70s
This 1977 space opera famously opened with the now-iconic line, “It is a period of civil war…,” a phrase added at the last minute.
Star Wars
This 1983 music video was the first ever played on MTV by a solo female artist.
Pat Benatar “You Better Run”
This 1995 animated film was the first fully computer-animated feature film ever released.
Toy Story
This 2001 film introduced audiences to a wizard who lived under the stairs at number four, Privet Drive.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
This social-media feature, launched by Instagram in 2020, was widely seen as a direct response to TikTok’s popularity.
Reels
Before becoming a cultural punchline, this disco group scored a #1 hit with “Kung Fu Fighting” in 1974.?
Carl Douglas/Village People
Released in 1984, this film was marketed as a teen comedy but is now remembered more as a dark sci-fi romance.
The Terminator
Debuting in 1994, this TV show’s theme song famously begins with the line, “So no one told you life was gonna be this way.”
Friends
Launched in 2005, this video-sharing website’s first uploaded clip was titled “Me at the zoo.”
YouTube
This 2024 music trend saw fans trading handmade bracelets at concerts during a massively successful world tour.
Eras Tour
This TV show’s infamous “jumping the shark” moment—literally involving water skis—aired in 1977.
Happy Days
In 1987, this TV show debuted as a midseason replacement and went on to become one of the longest-running animated series ever.
The Simpsons
This handheld virtual pet, released in the U.S. in 1997, required constant attention—or it would “die.”
Tamagotchi
Released in 2001, this Apple device promised “1,000 songs in your pocket.”
iPod
This 2020s fashion trend revived low-rise jeans, baby tees, and butterfly clips from the early 2000s.
Y2K fashion
Released in 1971, this album by Marvin Gaye blurred the line between pop and political protest and nearly got him fired by Motown.
What’s Going On
This 1985 charity single featured over 40 artists and included the lyric, “We are the ones who make a brighter day.”
“We Are the World”
This 1999 teen rom-com updated Shakespeare’s "The Taming of the Shrew" for a high school setting.
10 Things I Hate About You
This 2001 animated movie was DreamWorks’ first film to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
Shrek
This 2020 video game about anthropomorphic animals became a pandemic-era comfort hit on the Nintendo Switch.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
In 1975, this actor became the first person to host Saturday Night Live—after turning it down multiple times.
George Carlin
Introduced in 1985, this home video game console helped revive the U.S. video game industry after the 1983 crash.
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
Introduced in 1995, this Microsoft operating system popularized the Start menu for home users.
Windows 95
Before becoming a household name, this singer’s debut album "Songs in A Minor" won five Grammys in 2002.
Alicia Keys
Released in 2023, this film about a famous doll grossed over $1 billion worldwide and sparked a pink fashion craze.
Barbie