the winners? Jonathan Bailey reigns as Hottest Man of the Year, Lady Gaga claims Mother of the Year and Album of the Year with Mayhem, while Pedro Pascal secures his crown as Daddy of the Year. Sabrina Carpenter earns the title of Mother-in-Training, and b takes home Porn Star of the Year. Even the cheekiest accolade – Best Bulge – went to Bailey for his Jurassic World: Rebirth role in the UK, while Bad Bunny’s Calvin Klein campaign dominated globally.

But the story doesn’t end with celebrity worship. Real-world heatwaves sparked digital thirst, with Lady Gaga’s Monster Ball Tour driving Grindr usage up by nearly seven per cent internationally on nights she performed. The app’s data also reveals fascinating global turn-ons: London tops the list for a gaycation, Finland leads in sending nudes, South Korea embraces open relationships, and Switzerland boasts the highest percentage of twinks. Italy, true to stereotype, is most into feet. Meanwhile, the UK climbed into the top five for Hung Bottoms, joining a ranking led by France.

Hookups are happening fast, too. Ten o’clock at night is prime time for instant sparks via Grindr’s 'Right Now' feature, and Paris remains the most coveted city to ‘Roam’ to. Across the year, users sent more than 12.8 billion taps globally, with ‘Hung’ emerging as the most searched profile tag. The US claims the highest proportion of self-proclaimed daddies, while Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra was the most frequently featured song on UK profiles, with Cardi B’s WAP taking the global crown.

“These findings capture a community that’s bold, brash, and unapologetically itself,” says Zachary Zane, Grindr’s sex and relationship expert. “Unwrapped proves Grindr is more than just an app - it’s the gay community’s canvas for expression, making real-time fluidity the new cultural norm.”