Look Back To 2001: What Happened That Year

Foot-and-mouth, 11 September and the first iPod.

Here's 2001 in full - the music, the news, the screen, the sport and the ordinary details. Good for a birthday card, a party quiz round or a reminiscence session.

In the charts in 2001

• 'It Wasn't Me' by Shaggy and 'Can't Get You Out of My Head' by Kylie Minogue were the year's biggest singles.
• Hear'Say, formed on Popstars, went straight to number one and then straight back down again.
• Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman had the Christmas number one with 'Somethin' Stupid'.

In the news in 2001

• The foot-and-mouth outbreak closed footpaths and delayed the general election to June.
• The 11 September attacks in the United States were watched live on rolling news.
• Labour won a second landslide general election.

On screen in 2001

• Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring both opened.
• The Office began on BBC Two in July.
• Pop Idol started on ITV in the autumn.

In sport in 2001

• England beat Germany 5-1 in Munich on 1 September.
• Liverpool won a cup treble.
• Goran Ivanisevic won Wimbledon as a wildcard.

Everyday life in 2001

• The first iPod was launched in October.
• Wikipedia started in January.
• Broadband was being advertised heavily but was still a minority at home.

If you were born in 2001

• Anyone born in 2001 shares a birth year with the first iPod and Wikipedia.
• They have never known a world before rolling news coverage of 11 September.
• Anyone born in 2001 turns 30 in 2031, 40 in 2041, 50 in 2051, 60 in 2061 and 70 in 2071.
• For a milestone card, the strongest line is usually the number one from the week they were born rather than the year's biggest events - it's personal, and it takes two minutes to find.
• For a reminiscence session, read one section at a time and stop on whatever gets a reaction. The point is the conversation, not the facts.

Shop birthday cards

How to write it so it lands

• The number one from the week they were born beats the year's headlines on a card.
• Read one section at a time in a reminiscence session and stop where the conversation starts.
• Use it as a guess-the-year round by reading three facts and hiding the date.

Where to shop next

• Look back to 2004
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• 2000s party playlist
• 00s quiz questions
• Dial-up, MSN and MySpace
• Adverts we can still recite
• Decade music round questions
• The 2020s so far
• The 2010s: the whole decade
• The 1990s: the whole decade
• The 1980s: the whole decade
• The 1970s: the whole decade
• The 1960s: the whole decade
• The 1950s: the whole decade
• The 1940s: the whole decade
• The 1930s: the whole decade
• The 1920s: the whole decade
• Decade calendar: every year from 1920
• Decade trivia: fun facts by era
• Decade trivia game: play for points
• Decade guides: books, films and TV by era
• Decade recipes: dishes and food trends by era
• Decade travel: destinations and holidays by era
• Decade tech: gadgets and computers by era
• Decade films: best movies and directors by era
• Decade art: artists, styles and trends by era
• Decade books: best novels, authors and reading trends
• Music by decade: albums, artists and songs
• Decade fashion: clothes, hair and accessories by era
• Nostalgia gift shop
• Retro party supplies
• Nostalgia birthday party by decade
• Nostalgia hamper and gift ideas
• Guess the year quiz
• Care home reminiscence quiz
• Reminiscence gifts for grandparents
• Milestone birthday cards
• Shop birthday cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What was the Christmas number one in 2001?

'Somethin' Stupid' by Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman.

Why was the 2001 general election delayed?

The foot-and-mouth outbreak led to the election being moved from May to 7 June 2001.

How old is someone born in 2001?

Subtract 2001 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2041, 50 in 2051, 60 in 2061 and 70 in 2071.

Do you sell anything to do with this year?

We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK, including milestone birthday cards. This page itself is free to read and free to copy.