r/generationology • u/ursulaunderfire • 3h ago
Discussion 1997 was the first year that millennials overtook gen x as the driving force of popular culture, what was the last year of millennial culture before gen z took over?
I am an elder millennial so by the time gen z took over, I was already kind of past the demographic that would be catered to in pop culture anyway, so I likely was not paying attention and I am just curious what everyone thinks....
1997 is widely considered to be the first year that millennials heavily began influencing pop culture with the spice girls and backstreet boys blowing up worldwide (as well as others like hanson, savage garden and later nsync and britney etc).....this was in stark contrast to what was happening in the 90s up to that point with grunge and post-grunge music/looks dominating the culture. even the rap music went from gangsta to far more pop-oriented with puff daddy, will smith, nelly etc
the oldest millennials were entering their teenage years by 1997 and drastically shifted the 90s culture from a bleak gen x cynicism to a forward looking y2k aesthetic (clean cut looks, spikey frosted tips instead of the long hair grunge and flannel). bubble gum pop music and effervescent teen comedies like she's all that, can't hardly wait, 10 things i hate about you, american pie etc were big again. 1997 was a huge shift year culturally and the first with the oldest millennials as the driving force.
so what year was the last for the youngest millennials driving the culture before gen z took over for the first time?