When did each decade truly begin?

[Zorak Masaki]

I was going to post this at the time TZ went down, so I might as well try again. I wasnt born until 1979, so I'll start with the 80s and let people born in the 70s and before contribute for that.

80s: Probably 1982, thats when a lot of the technological innovations the 80s are known for like VCRs, Answering Machines, Home Computers, etc, became commonplace (even though they predate the 80s), as well as a good chunk of the pop culture the decade is known for.

90s: This is weird. 90-92 is kind of its own mini-decade, not really feeling like the 80s, but not really looking like the "true" 90s either (just look at music videos or commercials from that era to know what I mean), so I guess they REALLY began around mid 92-93.

2000s: Sadly, 9/11 was pretty much seen as the end of the 90s.

2010s: Another tough one, as the decade seems to have been split in two thanks to you-know-who, and I cant think of any logical starting point (even the MCU, the biggest media franchise of the decade, started in 2008). Actually, things started changing around 2009 to be honest.

2020s: Decade isnt really over yet, but it looks like Covid, much like 9/11, was the thing that defines this decade.

 

[[classic swim]]

As someone born in the late 80s, mostly everything here checks out.

2009 seems so campy looking back, but I agree that’s where the wheel began spinning in more ways than one. It was one of the last years I felt comfortable slacking off, while also being a precursor for the new wave of technology.

Years haven’t really been the same to me anymore since after 2016. It’s all been an apocalyptic blur.

 

[wonderfly]

Every decade takes a couple years to kick in, to have it's own identity.

• 1981 and 1982 still felt like the 70's. The Atari finally died in 1983. I think "Return of the Jedi" in 1983 brought about a decade of kids that grew up with the Star Wars trilogy.
• 1990 and 1991 still felt like the 80's. I tend to cite how easily the U.S. won the Gulf War, and the collapse of the Soviet Union, both in 1991, which lead to the "Feel Good" 90's in which we thought we had achieved world peace.
• The 90's ended with September 11th, 2001.
• The 2000's ended with the end of the Iraq War in December 2011 (also, we emerged from the Recession around 2011/2012). I think the media (and pop culture) were trying to give us a return to a "Feel Good" decade (with a 2nd term Obama presiding over a revitalized America) but the political climate and news events that unfolded over the decade put a stop to that.
• Hard to say on the 2020's just yet.

I'm also a believer that the years around the end of the decade tend to form their own "mini-decade" (they have a culture of their own). 1998 to 2002 are "The Millennium Years" (Boy Bands, the Anime Boom, etc). 2008 to 2012 are "the Recession years". I think I've discussed this before, in other threads, but you get the idea.

2010s: Another tough one, as the decade seems to have been split in two thanks to you-know-who, and I cant think of any logical starting point (even the MCU, the biggest media franchise of the decade, started in 2008). Actually, things started changing around 2009 to be honest.

The MCU was an unproven experiment until the release of "Avengers" in 2012. That's your "defining moment". Hollywood was altered permanently after the success of "Avengers" in 2012, and it kicked off a decade where we the fans followed each Marvel movie religiously.

EDIT: Also, the "Dark Knight" trilogy finished in 2012 (which is another "end" to the 2000's).

 

[[classic swim]]

It’s simply impossible for me to lump all of the 2000s together. Plenty of highs and lows to be had, even with the useless president sitting throughout the majority of it.

‘05 and more specifically ‘06 was where I felt the ‘00s began festering into something else. We became more and more irritable years after the tragedy. We had more things in the news to be pissed about, and we took a lot of pride in escapism to compensate for that. It’s part of why shock comedy at the time was so successful. It was us at our most provocative and rebellious nature.

My bias is radioactive, because those still managed to be the two best years of my life. All things considered. At times, it was homely, repulsive, tryhard-like, and just embarrassing. I think about those two years not even just out of my own comfort. It was a form of commute and media not at all caring of the skeletons in the closet. Sometimes a very transparent evil to learn from.

Mid 2000s was its own breed. Too bodacious to fit with the status of ‘01-‘04, and most of what I felt going into the 2010s was the burnout.

 

[Dr.Pepper]

Is it just me or does late 2000’s/early 2010’s seem like its own mini decade? It seems like I see a lot of people on social media say there are nostalgic for this era. Coincidentally, this lines up pretty well with the time after I graduated high school but before I started a four-year university.

I’m wondering if in the future people are going to think of the 2020’s starting around 2023 when Covid restrictions were largely removed. The early 2020’s would be its own thing.

 

[wonderfly]

I've previously (in other threads) discussed how around 2007 or 2008 is the start of a different era. That's when social media (Facebook/Twitter/Youtube) really took off in popularity. Also, the Recession started around then. The economy collapse, along with (to a lesser extent) the Writer's Strike, altered pop culture (media consumption) as we headed into the 2010's.

Also, Iron Man premiered in 2008 ,which was the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (though I don't think it became a Juggernaut until Avengers in 2012). But Iron Man in 2008 marked the start of a new era, the biggest shift since "Jaws" and "Star Wars" changed the industry in 1975 and 1977 (the start of the "Summer Blockbuster" films).

Finally, around 2006 to 2008 is when VCR's finally died off, paving the way for "DVR"/"Tivo". That's why I consider "Star Wars" in 1977 (around when VCR's were first introduced) to around 2007 (when VCR's ended) to be the best 30 years in pop culture.

EDIT: Other evidence: "Kids WB" ended in 2008. "Toonami" ended in 2008. "King of the Hill" ended aroun 2008. "Family Guy" stopped being good around then.

 

[Moe]

I do consider 3rd year of decade to be true decade.

1950s, it would be 1953.
1960s, it would be 1963.
1970s, it would be 1973. (oil embargo crisis)
1980s, it would be 1983.
1990s, it would be 1993. (my first kindergarten)
2000s, it would be 2003.
2010s, it would be 2013.

2020s would would be 2023 to 2032.

1990, 1991 and 1992 feel like very late 1980s. 1990s fashion don't become noticeable until 1993 when cargo shorts was new and loose fit for shorts, pants and jeans, also rap fashion became popular, especially baggy jeans with jersey shirt and Michael Jordan basketball shoes.

I admire Michael Jordan and supported his team - Chicago Bulls in 1990s.

 

[Dr.Pepper]

I do consider 3rd year of decade to be true decade.

1950s, it would be 1953.
1960s, it would be 1963.
1970s, it would be 1973. (oil embargo crisis)
1980s, it would be 1983.
1990s, it would be 1993. (my first kindergarten)
2000s, it would be 2003.
2010s, it would be 2013.

2020s would would be 2023 to 2032.

1990, 1991 and 1992 feel like very late 1980s. 1990s fashion don't become noticeable until 1993 when cargo shorts was new and loose fit for shorts, pants and jeans, also rap fashion became popular, especially baggy jeans with jersey shirt and Michael Jordan basketball shoes.

I admire Michael Jordan and supported his team - Chicago Bulls in 1990s.

I agree with most of this, however the 2000’s started September 11, 2001. There is absolutely no wiggle room on that one in my mind.

 

[Moe]

I agree with most of this, however the 2000’s started September 11, 2001. There is absolutely no wiggle room on that one in my mind.

and dot-com bust in 2001.

PS2 came out in 2000. Game Boy Advance, GameCube and original Xbox came out in 2001, so it feel like 2000s rather than 1990s.

 

[wonderfly]

I agree with most of this, however the 2000’s started September 11, 2001. There is absolutely no wiggle room on that one in my mind.

I've sometimes argued that the 90's didn't fully end until the start of the Iraq War in March, 2003. Yes, 9/11 was the start, but...by March of 2003, we realized how far our world had changed.

It's either that, or in November of 2002, when NSYNC broke up (Justin Timberlake going solo).

 

[Markus Nelis]

For me each decade always starts like this: 2010, 2020, 2030, 2040 etc. One of the easiest things is that.

 

[Spideyzilla]

I've sometimes argued that the 90's didn't fully end until the start of the Iraq War in March, 2003. Yes, 9/11 was the start, but...by March of 2003, we realized how far our world had changed.

It's either that, or in November of 2002, when NSYNC broke up (Justin Timberlake going solo).

So now that NYSNC is back, does that mean the 90s are as well and the last few decades never happened?

Interesting point on Iraq being the final nail in the 90s coffin. It seems to be a point of agreement that 9/11 was the end of the 90s, but this is a good point that Iraq being the ultimate indicator at just how different things truly were (although America did fight Iraq in the early 90s, so there's that).

 

[wonderfly]

So now that NYSNC is back, does that mean the 90s are as well and the last few decades never happened?

Maybe the timeline just correct itself. ;-)

Interesting point on Iraq being the final nail in the 90s coffin. It seems to be a point of agreement that 9/11 was the end of the 90s, but this is a good point that Iraq being the ultimate indicator at just how different things truly were (although America did fight Iraq in the early 90s, so there's that).

Everyone saying "the 90's ended on 9/11", I mean, I get it, but the thing is...we were all united as a country after that.

The Gulf War in 1991 brought about the 90's "Peace on Earth" feeling. We easily kicked Iraq out of Kuwait and the Soviet Union collapsed a few months later.

The Iraq War in 2003 ended that feeling. "Afganistan" in 2001/2002 at least felt like righteous vengeance that would end when we captured or killed Osama Bin Laden. The Iraq War quickly resulted in America (and the world) being divided on what our purpose there was going to accomplish. We were no longer united.

But that's just my interpretation.

 

[LinusFan303]

Did I over-think my answer? Yes.

I can do a bunch of strange over thought out factors too..

Like when can I say the 1930's (yeah I'm going almost 100 years) begin? October 29, 1929. Why? That's the date of that famous stock market crash. 1929 was already a different year than the rest of the 20's , the economy boom of the 20's was ending. 1929 is a good starting point for the 30's , if you go by an era.

The 1940's can really depend on the location, World War II started on September 1, 1939, and that of course is the biggest event of the 1940's. For the US, you could say December 8, 1941 when it entered the war.

The war ends in 1945. This is where I get even stranger with my answer. When does the 50's begin? 1946, for America, and various other points around here for other countries. I'll give the UK 1952, because that's when Elizabeth II took the throne. The UK was hit harder during the war, so the 40's after affects lasted longer, like in Europe the 50's would start around later. Different eras being around 46 that effect the 50's alot. The Cold War era, nuclear etc. But America was feeling good after the war ended and prosperity age started in 1946. Also, also Television starts to gain here.

I'm saying the 50's (like a mad man) started in 1946 and ran until 1963. Why? 1963? JFK was assassinated in November of 63, anything that shows a change. Culturally, clothes were changing, things were changing the 50's had changed consumerism, TV was going color, there was the Civil Rights movement. 1963 is good start year to show a difference from the 50's culture. Counter Culture , the Vietnam war starts soon, there's tension, the music changes a little more. That's your 60's.

When does the 70's , start? 1974. Nixon resigning, so this again is more US centric, but Nixon's 2nd term was very turmoiled like 1960's had ended up being. Soon the Vietnam war ends. If you go on pop culture, the 1970's TV culture in the US started in 1971, the more rural and comfy programs being replaced by urbanites doing city things, and shows like Mary Tyler Moore and All in the Family. In music, I'd say 1976. 1976 sounds different than 1975 and before. The 70's I feel is a mess to pinpoint, but a good split is 1974, in theory.

1980's. I'll give the UK 1979- Margaret Thatcher takes power, big change. For everyone else 1982. That's where you can start to tell that 80's was becoming a rejection of a lot of the turmoil of the 60's and 70's, and another consumerism rise. Pop culture-wise, in music 1979 is the start of 80's music, I'm going with Video Killed the Radio star as starting point, because that song didn't sound 1970's, it actually feels like it was written in the future, but the concepts are the start of New Wave, and Synth music. TV I think becomes 80's in waves, 1979 was the start of the bigger cable wave in the idea of having a channel just for sports, later just for news, just for kids, just for Music, Just for weather. Then around 1983, you have UHF stations exploding (not literally) everywhere bringing in more syndication needs and a the best syndication market in TV ever. The sitcoms and shows start to reflect a different feel and tone by 1983 too.

1990's I'd say 1993. Yeah Bill Clinton time, John Major in the UK... the Cold War had already ended, the first Iraq stuff was over. It felt clear and clean and ready to go for an era of "good feelings" again. It was also still some mash up of the 80's in consumerism, but had it's own thing going on. The biggest 90's shows had started or were starting in 1993 (Though Nick was a little head, and you can Nick's 1990's started in 1991) but like Friends, ER, etc. would be down the road so yeah. Music, I'm not going to try, even radio stations are having a hard time figuring out what 1990's music they should play as oldies or not. Since even 1994 and 1996 sound like they aren't even near each other.

When do I think the 1990's really kind of ends? I'll agree with @wonderfly , the Iraq war 2003 or even 2004 is a good end point for the 1990's. The Dot com bubble burst and economics scandals weas strike one int he bottom of the 9th inning of the 90's , 9/11 was the strike two , Iraq war was strike three. Going with pop culture, the boy band groups were cooling down in 2004, the big shows like Friends, Frasier, etc. were ending. That also makes 2000's feel shorter since I feel 2008 was the start of the 2010's since , again you have economic crash and other things that effected that decade when when things seemed to get better later. Pop culture wise 2008 feels like it works, that's peak MySpace year, Facebook and Twitter, but not Bebo would be growing in usage. Youtube was more pronounced in 2008. Smart phone becomes something people want around that time. HD TV becomes more widespread, the DTV switch (In the US) happens in 2009. The 2010's I don't give a full feeling to, because 2014 and 2019 are widely different years. Maybe in the future I'll have a guess on that.

That's my long over thought out ... thoughts.

 

[Pooky]

While I like these kind of discussions and enjoyed many of your posts, ultimately I do agree with @Markus Nelis ; each decade starts January 1st of the year beginning with 0 and ends December 31st of the year ending with 9 (leaving aside the theory that each decade technically starts with the year ending in 1, which I don't subscribe to, although I can see how it might technically be correct). Of course there is some bleed over between the culture, practices, politics of each decade, that's just how the world works.

If we take the 90s as an example I often see it suggested that 1993 was the "true" start of the decade. Before that we'd had Vanilla Ice, MC Hammer, Smells Like Teen Spirit, Bartmania and the first three Seasons of The Simpsons, the whole of the original Twin Peaks, the attempted Dick Tracymania, Home Alone, the first two Ninja Turtles films, T2, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Thelma and Louise, New Jack City, Color Me Badd, Ren & Stimpy and the launch of Nicktoons, Sonic 2sday and the international rise of Sega, Super Mario World, Street Fighter II, the first Mortal Kombat and the arcade revival, Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin, Bill Clinton playing the sax on Arsenio Hall, and even the "this is the 90s!" catchphrase heard in everything from Tiny Toons to Suburban Commando, the later moment, astonishingly, even quoted by then President Bush. Those all strike me as pretty quintessentially "90s", and I could probably go on.

Decades are of course more than one thing too. In the 90s you had on one hand the energetic candy coloured world of Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, SNES games, Europop, the Macarena and the Schumacher Batman films, on the other the often languid, desaturated world of grunge, Se7en and Millennium. You also had a lot of stuff aimed squarely at adults that eschewed either approach; Adult Contemporary music, John Grisham novels, Michael Douglas thrillers etc. All contrasting with each other but all very 90s to me.

 

[wonderfly]

Did I over-think my answer? Yes.

This is just kind of a "pop culture discussion" thread, some fun to be had, so don't sweat it. But I agree with practically everything you wrote.

Like when can I say the 1930's (yeah I'm going almost 100 years) begin? October 29, 1929. Why? That's the date of that famous stock market crash. 1929 was already a different year than the rest of the 20's , the economy boom of the 20's was ending. 1929 is a good starting point for the 30's , if you go by an era.

And the "Roaring 20's" started when World War 1 ended (it ended in November 1918).

The 1940's can really depend on the location, World War II started on September 1, 1939, and that of course is the biggest event of the 1940's. For the US, you could say December 8, 1941 when it entered the war.

The war ends in 1945. This is where I get even stranger with my answer. When does the 50's begin? 1946, for America, and various other points around here for other countries. I'll give the UK 1952, because that's when Elizabeth II took the throne. The UK was hit harder during the war, so the 40's after affects lasted longer, like in Europe the 50's would start around later. Different eras being around 46 that effect the 50's alot. The Cold War era, nuclear etc. But America was feeling good after the war ended and prosperity age started in 1946. Also, also Television starts to gain here.

I'm saying the 50's (like a mad man) started in 1946 and ran until 1963. Why? 1963? JFK was assassinated in November of 63, anything that shows a change. Culturally, clothes were changing, things were changing the 50's had changed consumerism, TV was going color, there was the Civil Rights movement. 1963 is good start year to show a difference from the 50's culture. Counter Culture , the Vietnam war starts soon, there's tension, the music changes a little more. That's your 60's.

1963/1964 is also the dividing line between "Baby Boomer" and "Gen X" birth years, I believe.

When does the 70's , start? 1974. Nixon resigning, so this again is more US centric, but Nixon's 2nd term was very turmoiled like 1960's had ended up being. Soon the Vietnam war ends. If you go on pop culture, the 1970's TV culture in the US started in 1971, the more rural and comfy programs being replaced by urbanites doing city things, and shows like Mary Tyler Moore and All in the Family. In music, I'd say 1976. 1976 sounds different than 1975 and before. The 70's I feel is a mess to pinpoint, but a good split is 1974, in theory.

I always point to "That 70's Show", a TV show dedicated to that decade, started in 1976. Post-Watergate, Post-Nixon resigning, post-Vietnam.

But maybe 1976 (or thereabouts) is really the start of the 80's. I usually point out that Star Wars premiered in 1977 (or maybe you can go back to "Jaws" in 1975). The start of summer movie blockbusters.

1980's. I'll give the UK 1979- Margaret Thatcher takes power, big change. For everyone else 1982. That's where you can start to tell that 80's was becoming a rejection of a lot of the turmoil of the 60's and 70's, and another consumerism rise. Pop culture-wise, in music 1979 is the start of 80's music, I'm going with Video Killed the Radio star as starting point, because that song didn't sound 1970's, it actually feels like it was written in the future, but the concepts are the start of New Wave, and Synth music. TV I think becomes 80's in waves, 1979 was the start of the bigger cable wave in the idea of having a channel just for sports, later just for news, just for kids, just for Music, Just for weather. Then around 1983, you have UHF stations exploding (not literally) everywhere bringing in more syndication needs and a the best syndication market in TV ever. The sitcoms and shows start to reflect a different feel and tone by 1983 too.

When Ronald Reagan survived an assassination attempt in March 1981, that cast off the doom and gloom from Kennedy's assassination in 1963 onward (Robert Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Vietnam, Iran, late 70's inflation). This is not "pro-Reagan" this is just talking about the mood of the nation. The 80's arguably started after March 1981.

1990's I'd say 1993. Yeah Bill Clinton time, John Major in the UK... the Cold War had already ended, the first Iraq stuff was over. It felt clear and clean and ready to go for an era of "good feelings" again. It was also still some mash up of the 80's in consumerism, but had it's own thing going on. The biggest 90's shows had started or were starting in 1993 (Though Nick was a little head, and you can Nick's 1990's started in 1991) but like Friends, ER, etc. would be down the road so yeah. Music, I'm not going to try, even radio stations are having a hard time figuring out what 1990's music they should play as oldies or not. Since even 1994 and 1996 sound like they aren't even near each other.

1996/1997 is the dividing line between the last of the "Millennials" being born and the start of "Gen Z" being born. 1997 is the start of what I call "The Millennium Years" (1997 to 2003).

Not sure if that counts as the "start of the 2000's". I sometimes think instead of decades, these need divided up into 5 year ranges of time.

1978 to 1982
1983 to 1987
1988 to 1992
1993 to 1997
1998 to 2002

Something like that. My rationale is 1999 looked a lot like 2002, but 1999 didn't look a lot like 1991 (even though they're both "the 90's").

 

[the greenman]

This subject reminds me of something I had heard either in college or on a documentary someplace. Revolving around a cusp time period last 3 years of a decade and first 3 years. Usually filmmakers sometimes anticipated or are fully able to generate their minds on the decade.

This one thought is in particular on the 1970's. You could make an argument for the 90's as well.

Sent from my moto g power (2022) using Tapatalk

 

[Moe]

The launch of Sci-Fi Channel in 1992 make looks like more 1990s than 1980s, but most of shows on Sci-Fi Channel's lineup was from 1950s to 1980s - all rerun outside of FTL Newsfeed.

 

[John Pannozzi]

I agree with those saying that 1982 was a defining year for the 1980s, and I want to add that, among other things, it saw the release of E.T., the biggest movie of that decade.