This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at NCSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Twenty years ago, the majority of us were toddlers, infants, or even newborn babies. For others, twenty years ago was the start of their early adulthood, with major pop culture influences that changed their brain chemistry. That said, let’s look at some influential moments that turn 20 this year!
- Hannah Montana Debut
- Disney Channel released a hit show starring Miley Cyrus as a teenager living a double life. Regular teen during the day, Miley Stewart, and a popstar at night, Hannah Montana, sets the stage for catchy songs and comedic adventures, with occasional dramatic storylines. As this show became an instant hit, Miley Cyrus teased her own 20th anniversary special in the same iconic blonde wig.
- The Wonder Pets
- This Nickelodeon show gave children, me especially, a fun problem-solving theme with the main characters being a guinea pig, duckling, and turtle. It was cute, lighthearted, silly, and engaging for children across American households.
- Pixar Cars
- This worldwide success story follows Lightning McQueen and his journey of racing, but self-discovery during an incidental highway separation. As a child, this movie was not interesting to me because I thought it was too boy-ish, but now I realize how this movie centers around the idea of turning catastrophes into the best scenario you can imagine.
- The Release of the Nintendo Wii
- The Nintendo Wii became a staple in family entertainment throughout the early 2000s, which centered around the concept of motion-controlled games. The new idea of bringing a video game to the living room and incorporating physical controls into it changed the game for many households.
- Beyoncé’s B’Day
- Beyoncé’s album fed the pop girlies during this time, especially with her songs Deja Vu and Ring the Alarm. Even then, I remember singing Irreplaceable in the car when it came on the radio and how these songs were everywhere after the release. This successful album even won a Grammy for the Best Contemporary R&B Album.
- Reclassification of Pluto
- As once believed by scientists and the whole world, Pluto was considered a normal planet. However, it was labelled as a dwarf planet because Pluto failed the third criterion of the new definition: “clear the neighborhood around its orbit.” This news absolutely rocked my world as a kid, even debating with other kids in elementary school whether Pluto was a planet or not.
- The Devil Wears Prada
- This hit movie brought a light-hearted tone to this new genre of dramatic comedies, with astounding performances from Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci. Also, bringing light to the ins and outs of fashion with a spectacular soundtrack.
- Britney Spears’ Divorce
- Britney filed for divorce in 2006, citing irreconcilable differences from her now ex-husband, Kevin Federline. This split was heavily publicized for the custody battle of their two children, which ultimately led to her very public mental health struggles in the following years. As many may say, this was the start of her public “crazy” era. Although it remains unknown what happened behind the scenes, Britney is still an icon.
- Immigrant Rights Protests
- In 2006, the immigration rights protests happened across the United States in opposition to HR 4437, which was a bill that aimed to increase border security and criminalize undocumented immigrants. The Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act was passed in the House of Representatives, causing millions of individuals to boycott working, attending school, and buying products to demonstrate their intense disapproval of the bill. This form of mass mobilization successfully pressured the Senate to take no action and prevented the bill from becoming law. Even twenty years later, we are still fighting for immigration rights and legalization.
- Amy Winehouse’s Back in Black
- Last but not least, Amy Winehouse released her album Back to Black. Arguably, one of her best albums and, sadly, the last studio album. Winehouse reinvented jazz influences into 1960s-inspired soul. The vocals and delivery of the instrumentation earned Winehouse a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album. In remembrance of Winehouse, her song Back to Black will forever hold a spot in this genre.