Look Back To 2009: What Happened That Year

Recession, MPs' expenses and a Christmas number one campaign that worked.

Here's 2009 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 2009

• Rage Against the Machine's 'Killing in the Name' beat The X Factor to the Christmas number one after an online campaign.
• Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas and La Roux were the sound of the year.
• Susan Boyle's Britain's Got Talent audition became one of the most-watched clips of the decade.

In the news in 2009

• The MPs' expenses scandal ran from May and ended several political careers.
• The UK was in recession for most of the year.
• Michael Jackson died on 25 June.

On screen in 2009

• Avatar opened in December and became the highest-grossing film ever at the time.
• The Inbetweeners and Miranda were the comedies people quoted.
• Analogue television switch-off was rolling region by region.

In sport in 2009

• England regained the Ashes at the Oval in August.
• Jenson Button won the Formula One title with Brawn GP.
• Barcelona beat Manchester United in the Champions League final in Rome.

Everyday life in 2009

• WhatsApp was founded; Twitter went mainstream in Britain.
• Car scrappage schemes and quantitative easing were in every news bulletin.
• Netflix was still posting DVDs; streaming in Britain was barely a thing.

If you were born in 2009

• Anyone born in 2009 is the last of the 2000s.
• They were born the year the Ashes came back and Avatar came out.
• Anyone born in 2009 turns 30 in 2039, 40 in 2049, 50 in 2059, 60 in 2069 and 70 in 2079.
• 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 2008
• Look back to 2007
• Look back to 2006
• 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

What was the Christmas number one in 2009?

'Killing in the Name' by Rage Against the Machine, after a Facebook campaign to stop The X Factor winner taking the top spot.

What was the MPs' expenses scandal?

From May 2009 the Daily Telegraph published details of MPs' expense claims, leading to resignations, repayments and a new independent watchdog.

How old is someone born in 2009?

Subtract 2009 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2049, 50 in 2059, 60 in 2069 and 70 in 2079.

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.