As it is always said, the older you get, the shorter any given period of time feel to you. Back on 1999 when I was 8 years old leaving the 2nd grade going into 3rd grade I would've thought my days as a 4 year old preschooler in 1995 were foreverbut as I got older I realized 1995 wasn't that long ago in 1999. From a pop cultural standpoint, 1995 and 1999 were worlds apart with gangsta rap and grunge being dominant in 1995 and teen pop taking over the world in 1999, apart from pop culture 1995 and 1999 aren't far apart at being that it is only 4 years apart. So how long ago did 1995 feel to you when it was 1999? I'm curious to know.

As it is always said, the older you get, the shorter any given period of time feel to you. Back on 1999 when I was 8 years old leaving the 2nd grade going into 3rd grade I would've thought my days as a 4 year old preschooler in 1995 were forever but as I got older I realized 1995 wasn't that long ago in 1995.From a pop cultural standpoint, 1995 and 1999 were worlds apart with gangsta rap and grunge being dominant in 1995 and teen pop taking over the world in 1999, by apart from pop culture 1995 and 1999 aren't far apart at being that it is only 4 years apart. So how long ago did 1995 feel to you when it was 1999? I'm curious to know.


In 1999 it didn't feel all that long honestly, especially during the early part of the year.  Teen pop was there in 1995.  You had Boys 2 Men and early Backstreet Boys.  Hip-hop wasn't a thing for me until 2000 being that I live in a small town and the radio station here refused to play it back then and my parents wouldn't let me buy any rap CDs at the time.  I started getting into it around the time Eminem released Marshal Mathers LP in 2000.  Aside from hip-hop and the decline of euro-dance, other genres of music weren't that different in 1999 as opposed to 1995.  I remember R&B being pretty much the same.  In terms of rock, a lot more change happened between 1999 and 2001 than between 1995 and 1999.

I don't remember fashion much in 1995 but in 1997 I started wearing JNCOs and XXL t-shirts and had a bowl-style haircut.  I was still wearing the same thing in 1999.  In 2000, I changed to the preppy look with a caesar cut. 

In 1999 it didn't feel all that long honestly, especially during the early part of the year.  Teen pop was there in 1995.  You had Boys 2 Men and early Backstreet Boys.  Hip-hop wasn't a thing for me until 2000 being that I live in a small town and the radio station here refused to play it back then and my parents wouldn't let me buy any rap CDs at the time.  I started getting into it around the time Eminem released Marshal Mathers LP in 2000.  Aside from hip-hop and the decline of euro-dance, other genres of music weren't that different in 1999 as opposed to 1995.  I remember R&B being pretty much the same.  In terms of rock, a lot more change happened between 1999 and 2001 than between 1995 and 1999.

I don't remember fashion much in 1995 but in 1997 I started wearing JNCOs and XXL t-shirts and had a bowl-style haircut.  I was still wearing the same thing in 1999.  In 2000, I changed to the preppy look with a caesar cut.
I never really considered boys to men as teen pop, they are an r&b group and didn't the Backstreet Boys come out in 1997? I never knew they were around in 1995.

Yes and no. Pop culture wise yes.  As you pointed out, music was much more different. Movies were as well. Teen horror in the late nineties vs tween comedies in the mid nineties.
Mid: Camp Nowhere, House Arrest, Man Of The House, Tom & Huck, Carpool
Late: The Faculty, Disturbing Behavior, I Know What You Did Last Summer.
While Scream was at the edge of the 90s it re-started slashers being hits. Into the next decade however it slowed down again. So between 1996 and 1999. But earlier than that really Horror of any kind wasn't so big.

But in general, I don't recall it feeling like a long time. Yes each year feels quicker. But ovcourse I went from 10 to 14. But 2005 to 2009 felt like forever, as does 2010 to 2015.

I never really considered boys to men as teen pop, they are an r&b group and didn't the Backstreet Boys come out in 1997? I never knew they were around in 1995.


Actually, the Backstreet Boys had a minor hit in late 1995, We've Got It Goin' On, which made a mild impact on the Mainstream Top 40 and Billboard Hot 100.  Their international debut album came out in May 1996 in most territories except North America and produced hits immediately; it contained Quit Playing Games (With My Heart) and I'll Never Break Your Heart, in addition to We've Got It Goin' On.  Outside of the United States, their sophomore album was Backstreet's Back, which featured As Long As You Love Me, Everybody (Backstreet's Back), and All I Have to Give.

Boyz II Men was the primary group that influenced the Backstreet Boys, although unlike the latter, they were targeted primarily towards older audiences and not just teenyboppers.

Since I was a little kid, and in my single digit years during the decade, 1999 did feel a long ways from 1995. My age during then, shows my bias.

If you ask me if January 2012 feels a long time ago from January 2016 (which starts tomorrow), I'll probably say no.

To respond to the OP, 1995 did indeed seem pretty distant by 1999, especially considering they're only 4 years apart.  Not only did the massive 1996-1997 school year shift take place during this period, there was also a lot of change that occurred during the 1998-1999 school year.  1995 was still a world of gangsta rap, grungy aesthetics, shows like Beavis & Butthead and Rocko's Modern Life, britpop, angst, and video games for the Super Nintendo.  The Internet may have entered the mainstream in 1995, but it was significantly more fleshed out 4 years later.

In 1999, popular culture was dominated by flashy Abercrombie & Fitch clothing, boy bands like LFO and Backstreet Boys, teen pop princesses like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, Latin pop, post-Ocarina of Time 3D games (as well as the Dreamcast), shows like The Powerpuff Girls, South Park, and The Sopranos; futuristic blockbuster movies with entire worlds made out of CGI like The Matrix and Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, online shopping websites like Amazon and eBay, nu-metal, tube tops and sweatpants, frosted tips, new school gangsta rap (post-Chronic 2001), and Dot Com prosperity.  The whole atmosphere of 1999 was extremely different from 1995, as it felt high-tech, happy, flashy, and heavily commercial, unlike the gloomy, diverse, and laid-back world of the mid-90s.  Adolescent culture was targeting the millennials exclusively instead of late Generation X, and the difference is easy to pick out.

Some what. I think during the 1998-2002 era, it was distant but it felt close enough to 1995 that instead of feeling like yesterday, it felt like a week ago (does that make sense?). It certainly less grungy, that's for sure. 

Felt like a long time to me, but those were a part of the bullying years in my lifetime.  :(

Felt like a long time to me, but those were a part of the bullying years in my lifetime.  :(


Mid to late 90s?  ???

1995 and 1999 are  themselves 4 years apart, but if we are talking say December 1995 and January 1999 then that pretty much 3 years and a month, not even 3 1\2 years and that certainly does NOT seem like a long time ago to me.

It's just four years apart from each other.

It's just four years apart from each other.
Plus one extra day for the leap year of 1996.

I was too young to notice or care by 1999 as I barely remember 1995. I can say 1995 and 1999 aren't just a few years apart now that I'm older once I think about those years into debt.

Plus one extra day for the leap year of 1996.


Still, they were just four years apart from each other.

It definitely did to me being 14 and in the middle of puberty, since 1995 sort of was like the last full year where it was cool for me to do "kid things", and I entered high school in 1999 and was still in elementary/primary school in 1995. And the Internet was a noticeable difference. In 1995, all I ever heard about the Internet was in the media, while in late 1999, I was using it nearly daily and it made the offline world of the early-mid 90s that I was accustomed to seem quaint, especially with more primitive computer graphics. It's also a big reason why the mid-90s is the newest that still feel "vintage" to me, while the very late '90s/early '00s are still just "old and back in the day" to me. I even noticed how much more "tech and polished" '99 felt compared to the more organic, free-spirited 1995. One more difference is that between Toy Story 1 (1995) and Toy Story 2 (1999). The former was a novelty since it was to a feature CGI film to what Snow White was nearly 60 years earlier to cel animation, while the second felt much more normal, even if still noticeably different from earlier CG films. Finally, I noticed that many of my peers weren't as into Pokemon (I was perhiphery demo) compared to Power Rangers (right on target).

It definitely did to me being 14 and in the middle of puberty, since 1995 sort of was like the last full year where it was cool for me to do "kid things", and I entered high school in 1999 and was still in elementary/primary school in 1995. And the Internet was a noticeable difference. In 1995, all I ever heard about the Internet was in the media, while in late 1999, I was using it nearly daily and it made the offline world of the early-mid 90s that I was accustomed to seem quaint, especially with more primitive computer graphics. It's also a big reason why the mid-90s is the newest that still feel "vintage" to me, while the very late '90s/early '00s are still just "old and back in the day" to me. I even noticed how much more "tech and polished" '99 felt compared to the more organic, free-spirited 1995. One more difference is that between Toy Story 1 (1995) and Toy Story 2 (1999). The former was a novelty since it was to a feature CGI film to what Snow White was nearly 60 years earlier to cel animation, while the second felt much more normal, even if still noticeably different from earlier CG films. Finally, I noticed that many of my peers weren't as into Pokemon (I was perhiphery demo) compared to Power Rangers (right on target).
Well the early 90s were closer both culturally and technologically to the late 80s than they were to the mid 90s just the late 90s(with the exception of 1997) and early 00s were part of the same era culturally whereas the mid 90s seemed like an era of its own, kind of techy and modern but still kind of pre digital at the same time.

I was way too young to care about this sort of thing at the time. Observing from a present point of view, 1995 doesn't seem too different from 1999, nor does it seem too different from 1991. Four years isn't long enough for something to feel like "a long time ago", regardless of how much things change. 2012 doesn't feel like a long time ago to me, but considering we're only in the first week of the new year, I guess that's redundant. If I were to compare present day to say, September 2011, then I still feel like that wasn't a long time ago yet.

Four years isn't long enough for something to feel like "a long time ago", regardless of how much things change. 2012 doesn't feel like a long time ago to me, but considering we're only in the first week of the new year, I guess that's redundant. If I were to compare present day to say, September 2011, then I still feel like that wasn't a long time ago yet.


To me it depends on when the pop culture suddenly goes through a major shift or change. I agree that none of the years in the 2010's is long time ago yet. In fact, everything from late 2008-present is yesterday to me. Prior to that time it feels like long time ago.

Really, the mid-90s were a completely different world from both the 80s and 2000s.  The 90s were an extremely changeful decade as a whole.  There are certain technologies and music genres that existed in 1995 that would remain popular years later, but the aesthetics and style of these things would change drastically by then.

To me it depends on when the pop culture suddenly goes through a major shift or change. I agree that none of the years in the 2010's is long time ago yet. In fact, everything from late 2008-present is yesterday to me. Prior to that time it feels like long time ago.


Early 2011 and earlier feels like forever ago to me. Still, after a massive change in culture and zeigeist, things don't remain static. 2008 (which is, to be frank, 90% like the core aughts) is undeniably 2000's. 2009 was really the year that started it all. While I agree 2009 and 2016 are defined by the same music and movie trends, 2009 feels really old compared to today. The problem with long-lasting trends is that the early stages tend to age like milk, because they are constantly evolving. The EDM, synthpop, and indie of today are so different from 2009. Let's use Pokemon: 2009-2011 would be Charmander, 2012 & '13 would be Charmeleon, and 2014-2016 is Charizard.

Your sentiment seems to be heavily based on your personal life. I assume your life hasn't changed much from 2008-to now? Mine has. A lot. It's too complicated to explain in one post, but the events and circumstances of my life have really affected my view of the past.

Your sentiment seems to be heavily based on your personal life. I assume your life hasn't changed much from 2008-to now? Mine has. A lot. It's too complicated to explain in one post, but the events and circumstances of my life have really affected my view of the past.


My personal life and actions have definitely changed a lot since 2008, but the thing is, as you get older, your memories crystallize a lot more and time seems to go by much faster. I can't believe I'm already in my 2nd semester of sophomore year college turning 20 next month. 2008 was a transitional year for my personal life, because it's the year my whole house got renovated and my youngest sister including 2 other cousins were born who are all in 1st & 2nd grade now. The 2nd half of 2008 being transitional pop culturally, politically, and economically helps a lot too. All of that feels like yesterday to me. There's no question all of my high school years and the pop culture at the time feels like yesterday, it hasn't been long at all. For example, at the time my freshman year of high school was going on (2010-2011), 5th grade (2006-2007) already felt like long time ago 4 years prior (which now feels a lot more further). My freshman year of high school is closer to my 5th grade year in elementary school than present day yet my 5th grade memories already felt like long time ago by the time I hit high school, but my freshman year high school memories right now still feels so yesterday to me, my classes, teachers, my friends & acquaintances, and all the cross country practices/races I went through.

What about 1996? Did 3 years feel like a distant past to any of you back in 1999?

What about 1996? Did 3 years feel like a distant past to any of you back in 1999?


1996 felt more connected to 1998-2002 than 1995 did so it didn't feel as long ago.

In 1999 it didn't feel all that long honestly, especially during the early part of the year.  Teen pop was there in 1995.  You had Boys 2 Men and early Backstreet Boys.  Hip-hop wasn't a thing for me until 2000 being that I live in a small town and the radio station here refused to play it back then and my parents wouldn't let me buy any rap CDs at the time.  I started getting into it around the time Eminem released Marshal Mathers LP in 2000.  Aside from hip-hop and the decline of euro-dance, other genres of music weren't that different in 1999 as opposed to 1995.  I remember R&B being pretty much the same. In terms of rock, a lot more change happened between 1999 and 2001 than between 1995 and 1999.

I don't remember fashion much in 1995 but in 1997 I started wearing JNCOs and XXL t-shirts and had a bowl-style haircut.  I was still wearing the same thing in 1999.  In 2000, I changed to the preppy look with a caesar cut.


Okay, I may be too young to remember 1995, but I know for a fact that rock music from 1999 was more similar to rock music in 2001. Sure there were differences between 1999 and 2001, but there's no way 1999 was more similar to 1995. The late 90s in general were closer to the early 00s than they were to the mid 90s.

Okay, I may be too young to remember 1995, but I know for a fact that rock music from 1999 was more similar to rock music in 2001. Sure there were differences between 1999 and 2001, but there's no way 1999 was more similar to 1995. The late 90s in general were closer to the early 00s than they were to the mid 90s.
With the exception of 1997 because 1997 was culturally closer to the mid 90s than to the early 00s.

Okay, I may be too young to remember 1995, but I know for a fact that rock music from 1999 was more similar to rock music in 2001. Sure there were differences between 1999 and 2001, but there's no way 1999 was more similar to 1995. The late 90s in general were closer to the early 00s than they were to the mid 90s.


You're right about that one. There were much, much bigger changes between 1995 and 1999 than 1999 and 2001. By 1998, rock music was already very early 2000's sounding and really didn't go through anymore major changes until 2003/2004.


With the exception of 1997 because 1997 was culturally closer to the mid 90s than to the early 00s.


This is true. 1997 is the last mid/core 90's year.