Music
This British talent judge became a household name in 2002 for being "brutally honest" to aspiring singers on American Idol.
Simon Cowell
This 2001 film kicked off a massive franchise and taught us that "It’s Levi-O-sa, not Levio-SA!"
Harry Potter
In 2003, the Human Genome Project was declared complete after scientists successfully mapped 99% of this "blueprint of life."
DNA
In 2001, Apple released this device with the slogan "1,000 songs in your pocket," effectively ending the era of the CD Walkman.
Ipod
This New England Patriots quarterback won his first Super Bowl in 2002 and went on to become the most successful player in NFL history.
Tom Brady
In 2000, this "Real Slim Shady" released The Marshall Mathers LP, which became the fastest-selling solo album in US history.
Eminem
This NBC mockumentary debuted in 2005, making "That’s what she said" the most overused catchphrase of the decade.
The Office
On January 1, 2002, this new physical currency was officially introduced in 12 European countries, replacing the Franc, Mark, and Lira.
This "revolutionary" two-wheeled, self-balancing personal transporter debuted in 2001 to massive hype, though it mostly just ended up being used by mall security.
Segway - (not so) fun fact, the owner of Segway Inc. died in 2009 while accidentally driving off of a cliff on one.
This cyclist won his 7th consecutive Tour de France in 2005, a feat that was later erased from the record books due to doping.
Lance Armstrong
This 2001 music-sharing service was famously sued by Metallica and Dr. Dre before being shut down.
Napster
Before he was a world-famous rapper, this artist had a hit show on MTV called Pimp My Ride, where he put fish tanks in people's trunks.
Xzibit
This 2005 natural disaster devastated the Gulf Coast and became the costliest hurricane in U.S. history.
Hurricane Katrina
This flip phone, released by Motorola in 2004, was the ultimate fashion statement and the best-selling clamshell phone of all time.
This "Black Mamba" led the Los Angeles Lakers to three consecutive NBA championships from 2000 to 2002 alongside Shaquille O'Neal.
Kobe Bryant
This English soul singer swept the Grammys in 2008 with her album Back to Black and the hit "Rehab."
Amy winehouse
This 2004 indie film had everyone wearing "Vote for Pedro" t-shirts and dancing like they were in Idaho.
Napoleon Dynamite
In 2006, this celestial body was officially stripped of its status as a "planet" and reclassified as a "dwarf planet."
Pluto
This 2006 Nintendo console featured a motion-sensing remote that famously caused thousands of people to accidentally throw their controllers through their TV screens.
The Wii
This swimmer became the most decorated Olympian of all time after winning a record-breaking 8 gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Michael Phelps
In 2009, this rapper interrupted Taylor Swift’s VMA acceptance speech to declare that Beyoncé had "one of the best videos of all time."
Kanye West
While filming this controversial 2004 blockbuster directed by Mel Gibson, lead actor Jim Caviezel was actually struck by lightning while filming what movie?
Passion of the Christ
In 2003, the U.S. led an invasion into this Middle Eastern country to oust leader Saddam Hussein.
Iraq
This 2000 "virtual pet" handheld game returned from the 90s with new features like infrared "connection" so your pets could visit friends.
The Tamagochi
In 2001, this Seattle Mariners rookie became a global sensation, winning both the AL Rookie of the Year and the AL MVP.
Ichiro Suzuki