The 'In the Aeroplane over the Sea' meme is based on the iconic 1998 album cover by the indie rock band Neutral Milk Hotel. The artwork, featuring a woman with a drum-like object (often jokingly referred to as a potato) over her face, became a staple of internet culture via music forums like 4chan's /mu/ board in the late 2000s. It represents the pinnacle of 'indie cred' and is frequently used to satirize hipster culture, intense emotional sincerity, or the obsessive nature of music nerds. The meme persists because of the album's massive cult status and its distinct, surreal aesthetic that lends itself perfectly to absurdist humor and music-related parodies.