15 Reasons Why 1994 Seems Like A Long Time Ago

Can you believe 1994 is 20 years ago? Here are some things from that year which will make you realise how old you are…

Tim Berners-Lee invented the World wide web

No, not the internet, the Web – that network which connects the more nebulous Net thanks to http language. Sir Tim, as he’s now known, did it at CERN in Switzerland, now home to the Large Hadron Collider. And what’s even more great? He gave the concept away for free.

The OJ murders took place

It was one of the biggest celebrity trials in history, thanks to Johnny Cochrane’s showboating, the whole “if the gloves don’t fit, you must acquit” thing and the fact that he actually did get off (he was found liable at a civil trial later). But most importantly, did you know that one of OJ’s defence lawyers was Kim Kardashian’s dad?

Everyone sent messages by fax machine

The telex was for losers – and only nerds had an email address (most of us had never heard of such a thing and those who had had addresses like bob@yahoo.com). No, the only way to convey crucial messages on paper was by fax machine, even if most of them had that annoying waxy scroll that kept on curling up.

Silvio Berlusconi was elected Prime Minister of Italy for the first time

Back in 1994, Silvio was just a humble media billionaire, who told two Italian journalists he was getting into politics because he was worried he would be put in prison (for various alleged bribes). Galvanising his empire to promote him, he ended up winning the election at the first attempt. According to a then-poll, he was voted as the best-loved public figure in Italy, just ahead of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesus.

Jean-Claude Van Damme released his last good film

One minute he’s got a mullet, is travelling around being a Timecop, doing the splits and getting off with the girl from Ferris Bueller. The next he’s having to share the screen with honorary North Korean Dennis Rodman in Double Team. He never recovered.

Harry Styles was born

Anne and Des were proud parents when Harry Edward appeared on 1 February in Redditch, Worcestershire. Of course, he had to move away from there – partly so he could join One Direction and partly because he’d slept with every woman in the region.

So was Justin Bieber

Steven Spielberg won an Oscar for Schindler’s List

We knew he was brilliant at blockbusters – Jurassic Park was released in 1993 too – but the legendary director was finally taken seriously as a dramatic force when he won the Oscar in March 1994 for his gruelling Holocaust drama.

First-person shooter Doom was the biggest game around

Still one the best and most influential shoot-em-ups ever made, it was an essential on any young person’s computer. And best of all, the early versions were shareware. Check out those graphics – state of the art.

Ayrton Senna died during an F1 race

Possibly the worst weekend in Formula 1 history, the San Marino Grand Prix saw the death of Roland Ratzenberger in qualifying, Rubens Barrichello was seriously injured, while Senna died during the race itself after hitting a concrete wall coming off a corner at 190 mph.

Whigfield was a thing

It was one of the worst songs of the year, but that didn’t stop everyone doing the rubbish dance every time they went to a Ritzy’s nightclub. Sannie Carlson from Denmark is still releasing records, but none of them are as cheap or as effective as this one. Amazingly, between 1994 and 1997 she sold more records than Blur and Oasis combined.

Bill Hicks died

There are so many terrible comedians still plugging away and while we don’t wish them any harm, it’s awful to think that the visionary Hicks was the one to go, aged just 32 from pancreatic cancer. Pretty much every new comedian since has been influenced by him in some way, whether they admit it or not.

The most famous lyrics of the year were "Mmmm mmmm mmmm mmmm"

And still no-one knows whether it was supposed to mean something or if the Crash Test Dummies were just lazy.

Before the grills, George Foreman became the oldest heavyweight boxing champion

The boxing legend was 45 and an underdog when he regained the title he’d lost for the first time 20 years previously to Muhammad Ali by beating Michael Moorer on 5 November in Las Vegas. It’s not known if he had a grilled cheese sandwich or poorly-made hamburger before knocking Moorer out, but he certainly deserved one afterwards.

Professor Brian Cox was better known as a waistcoat-wearing dancing synth player in D:Ream

That hair, that outfit…he’s lucky he was ever allowed back on telly.