Now that I think about the mid 2000s (including 2007), they were very quintessential within the 2000s. Honestly, they remind me of a simpler time when most of my entertainment involved around my parents' TV, along with their Dell Dimension computer that ran Windows XP. Good times.  8)

However, if pressed I'd just say 2004 because that year was probably the most badass pertaining to my childhood 8)

Mine too! 2004, when it comes to kids culture, was a very balanced year. It was the overlap between the best of the late 90s/early 00s kids culture winding down while still having a bit of influence and the best new stuff of the mid-2000s, before the more mediocre-by-comparison stuff came in during 2005-2006.

Plus, it was the best year for gaming next to 1998.

Now that I think about the mid 2000s (including 2007), they were very quintessential within the 2000s. Honestly, they remind me of a simpler time when most of my entertainment involved around my parents' TV, along with their Dell Dimension computer that ran Windows XP. Good times.  8)


Mine too! 2004, when it comes to kids culture, was a very balanced year. It was the overlap between the best of the late 90s/early 00s kids culture winding down while still having a bit of influence and the best new stuff of the mid-2000s, before the more mediocre-by-comparison stuff came in during 2005-2006.

Plus, it was the best year for gaming next to 1998.

I concur with the both of you.  8)

2005 & 2006 were the quintessential 2000's years.

Everything that was the most important to 2000's culture was relevant throughout 2005 and 2006 in its entirety.

2007 can't be quintessential since the first hint of early 2010's influences started late in the year, and 2004 can't be quintessential because the early part of the year was the last hint of any late 90's/early 2000's influence. 2005 & 2006 seemed to be the ultimate peak years of 2000's culture when it came to the economy, politics, television, music, movies, fashion, etc. combined together.

I concur with the both of you.  8)

Do you even concur with me that kids' culture in 2005-2006 was mediocre when compared to the mighty 2004? :P

Do you even concur with me that kids' culture in 2005-2006 was mediocre when compared to the mighty 2004? :P

I sort of concur because I still liked the kid culture of 2005-2006 but compared to 2004...I guess 2004 was better.

Do you even concur with me that kids' culture in 2005-2006 was mediocre when compared to the mighty 2004? :P


To me, 2004-2006 were kinda like the same thing.  :P

To me, 2004-2006 were kinda like the same thing.  :P

Yeah, same here. 2004-2006 aren't that different to me.

Yeah, same here. 2004-2006 aren't that different to me.

2004 still had Rocket Power, Hey Arnold, and Rugrats. 2005-2006 didn't have Rocket Power, Hey Arnold, and Rugrats. That makes a HUGE difference. ;D

2004 I was 14 and it felt like the quintessential year.

2004 still had Rocket Power, Hey Arnold, and Rugrats. 2005-2006 didn't have Rocket Power, Hey Arnold, and Rugrats. That makes a HUGE difference. ;D


But yet 2004 had Lilo and Stitch: The Series, Danny Phantom, All Grown Up, and My Life as a Teenage Robot. They still had all of those shows by 2005 and 2006.

2004 still had Rocket Power, Hey Arnold, and Rugrats. 2005-2006 didn't have Rocket Power, Hey Arnold, and Rugrats. That makes a HUGE difference. ;D

You're GODDAMN RIGHT!  ;D

But yet 2004 had Lilo and Stitch: The Series, Danny Phantom, All Grown Up, and My Life as a Teenage Robot. They still had all of those shows by 2005 and 2006.

Also....The Batman, The Backyardigans, Brandy & Mr. Whiskers, Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends, Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi, Franny's Feet, Justice League Unlimited, Megas XLR, Maya & Miguel, Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, etc.

But none of those shows really have a 90s/early 2000s vibe like Rocket Power, Hey Arnold, and Rugrats did. ;D Vibe is the key here.

All except for Justice League Unlimited. Justice League Unlimited was a continuation of Justice League (2001-2004).

But none of those shows really have a 90s/early 2000s vibe like Rocket Power, Hey Arnold, and Rugrats did. ;D Vibe is the key here.


Yeah, but most of those shows you mentioned still aired on reruns during the mid 2000s. Even after 2004.

2006 and 2007 were still classic 2000s years, but not quintessential. The difference is they do not define the 2000s as 2005 and below do. 2005 would be the cutoff. The 2000s are most well defined by the first half of the decade. 2006 just doesn't fit it. I know most people think of emo when they think of the 00s but I think of early to mid 2000s stuff.

2006 and 2007 were still classic 2000s years, but not quintessential. The difference is they do not define the 2000s as 2005 and below do. 2005 would be the cutoff. The 2000s are most well defined by the first half of the decade. 2006 just doesn't fit it. I know most people think of emo when they think of the 00s but I think of early to mid 2000s stuff.

I think 2006 fits fine in the quintessential 2000s, or at least the first eight months of 2006. Maybe not so much September-December. But January-August yes.

January-August 06 was the LAST time where you could still get away with certain late 90s/early 00s fashion, such as khaki cargo pants, the last period where you could still buy a CD from Sam Goody or Wherehouse Music, the last where you could still shop at CompUSA and Circuit City, the last period where you had a somewhat fair chance of meeting someone who still had dial-up internet, the last period where Pluto was a planet, the last period where you still had early 2000s shows such as Malcolm in the Middle (even in the 2006 episodes, the characters still had spiked hair and played their Game Boy Colors with Ska Punk on the soundtrack), Bernie Mac Show, That's 70 Show, West Wing, Will & Grace, Inuyasha, Arrested Development, Teen Titans, etc., the last period of UPN and WB, the last period of classic ABC sports, the last real period of 6th gen gaming, the last full year with a good economy, the last period of the 00s where Republicans had control of Congress, etc.

2005 is the quintessential 2000s year. The prevalence of MySpace, iPods, emo, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Nintendo DS, and scene made gave it just enough of a 2000s edge, but it was still a relevant time for 6th-generation video games, thug rap, crunk, Malcolm in the Middle, post-9/11 patriotism, and other things more associated with the first half of the decade.

I think 2006 fits fine in the classic 2000s, or at least the first eight months of 2006. Maybe not so much September-December. But January-August yes.

January-August 06 was the LAST time where you could still get away with certain late 90s/early 00s fashion, such as khaki cargo pants, the last period where you could still buy a CD from Sam Goody or Wherehouse Music, the last where you could still shop at CompUSA and Circuit City, the last period where you had a somewhat fair chance of meeting someone who still had dial-up internet, the last period where Pluto was a planet, the last period where you still had early 2000s shows such as Malcolm in the Middle (even in the 2006 episodes, the characters still had spiked hair and played their Game Boy Colors with Ska Punk on the soundtrack), Bernie Mac Show, That's 70 Show, West Wing, Will & Grace, Inuyasha, Arrested Development, Teen Titans, etc., the last period of UPN and WB, the last period of classic ABC sports, the last real period of 6th gen gaming, the last full year with a good economy, the last period of the 00s where Republicans had control of Congress, etc.

Those things are all true. BTW, which year of the 2000s was your favorite and least favorite?

2005 is the quintessential 2000s year. The prevalence of MySpace, iPods, emo, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Nintendo DS, and scene made gave it just enough of a 2000s edge, but it was still a relevant time for 6th-generation video games, thug rap, crunk, Malcolm in the Middle, post-9/11 patriotism, and other things more associated with the first half of the decade.

I concur with that statement.

2005 is the quintessential 2000s year. The prevalence of MySpace, iPods, emo, Rihanna, Chris Brown, Nintendo DS, and scene made gave it just enough of a 2000s edge, but it was still a relevant time for 6th-generation video games, thug rap, crunk, Malcolm in the Middle, post-9/11 patriotism, and other things more associated with the first half of the decade.

Yeah definitely.

I never posted in this thread?

I don't care. I just really like the Early and mid specifics of the decade. I do enjoy reading everyone else views on the matter though.

2008 for me.

2008 for me.

:o To each his own I guess.

I voted 2006.


Both crunk rap and snap rap.
Both emo and pop punk.
iPods
Social media (MySpace, Friendster etc.) but also pre-social media (MSN/Yahoo/AIM etc.)
Both YouTube and Yahoo! Music
6th Gen and 7th Gen gaming
Cellphones were popular but still not many smartphones.
Tony Blair was still there. For Canada, we had both Paul Martin and Stephen Harper.
Firmly in the golden age of television with The Office, Lost, Prison Break, Desperate Housewives, Arrested Development etc.
This site called inthe00s was at its peak, 'nuff said.
Donald Trump slaying all pretenders.

I voted 2006.


Both crunk rap and snap rap.
Both emo and pop punk.
iPods
Social media (MySpace, Friendster etc.) but also pre-social media (MSN/Yahoo/AIM etc.)
Both YouTube and Yahoo! Music
6th Gen and 7th Gen gaming
Cellphones were popular but still not many smartphones.
Tony Blair was still there. For Canada, we had both Paul Martin and Stephen Harper.
Firmly in the golden age of television with The Office, Lost, Prison Break, Desperate Housewives, Arrested Development etc.
This site called inthe00s was at its peak, 'nuff said.
Donald Trump slaying all pretenders.


I liked 2006 but is Tony Blair and Stephen Harper still being in power something to be proud of? I definetly wouldn't call 2006 as apart of the Golden Age of TV, I mean really?, LOL. Also, no modern smartphones existed in 2006, the iPhone came out in 2007 (it was the first modern smartphone) but smartphone usage didn't become widespread until about 2011.

I liked 2006 but is Tony Blair and Stephen Harper still being in power something to be proud of? I definetly wouldn't call 2006 as apart of the Golden Age of TV, I mean really?, LOL. Also, no modern smartphones existed in 2006, the iPhone came out in 2007 (it was the first modern smartphone) but smartphone usage didn't become widespread until about 2011.


Hey, I didn't vote for them. I'm just saying they're important. ;D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Television_(2000s%E2%80%93present)

By smartphones I meant Blackberries and PDAs and the like. They were getting popular in 2006, but flip phones and the like were still king.

Hey, I didn't vote for them. I'm just saying they're important. ;D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Television_(2000s%E2%80%93present)

By smartphones I meant Blackberries and PDAs and the like. They were getting popular in 2006, but flip phones and the like were still king.

OH OK I got your point.

I liked 2006 but is Tony Blair and Stephen Harper still being in power something to be proud of? I definetly wouldn't call 2006 as apart of the Golden Age of TV, I mean really?, LOL. Also, no modern smartphones existed in 2006, the iPhone came out in 2007 (it was the first modern smartphone) but smartphone usage didn't become widespread until about 2011.

I wouldn't even put the original IPhones in the modern smartphone category. Smartphones have changed so much since 2007. They look completely different today.

Hey, I didn't vote for them. I'm just saying they're important. ;D

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Age_of_Television_(2000s%E2%80%93present)

By smartphones I meant Blackberries and PDAs and the like. They were getting popular in 2006, but flip phones and the like were still king.

That article is wrong, the second golden age of television began in the late 90s and ENDED in 2006/7.

No Malcolm in the Middle, no Sopranos = NO Golden Age.

I wouldn't even put the original IPhones in the modern smartphone category. Smartphones have changed so much since 2007. They look completely different today.

I understand your point but the original iPhone was the first modern smartphone. All of the basic components of current smartphones were in original iPhone even if they were in their basic stages.

That article is wrong, the second golden age of television began in the late 90s and ENDED in 2006/7.

No Malcolm in the Middle, no Sopranos = NO Golden Age.


Fake news.

Golden age of television started with Lost. That's when the high-budget, "epic" grandiose dramas started to become popular, and still are today. Malcolm in the Middle is cheap and low-budget like Trump's well-done steak with ketchup.

Fake news.

Golden age of television started with Lost. That's when the high-budget, "epic" grandiose dramas started to become popular, and still are today. Malcolm in the Middle is cheap and low-budget like Trump's well-done steak with ketchup.

I have NEVER, EVER liked the TV show Lost.

I have NEVER, EVER liked the TV show Lost.


Why not?  :o

Why not?  :o

I've just never been interested in it.

I have NEVER, EVER liked the TV show Lost.


I don't hate it, but I believe it's overrated.  :-X

That article is wrong, the second golden age of television began in the late 90s and ENDED in 2006/7.

No Malcolm in the Middle, no Sopranos = NO Golden Age.


Honestly, when The Sopranos ended, the golden age died. By the time The Wire ended in early 2008, we already went through the Writer's Guild of America strike, which conspired some people to think that TV was weak with its writing.


Fake news.

Golden age of television started with Lost. That's when the high-budget, "epic" grandiose dramas started to become popular, and still are today. Malcolm in the Middle is cheap and low-budget like Trump's well-done steak with ketchup.


The Golden age of television truly started with The Sopranos premiering in early 1999. By the time it ended around mid 2007, the golden age was mostly over.

I don't hate it, but I believe it's overrated.  :-X

I feel the same way.  ;)

2006 for me! Emo exploded and it just FELT the most quintessential of the 2000's. Best year of my childhood too ;)

2006 for me as well, because of the popularity of iPods, Myspace, Emo, Windows XP, flip phones, early Youtube, PlayStation 2, indie music (at least in the UK). But also because of the ABSENCE of certain things, like iPhones, Windows Vista, Blu-Ray (until the late part of the year), PlayStation 3 (same) and public Facebook (same again)! I know these things also apply to 2005, but I think 2006 was more of a 'climax'! I suppose late 2006 could be considered the end of the 'classic 2000s'.

2006 for me as well, because of the popularity of iPods, Myspace, Emo, Windows XP, flip phones, early Youtube, PlayStation 2, indie music (at least in the UK). But also because of the ABSENCE of certain things, like iPhones, Windows Vista, Blu-Ray (until the late part of the year), PlayStation 3 (same) and public Facebook (same again)! I know these things also apply to 2005, but I think 2006 was more of a 'climax'! I suppose late 2006 could be considered the end of the 'classic 2000s'.

2005 and 2006 are basically interchangeable. Both years were great and represent the essence of the 2000s the best.  8)

2005 and 2006 are basically interchangeable. Both years were great and represent the essence of the 2000s the best.  8)

I think 2005 represents the 2000s a lot more. In 2006 things started to look a little bit more modern.

I think 2005 represents the 2000s a lot more. In 20006 things started to look a little bit more modern.

Not really (I would say 2008) but I did vote for 2005 and think that's it's the quintessential 2000s year.

Not really (I would say 2008) but I did vote for 2005 and think that's it's the quintessential 2000s year.

A lot if classic 2000s stuff started to fade away in 2006. They were still there but started getting replaced by newer stuff like for example the release of the Wii in late 2006, popularity of YouTube, and decline of good TV.

A lot if classic 2000s stuff started to fade away in 2006. They were still there but started getting replaced by newer stuff like for example the release of the Wii in late 2006, popularity of YouTube, and decline of good TV.

YouTube took off in late 2007/early 2008 and "decline of good TV" is an opinion. The Wii was released at the end of 2006 but the Wii is still a pretty 2000s thing.

YouTube took off in late 2007/early 2008 and "decline of good TV" is an opinion. The Wii was released at the end of 2006 but the Wii is still a pretty 2000s thing.


I'm pretty sure YouTube took off around early-mid 2007. It was really popular by the time I first discovered the site in the summer of 2007. As for the Wii thing, of course it was a 2000s thing. A lot of people played with the Wii during the late 2000s.

YouTube took off in late 2007/early 2008 and "decline of good TV" is an opinion. The Wii was released at the end of 2006 but the Wii is still a pretty 2000s thing.

No it didn't... Me and all of my friends discovered YouTube in early to mid 2006. As well as all people who are older than 20 years old today. YouTube took off 2006 - 2007, not 2007 - 2008.

I lean a little bit towards 2004.

On the movie front, I think 2004 is indisputably the quintessential '00s year. You had Shrek 2, The Incredibles, Spider-Man 2, iRobot, and The Notebook, plus defining '00s teen movies like Mean Girls  and Napoleon Dynamite. Also, some of the definitive '00s shows were peaking in 2004 like Desperate Housewives, Lost, Survivor, CSI, American Idol, Smallville, The O.C., etc.

Musically, Hip-Hop was in a transition, as early "Ringtone Rap" precursors like J-Kwon and Chingy enjoyed success. In Rock, Nu Metal had all but completely died, while Garage Rock Revival acts like The Killers and Jet dominated. Post-Grunge remained popular with Nickleback and Chevelle, and early Emo artists like Jimmy Eat World and Dashboard Confessional began to establish the genre as a force. 2004 was also arguably the beginning of the success of "indie" artists in the rock mainstream with the likes of Franz Ferdinand and Modest Mouse producing hits.

In gaming, the PlayStation 2 was at the absolute height of it's powers, with mega hits like GTA: San Anreas, Jak III, MGS 3, and Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal just to name a few. Other huge games in 2004 included Halo 2, Fable, ESPN NFL 2K5 and Metroid Prime 2. The most dominant handheld of the '00s, the Nintendo DS launched that fall as well.

Technology wise, 2004 was a huge year. For the first time, with iTunes now on Windows and broadband internet becoming more available, MP3 downloads begin to cut into CD sales. This was also the year when, according to most accounts, broadband internet overtook dial-up. DVD was now the unquestioned top video medium, as VHS sales began to rapidly decline. In the fall, cell phones and MP3 players started to become must have items for teenagers, and a little site called MySpace began to pick up steam as the social media revolution got it's start.

2004, particularly Fall 2004, just feels like Peak '00s to me. It was the start of my senior year, and I finally had my own car, the 2004 Bush/Kerry presidential election was reaching it's climax, kids were watching crap like The Simple Life and using their flip-phones to vote on American Idol (though that was earlier). I would describe myself as a "Peak '00s teen" and 2004 was without a doubt the peak of my teen years.

2002. Everything came together for me that year - my first crush (Swayzak from Toonami on CN), my first phone, getting broadband Internet, first grade...

2003-2006 IMO.