These Were The Biggest Trends of the 90s...

WatchMojo

Remember the days of "The Macarena" and Tamagotchis? Dive into the radical world of the 90s with us as we explore everything that made this decade iconic! From the rise of boy bands to the fall of Blockbuster, we're taking you on a nostalgic journey through the trends, toys, and cultural moments that defined a generation.

Transcript

00:00:01We are about to delve into the bygone decade that was the 1990s.

00:00:08Oh, what a glorious time it was.

00:00:11And we're gonna kickstart things with a look at some of the biggest trends of the 90s.

00:00:15So, kids, go get your parents and ask them if they took part in any of these things.

00:00:21Elmo knows where you live!

00:00:24Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 20 trends of the 1990s.

00:00:31It's not even 8.30 and Murray is paging me.

00:00:33For this list, we're looking at the most prominent cultural trends from the years 1990 to 1999.

00:00:39Which of these 90s crazes do you miss the most?

00:00:43Number 20. Bowl Cuts

00:00:46If you were a kid in the 90s, you might have memories of your parents saving money on haircuts

00:00:51by simply putting a bowl over your head and snipping around it.

00:00:58Of course, the bowl cut is a hairstyle that long predates the 90s.

00:01:02With figures like Moe from the Three Stooges donning this particular dew.

00:01:06Heck, even the Beatles had their own mushroom cut versions.

00:01:09But many 90s heartthrobs famously sported this look also.

00:01:13Looking at you, Leonardo DiCaprio.

00:01:15Unfortunately, the bowl cut made many look less like Jack Dawson and more like Lloyd Christmas.

00:01:20Pardon me, Mr. Perfect!

00:01:23I guess I forgot that you never ever make a mistake!

00:01:26Number 19. The Macarena

00:01:29Going to a wedding reception in the 90s?

00:01:32The question wasn't if the Macarena would be played, but when.

00:01:35This song by Latin pop group Los Del Rio took the world by storm in the 1990s.

00:01:41This was particularly due to its fun yet simple choreography.

00:01:49A remix by the Bayside Boys even topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 14 straight weeks.

00:01:55The tune got so big that the 1996 Democratic National Convention even had political figures doing the famous dance.

00:02:02While the song's popularity understandably declined in later decades, any dance floor with the Macarena playing is definitely one we want to be on.

00:02:16Number 18. Tickle Me Elmo

00:02:19In the 90s, Tickle Me Elmo dolls were all the rage. Unfortunately, we mean that literally.

00:02:25This may very well be the last Tickle Me Elmo to be found in the Bay Area, but he's already sold. And when we brought him out into the store, we caused a near riot.

00:02:34This shaking and giggling doll based on the beloved Sesame Street character was such a hot commodity that violence broke out among many shoppers desperate to get their hands on one.

00:02:43We can't tickle Elmo no more. Goochie goochie go.

00:02:46No means more for Elmo.

00:02:48Ow.

00:02:49Some sought it out so they could resell it at a huge markup.

00:02:52One million Tickle Me Elmo dolls were sold in 1996 alone.

00:02:57One can hope they made millions of 90s kids very happy.

00:03:01At least, that's how Elmo would have wanted it.

00:03:04Number 17. Raunchy Comedies

00:03:07Some of the most beloved comedies in the 90s were not only high-grossing, but well, highly gross.

00:03:13Movies like There's Something About Mary, American Pie, and the Austin Powers films pushed the boundaries of good taste farther and farther.

00:03:21It got weird, didn't it?

00:03:23Yeah.

00:03:24I knew it.

00:03:25Many of the infamously raunchy moments led to word-of-mouth buzz, making the movies in question must-watch flicks.

00:03:32While we can't describe these scenes in detail, just know that they succeeded in making us laugh while subsequently making us gag.

00:03:40Let's just say it took us a while to look at an apple pie the same way again.

00:03:44Well, we'll just tell your mother that we ate it all.

00:03:49Number 16. Cartoons

00:03:52Television cartoons have obviously been around since the advent of the telecommunications medium, but the 90s gave us something truly special when it came to animated programming.

00:04:02Shows like Doug, Rugrats, The Ren and Stimpy Show, and Ed, Ed, and Eddie are just a few examples of exemplary cartoon shows from the decade.

00:04:11Hey, Double D! What took you so long?

00:04:13Oh, hello, Eddie. So what are you doing?

00:04:16Of course, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention Disney's afternoon offerings such as DuckTales and Goop Troop.

00:04:22And let's not forget that The Simpsons was arguably at its best in the 90s, and that SpongeBob SquarePants began just as the decade was ending.

00:04:31Now, if you'll excuse us, we have some re-watching to do.

00:04:34I'm ready!

00:04:36I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready! I'm ready!

00:04:41Number 15. Overalls

00:04:44Overalls were originally designed for laborers such as farmers to keep their clothes clean while working.

00:04:49But in the 1990s, it could be seen on fashionistas as well as farmers.

00:04:54In fact, all you needed to hit the town were a pair of overalls, some sunglasses, and cute shoes.

00:05:00Oh, that's funny!

00:05:04And if celebrities like Jennifer Aniston and NSYNC were wearing them, who were we to say no?

00:05:10Should the straps be undone, though? You know it.

00:05:13Overalls are one 90s fashion trend we stand by.

00:05:17Even if we seldom needed to actually protect our clothes from anything.

00:05:29Now, what other clothing crazes can we take from farmers?

00:05:32Number 14. Waif Looks

00:05:34The motto, bigger is better, might have reigned supreme in the 80s.

00:05:38But in the 90s, things were getting smaller.

00:05:41Namely, supermodel waistlines.

00:05:43While we were used to models being svelte, the 90s took it to a whole new level.

00:05:48Models like Kate Moss garnered just as much attention for their physiques as they did for their bold fashion sense.

00:05:54How ready was Kate Moss when Calvin Klein made her an icon overnight?

00:05:59The 80s were over, and the 90s, to me, represented something different.

00:06:06This trend also sparked worry about how young women might feel when comparing their bodies to those of supermodels.

00:06:12It might have looked good on the runway, but it sure wasn't a healthy look to emulate.

00:06:16But was Kate really to blame for the upsurge in the use of emaciated models, such as the painfully thin tanya court?

00:06:23Or was Kate simply another product of the fashion environment?

00:06:26Number 13. Pogs

00:06:28Before NFTs, we were collecting a different kind of colorful tokens.

00:06:33Of course, these were typically found in the schoolyard and not the computer.

00:06:37Pogs were cardboard discs inspired by the game Milk Caps, which was prevalent in Hawaii.

00:06:42In the early 1900s, Japanese immigrants settled in Hawaii and brought the game with them.

00:06:47Over time, it evolved into a version played with milk and juice caps from a local dairy company in Maui,

00:06:52eventually renaming it Pogs after their juice that was made out of passion fruit, orange, and guava. Get it?

00:06:57The 90s saw Pogs become popular not just for gameplay reasons, but as collectibles.

00:07:02Kids would play one another in hopes of winning the pot and taking home some new Pogs.

00:07:07If that sounds a little like gambling to you, you're not alone.

00:07:11Many schools banned Pogs for encouraging gambling, as well as the general distraction they caused.

00:07:17And they weren't wrong.

00:07:19I got some cool Pogs!

00:07:20Elf Pogs!

00:07:22Remember Elf?

00:07:23He's back!

00:07:24In Pog form!

00:07:26You traded my soul for Pogs?!

00:07:28Number 12. Virtual Pets

00:07:30If your parents wouldn't buy you a puppy in the 90s, it was no problem at all.

00:07:35The 1990s pet of choice was one that didn't shed on the couch or have an accident on the carpet.

00:07:45Virtual pets like Tamagotchi and Giga Pets were a must-have toy for kids of all ages.

00:07:51Their needy features meant we got a lot more attached to them than we did our other toys.

00:08:01It also meant that we were woken up at odd hours of the night to take care of them.

00:08:05And if we didn't, well, these 8-bit animals would go up to virtual pet heaven. Yikes.

00:08:12Number 11. Hip Hop Fashion

00:08:14Hip hop took off in a big way in the 90s.

00:08:17And it wasn't just the songs.

00:08:19People were also dressing to look like their favorite rappers.

00:08:22Such as Kid N Play, Salt N Peppa, and the Fresh Prince himself, Will Smith.

00:08:27This meant bright colors, oversized shirts, and plenty of denim.

00:08:36The rise of gangster rap soon led to styles that weren't quite as flamboyant.

00:08:40This included iconic looks like Tupac's bandana.

00:08:48Plus, who can forget all the amazing jewelry?

00:08:51Watching music videos on MTV helped introduce young viewers to artists they wouldn't have otherwise known about.

00:08:58Yep, 90s rappers certainly made a bold statement with their lyrics and their fashion choices.

00:09:06Male vocal groups had existed in the past.

00:09:09But the 90s ushered in a new era with the rise of the boy band.

00:09:13When you say that I want it that way.

00:09:20Groups like the Backstreet Boys and NSYNC captured hearts around the world with their magazine cover good looks,

00:09:26elaborate choreography, and songs that ranged from party anthems to soulful ballads.

00:09:32And it wasn't just the boys making waves either.

00:09:34Girl groups like the Spice Girls hit it big in the 90s too.

00:09:37Okay, so a lot of these groups were cheesy and their styles are definitely of their time.

00:09:46But we were always excited to hear I want it that way on the radio.

00:09:50Heck, we still are.

00:09:54In the 90s, warehouses weren't just for working.

00:09:58Dance parties known as raves made their way from Europe to North America.

00:10:02In large open venues, DJs played rhythmic electronic music out of subwoofers so loudly that you couldn't tell the bass beat from your heartbeat.

00:10:11Like Woodstock, a desert rave attracts thousands of people of all kinds.

00:10:15Everybody's welcome.

00:10:16Like the hippies of another era, ravers say they all come in peace just to experience the event and each other.

00:10:23You could also count on seeing plenty of wild, colorful outfits.

00:10:26Not to mention a plethora of glow sticks.

00:10:29These parties could go on for 24 hours and often caught the wrath of law enforcement for being unlicensed and containing illegal activity.

00:10:38900 ravers were issued citations for $325.

00:10:42Surely something to rave about.

00:10:44The offense?

00:10:45Aiding and abetting the consumption of alcohol in an unlicensed public setting.

00:10:50Well, the party had to end eventually.

00:10:52But it was fun while it lasted.

00:10:54Number 8. Coffee Culture

00:10:56Learning that tall apparently meant small was just one way coffee culture dominated our lives in the 90s.

00:11:02We also had to learn the difference between a cappuccino and an espresso.

00:11:06Yeah, we all thought we were hot stuff with our hot specialty drinks.

00:11:09The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee.

00:11:17Plus, the Starbucks boom meant that there were drinks we could have with friends that wouldn't result in potential hangovers.

00:11:23The decade also ushered in an influx of hip independent coffee shops.

00:11:27Although we have to admit they were not as fun as 90s sitcoms made them out to be.

00:11:32Central perk anyone?

00:11:34Number 7. Teen Television

00:11:41We'll never forget hanging out with all our amazing friends in the 90s.

00:11:46Let's see, there was Dawson Leary, Joey Potter, Donna Martin, Dylan McKay, and okay, those weren't our real friends.

00:11:54But we certainly grew close to the characters featured on teen oriented shows like Dawson's Creek and Beverly Hills 90210.

00:12:00Come on. Where are we going? Field trip.

00:12:06TV in the 90s captured the teenage brain like few eras have.

00:12:10With fantastical shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer also finding room for human emotions.

00:12:15I know what you're after.

00:12:22That's not what I'm looking for.

00:12:25Are you sure?

00:12:27I'm way sure.

00:12:29My mistake.

00:12:32The actors on these shows might have looked a lot older than us, because they were, but we would have done anything to hang out with them.

00:12:39Number 6. The Rachel

00:12:41Friends may have aired once a week, but we were constantly reminded of its existence.

00:12:47Case in point, the popularity of The Rachel, a layered shoulder length cut worn by Jennifer Aniston on the show towards the end of the first season.

00:12:55Okay, that's fine.

00:13:01The 90s saw an estimated 11 million women get this cut.

00:13:05Although The Rachel was popular for its beauty and versatility, there was one person who wasn't particularly fond of it.

00:13:12Jennifer Aniston.

00:13:13Jennifer Aniston.

00:13:14The Emmy winner found maintaining it to be a major hassle.

00:13:17I don't know how to make it look like that.

00:13:19I just, you know, so yeah.

00:13:21That must have been hell.

00:13:22It was a little bit.

00:13:23It was just, I wouldn't say hell, because there are worse things than that.

00:13:26Fortunately for Aniston, she got to wear other hairstyles on the show.

00:13:31As for Friends, we think it ended up doing okay.

00:13:35Number 5. Beanie Babies

00:13:38How do you turn something as common as a stuffed animal into the hottest new trend?

00:13:42Answer, fill it with tiny pellets and give it a birthday.

00:13:45It is so great that you always include the beanie's birthdays.

00:13:49Children want to know when their toy was born.

00:13:51Beanie Babies were one of those 90s sensations you could only understand if you were around at the time.

00:13:57If you wanted one, you had to act fast, because some designs didn't last long.

00:14:02Of course, you might find the sold out Beanie Baby you wanted on eBay.

00:14:06For thousands of dollars, that is.

00:14:08Many saw them less as toys and more as an investment opportunity.

00:14:12On eBay, the average selling price was about $35 per Beanie Baby, which isn't much, but it was, you know, seven times the retail price.

00:14:19So, people were buying these as an investment.

00:14:21I mean, it's really, really hard to imagine that.

00:14:23While undoubtedly cute, Beanie Babies eventually saw their bubble burst.

00:14:28We all knew one thing, though.

00:14:30You should never cut off the tag.

00:14:33Number 4. Extreme Sports

00:14:35Rebellion and athletics don't always go hand in hand.

00:14:40The 90s, however, had no problem combining the two into one thrilling category.

00:14:45Extreme sports.

00:14:47Are you kidding me?

00:14:51The popularity of adrenaline-pumping sports like skateboarding, snowboarding, and BMX biking

00:14:57suddenly made baseball and football look a lot less cool.

00:15:00This was also a new era of athletic heroes, like skateboarder Tony Hawk and surfer Kelly Slater.

00:15:05But while they made it look easy, success in these sports requires hours upon hours of practice.

00:15:19We might have dreamed of making it to the X Games, but we were just as happy goofing around at the skate park with our friends.

00:15:26Number 3. WWF

00:15:29Another kind of intense athletic showcase that dominated the 90s was pro wrestling.

00:15:34Specifically, the action found in the World Wrestling Federation, or WWF.

00:15:39Charisma!

00:15:43What the Rock is cooking!

00:15:46Now known as the WWE, this organization ushered in a new generation of superstars whose physiques were matched only by their charisma.

00:15:55The Federation's attitude era, with iconic figures like Kane, The Rock, Chyna, and Stone Cold Steve Austin, made it feel like anything could happen.

00:16:04And by turning the tide on a bitter war with rival group WCW, the WWF ended the decade as the premiere place for hard-hitting entertainment.

00:16:25Number 2. High Tech Communications

00:16:28They may seem antiquated in this age of smartphones and wireless internet, but in the 90s, technology the likes of beepers felt revolutionary.

00:16:37The idea of getting in touch with someone while out and about was incredible.

00:16:42A clunky cell phone was definitely preferable to waiting for a turn at the payphone.

00:16:47I totally choked. My father was gonna go ballistic on me.

00:16:50Mr. Hall was way harsh.

00:16:53He gave me a C minus.

00:16:55Well, he gave me a C, which drags down my entire average.

00:16:58Bye.

00:16:59I'll call you, okay?

00:17:01Yeah.

00:17:02While the internet is arguably bigger than it's ever been, the 90s was the first time many got on the world wide web.

00:17:08The wonders of chat rooms and other online spaces fill us with a special kind of nostalgia.

00:17:14A new way to use your computer to communicate, have fun, and get instant news and information.

00:17:19Technology is always improving, of course, but the 90s saw it reach an exciting new peak.

00:17:26Number 1. Grunge

00:17:28The 80s were a decade of flash and excess, especially with regard to music and fashion.

00:17:34So it's only fitting that the 90s went in the opposite direction.

00:17:37None of this hairspray.

00:17:39We're gonna wear flannel, we're gonna talk about our feelings, but we're still gonna rock, and we're still gonna get laid.

00:17:46Grunge was a trend defined by not being trendy, at least in theory.

00:17:51Denizens of this subculture, which took root in the Pacific Northwest, wore clothes off the thrift store rack, not the runway.

00:17:58Put on a flannel shirt and go a few days without shaving, and you were the coolest person on your block.

00:18:03And of course, there wouldn't be grunge without bands like Stone Temple Pilots, Soundgarden, and Nirvana.

00:18:09Their angsty lyrics and searing riffs were the stuff of legend.

00:18:21We're not wearing nearly as much flannel these days, but we will always have a soft spot for grunge.

00:18:27Not to age myself, but yeah, I'm pretty familiar with the 90s.

00:18:34But if you're anything like me, then you know just who were the coolest celebrities of the time.

00:18:39I mean, many of them are still cool today.

00:18:42But regardless, we've got a list of the coolest of the cool from the 1990s, and it's coming your way right now.

00:18:50How did you get so famous? What do you think it is?

00:18:54No, I think it's down to the fans. I think they like to see people up there having fun, who are just like normal, alright?

00:19:01Hey everyone, I'm Rebecca, and welcome to WatchMojo.

00:19:04Today, we're counting down our picks for the top 20 coolest people of the 90s.

00:19:09I'm a woman phenomenally. Phenomenal woman. That's me.

00:19:14Of course, I'm a Terminator.

00:19:16Whatever you call him, call him this. The greatest of his generation.

00:19:20For this list, we're looking at the most influential and admirable figures who were particularly prominent between the years of 1990 and 1999, even if they were cool and famous before or since.

00:19:33Who did you look up to in the 90s?

00:19:36If you were a 90s kid, you had to love Robin Williams. The beloved late comedian could make us both laugh and cry in so many of his roles, whether they were live action or animated.

00:19:51But never duplicated! Duplicated! Duplicated! Duplicated! Duplicated! Duplicated!

00:19:57Genie of the lamp!

00:20:01Right here, direct from the lamp. Right here for your very much wish fulfillment.

00:20:05His mix of energy and emotional intelligence helped make films like Aladdin, Jumanji, and Mrs. Doubtfire unforgettable.

00:20:12His more dramatic performances were also exceptional, and he received a well-deserved Oscar for Good Will Hunting, playing Matt Damon's warm-hearted therapist.

00:20:21Your move, chief.

00:20:23What ultimately made Williams so cool was his commitment, no matter the assignment.

00:20:29He could be starring in a movie, giving an acceptance speech, or simply doing an interview, and he would always give it his all.

00:20:36Number 19. Antonio Banderas

00:20:39Few people can be said to truly ooze charisma, but Antonio Banderas absolutely does.

00:20:46In the 90s, the Spanish actor rose to the spotlight for American audiences, with roles in movies like Philadelphia, Desperado, and Interview with the Vampire.

00:20:55By the time The Mask of Zorro was released, he was a bonafide Hollywood movie star.

00:21:07Pleasure.

00:21:08Pleasure.

00:21:09As New York Times film critic Janet Maslin put it, Alejandro Murrieta was, quote, the role that Antonio Banderas was obviously born to play.

00:21:18Not only is Banderas incredibly handsome and charismatic, but he also has a great sense of humor about himself.

00:21:24What is cooler than someone who doesn't take themselves too seriously?

00:21:28Number 18. Winona Ryder

00:21:31We thought Ryder was so cool in the 90s, and we still do.

00:21:35This is one celebrity who just exudes coolness.

00:21:38Her unpredictable clothing choices, whether leather jackets, blazers, or band tees, showed us that fashion is about more than high-class heels and expensive jewelry.

00:21:47Her roles in movies like Edward Scissorhands and Little Women didn't give audiences a choice.

00:21:52We all fell under her spell of coolness before we knew what hit us.

00:21:56We have to talk about this reasonably.

00:21:59I have loved you since the moment I clapped eyes on you.

00:22:04According to Rolling Stone magazine, Ben Stiller has been quoted as saying,

00:22:08It's funny, girls really like her, and guys really like her.

00:22:12Every guy I've ever talked to has a crush on her.

00:22:15Years later, not much has changed.

00:22:17With her work in Stranger Things, the crushes and admiration only continue.

00:22:22Do you understand me?

00:22:23Yes, yes ma'am.

00:22:24Thank you, and good day.

00:22:26Number 17. Arnold Schwarzenegger

00:22:29Come with me if you want to live.

00:22:31We still have plenty of cool action stars, but few come close to Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 90s.

00:22:38The Austrian bodybuilder turned actor had our blood pumping throughout all of his action films.

00:22:43The Terminator franchise sequel, Conan, Total Recall, and Eraser all managed to keep us on our toes with Schwarzenegger's impressive performances.

00:22:53His comedies like Kindergarten Cop and Junior are equally brilliant.

00:22:57While there were a few misses, like his rather campy performance as Mr. Freeze in Batman and Robin,

00:23:02Schwarzenegger's charisma has always remained as big as his muscles.

00:23:16Film critic Roger Ebert credited Schwarzenegger's humility, sense of humor, and sensitivity, among other qualities, for his rise to fame.

00:23:24The muscles are cool, but the later governor of California was even cooler.

00:23:29Number 16. Keanu Reeves

00:23:31Honesty Time

00:23:32How many of us have fantasized about being Neo or Johnny Utah?

00:23:36Keanu Reeves, in the 90s and beyond, exuded a kind of coolness that suggests he's not bothered by anything or anyone.

00:23:44Perhaps that's not surprising, given that his name is Hawaiian for cool breeze over the mountains.

00:23:50But the beloved Reeves always finds a nice balance. He doesn't act like he's superior to anyone or unwilling to be a little shy.

00:23:57He's a natural comedic talent, as seen in the Bill and Ted films, and has received plenty of adoration from his co-stars and directors, including Gus Van Sant, who praised Reeves' mix of charisma, good looks, and innocence.

00:24:16We have one word for Keanu Reeves and his coolness.

00:24:20Whoa!

00:24:21Number 15. Alicia Silverstone

00:24:24If you wore a yellow plaid blazer in the 1990s, you were probably influenced by fashion-conscious Cher Horowitz in the classic teen comedy Clueless.

00:24:33Ugh, as if!

00:24:35Although Alicia Silverstone had made her debut in The Crush, her best known role to this day is Cher.

00:24:41Her director, Amy Heckerling, compared her to Marilyn Monroe in terms of appeal.

00:24:45Although her intentions can sometimes backfire, Cher shows true growth over the course of the film, and helps the people around her in the process.

00:24:53To tell you the truth, I have not seen such good doing since your mother.

00:25:00Really?

00:25:01Really?

00:25:02Now get back to work.

00:25:05In an interview for the film's 25th anniversary with Vogue, Silverstone talked about the effort she made to reveal Cher's heart beyond her materialism.

00:25:13Her performance shows it's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.

00:25:18Number 14. The Rock

00:25:21Before he was movie star Dwayne Johnson, he was the renowned professional wrestler The Rock.

00:25:27Even before he was acting in films, his presence in the ring during the 90s was so palpable that he was already a star in the eyes of millions of wrestling fans.

00:25:36Debuting in the WWF, now the WWE, as Rocky Maivia in 1996, he turned heel and adopted The Rock name and persona, leading to feuds with the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H.

00:25:50But this was one bad guy audiences could root for. His charisma and catchphrases turned him into a sensation.

00:25:56If you smell what The Rock is going on.

00:26:06Incredible as both an athlete and an entertainer, Dwayne The Rock Johnson truly, well, rocks.

00:26:13Number 13. Janet Jackson

00:26:16Turn on the radio today and you can hear Janet Jackson.

00:26:19You might not always hear her songs necessarily, but you can definitely hear her influence on modern artists like Lady Gaga, Beyonce and Ariana Grande.

00:26:35Either way, albums like Janet and The Velvet Rope sound as fresh now as they did almost 30 years ago.

00:26:42She wasn't content to simply be known as Michael Jackson's younger sister.

00:26:45So Janet consistently pushed herself as an artist and even dabbled in acting, lending herself a starring role in John Singleton's Poetic Justice.

00:26:53Now you understand just why my head's not bowed. I don't have to shout or jump about or have to talk real loud. When you see me passing, it ought to make you proud.

00:27:05Trying to measure Janet Jackson's impact on the entertainment industry is like trying to measure the impact of the sun on the earth. It's simply too great to do.

00:27:15Number 12. The Beastie Boys

00:27:17The Beastie Boys came together in the early 80s, a time when hip hop certainly wasn't as fully mainstream.

00:27:23As the genre further exploded in popularity throughout the 90s, the New York trio became anything but a footnote, releasing multiple number one albums.

00:27:32The coolest thing about the group wasn't even their prodigious skills on the mic, mixing board or musical instruments.

00:27:38It was how they were always willing to learn, whether that meant incorporating new styles into their sound or making amends for previous offensive lyrical content.

00:27:47It's not so much that we grew up. It's more like we wised up.

00:27:52Now we can say that our reflection on the mistakes we made came from Yaak and the ideas that he brought back to us, but that's partly true.

00:27:59I mean, we were ready for change. We encouraged each other to do and say what we wanted to do.

00:28:04The death of Adam MCA Yaak in 2012 brought about the end of the group, but they will always be true hip hop legends.

00:28:12Number 11. Will Smith

00:28:14No one forgets when they first set eyes on Will Smith. We were all amazed by just how much effortless charm he exhibited.

00:28:21Seriously, does this guy drink a magical charisma smoothie for breakfast?

00:28:26After establishing himself as a musical talent with DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, the path to superstardom was further paved by his hit sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

00:28:35Honey, the last time we saw you, you were this funny little boy. Now look at you. Oh my goodness, you are a man.

00:28:42Well, that was the plan.

00:28:45It is amazing. You certainly have grown, Will.

00:28:48Well, we all have.

00:28:50He went on to star in movies like Six Degrees of Separation and Bad Boys, but it was the film Independence Day that saw him both fighting off some unfriendly extraterrestrials and earning himself a permanent spot on the celebrity A-list.

00:29:04That's right! This way! That's right!

00:29:08Get off, get off!

00:29:10Even as his star power grew, Smith remained relatable, and his movie's billion-dollar earnings speak for themselves.

00:29:17Number 10. Madonna

00:29:19What do you call someone who tops the Billboard, Box Office and New York Times Best Seller charts all in the same decade?

00:29:26You call her Madonna.

00:29:29The pop icon furthered her cultural dominance in the 90s

00:29:32by releasing number one singles like Vogue and Take a Bow,

00:29:35and appearing in films like A League of Their Own and Evita,

00:29:38the latter of which earned her a Golden Globe.

00:29:41While not all of her ventures were well-received,

00:29:48such as her leaning into a more provocative image with the release of her book titled Sex,

00:29:53and her more explicit stage shows, she always kept our attention.

00:29:57And she ended the decade with one of her very best albums,

00:30:01The Adventurous Ray of Light.

00:30:04Number 9. The Notorious B.I.G.

00:30:06Whether you know him as Christopher Wallace, Notorious B.I.G., Biggie Smalls, or just Biggie,

00:30:11there is no question that he is one of the greatest minds that hip-hop has ever known.

00:30:16Brooklyn born and bred, Biggie rose to fame with his album Ready to Die,

00:30:20and songs like Juicy helped turbocharge New York's image as a hip-hop powerhouse.

00:30:27He even collaborated with Michael Jackson.

00:30:31Multiple publications have named Biggie as the greatest rapper of all time,

00:30:35and in 2020, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

00:30:39To this day, The Notorious B.I.G. ranks among the top of nearly every best rapper list,

00:30:45and has influenced an entire generation of artists, from Jay-Z, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Alicia Keys, and Usher.

00:30:52Tragically, his life was cut short in 1997 after being killed in a drive-by shooting.

00:30:58Although he's no longer with us, Wallace's legacy lives on through his massive influence.

00:31:04Number 8. Tony Hawk

00:31:05If you can name one skateboarder, it's probably Tony Hawk.

00:31:10Although he was already an accomplished skateboarder as a teenager in the 80s,

00:31:13the 90s were when Hawk's fame truly began to soar.

00:31:17His early skating abilities and style in the ramp skating has set trends and used tricks

00:31:21that were before considered the impossible.

00:31:23Tony is constantly pushing himself to take skating beyond the current limit,

00:31:27and if anyone is capable of reaching that next level, Tony is.

00:31:30Competing in the X Games, performing patented tricks like the 900,

00:31:34and launching his own line of video games,

00:31:37made Hawk a hero for every kid at the skate park

00:31:40hoping to achieve their own dreams of vert skateboarding stardom.

00:31:43In an interview with The New Yorker,

00:31:45Hawk said that he never imagined any future for himself besides skateboarding.

00:31:49If you've seen what he can do with a skateboard, you'll know he means that.

00:31:54Gymnastics has its Nadia.

00:31:56But skateboarding has gone.

00:32:03Number 7. Jennifer Aniston

00:32:05Did you call the cops?

00:32:06Nope. We took her to lunch.

00:32:08Ah, your own brand of vigilante justice.

00:32:11Even in an ensemble as talented and revered as the Friends cast,

00:32:16Jennifer Aniston stood out.

00:32:18Our 90s selves still want to go shopping with Rachel Green.

00:32:22Aniston not only did an amazing job of making Rachel likable,

00:32:25she also managed to make her someone other struggling 20-somethings could relate to.

00:32:30Many aspired to look like her, too,

00:32:32with the Rachel haircut becoming a popular 90s do.

00:32:35Vanessa, what are you doing?

00:32:37What? Oh, what?

00:32:40Hi!

00:32:41Can you just, can you just drop that for a second?

00:32:45Yeah.

00:32:46She also inspired fashion trends, such as plaid skirts and overalls.

00:32:52Aniston, of course, had great chemistry with her fellow cast members,

00:32:56most prominently with David Schwimmer as her on-again, off-again partner Ross.

00:33:00She also starred in numerous 90s movies,

00:33:03and later continued a strong career in both TV and film.

00:33:06Number 6. Stone Cold Steve Austin

00:33:09The Rock was definitely one of the coolest wrestlers of the 90s,

00:33:23but at the risk of being called jabronis,

00:33:25we have to give the number one spot in that category to his rival, Stone Cold Steve Austin.

00:33:29A central attraction of the WWF's Attitude Era,

00:33:33Austin contributed to a major spike in pro-wrestling's popularity.

00:33:37He thrilled fans with wrestling feuds,

00:33:39including those with Bret Hart and chairman Vince McMahon.

00:33:43Plus, we can't forget about the stunts Austin pulled,

00:33:46like driving a Zamboni up to the ring and tackling his boss.

00:33:50You're in the ring!

00:33:51Oh, yeah!

00:33:53Oh, you got McMahon!

00:33:55Oh, you got McMahon!

00:33:57He also popularized an amazing finishing move,

00:34:00better known as the Stone Cold Stunner.

00:34:03If there's anyone who knows how to stun, it is Steve Austin.

00:34:07Number 5. Denzel Washington

00:34:09Denzel Washington won his first Oscar in 1989 for Glory,

00:34:13but took his talent to an even greater level in the 90s.

00:34:17The movie and theater star had one of the best runs of any actor of the decade.

00:34:22You'll remember him excelling in biopics like Malcolm X and the Hurricane,

00:34:25and thrillers like The Pelican Brief and Devil in a Blue Dress.

00:34:29Yeah, well, you better be telling the truth, Jimmy.

00:34:31Part of Washington's success as an actor comes from his commitment to his roles.

00:34:36As his Malcolm X co-star Angela Bassett told the New York Times,

00:34:39quote,

00:34:40When Denzel has to go to work, he goes to work.

00:34:43He's the one that brought me to the Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

00:34:46And the Honorable Elijah Muhammad brought me back from the...

00:34:49A long time ago you were paid...

00:34:51Don't you raise your voice in my house!

00:34:53Whether on stage or on the screen,

00:34:55you can always count on Washington to deliver.

00:34:58Number 4. Naomi Campbell

00:35:00In the 90s, Naomi Campbell put the super in supermodel.

00:35:04The British fashion icon was a star of runways, magazines, music videos, and more.

00:35:10As a member of the big six of supermodels, including Kate Moss,

00:35:14Campbell broke barriers for models of color,

00:35:16and ruled fashion shows with her striking looks and poses.

00:35:19It was an image that worked.

00:35:22For the last 15 years, Campbell has embodied the essence of the supermodel.

00:35:26She was the first black model to appear on the cover of French Vogue,

00:35:29and the first black model to grace the cover of the September issue of American Vogue.

00:35:34Her ambition spread to other ventures,

00:35:36including making music, appearing in movies,

00:35:39publishing books, and releasing her own line of fragrances.

00:35:42Famously outspoken about issues like racism in the fashion industry,

00:35:46Campbell changed modeling as we know it for good.

00:35:49And at first I think it was a trend,

00:35:52and now I think in terms of like cosmetic contracts and stuff like that,

00:35:57they're trying to market ethnic women,

00:36:00which has taken a long time to happen,

00:36:02because usually you can have like 10 cosmetic contracts,

00:36:08but not one of them are for ethnic women.

00:36:10Number 3, Tupac Shakur.

00:36:12The end of Kendrick Lamar's album, To Pimp a Butterfly,

00:36:15features an imagined conversation between him and Tupac Shakur.

00:36:19The message is clear.

00:36:21Lamar hopes to be as great as one of his idols,

00:36:23the man most synonymous with West Coast hip-hop.

00:36:27Shakur positively shook up the industry with his music,

00:36:30which ranged from boastful to conscious,

00:36:32and was a key participant in the harsh feud

00:36:35between the West and East Coast hip-hop scenes.

00:36:38But you didn't need to get swept up in any drama

00:36:40to hear the talent on display.

00:36:42He was also an acclaimed and influential actor,

00:36:50appearing in films like Poetic Justice and Above the Rim.

00:36:54Shakur was tragically killed in 1996,

00:36:56but he will always be known as a legend.

00:37:00Number 2, Michael Jordan.

00:37:02In the 90s, 23 became something more than a number.

00:37:06In fact, just about anything associated with Michael Jordan

00:37:09automatically became cooler, including basketball itself.

00:37:13As a member of the six-time championship-winning Chicago Bulls

00:37:16and the 1992 Olympics Dream Team,

00:37:19Jordan embodied the word dedication.

00:37:22If you've seen The Last Dance,

00:37:23you'll know what we mean when we fawn over

00:37:25just how much of an icon Jordan was,

00:37:27not only as an athlete, but also as a personality.

00:37:31That's how I played the game.

00:37:33That was my mentality.

00:37:38If you don't want to play that way,

00:37:41don't play that way.

00:37:46Break.

00:37:47Oh, and let's not forget he also gave us

00:37:49the iconic Space Jam movie.

00:37:51His influence was indisputable.

00:37:53Let's see if I remember how to do this.

00:37:55To this day, kids are still out on the court

00:38:03aspiring to make slam dunks

00:38:05in their own Air Jordans.

00:38:07Number 1, Kurt Cobain.

00:38:10Coolness is earned by resisting conformity

00:38:12and standing proudly in your own power.

00:38:15When Kurt Cobain and his bandmates in Nirvana

00:38:17rocketed to fame in the early 90s,

00:38:19they defied the notion that mainstream rock music

00:38:22had to be devoid of meaning or feeling.

00:38:24I think it's embarrassing to have

00:38:27so many expectations.

00:38:29A totally superficial label to put on a band

00:38:31to state that they're the next big thing.

00:38:34Because that's not our goal in the first place.

00:38:36People are putting that tag on us

00:38:38without us really wanting to do that.

00:38:41Nirvana's intense sound helped millions of music fans

00:38:44feel as though they were finally being heard.

00:38:46Songs such as Smells Like Teen Spirit

00:38:48and Heart Shaped Box are as catchy

00:38:50as they are cathartic.

00:38:52Cobain died in 1994.

00:38:53Only a year after the release of the band's final album

00:38:57in utero.

00:38:58But his and Nirvana's lasting cultural impact

00:39:01makes them the coolest of the 90s.

00:39:04I don't think anybody's ever going to be able

00:39:06to take that place.

00:39:07I know nobody's ever going to be able to take that place.

00:39:10Somebody like Kurt Cobain doesn't happen every day

00:39:12and that's why he was so great.

00:39:14It's always fun to look back and see just how much things have changed.

00:39:20And trust me when I tell you, things have changed.

00:39:23In fact, some things just don't exist anymore.

00:39:26And the 1990s, well, they've had their fair share of technologies

00:39:29and products and the such go to the wayside.

00:39:33So let's take a look at those 90s things that have gone bye-bye.

00:39:37Well, it's the end of an era.

00:39:40Welcome to WatchMojo.

00:39:41And today we're counting down our picks

00:39:43for the top 10 things from the 90s

00:39:45that don't exist anymore.

00:39:46It began with a nut and a bolt.

00:39:49For this list, we're looking at food,

00:39:51technology, fashion, and more

00:39:53that defined our lives between 1990 and 1999.

00:39:57Which piece of 90s culture do you miss the most?

00:39:59What are you glad is gone?

00:40:02Number 10.

00:40:03Y2K Panic

00:40:04We all know that the human race and planet Earth

00:40:11are not going to be around forever.

00:40:12But with the new millennium on the horizon,

00:40:14many believed the year 2000 was going to initiate

00:40:17the collapse of society.

00:40:18Now, the federal government is comparing Y2K

00:40:21to a huge natural disaster,

00:40:23like an earthquake, a hurricane, or a tornado

00:40:26that disrupts people's lives for days, weeks,

00:40:29or maybe even months.

00:40:30In the 90s, several computer experts warned

00:40:33that because many computer systems represented years

00:40:36using only the last two digits,

00:40:38computers would mix up 1900 and 2000.

00:40:41This led some folks to buy up food and supplies

00:40:44to tide them through an imminent apocalypse.

00:40:46But as it turned out,

00:40:48the world stepped into the new millennium

00:40:49with minimal issues.

00:40:51It hit midnight and nothing happened.

00:40:53It was like crickets in the newsroom.

00:40:55While we have dealt with a few other

00:40:57end-of-the-world fears afterwards,

00:40:58like 2012, none quite reached

00:41:00the same level of paranoia.

00:41:02The end of the world is coming.

00:41:04Now, come on, get in your radiation suits.

00:41:05Peter, we are not missing a once-in-a-lifetime event

00:41:08because of some wacko doomsday theory.

00:41:10Okay, okay.

00:41:11Number nine, the Windows 95 maze.

00:41:14Screensavers aren't all that common anymore

00:41:16now that most of our devices have a sleep function

00:41:19to conserve power.

00:41:20In the 90s, however,

00:41:21there was one screensaver you'd see in many homes,

00:41:24the Windows 95 maze.

00:41:27Here, you're basically watching your computer

00:41:28play a video game as it automatically takes left turns

00:41:31until finding the smiley face,

00:41:33thus resetting and generating a whole new maze.

00:41:36There was something really mesmerizing about it

00:41:38between the artificial intelligence

00:41:40and guessing where the face might end up.

00:41:42Honestly, why hasn't Microsoft made

00:41:44a full-fledged game out of this?

00:41:46Number eight, the Delia's Catalog.

00:41:48If you weren't sure what to wear for the girls' night

00:41:50or the high school dance,

00:41:51you probably referred to this mail-in catalog of fashion.

00:41:54Founded in 1993,

00:41:56Delia's was the go-to catalog for teens

00:41:58who wanted to wear the latest clothes and fashion trends.

00:42:01Unfortunately, Delia's would be buried by competitors,

00:42:04in addition to being spun off and acquired

00:42:06on a few occasions as time went on.

00:42:08By the end of 2014,

00:42:09Delia's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

00:42:11and liquidated all of its stores.

00:42:14I declare bankruptcy!

00:42:18Bankruptcy!

00:42:19While it tried to bounce back

00:42:21as an online-only store in 2015,

00:42:23this venture was a complete failure.

00:42:26Now, you can only get their clothing

00:42:27through the Dolls Kill brand.

00:42:29Number seven, Orbitz.

00:42:31Yes, it's the magical, beady beverage

00:42:33that has featured on many a WatchMojo list

00:42:36in recent years.

00:42:37Is it a bug?

00:42:38Did someone mistake your beer for an empty

00:42:39and put their cigarette butt in there?

00:42:41With Orbitz, there was no mistake.

00:42:44This obscure, non-carbonated drink

00:42:46was manufactured with a small variety of flavors

00:42:48to quench your thirst and hunger.

00:42:51From raspberry citrus to vanilla orange,

00:42:53the beads and beverage made for a unique type of drink.

00:42:57Alas, Orbitz would live a seriously short life

00:42:59because of its terrible commercial performance.

00:43:02Given the presence of gel and gum and high sugar,

00:43:04one can hazard a guess at why folks

00:43:06weren't picking these up off the shelves,

00:43:08especially when seeing the edible orbs inside.

00:43:11Number six, the iMac G3.

00:43:16You gotta see this thing in person,

00:43:18but I'll do the best I can with video.

00:43:20Apple's Mac computers have come a long way.

00:43:22Today, design is all about improving battery life,

00:43:26making everything as thin as possible,

00:43:28and getting berated about updating iTunes

00:43:30even if we don't use it.

00:43:31But in the late 90s, a common Mac computer

00:43:33looked about as chunky as a CRT television set.

00:43:36The faster, sleeker, quieter.

00:43:41Redesigned, and even easier to use, iMac.

00:43:46The teal-colored Macs with their translucent

00:43:49Bondi blue shells were especially a huge success for Apple.

00:43:52But looking back, these desktop computers

00:43:54were also incredibly hefty and awkwardly shaped.

00:43:57That's because it wasn't just a monitor.

00:43:59This was the computer itself.

00:44:01Heated leather seats sold separately.

00:44:04Just seeing pictures of these

00:44:06makes us glad schools are using laptops instead.

00:44:08Number five, PB Crisps.

00:44:10Yeah, we gotta squeeze another food product in here,

00:44:13and this is another snack

00:44:14that's popped up on our lists before.

00:44:16PB Crisps was a special kind of sweet treat from planters,

00:44:20consisting of peanut-shaped cookies

00:44:22filled with peanut butter inside.

00:44:23Inside the center's so sweet.

00:44:25Peanut butter cream.

00:44:26Oh, a treat.

00:44:28And if you wanted an addition to peanut butter,

00:44:30you could buy bags of the cookies

00:44:32that were also filled with chocolate or strawberry.

00:44:35Sadly, these snacks were not around for long

00:44:37due to low demand

00:44:38and have become a relic of the mid-90s.

00:44:41To this day,

00:44:42there is still a group of dedicated fans

00:44:44clamoring for the product's return,

00:44:46even going as far as to make a website

00:44:48dedicated to the cause.

00:44:50Number four, AIM.

00:44:52Also known as AOL Instant Messenger.

00:44:54Just fire up that machine and off you go.

00:44:57You got mail!

00:44:59It's been a hot minute

00:45:00since we heard anything remotely relevant to AOL.

00:45:03While AOL currently exists

00:45:05and was acquired by Verizon in 2015,

00:45:08AIM ceased operations in December 2017.

00:45:11AOL's announcement said simply,

00:45:12Goodbye.

00:45:14We're shocked too.

00:45:15This service was introduced way back in 1997

00:45:18and became the leading messaging service

00:45:21in North America for roughly a decade.

00:45:22Wherever I go,

00:45:24I stay connected with everyone in my life.

00:45:26It's really easy to stay in touch.

00:45:27But as tech giants like Google and Facebook

00:45:30started taking over,

00:45:31AIM lost all purpose.

00:45:32I remain confused.

00:45:35Empty.

00:45:36What am I evolving into?

00:45:38What is my purpose?

00:45:39I must know!

00:45:40Tell me!

00:45:41The two companies had better services

00:45:43and better security.

00:45:44Slowly but surely,

00:45:46AIM would begin shutting down features one by one,

00:45:48starting in 2007,

00:45:49before disappearing completely a decade later.

00:45:53Having failed to keep up with ever-evolving technology,

00:45:55we're forced to say TTFN to the iconic service

00:45:59and a simpler time

00:46:00that we can only hope will be our beef.

00:46:03TTYL.

00:46:04She was 18 years old.

00:46:09She doesn't even know what Netscape is.

00:46:11These days,

00:46:12we have dozens of web browsers

00:46:13vying for our attention,

00:46:15from Google Chrome

00:46:16to Mozilla Firefox

00:46:17to Safari

00:46:18to DuckDuckGo.

00:46:19We remember way back

00:46:20when the internet was a baby

00:46:21that there was only one browser to use,

00:46:24Netscape Navigator.

00:46:25This browser was created in 1994

00:46:27and for a short time

00:46:29went uncontested in the industry.

00:46:31Well, what about all those other low-cost guys?

00:46:33Don't you want an ISP

00:46:35that's fast, safer, reliable,

00:46:37and more secure?

00:46:39What happened to cause such decline?

00:46:41Well, Internet Explorer happened.

00:46:43Then Chrome, Firefox, Safari,

00:46:45all of them.

00:46:46Netscape would receive

00:46:47its final update in 2007

00:46:49before ceasing support and development

00:46:51the year after.

00:46:52Everything has to change faster, obviously.

00:46:54You know, look at Netscape.

00:46:55It was born and died.

00:46:57I don't want to use the word died.

00:46:58They wouldn't like that word.

00:46:59But it basically was born and overtaken

00:47:01within four years.

00:47:03That's pretty fast.

00:47:05Number 2.

00:47:05The Discmen

00:47:06Like Walkmans in the 80s,

00:47:08Discmen's became a crucial part of our lives.

00:47:11There just wasn't anything like

00:47:12going on a walk or exercising

00:47:14while jamming out to the newest albums.

00:47:16Besides radios,

00:47:17this was pretty much

00:47:18the way to listen to music.

00:47:20Of course, as we find new ways to store data,

00:47:23we also kill off part of a medium.

00:47:26Nowadays,

00:47:26we can just open Spotify on our phones

00:47:28and jam to anything we desire

00:47:30without having to eject a CD

00:47:31and holster something chunky on our waist.

00:47:34Still, there is something tactile

00:47:36to be missed here.

00:47:37Your ears will tell you

00:47:38it's not only what you play,

00:47:40it's what you play it on.

00:47:42Number 1.

00:47:43Video Rental Stores

00:47:44Those who grew up in the 80s,

00:47:5390s, or 2000s

00:47:55fondly look back on video rental stores.

00:47:58While the very first such stores

00:47:59opened in the late 70s,

00:48:00it was in the 90s

00:48:02that bigger brands like

00:48:03Hollywood Video and Blockbuster

00:48:04boomed in demand.

00:48:06For some families,

00:48:07weekly trips to these stores

00:48:08would become a tradition

00:48:09as new movies made their way to the shelves

00:48:12and movie buffs sought out hidden gems.

00:48:14Wow!

00:48:15Wow!

00:48:16What a difference!

00:48:18Blockbuster Video!

00:48:20This industry would decline, however,

00:48:23as Netflix and streaming services

00:48:25became more and more prominent.

00:48:27Hollywood Video would go defunct in 2010,

00:48:29while Blockbuster enjoys a few thousand customers

00:48:32through its last and only store,

00:48:34located in Bend, Oregon.

00:48:35When you, like, see them all,

00:48:37like, next to each other,

00:48:38it's kind of,

00:48:39makes it easier,

00:48:40but with, like, on Netflix,

00:48:42you only see the title

00:48:43and that's all,

00:48:45but you have to, like, scroll through it

00:48:46and it takes a while

00:48:47to get through all of the movies.

00:48:50Hey, 90s kids,

00:48:51we didn't forget about you

00:48:52because clearly

00:48:53there are more than a few toys

00:48:56from the decade

00:48:57that don't exist anymore either.

00:48:59But as we're about to find out,

00:49:01for many of them,

00:49:02yeah, it was for a good reason.

00:49:03So, uh, tell me,

00:49:05do you recognize any of these 90s toys?

00:49:09I'd like a hotel room, please,

00:49:11with an extra-large bed,

00:49:13a TV,

00:49:14and one of those little refrigerators

00:49:15you have to open with a key.

00:49:17Credit card?

00:49:18You got it.

00:49:19Welcome to WatchMojo,

00:49:21and today we're counting down our picks

00:49:23for the top 10 90s toys

00:49:24that don't exist anymore.

00:49:26Hold the magic key

00:49:27and watch them dance

00:49:28and light up the sky.

00:49:29She looks like a dancing star.

00:49:31For this list,

00:49:32we're looking at toys

00:49:33that gained popularity

00:49:34during the 1990s,

00:49:36only to be discontinued.

00:49:38What toy from the 90s

00:49:39brings you the most nostalgia?

00:49:42Number 10.

00:49:43Tickle Me Elmo

00:49:43While there are new Elmo dolls

00:49:46being produced on a yearly basis,

00:49:48none of them will ever stack up

00:49:50to the hysteria

00:49:51surrounding the Tickle Me Elmo craze

00:49:52of 1996.

00:49:53When your child tickles him,

00:49:55he talks,

00:49:56laughs,

00:49:57and his whole body shakes.

00:49:59The Ticklish and Talking Doll

00:50:01was the most in-demand toy

00:50:03during that year's holiday season,

00:50:05so much so

00:50:06that it caused a feeding frenzy

00:50:08among desperate parents.

00:50:0948 of the bug-eyed beasts

00:50:11were put on sale

00:50:12at a local Walmart,

00:50:13and one of the clerks

00:50:14was sent to hospital

00:50:15after being trampled

00:50:17in the frenzy.

00:50:17This excessive example

00:50:19of supply and demand

00:50:20is nothing new, of course,

00:50:21but the level at which

00:50:22consumers were determined

00:50:24to acquire a Tickle Me Elmo doll

00:50:26was unprecedented.

00:50:32Today,

00:50:34re-releases and repackaged

00:50:35Elmo's can surely be found,

00:50:37but it's safe to say

00:50:38that the hype for the OG version

00:50:40of this doll is behind us.

00:50:42Number 9.

00:50:43Talking Baby Alive

00:50:44The origins of Kenner's

00:50:46Baby Alive dolls

00:50:47date all the way back

00:50:48to the early 1970s.

00:50:50You can pretend Baby Alive

00:50:51eats and drinks

00:50:52when you move the lever in back.

00:50:54Good girl,

00:50:54bottles all gone.

00:50:56Ooh, my baby needs

00:50:57a clean diaper.

00:50:58However,

00:50:59there was one upgrade

00:51:00released during the 90s

00:51:01that barely got out

00:51:03of the starting gate

00:51:03before being recalled.

00:51:05This, of course,

00:51:06was the talking

00:51:07Baby Alive doll.

00:51:08Yum, that's good.

00:51:10I'm so hungry, Mommy.

00:51:12Unearthed in 1992,

00:51:14it featured all of the

00:51:15excitement that comes

00:51:16with feeding a toddler

00:51:17and having it go potty.

00:51:21He's shit everywhere.

00:51:24Okay, so exciting

00:51:25might not be the best word

00:51:27to use.

00:51:27Unfortunately,

00:51:28the doll had parents

00:51:29and children

00:51:30slightly disturbed

00:51:31by its deep,

00:51:32adult-like voice.

00:51:33My baby's talking.

00:51:35I love you, Mommy.

00:51:36It also featured

00:51:37quite the noisy operation,

00:51:39which ultimately led

00:51:40Kenner to give it the boot.

00:51:42Number 8.

00:51:43Nano Baby

00:51:44We're willing to bet

00:51:45that you've heard

00:51:46of Tamagotchi

00:51:47and Giga Pets.

00:51:48But isn't Tamagotchi

00:51:49her new favorite pet?

00:51:50Yes!

00:51:51So what's that make me?

00:51:52Fish sticks?

00:51:53But what about

00:51:53Nano Babies?

00:51:55The idea was certainly

00:51:56similar.

00:51:56A small,

00:51:57egg-sized virtual toy

00:51:58that needed some real

00:51:59care and attention

00:52:00in order to keep it

00:52:01alive.

00:52:02Keep it healthy,

00:52:03keep it clean.

00:52:04Keep it happy,

00:52:05it's a scene.

00:52:06The average Nano Baby

00:52:07needed to be fed,

00:52:08changed,

00:52:09loved,

00:52:09and cared for

00:52:10until it turned

00:52:11into a toddler.

00:52:12Then it would,

00:52:13for reasons of which

00:52:14we're not quite sure,

00:52:15sprout wings

00:52:16and fly away.

00:52:18And this little piggy

00:52:19went,

00:52:19ooh,

00:52:21look,

00:52:22March,

00:52:23Maggie lost

00:52:24her baby legs.

00:52:25Needless to say,

00:52:26the popularity

00:52:26of the Nano Baby

00:52:27wasn't quite on par

00:52:29with its more famous cousins,

00:52:30causing it to quickly

00:52:31fall by the wayside.

00:52:33Number 7.

00:52:34Skip It

00:52:35While variations

00:52:36of the Skip It

00:52:37do still exist,

00:52:38they're not exactly

00:52:39how you remember them

00:52:40from back in the day.

00:52:41The OG Skip It

00:52:42was actually first

00:52:43developed back

00:52:44in the late 80s,

00:52:45but the Skip It

00:52:46Renaissance,

00:52:47as it was called,

00:52:48didn't occur until

00:52:48its relaunch in the 90s.

00:52:50Electronic Skip It!

00:52:52Skip It, Skip It

00:52:52to the sound,

00:52:53faster, faster,

00:52:54coming round.

00:52:55Here,

00:52:55a counter was added

00:52:56to help kids

00:52:57keep track of their skips

00:52:58as they leapt over a ball

00:52:59that was attached

00:53:00to their ankle.

00:53:01It proved extremely popular,

00:53:03to the point where Hasbro

00:53:04kept the line going

00:53:05after they absorbed

00:53:06Tiger Electronics.

00:53:08Skip It, Skip It,

00:53:09sounds like fun,

00:53:09faster, faster,

00:53:10everyone!

00:53:12However,

00:53:13the Skip It adjacent

00:53:14products that exist today

00:53:15have received multiple

00:53:17facelifts

00:53:17since their old school

00:53:18heyday.

00:53:19Number 6.

00:53:20Dream Phone

00:53:2190s nostalgia is a big deal

00:53:24to many people,

00:53:25and Dream Phone

00:53:26is definitely a throwback

00:53:28to a more innocent time.

00:53:29Who, who, who's got

00:53:31a crush on you?

00:53:32Hello, Hugs!

00:53:33This was a board game

00:53:34where the object

00:53:35was to find out

00:53:35the identity

00:53:36of your secret admirer.

00:53:37The game's telephone

00:53:38offered recorded clues,

00:53:40and players had to figure out

00:53:41who likes them

00:53:42before anyone else.

00:53:43I don't see anybody

00:53:44without pants.

00:53:45Is this Trevor?

00:53:47Close.

00:53:48Trevor's dad.

00:53:49Rich.

00:53:50It was so popular

00:53:52that it actually

00:53:53made a brief comeback,

00:53:54and was available

00:53:55on Amazon in 2019.

00:53:57However,

00:53:58a search of the site

00:53:59at the time of this recording

00:54:00came up empty,

00:54:01leaving us disappointed

00:54:02that we'll never know

00:54:04who our secret admirer is.

00:54:05It's Dan!

00:54:06Dan, my man!

00:54:07You're right!

00:54:08I really like you.

00:54:09Yes!

00:54:10Number 5.

00:54:11Talk Boy and Talk Girl

00:54:12It isn't often

00:54:14that a movie prop

00:54:15gets licensed

00:54:15for a crossover toy line,

00:54:17but that's exactly

00:54:18what happened

00:54:18when Tiger Electronics

00:54:20developed the Talk Boy

00:54:21for use in the movie

00:54:22Home Alone 2

00:54:23Lost in New York.

00:54:24Now you can be

00:54:25as clever as Kevin

00:54:26with Tiger's new

00:54:26Talk Boy tape recorder.

00:54:29Hey!

00:54:29Stop drooling on me!

00:54:32Hey!

00:54:33Stop drooling on me!

00:54:35You may remember

00:54:35Kevin McAllister

00:54:36using the Talk Boy device

00:54:38to alter the sound

00:54:39of his voice

00:54:39at various points

00:54:40during the film,

00:54:41but surprisingly,

00:54:42the initial retail version

00:54:44didn't include this feature.

00:54:45Like a hotel room, please,

00:54:47with an extra large bed,

00:54:49a TV,

00:54:50and one of those

00:54:51little refrigerators

00:54:53you have to open

00:54:53with a key.

00:54:54Thankfully,

00:54:55Tiger Electronics

00:54:56quickly got with the program

00:54:57and made the addition.

00:54:59This led to the Talk Boy

00:55:00being one of the hottest toys

00:55:01of the 1993

00:55:02holiday shopping season.

00:55:04Hi, kids.

00:55:05We're home early.

00:55:09Hi, kids.

00:55:10We're home early.

00:55:11There was even a pink version

00:55:13dubbed the Talk Girl

00:55:14that debuted in 1995.

00:55:16The design would continue

00:55:17to get upgraded

00:55:18until the patent

00:55:19was finally abandoned

00:55:20in 1999.

00:55:22Number 4.

00:55:23Sky Dancers

00:55:24You'd be forgiven

00:55:25for not remembering

00:55:26that these cute little toys

00:55:27actually had a tie-in

00:55:29cartoon show

00:55:30that ran for one season

00:55:31back in 1996.

00:55:32The Sky Dancers

00:55:41were winged dolls

00:55:42that flew in the air

00:55:43after they were placed

00:55:44into a pedestal

00:55:45and a long pole string

00:55:46was tugged.

00:55:47Wow, they really fly!

00:55:49The effect was fairly

00:55:50impressive for the time,

00:55:52although some parents

00:55:53complained that the wings

00:55:54would occasionally fly off

00:55:56with intense force.

00:55:57This reportedly resulted

00:55:59in over 100 injuries

00:56:00and even temporary blindness

00:56:02in some kids.

00:56:04Ah!

00:56:05My arm!

00:56:06My arm!

00:56:07Needless to say,

00:56:08this prompted

00:56:09to be a toy maker

00:56:09Galoob to recall

00:56:11the Sky Dancers

00:56:12from retail.

00:56:12You put that thing away!

00:56:14Now put it down

00:56:15before you poke

00:56:15somebody's eye out.

00:56:17Number 3.

00:56:18Dear Diary

00:56:18You read my diary?

00:56:21That is not okay.

00:56:22A diary is like

00:56:22a person's most private place.

00:56:23I...

00:56:24You don't even know

00:56:25what I was writing about!

00:56:26If it seems like

00:56:26we've spotlighted

00:56:27a lot of Tiger Electronics toys,

00:56:29it's because we have.

00:56:30And we're not stopping

00:56:31just yet.

00:56:32Dear Diary

00:56:32was an electronic planner

00:56:34slash diary

00:56:35slash time waster.

00:56:36Admittedly,

00:56:37it was ahead of its time,

00:56:39serving as a sort of

00:56:40proto-pom pilot

00:56:41for the pre-teen gang.

00:56:42Kids could see

00:56:43their horoscopes,

00:56:44create lists,

00:56:45do simple math,

00:56:46and yes,

00:56:47keep diary entries

00:56:48on this small portable device.

00:56:49If she wasn't born

00:56:50with boys on the brain,

00:56:51she'd keep her shopping lists,

00:56:53bank accounts,

00:56:54even her homework assignments.

00:56:55Of course,

00:56:56she did figure out

00:56:57her horoscope.

00:56:57Dear Diary

00:56:58was also

00:56:59password-protected,

00:57:00which almost certainly

00:57:01helped in households

00:57:02with multiple children.

00:57:04Only my secret

00:57:05could unbox it.

00:57:06We absolutely salute

00:57:08this toy's

00:57:08forward-thinking

00:57:09contributions

00:57:09to secret-keeping

00:57:10everywhere.

00:57:12Number 2.

00:57:13Snack Time

00:57:13Cabbage Patch Dolls

00:57:15The history of the

00:57:16Cabbage Patch Dolls

00:57:17dates all the way

00:57:18back to the late 70s.

00:57:19However,

00:57:20the controversy

00:57:21behind our penultimate pick

00:57:22lands us straight

00:57:23in the mid-90s,

00:57:25a bit after

00:57:25Cabbage Patch Hysteria.

00:57:27During this time,

00:57:28the dolls were being

00:57:29expanded upon

00:57:30with fresh new ideas.

00:57:31This was all

00:57:32in the attempt

00:57:33to remain competitive.

00:57:34The Snack Time

00:57:35Cabbage Patch Doll

00:57:36tried to achieve this

00:57:37via a mechanism

00:57:38that enabled the doll

00:57:39to consume

00:57:40fake plastic food.

00:57:41However,

00:57:47many children

00:57:48were apparently

00:57:49getting their hair

00:57:49and fingers

00:57:50caught in the doll's

00:57:51metal rollers.

00:57:52The face was so tight

00:57:53against the top

00:57:54of her head,

00:57:55pushed down like this,

00:57:56there was no way

00:57:56I could cut the hair.

00:57:57We're pretty sure

00:57:58the kids weren't

00:57:59meant to be the snack.

00:58:00I heard she has tentacles

00:58:01and eats children for lunch.

00:58:02Number 1.

00:58:03Steve Urkel Doll

00:58:05Is there any doll line

00:58:07that screams

00:58:08I love the 90s

00:58:09more than a

00:58:10Steve Urkel doll?

00:58:11Well, perhaps

00:58:12one of those

00:58:13Spice Girls dolls,

00:58:14but we digress.

00:58:15We hope that actor

00:58:16Jaleel White

00:58:16got a kick out

00:58:17of being immortalized

00:58:18in doll form

00:58:19because this Urkel doll

00:58:20is admittedly

00:58:21kind of cute.

00:58:22It also does

00:58:23all the things

00:58:23you would expect

00:58:24an Urkel doll to do,

00:58:25including spouting

00:58:26off catchphrases

00:58:27like,

00:58:28Did I do that?

00:58:29And got any cheese?

00:58:31He's got my looks,

00:58:32my laughs,

00:58:32my voice and all!

00:58:34Can I do that?

00:58:35Needless to say,

00:58:36you're not gonna find

00:58:37these dolls on the shelves

00:58:38of any toy store

00:58:39these days.

00:58:39Perhaps your local

00:58:41thrift or antique shop

00:58:42might have a little

00:58:43Steve Urkel

00:58:43waiting for you though.

00:58:44If you wanna do

00:58:45the Steve Urkel dance,

00:58:47all you have to do

00:58:47is hitch up your pants,

00:58:49bend your knees

00:58:49and stick out your pelvis.

00:58:51I'm telling you, baby,

00:58:52it's better than a hobbit.

00:58:53Okay, we're gonna stick with 90s kids

00:58:56just a little bit longer

00:58:58because this next list

00:59:00might just give them nightmares.

00:59:03Sorry, not sorry.

00:59:05That's right.

00:59:06It's the top 10 things

00:59:07that 90s kids were afraid of.

00:59:10Yeah, I actually wonder

00:59:12if a specific creepy TV theme song

00:59:15made the list.

00:59:17You know the one I'm talking about?

00:59:18Let's find out if X

00:59:20marks the spot

00:59:21right now.

00:59:24Viewers beware,

00:59:25you're in for a scare.

00:59:28Welcome to WatchMojo

00:59:30and today we're counting down

00:59:32our picks for the top 10 things

00:59:3490s kids were afraid of.

00:59:36I'm doing my imagination.

00:59:38I'm doing my imagination.

00:59:39For this list,

00:59:57we'll be looking at

00:59:58the most awful things

00:59:59to spook kids growing up

01:00:00in the 1990s,

01:00:02both real and fictional.

01:00:03What scared you as a 90s kid?

01:00:0510. Hearing Do You Like Scary Movies

01:00:10over the phone

01:00:11Long before smartphones,

01:00:13we had to rely on landlines

01:00:15to get in touch with others,

01:00:16and caller ID was not a guarantee.

01:00:19Who is this?

01:00:20You tell me your name,

01:00:21I'll tell you mine.

01:00:22This meant that a mysterious phone call

01:00:24was the perfect way

01:00:25to scare your friends,

01:00:27especially the horror fans among them.

01:00:29In the now iconic opening scene

01:00:31from Scream,

01:00:32Drew Barrymore's Casey Becker

01:00:34is home alone,

01:00:35and receives a call

01:00:36from a stranger

01:00:37who's seen one scary movie

01:00:39too many.

01:00:39Well, I'm getting ready

01:00:40to watch a video.

01:00:41Really?

01:00:42What?

01:00:43Well, just some scary movie.

01:00:45You like scary movies?

01:00:47Uh-huh.

01:00:47No matter how many times

01:00:48we watch this scene,

01:00:50there's something about it

01:00:51that always sends shivers

01:00:52down our spines.

01:00:53You hang up on me again,

01:00:54I'll gut you like a fish,

01:00:55understand?

01:00:56According to Barrymore,

01:00:58the use of caller ID

01:00:59tripled in the US

01:01:00after Scream's release.

01:01:02So if your heart skipped a beat

01:01:04the next time your phone rang,

01:01:05well, you weren't the only one.

01:01:12Number 9.

01:01:13I see dead people.

01:01:15I see dead people.

01:01:17As soon as Haley Joel Osment

01:01:18said those four words,

01:01:20the sixth sense cemented itself

01:01:22as a modern classic

01:01:23of supernatural horror.

01:01:24Dead people like

01:01:25in graves and coffins.

01:01:29Walking around like regular people.

01:01:31It also had 90s kids

01:01:33seriously creeped out,

01:01:35looking at their friends twice

01:01:36to make sure

01:01:37they weren't actually ghosts.

01:01:39Even if the film's

01:01:39famous resolution

01:01:40has been spoiled for you,

01:01:42you should still see

01:01:43the sixth sense,

01:01:44especially if you love

01:01:46complex takes on horror.

01:01:47Do you know why

01:01:48you're afraid when you're alone?

01:01:49M. Night Shyamalan's directing

01:01:57creates an atmosphere

01:01:58that's tense

01:01:58but also quite humane.

01:02:00And Osment,

01:02:01Bruce Willis,

01:02:02and Toni Collette

01:02:03all turn in

01:02:04career-high performances.

01:02:06But consider watching

01:02:07this one

01:02:07with the lights on.

01:02:09Mama?

01:02:11No.

01:02:12Dinner is not ready.

01:02:14Number 8.

01:02:15This is your brain

01:02:16on drugs commercial.

01:02:18PSAs used to rule

01:02:19the airwaves.

01:02:20And one practically

01:02:21every 90s kid remembers

01:02:23is this Nightmare Fuel

01:02:24starring Rachel Lee Cook.

01:02:26There was another version

01:02:27of the commercial

01:02:28that premiered in 1987.

01:02:29This is your brain

01:02:30on drugs.

01:02:31But this is the one

01:02:32all 90s kids know.

01:02:34In the ad,

01:02:35Cook uses an egg

01:02:36as a metaphor

01:02:37for the viewer's brain.

01:02:38This is your brain.

01:02:40And this

01:02:41is heroin.

01:02:42Then to establish

01:02:43the effects of

01:02:44illicit drug use,

01:02:45she smashes the egg

01:02:47with a frying pan

01:02:48and creates even

01:02:49further wreckage

01:02:49in the kitchen.

01:02:50It's not over yet.

01:02:51This is what

01:02:52your family goes through.

01:02:54Are you friends?

01:02:55It's mine!

01:02:56The commercial

01:02:56has been parodied

01:02:57many times,

01:02:58including by

01:02:59Rachel Lee Cook herself

01:03:00in an episode

01:03:01of Robot Chicken.

01:03:02This is what happens

01:03:03to the profits

01:03:03from your grandma's

01:03:04bake sale.

01:03:05This is what happens

01:03:06to the world economy.

01:03:07We weren't asking

01:03:08our parents for eggs

01:03:09at breakfast for a while

01:03:10after it started airing.

01:03:11Any questions?

01:03:13Number 7.

01:03:14The Witches.

01:03:14Roald Dahl fans

01:03:16are doubly blessed.

01:03:18Not only did they

01:03:18get to read

01:03:19some of the weirdest

01:03:20and most exciting

01:03:21stories ever written,

01:03:22but they get

01:03:22great film versions too.

01:03:25Hello, little boy.

01:03:27Come on in then.

01:03:29The Witches

01:03:30might not have

01:03:31the same name recognition

01:03:32as Willy Wonka

01:03:33and the Chocolate Factory

01:03:34or Matilda,

01:03:35but if you like

01:03:36your family entertainment

01:03:37suitably twisted,

01:03:38give this a watch.

01:03:39The film about a young boy

01:03:46and his grandmother

01:03:47trying to stop

01:03:48some nefarious witches

01:03:49more than holds up

01:03:50by today's standards.

01:04:01Directed by Nicholas Rogue

01:04:02and starring a wonderfully

01:04:04evil Angelica Houston

01:04:05as the Grand High Witch,

01:04:07the film perfectly captures

01:04:08the sinister fun

01:04:09of the original novel.

01:04:11Bye!

01:04:16It also contains

01:04:17some spectacular

01:04:18and shocking visual effects,

01:04:20courtesy of Jim Henson,

01:04:21who sadly passed away

01:04:23just before its release.

01:04:25Number 6.

01:04:26Chat Room Creeps.

01:04:28Nowadays,

01:04:29the idea of meeting

01:04:29someone in person

01:04:30who you originally met online

01:04:32isn't a big deal.

01:04:34I've been talking

01:04:34to this kid

01:04:35in the Hypergames chat room.

01:04:37He is so dope.

01:04:38What's the kid's online name?

01:04:40But back in the 90s,

01:04:41anonymity reigned

01:04:42supreme on the internet

01:04:43and you didn't always know

01:04:45who you were talking to

01:04:46on AOL Instant Messenger

01:04:48or other chat platforms.

01:04:50He says if we want

01:04:51to come over,

01:04:51we can test it.

01:04:52That mystery

01:04:53could be exciting,

01:04:54but it was also

01:04:54very dangerous

01:04:55and parents and kids

01:04:57had a whole new type

01:04:58of stranger danger

01:04:59to worry about.

01:05:00Here's the really cool part.

01:05:01I used that video camera

01:05:03to put your image

01:05:04in the game.

01:05:05Wow, can we do it?

01:05:07While talking with strangers

01:05:08on the internet

01:05:08has become a lot more normalized

01:05:10in the decades since,

01:05:11it's still good to remember

01:05:12to never give out

01:05:13your personal information to

01:05:15or meet someone

01:05:16you don't entirely trust.

01:05:18Wow, look at all these guys

01:05:19that want to be my friend.

01:05:20Number 5.

01:05:21Your Tamagotchi Dying.

01:05:23It's not quite as sad

01:05:24as your real-life pet

01:05:25passing away,

01:05:26but if you had a Tamagotchi

01:05:27in the 90s,

01:05:28you did everything you could

01:05:29to keep that little

01:05:30virtual pet alive.

01:05:31Oh, no, no, no, no.

01:05:32By all means, feed it.

01:05:33Ladle your heart's content.

01:05:35Look, Goldie.

01:05:35I took good care of her.

01:05:37This wasn't something

01:05:38you could just pick up

01:05:39and attend to

01:05:39when you felt like it.

01:05:41If you forgot to pause,

01:05:42you might have been

01:05:43sound asleep

01:05:44only to be broken

01:05:44right out of your

01:05:45peaceful slumber

01:05:46by your digital companion

01:05:48needing to be fed.

01:05:49When I feed mine,

01:05:50I tap the touchscreen

01:05:51and keep the fat fat away.

01:05:53Wow.

01:05:53You had to take care

01:05:54of your little pal right.

01:05:56Otherwise,

01:05:56it would meet

01:05:57an early demise.

01:05:58The heartbreak

01:05:59of losing a Tamagotchi

01:06:00was felt

01:06:00by countless 90s kids

01:06:02and it always filled us

01:06:03with regret

01:06:04about what we could

01:06:05have done differently.

01:06:06Cruel world.

01:06:07He was so young.

01:06:09I'm so sorry.

01:06:10I was up all night.

01:06:11All my money got stolen

01:06:11and I haven't had a clock

01:06:12since my Tamagotchi died.

01:06:13Number four,

01:06:14The X-Files theme song.

01:06:16Agents Fox, Mulder,

01:06:18and Dana Scully

01:06:19encountered plenty

01:06:20of paranormal terrors

01:06:21on The X-Files.

01:06:22But for our money,

01:06:32No Alien Creature

01:06:33was quite as creepy

01:06:34as the show's theme song.

01:06:39The opening credits visuals

01:06:41are spooky enough,

01:06:42but when paired

01:06:43with that eerie music,

01:06:44it enters a whole new

01:06:45dimension of frightening.

01:06:50Scary or not,

01:06:51it definitely made

01:06:52a cultural impact.

01:06:54It's so sinister

01:06:55and spooky

01:06:56that it can basically

01:06:58make anything sinister.

01:07:00The Mark Snow composed song

01:07:02was so popular,

01:07:03it ranked second

01:07:04on the UK singles chart

01:07:06for three weeks in 1996.

01:07:08After being turned

01:07:09into an internet meme,

01:07:10it is admittedly

01:07:11less chilling,

01:07:12but that's only because

01:07:13we poked fun at it.

01:07:15Skinny cappuccino for Eric.

01:07:20Just trust us

01:07:21on this one.

01:07:22You'd have been scared too

01:07:23if your first time

01:07:24was hearing it

01:07:25in 1993.

01:07:27Number 3.

01:07:28Y2K

01:07:28Some people spent

01:07:30New Year's Eve

01:07:30like how Prince

01:07:31told us to,

01:07:32but others were

01:07:33a lot more on edge.

01:07:34Hey Homer,

01:07:35weren't you the plant's

01:07:36Y2K compliance officer?

01:07:38Absolutely.

01:07:40Must have been hard

01:07:40debugging all those computers,

01:07:42huh Homer?

01:07:43Doing what now?

01:07:43Fear about the Y2K bug,

01:07:45a supposed computer error

01:07:47that would cause blackouts

01:07:48and worse

01:07:49was prevalent

01:07:49towards the end

01:07:50of the 90s.

01:07:51The end of the world

01:07:52is coming.

01:07:52Now come on,

01:07:53get in your radiation suits.

01:07:54And it was hard

01:07:55not to get swept up

01:07:56in the anxiety

01:07:57at least a little bit.

01:07:59Computer developers

01:07:59worked diligently

01:08:00to make sure devices

01:08:01were Y2K ready.

01:08:03Roughly $300 billion

01:08:04was spent

01:08:05on preparing for Y2K,

01:08:07which is over

01:08:08$450 billion today.

01:08:10So they check for this now?

01:08:12No, no.

01:08:12Here's the thing.

01:08:14Initec's so backed up

01:08:14with all the software

01:08:15we're updating

01:08:16for the year 2000,

01:08:17they'd never notice.

01:08:18The precautions

01:08:18were a good idea,

01:08:19but in the end,

01:08:20everything worked out

01:08:21without a hitch.

01:08:22We were able

01:08:22to keep our lights on,

01:08:24enjoy our continued

01:08:25use of technology,

01:08:26and look forward

01:08:26to something truly scary.

01:08:292000's fashion trends.

01:08:31Number 2.

01:08:32Are You Afraid of the Dark?

01:08:33Before American Horror Story

01:08:35or Black Mirror,

01:08:36the scariest show

01:08:37for 90s kids

01:08:38aired on Nickelodeon.

01:08:41What do you think I am?

01:08:42Some kind of clown?

01:08:43Are You Afraid of the Dark

01:08:44was an anthology series

01:08:46where scary stories

01:08:47were told by the show's

01:08:48young Midnight Society

01:08:49and played out on screen.

01:08:52I call this story

01:08:53The Tale of Old Man Corkery.

01:08:59Lots of these stories

01:09:00were rooted in urban legends

01:09:01and other sorts of lore,

01:09:03but they were likely

01:09:04the first place

01:09:05many 90s kids

01:09:06had heard them.

01:09:07We were playing hide-seek.

01:09:08In a graveyard.

01:09:11Just the two of you.

01:09:13And while things

01:09:14stayed family-friendly,

01:09:15the show did a great job

01:09:16of introducing 90s kids

01:09:18to horror.

01:09:19Now, who's ready to hear

01:09:20the tale of the dead man's float?

01:09:29Number 1.

01:09:30Goosebumps

01:09:31Next to the Harry Potter series,

01:09:40the all-time highest-selling book series

01:09:42is Goosebumps.

01:09:43R.L. Stine's horror books

01:09:45have been published

01:09:46in more than 30 languages

01:09:47and have sold over 400 million copies

01:09:50around the globe.

01:09:52Those who grew up in the 90s

01:09:53know just how wonderfully spooky

01:09:55these stories are.

01:09:56Okay, let her go!

01:09:58Let me go!

01:09:58Help me!

01:10:03If you didn't spend

01:10:04at least part of your childhood

01:10:05reading Night of the Living Dummy

01:10:07or The Haunted Mask

01:10:08underneath the covers

01:10:09with a flashlight

01:10:11past your bedtime,

01:10:12were you even really

01:10:13a 90s kid?

01:10:14My mask,

01:10:15it won't come off.

01:10:16Stop kidding around,

01:10:18Carly Bette!

01:10:19I'm not kidding around!

01:10:21And we can't forget

01:10:21the television adaptation,

01:10:23which brought these

01:10:24spine-tingling stories

01:10:25to life in vivid detail.

01:10:27No matter how much

01:10:28new horror we encounter,

01:10:30nothing will give us

01:10:31goosebumps quite the same way.

01:10:33Oh no!

01:10:36What are we gonna do?

01:10:38Yeah, what are you gonna do?

01:10:40You're a guy?

01:10:41All right,

01:10:43we're gonna end things

01:10:43on a personal favorite of mine.

01:10:46We'll be looking at a place

01:10:47that I miss dearly.

01:10:49That's right,

01:10:49it was a 90s hotspot.

01:10:52And no,

01:10:52it's not some nightclub.

01:10:54We're talking about

01:10:55Blockbuster Video.

01:10:57And man,

01:10:58was I a video store regular.

01:11:01So,

01:11:01let's find out

01:11:02just some of the things

01:11:03that I and everybody else

01:11:05loved about this sacred place

01:11:07known as Blockbuster Video.

01:11:09Blockbuster Nostalgia

01:11:12hit America and the world.

01:11:14And the only place

01:11:14to get your fix

01:11:15was our little

01:11:16Blockbuster that could.

01:11:18Welcome to WatchMojo.

01:11:19And today,

01:11:20we're counting down

01:11:21our picks for

01:11:21the top 10 things

01:11:23we loved about

01:11:23Blockbuster Video.

01:11:25How many, uh,

01:11:26how many copies

01:11:27of Meet the Fockers

01:11:28do we have in stock, Shelley?

01:11:30Six.

01:11:31We still have six!

01:11:35Okay, good.

01:11:36That should be good.

01:11:38For this list,

01:11:39we're looking at

01:11:40all our favorite aspects

01:11:41of the now-defunct

01:11:42home video rental giant.

01:11:44What do you miss

01:11:45about Blockbuster Video?

01:11:48Number 10.

01:11:49Knowledgeable Employees

01:11:51Checking out the staff picks,

01:11:52Miss Bennis?

01:11:53Oh, hey.

01:11:55Yeah, yeah,

01:11:56this Vincent guy,

01:11:57he is the best.

01:11:58He and I have

01:11:58the exact same taste in movies.

01:12:00As an employee

01:12:00at Blockbuster,

01:12:01you got free rentals

01:12:03and even had the chance

01:12:04to view new releases

01:12:05before they were put

01:12:06on the shelves.

01:12:07Sure, it was retail,

01:12:08but it was fun.

01:12:09There aren't many places

01:12:10that pay you

01:12:11to talk about movies

01:12:12all day.

01:12:12More often than not,

01:12:14employees were passionate

01:12:15about movies and TV shows

01:12:17and offered

01:12:17solid recommendations.

01:12:19Some were even

01:12:20like a walking IMDb

01:12:21with the ability

01:12:22to decipher a movie title

01:12:23based on a customer's

01:12:25vague description.

01:12:26What's that werewolf movie

01:12:27with E.T.'s mom in it?

01:12:29The howling horror

01:12:29straight ahead.

01:12:30Okay, thanks.

01:12:31These days,

01:12:32we have algorithms

01:12:33that use our watch history

01:12:34to give us calculated suggestions,

01:12:36but nothing beats

01:12:37an actual movie lover's

01:12:39honest opinion.

01:12:40And I said to the clerk,

01:12:42give us, like,

01:12:44the most disgusting

01:12:45horror movie

01:12:46that you have.

01:12:48And he gave us

01:12:49blood-sucking freaks.

01:12:51Number nine,

01:12:52having a membership card.

01:12:54Karen used to work

01:12:54at Blockbuster

01:12:55and he has his card on him,

01:12:56so we're gonna try

01:12:57and use it,

01:12:58and you have a...

01:12:59So that is your old Blockbuster.

01:13:00This is my original one, yeah.

01:13:01This one may seem ridiculous,

01:13:03but it was cool

01:13:03to have an official

01:13:04membership card, okay?

01:13:05Flashing your special

01:13:07card to the clerk,

01:13:08especially as a kid,

01:13:09made you feel important.

01:13:11Blockbuster also had

01:13:12a great rewards program,

01:13:13which came with

01:13:14even cooler cards.

01:13:15The benefits may have

01:13:16evolved over the years,

01:13:18but there was something

01:13:18free every week or month.

01:13:21If you write the kids movie,

01:13:22you can get a cool

01:13:23Blockbuster play pass.

01:13:24Free!

01:13:25For the serious film buff,

01:13:26some stores offered

01:13:28a movie pass.

01:13:29You could pay a monthly fee

01:13:30and get unlimited rentals,

01:13:32checking out one to three

01:13:33movies at a time.

01:13:34What?

01:13:35Is that bad?

01:13:36I still have a Blockbuster card.

01:13:39What happened to Blockbuster?

01:13:41Number eight.

01:13:42Movie-themed environment.

01:13:44In 2018,

01:13:45a Blockbuster in Alaska

01:13:46famously received

01:13:47a special Russell Crowe collection

01:13:49from TV host John Oliver.

01:13:51And I will admit,

01:13:52it does sound like something

01:13:54that we would do.

01:13:55You know,

01:13:55buy Russell Crowe's jockstrap

01:13:57and send it to one of the

01:13:58last remaining Blockbusters

01:13:59in Alaska.

01:14:00Even that sentence

01:14:01is absolutely incredible

01:14:02to say out loud.

01:14:04But Blockbuster's always

01:14:05had movie-themed decor

01:14:07in the form of posters,

01:14:08standees,

01:14:09and marquee boards

01:14:10with coming attractions.

01:14:11Stores usually had

01:14:12multiple TVs playing

01:14:14movie trailers,

01:14:15music videos,

01:14:15and even full-length features.

01:14:17Blockbuster kept it

01:14:18family-friendly, though,

01:14:19having an almost

01:14:20Disney-like atmosphere.

01:14:21And employees would

01:14:23often microwave popcorn

01:14:24to give the store

01:14:25that movie theater scent.

01:14:26What's more enticing

01:14:28than smelling popcorn

01:14:29while looking at movies?

01:14:31It smells the same.

01:14:32It absolutely smells the same.

01:14:34Number 7.

01:14:35Snack section.

01:14:37Speaking of movie theater treats,

01:14:39let's not forget

01:14:39Blockbuster's

01:14:40incredible snack section.

01:14:42I love movies.

01:14:43You know that.

01:14:45That smell in Blockbuster,

01:14:47that candy and carpet smell,

01:14:49I get high off.

01:14:50They stocked all of our

01:14:52theater candy favorites.

01:14:53Twizzlers,

01:14:54Milk Duds,

01:14:55M&M's.

01:14:56They also had drinks,

01:14:58chips,

01:14:58pretzels,

01:14:59ice cream,

01:14:59and for some reason,

01:15:01pickles.

01:15:01These tiny pickles

01:15:02are hilarious.

01:15:04They're called

01:15:05cornichons.

01:15:07Blockbuster had a variety

01:15:09of microwave

01:15:09and stovetop popcorn,

01:15:11too,

01:15:11from big tubs

01:15:12to small packets.

01:15:13It wasn't just

01:15:14plain old popcorn,

01:15:15though.

01:15:15You could choose

01:15:16from different flavors

01:15:17like buttered,

01:15:18kettle,

01:15:18and caramel.

01:15:19Plus,

01:15:20they'd often have

01:15:21a bundle promo

01:15:22to make things

01:15:22more affordable.

01:15:23No place like

01:15:24the video store,

01:15:25eh,

01:15:25my friend?

01:15:26Convenience at its peak.

01:15:28Number 6.

01:15:29Promotions and Exclusives

01:15:31I'll have you know

01:15:32that Netflix,

01:15:33Hulu,

01:15:33and Crackle

01:15:34still don't make

01:15:34the money Blockbuster does.

01:15:36As previously mentioned,

01:15:37Blockbuster had

01:15:38some of the best promos

01:15:39going.

01:15:40You could find

01:15:41free rental coupons

01:15:42almost anywhere,

01:15:43including at food

01:15:44establishments

01:15:45like Pizza Hut

01:15:46and Taco Bell.

01:15:47And the in-store promos

01:15:48were awesome,

01:15:49too.

01:15:49In 1999,

01:15:50the company

01:15:51set up Pokemon

01:15:52Snap Stations

01:15:53where you could

01:15:53print digital images

01:15:54from the Pokemon game.

01:15:56You can go to

01:15:56a participating

01:15:57Blockbuster store,

01:15:58print out your best shots,

01:15:59grab an entry form,

01:16:00and mail it to

01:16:00Nintendo's

01:16:01Take Your Best Shot

01:16:02contest.

01:16:02The best shot

01:16:03wins an Australian

01:16:04safari for four.

01:16:05And who remembers

01:16:06bonus boxes?

01:16:08Those little treasure

01:16:09chests were filled

01:16:10with trial-sized

01:16:11snack samples,

01:16:12candy,

01:16:12coupons,

01:16:13and even AOL

01:16:14program discs.

01:16:15Whether it was

01:16:16free Popcorn Tuesdays

01:16:17or exclusive

01:16:18Star Wars action figures,

01:16:19Blockbuster

01:16:20always seemed

01:16:21to have a

01:16:21super sweet deal.

01:16:23The new

01:16:23Congo bonus box

01:16:25from Blockbuster

01:16:26Video.

01:16:27It's full of

01:16:27candy,

01:16:28snacks,

01:16:29coupons,

01:16:29and more.

01:16:30All kinds of

01:16:31goodies.

01:16:32Number 5.

01:16:33New Releases

01:16:34It's hard to find

01:16:34spaces where the

01:16:35point is discovering

01:16:36things,

01:16:36or the point is

01:16:37being around

01:16:37people who like

01:16:38the same things

01:16:39as you.

01:16:39If you were

01:16:40looking to rent

01:16:40the latest flicks

01:16:41out of Hollywood,

01:16:42Blockbuster was

01:16:43the place to go.

01:16:44And for anyone

01:16:45who couldn't make

01:16:46it to the theater,

01:16:47this was their

01:16:47chance to see

01:16:48the most popular

01:16:49movies of the

01:16:50time.

01:16:50I kind of get

01:16:51the impression

01:16:51that it was this

01:16:52way everywhere,

01:16:52but I don't know

01:16:53if it was,

01:16:53but I could rent

01:16:54all the rated R

01:16:54movies,

01:16:55you know,

01:16:55so I would just

01:16:56rent like Friday

01:16:56the 13th,

01:16:571 through 7.

01:16:59Okay,

01:16:59sometimes we'd get

01:17:00to the store

01:17:01too late,

01:17:01only to find

01:17:02that the newest

01:17:02releases were

01:17:03out of stock.

01:17:04But in its

01:17:05early days,

01:17:06Blockbuster would

01:17:06often offer an

01:17:07IOU for a

01:17:08free rental,

01:17:09so you still

01:17:09got to go home

01:17:10with something.

01:17:11Plus,

01:17:12some big name

01:17:13studios even

01:17:14made deals

01:17:14with the company,

01:17:15providing them

01:17:16earlier access

01:17:17to the newest

01:17:17releases.

01:17:18I mean,

01:17:19look at the

01:17:19James Bond

01:17:20section.

01:17:22Every James

01:17:23Bond movie,

01:17:24every Avatar

01:17:25movie,

01:17:26because, you

01:17:26know,

01:17:26there's just

01:17:27the one so far.

01:17:28Number 4,

01:17:29renting video games

01:17:30and consoles.

01:17:32But get real,

01:17:32you'd rather be

01:17:33playing video games

01:17:34than you can rent

01:17:35them from

01:17:35Blockbuster.

01:17:35They've got more

01:17:36of the coolest

01:17:37new Nintendo,

01:17:37Super Nintendo,

01:17:38and Sega Genesis

01:17:39games for rent

01:17:40than anyone in the

01:17:41world.

01:17:41Blockbuster was

01:17:43known for movies,

01:17:44but they were

01:17:44tops in the

01:17:45gaming world,

01:17:46too.

01:17:46Gaming can get

01:17:47pretty expensive,

01:17:48so that's why

01:17:49we loved being

01:17:50able to rent

01:17:50games as a

01:17:51means to try

01:17:51them out.

01:17:52You know,

01:17:52before shelling

01:17:53out the big bucks

01:17:54to secure a

01:17:54copy for ourselves.

01:17:56Needed a console?

01:17:57You could rent

01:17:57that, too.

01:17:58Can't find the

01:17:59new PlayStation 2?

01:17:59Get the

01:18:00Blockbuster.

01:18:01They've got new

01:18:01PS2 systems and

01:18:03games for rent.

01:18:04The stores had

01:18:05kiosks where you

01:18:06could actually play

01:18:06demos.

01:18:07They also carried

01:18:08games like Resident

01:18:09Evil that came

01:18:10with limited

01:18:10edition extras.

01:18:12And did you

01:18:12know that in

01:18:13the 90s,

01:18:13the company hosted

01:18:14two Blockbuster

01:18:15World Video

01:18:16Game Championships?

01:18:17Yep,

01:18:17they took gaming

01:18:18pretty seriously.

01:18:20So dudes,

01:18:20why not get

01:18:21your games

01:18:21at Blockbuster?

01:18:23It's the

01:18:23mature thing

01:18:24to do.

01:18:25Number 3.

01:18:26Social Experience.

01:18:28There was a

01:18:28girl who I was

01:18:30attracted to who

01:18:30was a customer

01:18:31in the store,

01:18:32and she looked

01:18:33a little bit,

01:18:34actually no,

01:18:35a lot like

01:18:36Jamie Gertz.

01:18:37At one point

01:18:38in time,

01:18:38going to

01:18:39Blockbuster was

01:18:40as common

01:18:40as going

01:18:41to the gas

01:18:41station.

01:18:42It was honestly

01:18:43one of the best

01:18:43places to be

01:18:44on the weekends

01:18:45or a Friday

01:18:45night.

01:18:46Yep,

01:18:47this was a

01:18:48hot spot

01:18:48for meeting

01:18:49up with friends,

01:18:50getting a movie

01:18:50for date night,

01:18:51or a family

01:18:52outing.

01:18:52Going to the

01:18:53video store

01:18:53with like your

01:18:54mom or your

01:18:56dad or your

01:18:56friends,

01:18:57getting a video

01:18:58and getting a

01:18:59pizza and

01:19:00coming home.

01:19:01There was always

01:19:01a good chance

01:19:02you'd run into

01:19:02someone you'd know,

01:19:03so hopefully you

01:19:04weren't renting

01:19:05anything embarrassing.

01:19:06Blockbuster was

01:19:07also a chance to

01:19:08meet fellow film

01:19:09buffs and discuss

01:19:09your favorite titles.

01:19:11Giving and receiving

01:19:12recommendations with

01:19:13others,

01:19:13even strangers,

01:19:14was a part of the

01:19:15experience.

01:19:17Brittany's,

01:19:18terrible picks.

01:19:19Erica's,

01:19:20no good.

01:19:23It's all about

01:19:24Zach.

01:19:25Number two,

01:19:27organized layout.

01:19:28They're the

01:19:28Blockbuster

01:19:29entertainment team.

01:19:30They buy more copies

01:19:31of new films for you

01:19:31to rent than anyone.

01:19:32Retail stores can

01:19:34often get chaotic

01:19:35and messy,

01:19:36making the shopping

01:19:36experience less than

01:19:38pleasant.

01:19:39Blockbuster,

01:19:39on the other hand,

01:19:40kept their stores

01:19:41organized.

01:19:42The outer walls

01:19:43were dedicated to

01:19:44all the alphabetized

01:19:45new releases,

01:19:46while the favorites,

01:19:47anything that wasn't

01:19:48new,

01:19:48were in the inner

01:19:49aisles categorized

01:19:50by genre.

01:19:51And I'll always

01:19:51remember being

01:19:52disappointed if

01:19:53what I wanted

01:19:54was not there,

01:19:56and then the first

01:19:56thing you do is

01:19:56you go right to

01:19:57the counter and

01:19:57you go,

01:19:58hey,

01:19:58when's this film

01:19:59supposed to be

01:20:00turned back in,

01:20:00you know?

01:20:01The common browsing

01:20:02strategy started at

01:20:03the new release wall,

01:20:05then made its way

01:20:05through the aisles,

01:20:06ending with the

01:20:07snack section.

01:20:08It was like being

01:20:09guided through a

01:20:10sea of possibilities.

01:20:11It was a bit

01:20:12overwhelming,

01:20:13but also exciting,

01:20:14as you never knew

01:20:15what you'd find.

01:20:16And so that's how

01:20:17I saw the Peter

01:20:18Sellers Pink Panther

01:20:19when I was six

01:20:20years old and had

01:20:21little to no idea

01:20:22what I was watching

01:20:23the whole time.

01:20:25Before we unveil

01:20:26our top pick,

01:20:27here are some

01:20:27honorable mentions.

01:20:29Family bonding.

01:20:30A blockbuster night

01:20:31was a family night.

01:20:32My mom would pick

01:20:33one and she allowed

01:20:34me and my sister

01:20:35to each pick a video

01:20:36and so it always

01:20:38became like a bit

01:20:39of like a treasure hunt.

01:20:40Holding hard copies.

01:20:42Sometimes we just

01:20:43need that tangible

01:20:44experience.

01:20:45When I hold something

01:20:45like this in my hands,

01:20:46it is like going back

01:20:50to your childhood home

01:20:51and picking up

01:20:52like a stuffed animal.

01:20:54Pre-owned movie sales.

01:20:56The best place

01:20:57to stock up

01:20:57on cheap DVDs.

01:20:59You know it's been used.

01:21:00It's tangible.

01:21:01It's a lot.

01:21:04The commercials.

01:21:05Some of the most

01:21:06memorable ads

01:21:07of the 90s.

01:21:08Blockbuster's

01:21:08America's family

01:21:09video story.

01:21:10You know we have

01:21:10more kids videos

01:21:11than any place else.

01:21:12More movies,

01:21:13more nights,

01:21:14more fun.

01:21:15Blockbuster video.

01:21:16Wow!

01:21:17What a difference!

01:21:19Cover art.

01:21:19Thumbnails just

01:21:20aren't the same.

01:21:21Classic movie,

01:21:22heavy metal.

01:21:23My nine-year-old son

01:21:25has seen this.

01:21:26Number one.

01:21:27Browsing.

01:21:27There's this like,

01:21:28there's this peace

01:21:29when you walk in

01:21:30and you go,

01:21:31the world is mine.

01:21:33I can accomplish

01:21:33anything right now.

01:21:35Everything is at my fingertips.

01:21:36I love it.

01:21:37I miss it like crazy.

01:21:39Simply put,

01:21:40browsing made Blockbuster

01:21:41a truly magical place.

01:21:44Walking into a world

01:21:45of movies is exciting

01:21:46in and of itself,

01:21:47but roaming aisles

01:21:48upon aisles of films

01:21:50felt like an adventure.

01:21:51This was especially true

01:21:52if you didn't have

01:21:53a particular title in mind.

01:21:55Heck,

01:21:55it was also a great way

01:21:56to kill time.

01:21:57I swear sometimes

01:21:58I just would go

01:21:59to a video store

01:22:00and walk around

01:22:01for a while

01:22:01and then just leave,

01:22:03like not even rent something.

01:22:04Whether you were alone

01:22:05or with company,

01:22:07perusing the choices

01:22:08became a fun treasure hunt.

01:22:09You never knew

01:22:10if you'd stumble upon

01:22:11your new favorite movie

01:22:12or maybe come across

01:22:13something you hadn't seen

01:22:15in ages.

01:22:16Knowing you could find

01:22:17a gem at any moment

01:22:18was a major thrill.

01:22:20There'll always be

01:22:21someone out there

01:22:22wanting to keep that alive,

01:22:24keep the fires

01:22:25of that wonderful

01:22:26nostalgic,

01:22:27sentimental memory

01:22:28like burnin'.

01:22:30I do hope you enjoyed

01:22:32this very special trip

01:22:33back in time

01:22:34to the 1990s.

01:22:36I know I sure did.

01:22:37I've been Matt

01:22:38from WatchMojo

01:22:39and I'll see you next time.

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