We here at Consequence like to consider not just the latest and greatest nuggets of pop culture, but the landmark moments of the past — especially when a significant anniversary happens to be involved. So, with it officially being 25 years since the watershed year that was 1999, today marks the beginning of ’99 Rewind: Each week, Consequence will be paying tribute to a specific film, TV show, album, song, or festival that first debuted 25 years ago.
Why look back to the days of President Bill Clinton and Internet bandwidth that took an hour to download a movie trailer? The concept for ’99 Rewind actually evolved organically out of the realization that a vast amount of game-changing projects were released over the course of those 12 months: It was a time when musical artists like Britney Spears and Eminem released their breakout albums, movies like The Matrix and Fight Club blew our minds, and all TV was appointment TV (unless you knew how to program your VCR).
We’ll be writing about those things and many more contributions to the landscape of film, TV, and music as the project progresses. Expect a mix of think pieces, interviews, lists, and more planned to tackle not just why these projects were so significant back then, but what kind of impact they had on the years to come. (If you want a hint as to what our kickoff installment might be, open up the Max app right now. Update: Or, just check out our first ’99 Rewind on The Sopranos now.)
The contributors to this project all have very different relationships to the year 1999 — some of us were on the cusp of adulthood or older, while others were a little too young to attend Woodstock ’99. (One of us might not have been born yet, a fact that the older members of the staff would prefer not to dwell on.) What we all agree on is that in comparison to other years, 1999 represents a lot of seismic shifts within all these different industries, as 20th-century philosophies and attitudes began to prepare for a new century.
So, every Friday from here on out, drop by Consequence to time travel with us. Because 1999 might feel like a long time ago, but it still can be felt in everything we consume today.