I think people underestimate how much Gen X culture was still around in 1999. While there's no doubting that pop-culture was primarily targeted towards Millennials by this point, there was still a considerable amount of Gen X-targeted culture as well. For starters, 90s-alternative had remained popular well into the second half of the year. Songs such as "Malibu", "Save Tonight", "Pretty Fly (For a White Guy)" and "Shimmer" achieved their biggest success in Early 1999 respectively.

Some of the movies released that year still had a Gen-X aesthetic. In fact, if you watch "The Matrix", the clothing of the general public still looked quite Mid '90s and there was no Y2K fashion visible in the film. In regards to television, shows such as Melrose's Place, Home Improvement, The Nanny and Clueless (based on the movie, which is considered a Gen X staple) still remained in production until the second half of the year.

Many people are under the impression that all aspects of pop-culture in 1999 were solely targeted towards Millennials, however it clearly wasn't the case. There was still an undeniable Gen-X influence in 1999, particularly in the first half of the year.

The Matrix was most likely filmed in 1998; usually films are produced anywhere between about six months to a year before release, and there is a high chance that this is true because it came out in late March 1999.

The Columbine shooting happened in April 20th, and it is often considered to be an event that impacted Millennials more than Gen X. Not to mention, the whole thing about school violence, fear of trench coats (school shooters, like Kip Kinkel from the 1998 Thurston shooting and Barry Loukaitis from the 1996 Frontier Middle School shooting also wore trench coats, but they weren't really so infamous then), and "zero tolerance" policies grew even more, and it made way for possibly hundreds of copycats. I also do believe that a lot of the turbulence from the event got rid of a lot of the influences from the shock rock and goth inspired culture, which ultimately brought us into the peak of the Y2K age.

None of those shows you mentioned, however, were still in production in the second half of the year. However, reality TV was still not really a thing yet until the following year with the premier of Survivor.

The first half of the year still had a little bit of a Gen X vibe to it, but the second half of the year was absolutely, absolutely pop culture targeted towards Millennials, no question about it.

Warren G and Will Smith were still very popular with balls-to-the-wall 90s hip hop in 1999. Some hit ballads, such as "I'm Your Angel," "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time," and "Back at One" seem far more targeted towards those who grew up with love songs in the 80s and 90s than "Because of You" or "Beautiful."

The Matrix was most likely filmed in 1998; usually films are produced anywhere between about six months to a year before release, and there is a high chance that this is true because it came out in late March 1999.

None of those shows you mentioned, however, were still in production in the second half of the year.

The second half of the year was absolutely, absolutely pop culture targeted towards Millennials


Even if you don't take the filming of the movies into account, the films are still representative of the clothing the general public would have worn at the time of release. It's not as if everyone suddenly switched to Y2K-style clothing on the 1st January 1999. A lot of people still would have worn Mid '90s clothing in March 1999, when The Matrix was released.

In regards to the television shows, I mentioned that they were still in production until the second half of the year.

I personally believe that Early 1999 belongs to the same cultural period as 1997 and 1998. By about June/July 1999, the Gen-X influence on pop-culture had pretty much disappeared and after that, pop-culture undeniably became solely targeted towards Millennials, like you mentioned.

Even if you don't take the filming of the movies into account, the films are still representative of the clothing the general public would have worn at the time of release. It's not as if everyone suddenly switched to Y2K-style clothing on the 1st January 1999. A lot of people still would have worn Mid '90s clothing in March 1999, when The Matrix was released.

In regards to the television shows, I mentioned that they were still in production until the second half of the year.

I personally believe that Early 1999 belongs to the same cultural period as 1997 and 1998. By about June/July 1999, the Gen-X influence on pop-culture had pretty much disappeared and after that, pop-culture undeniably became solely targeted towards Millennials, like you mentioned.


Some draw the line between the late 90's and the Y2K era in October 1998 with the release of Britney Spears' Baby One More Time or even August 1998 with the release of Korn's Follow the Leader.

All in all, it's very subjective.

Some draw the line between the late 90's and the Y2K era in October 1998 with the release of Britney Spears' Baby One More Time or even August 1998 with the release of Korn's Follow the Leader.

All in all, it's very subjective.


I agree. You could make a case for Early 1999 belonging to the cultural Late '90s or the Y2K era. There isn't a fine line when Late '90s culture ended and Y2K culture began. I think 1999 is more transitional than what people give it credit for.

We were already adults by then, those of us who are younger Gen Xers.

Warren G and Will Smith were still very popular with balls-to-the-wall 90s hip hop in 1999. Some hit ballads, such as "I'm Your Angel," "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time," and "Back at One" seem far more targeted towards those who grew up with love songs in the 80s and 90s than "Because of You" or "Beautiful."


"I'm Your Angel" was released in mid November 1998, not 1999.

"I'm Your Angel" was released in mid November 1998, not 1999.


It was still at #1 at the start of 1999.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ElORM9O-0U

I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier, but here's another song which adds to the case of 1999 still having Gen X cultural influences.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ElORM9O-0U

I can't believe I didn't think of this earlier, but here's another song which adds to the case of 1999 still having Gen X cultural influences.


Yes that song was released in April of '99, however it was still on the charts into 2000

Yes that song was released in April of '99, however it was still on the charts though 2000 so..


Was it? I didn't know that, to be honest! I know that it disappeared off the Australian chart in December 1999, but I have no idea when it fell of the Billboard Hot 100, UK and NZ charts.

Yeah thinking about it, there was some Gen X culture left, but it wasn't much compared to the Millennials.
Some movies from 1999 I can tell were targeted for Gen X were Fight Club, Boys Don't Cry, Idle Hands maybe Detroit Rock City and possibly American Beauty. The rest being American Pie, Election, Dick, Varsity Blues, Cruel Intentions, She's All That, 10 Things I Hate About You etc. there's no way those can be considered Gen X movies. I've watched them all before and they seem to jive with Millennials especially how they are presented.  When it comes to music, it's true that some Rock and Hip-Hop/Rap was still for Gen X, but the other genres weren't. I mean R&B had already changed a little before 1999 and Techno and Teen Pop was definitely for Millennials by then.

As for TV shows, don't forget that Charmed, Dawson's Creek, Buffy, Sabrina, 7th Heaven, and even Felicity were already on networks before 1999. Those don't seem like Gen X shows either as well.

Some movies from 1999 I can tell were targeted for Gen X were Fight Club, Boys Don't Cry, Idle Hands maybe Detroit Rock City and possibly American Beauty.

I strongly disagree with this movie being Gen-X because it was much more of a cult hit, doing pretty mediocre upon its initial release but then growing drastically in popularity as the 2000s unfolded.

I strongly disagree with this movie being Gen-X because it was much more of a cult hit, doing pretty mediocre upon its initial release but then growing drastically in popularity as the 2000s unfolded.


Some people even believe that Fight Club started the whole "manosphere" thing, and the movie just celebrated its 18th anniversary not even a week ago.

We were already adults by then, those of us who are younger Gen Xers.


I'm considered one of them.

I strongly disagree with this movie being Gen-X because it was much more of a cult hit, doing pretty mediocre upon its initial release but then growing drastically in popularity as the 2000s unfolded.
Oh. My bad. I put it as Gen X because, for some reason, I've seen some folks put the film as one of the defining movies for Millennials and I didn't agree with that notion.

Yeah thinking about it, there was some Gen X culture left, but it wasn't much compared to the Millennials.


I agree. I always thought it was strange that my 1967-born Dad likes 1999 for music, but not the year 2000. Although, it makes sense now. There was still a considerable amount of Gen X influences in 1999. It wasn't entirely Millennial.

The Matrix was most likely filmed in 1998; usually films are produced anywhere between about six months to a year before release, and there is a high chance that this is true because it came out in late March 1999.

The Columbine shooting happened in April 20th, and it is often considered to be an event that impacted Millennials more than Gen X. Not to mention, the whole thing about school violence, fear of trench coats (school shooters, like Kip Kinkel from the 1998 Thurston shooting and Barry Loukaitis from the 1996 Frontier Middle School shooting also wore trench coats, but they weren't really so infamous then), and "zero tolerance" policies grew even more, and it made way for possibly hundreds of copycats. I also do believe that a lot of the turbulence from the event got rid of a lot of the influences from the shock rock and goth inspired culture, which ultimately brought us into the peak of the Y2K age.

None of those shows you mentioned, however, were still in production in the second half of the year. However, reality TV was still not really a thing yet until the following year with the premier of Survivor.

The first half of the year still had a little bit of a Gen X vibe to it, but the second half of the year was absolutely, absolutely pop culture targeted towards Millennials, no question about it.


I agree with this completely.  Columbine killed shock rock, which was a huge influence on the overall zeitgeist at the time.  Late 1999 had a very different feel to it compared to early 1999.

http://time.com/4954072/marilyn-manson-columbine-shooting-career/