To mark the 200th edition of The Guide, we have compiled a list of the films, TV shows, albums, and other cultural milestones that have shaped the past 25 years. Rather than a definitive ranking, this selection aims to illustrate how popular culture has evolved since the turn of the millennium.
In 2000, Channel 4's Big Brother revolutionised reality TV, its influence seen in everything from The Real Housewives to Love Island. Despite the often-derivative shows that followed, the first series was a radical social experiment and gripping drama, particularly when contestant 'Nasty Nick' broke the rules. That same year, Radiohead's Kid A abandoned guitars to revitalise rock music, while The Sims let players control virtual lives.
The year 2001 saw the rise of the mashup, exemplified by The Grey Album, which combined Jay-Z's The Black Album with the Beatles' White Album. This trend presaged the cut-and-paste style of modern artists like PinkPantheress. Meanwhile, Studio Ghibli's Spirited Away enchanted Western audiences, and Jeremy Deller's re-enactment of the Battle of Orgreave became a landmark in participatory art.
Aleksandr Sokurov's Russian Ark (2002) pioneered the single-take technique, later adopted by directors in films from war epics to introspective dramas. Unlike many imitators, Sokurov's film was authentically shot in one uninterrupted take through the Hermitage Museum. That year also saw Martin McDonagh's violent play The Lieutenant of Inishmore and the debut of The Wire, which elevated television to novelistic storytelling.
Olafur Eliasson's The Weather Project, installed in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall in 2003, transformed the public's relationship with contemporary art. Visitors flocked to the giant, glowing sun, described by critic Jonathan Jones as an 'almost psychotropic transformation of human social behaviour'. Elsewhere, Marjane Satrapi's graphic novel Persepolis and the White Stripes' Seven Nation Army became cultural touchstones.
Blizzard Entertainment's World of Warcraft, launched in 2004, dominated the massively multiplayer online role-playing game genre. With an estimated 7.5 million players, its virtual world of Azeroth boasted a population larger than Denmark's. That year also saw Team America: World Police satirise liberal politics, while Strictly Come Dancing and The X Factor reshaped Saturday night television.
Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go (2005) exemplified the blending of literary and genre fiction, a trend that accelerated in the 21st century. The poignant, sci-fi-tinged novel resonated deeply with a generation of readers.
