1990s nostalgia is nostalgia for certain aspects of the 1990s. 1990s nostalgia is a form of decade nostalgia. 1990s retro is retro related to the 1990s.
Demographics According to a 2023 GWI poll, 61% of Generation Y, born between 1983 and 1996, had nostalgia for media from the 1990s in twelve markets. The same was true of 55% of Generation X born between 1964 and 1982.Stephanie Harlow. How are Gen Z and millennials driving nostalgia?. GWI.
Music A 2010 Music Choice Europe survey of people in Europe found that the 1990s was the second most popular decade for music.1980s voted most popular decade of music. Music News. 7 March 2010. In 2023, GWI said that the 1990s was the most popular decade for music among Generation Z. There have been reissues of 1990s rave music.Michaelangelo Matos. Dance music gets nostalgic: the disco and rave reissue boom. The Guardian. 2 June 2011. There are 1990s nostalgia radio stations.
Film and television There has been nostalgia for Home Alone,Jenny Garnsworthy. UK’s favourite Christmas film confirmed – and it’s not Love Actually. Independent. 2 December 2025.Alice Dear. Home Alone is officially the UK's favourite Christmas film, research finds. Heart. 2 December 2022.Gerrad Hall. Each state's favorite '90s movie. Entertainment Weekly. 30 August 2018.Roseann Cattani. Is 'Home Alone' the most popular Christmas movie in California? A survey says so. The Desert Sun. 27 November 2024. Jurassic Park,Jurassic Park, Home Alone and The Matrix are among the greatest movies of the 1990s, according to Brits. The i Paper. 20 March 2019. Babylon 5, The X Files, FarscapeThe Best Sci-Fi Characters of All Time: the verdict. BFI. Updated 19 December 2014.Simon Bull. Doctor Who vs Ellen Ripley? See who's where in top 10 greatest sci-fi characters of all time after BFI poll. News Shopper. 22 December 2014.Morgan Jeffery. Doctor Who narrowly beats Babylon 5 to be named your favourite science-fiction show of all time. Digital Spy. 4 July 2016. Mr. Bean and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.Steven Smith. Research finds the top children's TV shows of the 1990s and 2000s. Derbyshire Live. 12 June 2022.
Ireland There is nostalgia for Father Ted.Sandra Mallon. Father Ted named Ireland's favourite TV series of all time. Irish Mirror. 7 March 2024.David Coleman. Father Ted our favourite TV show ever, survey finds. Irish Mirror. 26 August 2013.
Japan
In Japan, 1990s nostalgia is part of the broader phenomenon of Heisei nostalgia and "Heisei retro"."Heisei" is the Japanese era name of the Heisei era that began in 1989 and ended in 2019. There is nostalgia for the 1990s music of Kohmi Hirose,「め組のひと」「ダンシングヒーロー」TikTokを中心に、若い世代に支持される昭和歌謡の懐かしソング. Fujin Kōron. 5 February 2023. Nanase Aikawa,相川七瀬のデビュー曲「夢見る少女じゃいられない」が日本レコード協会でプラチナ認定！. RBB TODAY. 19 March 2025. Spitz and Ringo Sheena;今年海外でもっとも再生された日本の楽曲は？Spotifyが2022年振り返るランキング発表. Natalie. 7 December 2022. for 1990s toys such as TamagotchiElizabeth Beattie.Tamagotchi hatches 100 million shipments worldwide thanks to ’90s nostalgia. The Japan Times. 2 September 2025. and Beyblade;石井聡. 「コロコロコミック研究所」、男子小学生の「平成レトロ」に関するアンケートの結果を公開. Manga Watch, from Impress Watch. 26 May 2026. and for 1990s characters such as Tarepanda.小林揚. 驚きの“シール”リバイバルブーム 平成女児が動かす文具市場. Nikkei Xtrend (日経クロストレンド). 20 May 2026.小林揚. たれぱんだにボンボンドロップシール 昭和99年の次は“平成レトロ”. Nikkei Xtrend. 9 January 2026.「令和の平成再ブーム」ランキング、厚底シューズを抑えた"エモい"グッズは【第4位以下】. ピンズバNEWS. 4 February 2026. 1990s fashions, such as loose socks,ルーズソックスに写ルンです…「平成レトロ」にZ世代が注目するのはなぜなのか＜まちビズ最前線＞. Tokyo Shimbun. 30 October 2022.女子高生に流行った「ルーズソックス」が戻ってきた！ 再ブームの背景は？. ITmedia ビジネス Online, from ITmedia. 28 December 2023. elements of 1990s Gyaru,Samuel Thomas. March’s biggest fashion drops are mired in nostalgia. The Japan Times. 11 March 2023. and 1990s makeup, have been revived.Kanami Otomitsu. Red lips, bushy brows in again as bubble-era makeup returns in Japan. Japan Wire by Kyodo News. 5 April 2019. Sunny (2018) is a 1990s nostalgia film.Mark Schilling. ’Sunny’: The gang reunites for some 1990s nostalgia. The Japan Times. 22 August 2018. There have been reboots of 1990s television series such as Sailor Moon and Neon Genesis Evangelion.Patrick St. Michel. Think the U.S. Is Having a '90s Nostalgia Craze? Take a Look at Japan. The Atlantic. 1 July 2013.Jonathan Clements and Helen McCarthy. The Anime Encyclopedia. 3rd Revised Edition. Stone Bridge Press. Berkeley, California. 2015. . p 712.
Korea 20th Century Girl (2022) is a nostalgia film about the 1990s.Song Seung-hyun. Netflix film '20th Century Girl’ to bring back 1990s nostalgia. The Korea Herald. 19 October 2022.
Philippines One Hit Wonder (2025) is a 1990s nostalgia film.Fred Hawson. ‘One Hit Wonder’ review: '90s nostalgia and a love story worth rooting for. ABS-CBN. 24 August 2025.
United Kingdom There has been nostalgia for the 1990s music of Radiohead,George Griffiths. Official Charts and BBC Radio 1 and 2 team up to reveal the UK's Official most-streamed songs of the past 70 years. Official Charts. 3 November 2022. The Verve,Tim Walker. BBC releases list of the most-streamed songs from 70 years of the Official Singles Chart. WalesOnline. 4 November 2022. ToploaderGeorge Griffiths. The Top 300 most-streamed songs by UK artists from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Official Charts. 8 May 2023. and Oasis;Helen Ainsley. The UK's Official Top 200 most-streamed albums of the 70s, 80s and 90s revealed. Official Charts. 28 November 2021. and for The Crystal Maze, Keeping up Appearances,The Nostalgia Report: What do Brits miss about the past?. Betway Insider. 11 April 2025. the Orange Man,Andrew Farmer. The most seen and best liked ads of the past five decades. YouGov. 27 June 2018. [The picture is a frame from the Orange Man].The 100 Greatest TV Adverts. Channel 4. BritpopAlexis Petridis. Do you remember the first time? Why Britpop nostalgia just won’t go away. The Guardian. 22 August 2025.Alexis Petridis. Britpop is back! What's behind the 90s music revival? The Guardian. 6 September 2018. and 1990s raves.James Tapper. Raves from the grave: lost 90s subculture is back in the spotlight. The Guardian. 26 June 2021. There have been revivals of 1990s food branding.Chas Newkey-Burden. Why is everyone so obsessed with the 1990s?. The Week UK. 27 August 2025.Emily Watkins. Tragic millennials with disposable incomes just want to relive their childhood. The i Paper. 25 August 2025.
1990s nostalgia music television channels have included Now 90sAndre Paine. Now Music launches 90s TV channel. Music Week. 11 December 2017. and MTV 90s.Susan Swarbrick. MTV 80s and MTV 90s launch – does anyone else feel old?. The Herald. 24 March 2022. There have been 1990s nostalgia documentaries,Joel Golby. Channel 4's nostalgia trip through the decades is close to TV heaven. The Guardian. 26 December 2020.Ben Travis. Geri’s 1990s: Spice Girls singer recalls the era of Britpop, rave, and Princess Diana in BBC2 documentary. The Standard. 10 March 2017. radio scheduling,Kate Solomon. ‘Today’s music just doesn’t compare’: Why the pandemic is making us turn to the 90s. The i Paper. 13 January 2022. performances,Rachael Healy. ‘Is it nostalgia or were the 90s just wicked?’: millennial artists revive ‘Cool Britannia’ era. The Guardian. 14 July 2024. restaurantsLauren Bravo. Dine Like It's The 70s/80s/90s Again In London's New Wave Of Nostalgia Restaurants. Refinery29. 21 August 2016. and experiential theatre.Matilda Battersby. From Crystal Maze to Knightmare: Why vintage TV is being resurrected on our screens and as experiential theatre. Independent. 16 June 2016.Stuart Heritage. Fetch me Pat Sharp! Forget Crystal Maze – nostalgic millennials need Fun House. The Guardian. 5 April 2016. Heart 90s and Absolute Radio 90s are 1990s nostalgia radio stations.
1990s music was the fourth most popular decade's music in 2017.Matthew Smith. The '80s is Brits' top music decade. YouGov. 20 June 2017. There have been reunions of 1990s bands.Olivia Goldhill. Why are we in a glut of ‘90s pop nostalgia? The Daily Telegraph. 5 December 2014.Laura Barton. Are you ready for a 90s revival?. The Guardian. 4 September 2008.Alex Marshall. Britpop’s Back. But What Happened to Cool Britannia?. The New York Times. 26 July 2023. The Battle (2026) is a 1990s nostalgia play.Mark Fisher. The Battle review – Britpop bickering and 90s nostalgia in Blur v Oasis comedy. The Guardian. 18 February 2026.
Briscoe said that 1990s nostalgia frequently views the 1990s through an American lens that does not accurately reflect 1990s Britain.Amy Briscoe. Our history is being filtered by fake 90s nostalgia. Independent. 18 July 2022.
United States There has been nostagia for Seinfeld, Frasier, Friends,Stephen Iervolino. 'Friends' tops poll as "Best TV Show Ever". ABC Audio Digital Syndication. 1 February 2022. 1990s children's televisionClaire Suddath. Remember the 1990s? Good, Because They're Back. Time. 12 August 2011.Brian Stelter. The Good Ol’ Days of 20 Years Ago. The New York Times. 18 July 2011. and 1990s fashion.Clifton Mark. Gen Z says the ’90s were peak style—and these are the brands that prove it. YouGov. 14 April 2025. There is 1990s nostalgia among Generation Y.Jen Newman. Millennial nostalgia brings '80s, '90s back into trend. abcnews. 28 December 2022. In 2013, the 1990s was one of two decades that people aged between 18 and 29 wanted to time travel to more than any other decade.PJW and LP. We still like Ike. The Economist. 20 August 2013.Jessica Hartogs. Poll: What decade would you most like to time-travel back to?. CBS News. 20 August 2013.Ben Henderson. 1950s most popular destination for would-be time travelers. YouGov. 13 August 2013. There have been 1990s nostalgia conventions.Madeleine Aggeler. Millennials Pay for a Dose of ’90s Nostalgia. The New York Times. 31 March 2023.