This Was 1995: A Pop Culture Snapshot (2024)

The year was 1995. Hillary Clinton was the First Lady, cell phones were used only for calls, and Kate Moss and Johnny Depp were still together. If that all sounds like a hazy dream, why not indulge in a little refresher? For our nineties appreciation week on Vogue.com, here's a look back at the moments that defined pop culture two decades ago.

Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” was the top song of the year
Who didn’t know the catchy lyrics to Coolio’s Dangerous Minds song? And this was way before we had the luxury of Rap Genius to do all the work for us.

Braveheart won Best Picture
This Scottish war drama directed by Mel Gibson won five Academy Awards in 1995, including Best Picture. Gibson, who played real-life freedom fighter William Wallace, also won the Oscar for Best Director. Shoulder-length hair and a kilt have never looked manlier.

O.J. Simpson’s trial captivated audiences
The sensational televised trial of ex-football player O.J. Simpson, who was accused of killing his ex-wife, Nicole Brown, was the genesis of our reality TV obsession. By the time the verdict of the eight-month trial was reached, more than 150 million people tuned in to watch the jury’s live final decision.

TLC’s “Waterfalls” won the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year
TLC’s delightfully retro video for “Waterfalls,” a cautionary tale of gang violence and AIDS, won the Video of the Year award—back when the Moonman was still a coveted trophy.

The "Macarena" went viral
Before there was the Shmoney, there was the “Macarena” and its inspired dance. This song, by Latin band Los del Rio, took over the world, and its simple-to-follow steps became the de rigueur dance at any party.

Selena and Jerry Garcia passed away
In 1995, the music industry suffered from two tragic losses: Mexican pop star Selena died young at the age of 23 after she was murdered by her former agent, and Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia died of a heart attack at age 53.

ER, Seinfeld, and Friends were the most popular TV shows
It’s no surprise to find out Seinfeld (in its seventh season) and Friends (in its sophom*ore year) were two of the most watched shows in 1995—may they forever live on in syndication. But who could’ve guessed medical drama ER, which followed a group of Chicago doctors, was actually the highest-rated show of the year?

Brad Pitt was named _People’_s Sexiest Man Alive
Pitt has been crowned _People’_s Sexiest Man Alive twice, once in 1995 and again in 2000. He earned his first cover when he still had his lusciously long Legends of the Fall hair.

Match.com came out
While we now have a plethora of dating apps to choose from, in 1995, Match.com was the only online dating destination. Match eventually became a massive hit, despite the fact that users had to fill out a profile rather than just swipe right.

Drew Barrymore flashed David Letterman
During a guest appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, Drew Barrymore (back when she wore daisies in her hair) proceeded to climb up on the talk-show host’s desk and provocatively dance before flashing him in front of the entire audience. Ever since then, Barrymore says the two have developed “a really fun chemistry.”

Toy Story, Batman Forever, and Apollo 13 ruled the box office
In the past 20 years, not much has changed in Hollywood: Animated films, comic-book heroes, and astronauts have continued to dominate the box office—even though it has been a while since Tom Hanks has had a hit.

Amazon sold its first book
The humble beginnings of the company that would eventually become the country’s largest online retailer can be traced back to its very first book sale: Douglas Hofstadter’s Fluid Concepts and Creative Analogies: Computer Models of the Fundamental Mechanisms of Thought.

Toy Story was the first computer-animated film
Pixar’s first feature-length film was also the first computer-animated film in history. The movie, which depicts the life of a young boy's set of toys, was so successful, it has since spawned several sequels. Toy Story 4 is expected to hit theaters in 2017.

Windows 95 was in every household
**Bill Gates’**s updated operating system was a game changer for personal computers. Windows 95 introduced users to task bars, long file names, and the recycle bin—all features we blissfully take for granted today. If you want a refresher, you could always just watch this instructional video, starring Jennifer Aniston and Matthew Perry.

Starbucks’s Frappuccino was released
Years before the pumpkin spice latte, Starbucks released the frozen Frappuccino, which went on to become the drink of choice for caffeinated teens and moms at malls everywhere.

eBay debuted on the Internet
Originally launched as AuctionWeb, eBay was founded in 1995 by computer programmer Pierre Omidyar. The first item sold on the site? A broken laser pointer.

Pogs were all the rage
Kids around the world became so obsessed with these tiny collectible discs that several schools eventually had to ban them because they became such a distraction.