1895First public film screening
Lumière Brothers show movies
The Lumière Brothers held the first public film screening in Paris, showing short films to a paying audience and inventing cinema.
History Explainer · Entertainment
Entertainment Timeline
Entertainment history moves in waves: silent film gives way to talkies in 1927, radio gives way to television, records give way to streaming. The fun of seeing it on one timeline is spotting how quickly the 'new thing' becomes the establishment that the next new thing overthrows — MTV launches in 1981 and barely two decades later YouTube makes everyone a broadcaster.
This page lists every entertainment event in the Chrono Trivia database in chronological order, from the Lumière brothers' first public screening through Hollywood's golden age, the British Invasion, the blockbuster era, prestige television, and the streaming wars. Each entry includes the year and the story behind it.
This timeline covers 183 events from 1895 to 2024, grouped by era. Every event below can appear in the daily Entertainment puzzle.
1800s
1 event in this era
1920s
3 events in this era
1922Nosferatu premieres
Unauthorized Dracula adaptation
F.W. Murnau's silent vampire film was nearly destroyed by a court order from Bram Stoker's estate but survived to become a horror classic.
1927The Jazz Singer debuts
First talking picture
The first feature-length film with synchronized dialogue ushered in the end of the silent film era.
1928Mickey Mouse appears
Steamboat Willie premieres
Walt Disney's animated short introduced Mickey Mouse to the world and pioneered synchronized sound in cartoons.
1930s
6 events in this era
1930First Academy Awards broadcast
Hollywood honors its own
The second Academy Awards ceremony was the first broadcast on radio, bringing the glamour of Hollywood to millions of listeners.
1933King Kong terrifies audiences
Giant ape climbs Empire State
The original King Kong pioneered stop-motion animation and became one of the most iconic monster films ever made.
1936Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times
Silent comedy's last stand
Chaplin's satire of industrialization was one of the last major silent films, released years after talkies became the norm.
1937Snow White hits theaters
First full-length animated film
Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs became the first full-length cel-animated feature and a massive hit.
1939Gone with the Wind premieres
Epic film breaks records
The Civil War epic won 8 Academy Awards and held the record for highest-grossing film for 25 years.
1939The Wizard of Oz released
Somewhere over the rainbow
The Technicolor musical became one of the most beloved films ever made, though it initially underperformed at the box office.
1940s
8 events in this era
1940Fantasia debuts in theaters
Disney merges music and animation
Disney's experimental animated concert film paired classical music with bold visuals, flopping at the box office but later becoming a masterpiece.
1941Citizen Kane released
Greatest film ever made
Orson Welles directed and starred in the film frequently cited as the greatest ever made — he was just 25 years old.
1942Casablanca premieres
Here's looking at you, kid
The wartime romance starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman became one of the most quoted films in history.
1943Duke Ellington plays Carnegie Hall
Jazz reaches prestige venue
Duke Ellington performed at Carnegie Hall, elevating jazz music to the level of classical concert performance.
1944Glenn Miller disappears
Big band legend lost over English Channel
Glenn Miller's plane vanished over the English Channel while flying to entertain troops in Paris, and the wreckage was never found.
1946It's a Wonderful Life released
Christmas classic born
Frank Capra's film flopped at the box office but became one of the most beloved films through TV reruns.
1947First Tony Awards ceremony
Broadway gets its honors
The first Tony Awards were held at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, honoring excellence in Broadway theater.
1948Hitchcock's Rope experiments
One-take filmmaking
Alfred Hitchcock's Rope used long continuous takes to simulate a single unbroken shot, a revolutionary technique.
1950s
9 events in this era
1951I Love Lucy premieres
Television's first great sitcom
Lucille Ball's groundbreaking sitcom invented the multi-camera setup and was watched by 72% of all US TV households.
1952Singin' in the Rain released
Greatest musical ever
Gene Kelly's joyful performance in the rain became one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.
1953Playboy magazine launches
Hefner's cultural revolution
Hugh Hefner launched Playboy with Marilyn Monroe on the cover, changing American attitudes toward sexuality and publishing.
1954Tonight Show premieres
Late night TV begins
Steve Allen hosted the first Tonight Show, launching the late-night talk show format that still thrives today.
1954Godzilla stomps Tokyo
Japanese monster movie debuts
Ishirō Honda's Godzilla launched the longest-running film franchise in history, with 38 films and counting over 70 years.
1955Disneyland opens on TV
90 million tune in
The grand opening of Disneyland was broadcast live to the largest TV audience in history at the time.
1956Elvis appears on Ed Sullivan
Rock and roll goes mainstream
Elvis Presley's three appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show drew 60 million viewers each time.
1957West Side Story opens on Broadway
Musical theater reinvented
Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's musical modernized Broadway with its dark themes and revolutionary choreography.
1959Some Like It Hot released
Greatest comedy ever made
The Marilyn Monroe comedy was voted the funniest American film of all time by the American Film Institute.
1960s
14 events in this era
1960Psycho shocks audiences
Hitchcock's masterpiece
Alfred Hitchcock's horror film broke every rule of filmmaking and terrified audiences worldwide.
1961West Side Story released
Musical classic debuts
The adaptation of the Broadway musical won 10 Academy Awards, a record for a musical film.
1962James Bond debuts
Dr. No hits theaters
Sean Connery introduced the world to 007, launching the longest-running film franchise in history.
1962James Brown records Live at the Apollo
Greatest live album ever
James Brown recorded his legendary album at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, widely considered the greatest live album of all time.
1963Doctor Who first airs
Time Lord begins adventures
The BBC science fiction series premiered with William Hartnell as the Doctor, becoming the longest-running sci-fi show in history.
1964Beatlemania hits America
Ed Sullivan Show appearance
The Beatles performed on the Ed Sullivan Show to 73 million viewers, launching the British Invasion.
1964Mary Poppins flies in
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
Disney's musical starring Julie Andrews became a massive hit and won five Academy Awards.
1965The Sound of Music released
Musical classic debuts
The Julie Andrews musical became the highest-grossing film of 1965 and won five Academy Awards.
1965Bob Dylan goes electric
Newport Folk Festival shock
Bob Dylan plugged in an electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival, angering folk purists but changing music forever.
1966How the Grinch Stole Christmas airs
Holiday TV classic debuts
The animated special narrated by Boris Karloff became an annual holiday tradition watched by millions of families every December.
1967Sgt. Pepper's released
Beatles transform pop music
The Beatles' concept album is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential albums in music history.
19682001: A Space Odyssey opens
Kubrick's sci-fi epic
Stanley Kubrick's visionary film redefined science fiction cinema and remains influential decades later.
1968Elvis Comeback Special airs
The King returns
Elvis Presley's NBC television special revitalized his career after years away from live performing, proving he was still The King.
1969Sesame Street premieres
Educational TV revolution
The groundbreaking children's show premiered on PBS and has since been broadcast in over 150 countries.
1970s
23 events in this era
1970The Beatles break up
Fab Four go solo
The most successful band in history officially disbanded, with each member pursuing solo careers.
1970Jimi Hendrix dies at 27
Guitar legend lost
Jimi Hendrix died at age 27 in London, having revolutionized electric guitar playing in just four years of recording.
1971Willy Wonka hits theaters
Pure imagination
Gene Wilder's portrayal of the eccentric candy maker became one of cinema's most beloved performances.
1971A Clockwork Orange released
Kubrick's controversial classic
Stanley Kubrick's dystopian film was so controversial that Kubrick himself withdrew it from UK cinemas.
1971Led Zeppelin releases IV
Stairway to Heaven arrives
Led Zeppelin's untitled fourth album contained Stairway to Heaven, the most requested song in radio history.
1972The Godfather premieres
Coppola's crime epic
Francis Ford Coppola's film became one of the greatest and most influential films in cinema history.
1973The Exorcist terrifies audiences
Horror classic premieres
William Friedkin's horror film became the highest-grossing R-rated film ever and earned 10 Oscar nominations.
1973Dark Side of the Moon released
Pink Floyd's masterpiece
Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon spent 937 weeks on the Billboard charts, one of the best-selling albums of all time.
1974Blazing Saddles released
Mel Brooks' comedy classic
Mel Brooks' irreverent Western parody broke box office records and pushed the boundaries of screen comedy.
1974ABBA wins Eurovision
Waterloo conquers Europe
ABBA's performance of Waterloo at Eurovision launched them to global superstardom and one of the best-selling music careers of all time.
1975Jaws creates the blockbuster
Spielberg's shark thriller
Steven Spielberg's thriller became the first film to earn $100M at the box office, inventing the summer blockbuster.
1975Saturday Night Live debuts
Live comedy institution begins
SNL premiered on NBC and became the longest-running sketch comedy show in television history.
1975Bohemian Rhapsody released
Queen's epic masterpiece
Queen's six-minute rock opera defied every convention and became one of the best-selling singles of all time.
1976Rocky knocks out audiences
Stallone's underdog triumph
Sylvester Stallone wrote and starred in the boxing film that won Best Picture and launched a massive franchise.
1977Star Wars premieres
Space opera changes cinema
George Lucas's space epic earned $775 million worldwide and launched one of the most successful franchises in history.
1977Elvis Presley passes away
The King of Rock and Roll dies at 42
Elvis Presley died at Graceland, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century.
1977The Clash release debut album
Punk rock goes political
The Clash's self-titled debut album fused punk with reggae and politics, influencing decades of alternative music.
1977Roots miniseries airs
Alex Haley's epic captivates America
The ABC miniseries drew 130 million viewers over eight nights, with 85% of all US households watching at least part of it.
1977Fleetwood Mac releases Rumours
Breakup album conquers the world
Written while every band member was splitting from another, Rumours sold over 40 million copies and spent 31 weeks at number one.
1978Grease is the word
Musical phenomenon
The John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John musical became the highest-grossing musical film ever at the time.
1979Alien terrifies audiences
In space no one can hear you scream
Ridley Scott's sci-fi horror film launched a franchise and made Sigourney Weaver an action icon.
1979Walkman launches
Sony's portable music player
Sony's Walkman let people listen to music on the go for the first time, selling over 400 million units.
1979Monty Python's Life of Brian released
Comedy provokes outrage
The Monty Python comedy about a man mistaken for the Messiah was banned in several countries but became one of the greatest comedies ever.
1980s
24 events in this era
1980John Lennon killed
Former Beatle shot in New York
John Lennon was shot outside his New York apartment at age 40, devastating fans worldwide.
1980The Empire Strikes Back opens
I am your father
The Star Wars sequel is widely considered one of the greatest sequels ever made, featuring cinema's biggest plot twist.
1980Hip-hop enters pop culture
Rapper's Delight breaks through
The Sugarhill Gang's 'Rapper's Delight' brought hip-hop to mainstream audiences for the first time, launching a cultural revolution.
1981MTV launches
I want my MTV
MTV debuted with 'Video Killed the Radio Star' and transformed how music was consumed and marketed.
1982Thriller album drops
Michael Jackson's masterpiece
Michael Jackson's Thriller became the best-selling album of all time with over 70 million copies sold.
1982E.T. phones home
Spielberg's beloved alien
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial became the highest-grossing film of all time and captivated audiences worldwide.
1982Cheers premieres on NBC
Where everybody knows your name
The Boston bar sitcom finished last in ratings its first season but became a cultural institution spanning 11 years and 275 episodes.
1983Return of the Jedi opens
Star Wars trilogy concludes
The final installment of the original Star Wars trilogy earned $475 million and concluded the saga.
1983M*A*S*H finale watched by 106M
Most-watched TV episode ever
The M*A*S*H series finale drew 105.9 million viewers, a record that stood for decades.
1983Michael Jackson moonwalks
Motown 25 performance
Michael Jackson debuted the moonwalk during the Motown 25 TV special, creating one of the most iconic moments in pop culture.
1983Scarface premieres
Say hello to my little friend
Al Pacino's portrayal of Tony Montana in Brian De Palma's crime epic flopped critically but became a beloved cultural phenomenon.
1983Thriller music video premieres
14-minute horror masterpiece
Michael Jackson's Thriller video cost $500,000, pioneered long-form music videos, and was added to the US National Film Registry in 2009.
1984Purple Rain premieres
Prince becomes a legend
Prince's semi-autobiographical film and its soundtrack album both hit #1, cementing his status as a pop icon.
1985Live Aid concert held
Rock concert for charity
The dual-venue benefit concert in London and Philadelphia raised over $125 million for famine relief.
1985Back to the Future released
Time travel classic debuts
Robert Zemeckis's time travel comedy became the highest-grossing film of 1985 and spawned two beloved sequels.
1985We Are the World recorded
Music's biggest collaboration
45 major artists recorded the charity single in one night, raising over $80 million for African famine relief.
1986Oprah show goes national
Talk show queen rises
The Oprah Winfrey Show went into national syndication and became the highest-rated talk show in TV history.
1986Top Gun takes off
Cruise becomes a star
Tom Cruise's fighter pilot film earned $356 million and made aviator sunglasses and bomber jackets iconic.
1987Dirty Dancing released
Nobody puts Baby in a corner
The romantic drama became a surprise mega-hit, earning $218 million and making Patrick Swayze a superstar.
1987Star Trek: The Next Generation debuts
Picard takes the captain's chair
Syndicated without a network, TNG became the most-watched syndicated drama ever and revived the entire Star Trek franchise.
1988Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Animation meets live action
The groundbreaking film seamlessly blended live action with animation and won three Academy Awards.
1988Die Hard redefines action films
Yippee-ki-yay enters the lexicon
Bruce Willis's turn as John McClane created the modern action movie template and sparked a debate about whether it's a Christmas film.
1989The Simpsons premieres
Animated family goes prime time
Matt Groening's animated sitcom became the longest-running American scripted prime-time series in history.
1989Little Mermaid sparks Disney Renaissance
Disney animation reborn
Ariel's underwater adventure launched a decade of Disney animated classics and revived the studio's animation division.
1990s
25 events in this era
1990Home Alone released
Macaulay Culkin defends home
The holiday comedy became the highest-grossing live-action comedy ever at the time, earning $476 million.
1991Nirvana releases Nevermind
Grunge goes mainstream
The album featuring 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' dethroned Michael Jackson from #1 and defined a generation.
1991Beauty and the Beast nominated
First animated Best Picture nominee
Disney's fairy tale became the first animated film nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
1991Freddie Mercury dies
Queen frontman lost to AIDS
Freddie Mercury died of AIDS at 45, one day after publicly acknowledging his diagnosis, leaving behind one of rock's greatest legacies.
1992Aladdin soars
Disney's magic carpet ride
Disney's animated musical earned $504 million and Robin Williams' Genie became one of animation's greatest characters.
1992Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
Wembley says goodbye
The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium was broadcast to over 1 billion viewers, raising millions for AIDS research.
1993Jurassic Park roars in
Spielberg brings dinosaurs to life
Steven Spielberg's dinosaur thriller pioneered CGI in film and grossed $914 million worldwide.
1993Schindler's List released
Spielberg's masterpiece
Spielberg's Holocaust drama won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.
1994Friends debuts on NBC
Sitcom becomes cultural icon
The show about six friends in New York ran for 10 seasons and remains one of the most-watched series ever.
1994The Lion King rules
Disney's animated epic
The Lion King became the highest-grossing animated film at the time and spawned the longest-running Broadway show.
1994Forrest Gump runs
Life is like a box of chocolates
Tom Hanks' portrayal of Forrest Gump won him his second consecutive Best Actor Oscar and grossed $678 million.
1994Pulp Fiction premieres at Cannes
Tarantino changes cinema
Quentin Tarantino's non-linear crime film won the Palme d'Or at Cannes and revitalized independent cinema overnight.
1995Toy Story makes CGI history
First full CGI feature film
Pixar's debut film was the first entirely computer-animated feature, launching a new era of animated filmmaking.
1995Braveheart wins Best Picture
Gibson's epic
Mel Gibson directed and starred in the Scottish epic that won five Academy Awards including Best Picture.
1996Tupac Shakur killed
Rap legend dies at 25
Tupac Shakur was fatally shot in Las Vegas at age 25, having sold over 75 million records worldwide.
1996Independence Day explodes
Aliens invade the box office
The sci-fi disaster film earned $817 million and established the modern summer blockbuster formula.
1996Spice Girls release Wannabe
Girl power goes global
Wannabe debuted at number one in 37 countries, making the Spice Girls the most successful debut act since the Beatles.
1997Titanic breaks box office
Cameron's epic dominates
James Cameron's film became the first to gross over $1 billion and won 11 Academy Awards.
1997Spice Girls conquer pop
Wannabe takes over the world
The Spice Girls became the best-selling female group of all time with over 100 million records sold.
1998Seinfeld finale airs
Show about nothing ends
An estimated 76 million viewers tuned in for the Seinfeld finale, making it one of the most-watched episodes ever.
1999The Matrix released
Bullet time enters pop culture
The Wachowskis' sci-fi film revolutionized visual effects and became a cultural touchstone about simulated reality.
1999SpongeBob debuts
Underwater cartoon icon born
Nickelodeon's absurdist cartoon became a cultural phenomenon spanning movies, memes, and a Broadway musical.
1999Sixth Sense shocks audiences
I see dead people
M. Night Shyamalan's thriller earned $672 million and its twist ending became one of cinema's most famous.
1999Napster revolutionizes music
Free music sharing begins
Shawn Fanning's peer-to-peer platform let millions share MP3s for free, permanently disrupting the entire music industry.
1999The Sopranos premieres on HBO
Golden age of TV begins
David Chase's mob drama ushered in the prestige TV era, making HBO the home of ambitious, cinematic television storytelling.
2000s
25 events in this era
2000Gladiator wins Best Picture
Are you not entertained?
Ridley Scott's epic revived the sword-and-sandal genre and won Russell Crowe the Best Actor Oscar.
2000Survivor debuts
Reality TV goes mainstream
The CBS reality competition drew 51 million viewers for its first finale and launched the reality TV boom.
2001First Harry Potter film
Wizarding world hits screens
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone launched an 8-film franchise grossing over $7.7 billion total.
2001Shrek takes on fairy tales
Ogre wins hearts
DreamWorks' irreverent animated comedy grossed $484 million and won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
2002American Idol debuts
Reality TV singing contest
The singing competition became a cultural phenomenon and launched careers including Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.
2002Spider-Man swings in
Raimi's superhero hit
Sam Raimi's Spider-Man became the first film to earn $100 million in a single opening weekend.
2003Finding Nemo swims in
Pixar's underwater adventure
The film about a clownfish searching for his son became the highest-grossing animated film at the time.
2003Lord of the Rings sweeps Oscars
Return of the King dominates
The trilogy finale won all 11 Academy Awards it was nominated for, tying the all-time record.
2003Pirates of the Caribbean sails
Johnny Depp's Captain Jack
Johnny Depp's eccentric pirate character turned a theme park ride into a $4.5 billion film franchise.
2003Beyoncé goes solo with Crazy in Love
Queen Bey is born
Crazy in Love spent eight weeks at number one and established Beyoncé as the dominant solo artist of her generation.
2004Mean Girls hits theaters
Tina Fey's teen comedy classic
The high school comedy became a defining film for a generation, spawning countless memes and a Broadway musical.
2004The Incredibles debuts
Pixar's superhero family
Pixar's take on the superhero genre earned $631 million and is considered one of the best superhero films ever.
2005YouTube goes live
Video sharing begins
The first video 'Me at the zoo' was uploaded in April. Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion a year later.
2005The Office premieres
Mockumentary workplace comedy
The American adaptation of Ricky Gervais's show ran for 9 seasons and became one of the most-streamed shows ever.
2005Kanye West says 'George Bush doesn't care'
Live TV moment shocks nation
During a Hurricane Katrina fundraiser, Kanye West went off-script on live TV, creating one of the most shocking broadcast moments of the decade.
2006High School Musical debuts
Disney Channel phenomenon
The TV movie launched a franchise and made its cast into global stars, selling over 7 million soundtrack albums.
2006Wii Sports becomes a phenomenon
Gaming for everyone
Wii Sports became the best-selling single-platform game ever, getting millions of non-gamers off the couch.
2007Netflix starts streaming
DVD by mail goes digital
Netflix launched its streaming service with 1,000 titles, beginning the shift that would transform how we watch TV.
2007Ratatouille charms audiences
Pixar's culinary masterpiece
Pixar's story of a rat who dreams of being a chef won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
2008The Dark Knight opens
Ledger's Joker stuns audiences
Heath Ledger's posthumous performance as the Joker earned him an Academy Award and redefined superhero films.
2008WALL-E charms audiences
Pixar's robot love story
The nearly dialogue-free animated film about a lonely robot earned critical acclaim and $521 million worldwide.
2008Iron Man launches the MCU
Marvel's universe begins
Robert Downey Jr.'s comeback role launched the Marvel Cinematic Universe, now the highest-grossing franchise ever.
2008Breaking Bad premieres
TV's greatest antihero
Vince Gilligan's Breaking Bad premiered on AMC, eventually becoming one of the most acclaimed television series of all time.
2009Avatar smashes records
3D filmmaking goes big
James Cameron's sci-fi epic became the highest-grossing film ever at $2.9 billion, pioneering 3D cinema.
2009Up makes audiences cry
Pixar's emotional masterpiece
The first 10 minutes of Up became one of the most emotionally powerful sequences in animation history.
2010s
32 events in this era
2010Inception bends minds
Nolan's dream heist thriller
Christopher Nolan's layered dream heist film earned $836 million and sparked endless debates about its ending.
2010Toy Story 3 closes trilogy
Pixar's perfect ending
The trilogy conclusion earned $1.07 billion and made grown adults cry in theaters worldwide.
2010The Social Network released
Facebook gets a movie
David Fincher's film about the founding of Facebook earned $224 million and won three Academy Awards.
2010Lady Gaga's meat dress
MTV VMAs shock moment
Lady Gaga wore a dress made of raw beef to the MTV Video Music Awards, creating one of fashion's most talked-about moments.
2011Game of Thrones begins
Fantasy TV goes epic
HBO's adaptation of George R.R. Martin's novels became a global phenomenon with over 19 million viewers per episode.
2011Adele releases 21
Rolling in the Deep
Adele's album 21 sold over 31 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time.
2011Amy Winehouse dies at 27
Soulful voice silenced
Amy Winehouse died at 27, joining the tragic '27 Club' after her album Back to Black became one of the best-selling UK albums ever.
2012Gangnam Style goes viral
PSY breaks the internet
The K-pop hit became the first YouTube video to reach 1 billion views, crashing YouTube's view counter.
2012The Avengers assembled
Marvel's team-up smash
The first Avengers film proved the shared universe concept worked, earning $1.5 billion worldwide.
2013Frozen takes over
Let It Go everywhere
Disney's animated musical earned $1.28 billion and its signature song became an inescapable cultural anthem.
2013Breaking Bad finale
Say my name
The AMC series ended after five seasons with 10.3 million viewers, widely hailed as one of TV's greatest endings.
2013Gravity floats audiences away
Space thriller stuns
Alfonso Cuarón's space survival film won 7 Academy Awards and pioneered new visual effects techniques.
2014Serial podcast debuts
True crime podcasting begins
The investigative podcast was downloaded over 175 million times and single-handedly popularized the podcast medium.
2014Guardians of the Galaxy surprises
Marvel's cosmic gamble pays off
A talking raccoon and a tree became beloved characters in one of Marvel's most unexpected hits.
2015Hamilton opens on Broadway
Hip-hop meets history
Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical about Alexander Hamilton won 11 Tony Awards and transformed musical theater.
2015Star Wars The Force Awakens
The saga returns
The Star Wars sequel earned $2 billion, proving the franchise's massive cultural power after a decade-long break.
2015Mad Max Fury Road roars
Action masterpiece
George Miller's return to Mad Max won six Academy Awards and redefined modern action filmmaking.
2016Pokémon GO launches
AR gaming craze begins
The augmented reality mobile game was downloaded over 550 million times in its first 80 days.
2016Stranger Things debuts
80s nostalgia hits Netflix
The Duffer Brothers' sci-fi series became a massive cultural phenomenon, reviving 80s pop culture aesthetics.
2016David Bowie passes away
Starman leaves Earth
David Bowie died at 69 just days after releasing his final album Blackstar, leaving an unparalleled artistic legacy.
2016Prince dies at 57
Purple Rain falls silent
Prince died of an accidental overdose at Paisley Park, prompting worldwide tributes and turning landmarks purple in his honor.
2016Moonlight wins Best Picture
Oscar envelope mix-up
Moonlight won in one of the most shocking Oscar moments ever after La La Land was mistakenly announced as the winner.
2016The Crown premieres on Netflix
Lavish royal drama begins
Netflix's royal drama cost an estimated $13 million per episode, making it one of the most expensive TV shows ever produced at the time.
2017Get Out shocks audiences
Jordan Peele's horror debut
The social thriller made on a $4.5M budget grossed $255M and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
2017Coco celebrates Día de los Muertos
Pixar's vibrant tribute
Pixar's animated film became the highest-grossing film ever in Mexico and won two Academy Awards.
2017Wonder Woman breaks through
First female superhero blockbuster
Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman earned $822 million and became a landmark for female-led superhero films.
2018Black Panther premieres
Wakanda forever
The Marvel film became a cultural milestone, grossing $1.3 billion and earning a Best Picture nomination.
2018A Star Is Born remade
Cooper and Gaga shine
Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga's musical drama earned $436 million and the song 'Shallow' won an Oscar.
2019Avengers Endgame opens
Biggest movie event ever
The Marvel finale overtook Avatar as the highest-grossing film of all time with $2.8 billion worldwide.
2019Billie Eilish sweeps Grammys
Gen Z's music icon
At 18, Billie Eilish swept all four major Grammy categories, the youngest artist and first woman to do so.
2019Joker breaks records
R-rated comic film triumph
Joaquin Phoenix's Joker became the first R-rated film to cross $1 billion at the box office.
2019Old Town Road breaks Billboard record
Country-rap smashes charts
Lil Nas X's genre-bending single spent 19 weeks at number one, breaking the record held by Mariah Carey and Despacito.
2020s
13 events in this era
2020Parasite wins Best Picture
Korean film makes history
Bong Joon-ho's thriller became the first non-English language film to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
2020Tiger King goes viral
Netflix lockdown sensation
The eccentric docuseries became a massive cultural moment during the early days of COVID-19 lockdowns.
2020Chadwick Boseman dies
Black Panther star lost at 43
Chadwick Boseman's death from colon cancer shocked the world as fans learned he had filmed multiple Marvel movies while undergoing treatment.
2021Squid Game explodes
Korean drama conquers Netflix
The survival drama became Netflix's most-watched series ever, reaching #1 in 94 countries simultaneously.
2021Free Guy surprises everyone
Ryan Reynolds' video game comedy
The original film became a surprise hit, earning $331 million and proving original IP could still thrive.
2021Encanto enchants audiences
We don't talk about Bruno
Disney's animated Colombian fairy tale spawned the first Disney song to hit number one on Billboard since Aladdin in 1993.
2022Top Gun Maverick soars
Cruise's sequel stuns
The long-awaited sequel earned $1.5 billion, proving theatrical releases still have massive cultural power.
2022Everything Everywhere All At Once
Multiverse indie hit
The A24 film swept the Oscars with 7 wins including Best Picture, proving small films can compete.
2023Barbenheimer weekend
Barbie vs Oppenheimer
Barbie and Oppenheimer released on the same day, together earning over $2 billion and reviving cinema culture.
2023Taylor Swift Eras Tour
Biggest concert tour ever
Taylor Swift's Eras Tour became the first to gross over $1 billion, boosting local economies wherever she performed.
2023Succession series finale airs
TV's most acclaimed ending
HBO's Succession ended after four seasons with a finale watched by 2.9 million viewers, capping one of TV's most acclaimed dramas.
2024Inside Out 2 breaks records
Pixar's emotional sequel
The sequel became the highest-grossing animated film of all time, surpassing Frozen II with over $1.6 billion.
2024Wicked hits theaters
Defying gravity on screen
The long-awaited musical adaptation became a massive box office hit, earning over $700 million worldwide.