Look Back To 2002: What Happened That Year

The Golden Jubilee, the death of the Queen Mother and Pop Idol fever.

Here's 2002 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 2002

• Will Young's 'Anything Is Possible'/'Evergreen' was the year's best-selling single after he won Pop Idol.
• Gareth Gates, Sugababes and Eminem all had number ones.
• Girls Aloud won Popstars: The Rivals and took the Christmas number one with 'Sound of the Underground'.

In the news in 2002

• The Golden Jubilee was celebrated in June, with a concert at Buckingham Palace.
• The Queen Mother died on 30 March, aged 101.
• The euro entered circulation across much of Europe in January; the UK kept the pound.

On screen in 2002

• Freeview launched in October and replaced ITV Digital.
• Spider-Man and The Two Towers were the films of the year.
• I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! began on ITV.

In sport in 2002

• England reached the World Cup quarter-final in Japan and South Korea, losing to Brazil.
• The Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester.
• Arsenal won the double.

Everyday life in 2002

• Text messaging became the main way teenagers arranged anything.
• MSN Messenger was the after-school routine.
• The congestion charge in London was announced for the following February.

If you were born in 2002

• Anyone born in 2002 was born in the Golden Jubilee year.
• They are the same age as Freeview.
• Anyone born in 2002 turns 30 in 2032, 40 in 2042, 50 in 2052, 60 in 2062 and 70 in 2072.
• 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 2005
• Look back to 2004
• Look back to 2003
• Look back to 2001
• Look back to 2000
• The 2000s: the whole decade
• 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

Who won the first Pop Idol?

Will Young, in February 2002, beating Gareth Gates in the final.

What was the Christmas number one in 2002?

'Sound of the Underground' by Girls Aloud.

How old is someone born in 2002?

Subtract 2002 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2042, 50 in 2052, 60 in 2062 and 70 in 2072.

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.