Look Back To 2015: What Happened That Year

The Queen's record reign, Leicester's title run beginning and Adele's return.

Here's 2015 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 2015

• Adele's 'Hello' and the album 25 broke sales records on release in the autumn.
• 'Uptown Funk' by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars was the year's best-selling single.
• The NHS Choir's 'A Bridge Over You' was the Christmas number one, beating Justin Bieber after he asked fans to support it.

In the news in 2015

• The Conservatives won the general election in May with a small majority.
• The Queen became the longest-reigning British monarch on 9 September.
• The 5p carrier bag charge came in in England on 5 October.

On screen in 2015

• Star Wars: The Force Awakens opened in December.
• Poldark and The Night Manager brought Sunday drama back.
• Inside Out and Mad Max: Fury Road were the year's best-reviewed films.

In sport in 2015

• England were knocked out of their own Rugby World Cup at the group stage.
• Leicester City began the 2015-16 season as 5000-1 outsiders.
• Lewis Hamilton won a third Formula One title.

Everyday life in 2015

• Apple Pay arrived in the UK in July.
• Deliveroo and Uber spread from London to most cities.
• Streaming subscriptions overtook downloads in music spending.

If you were born in 2015

• Anyone born in 2015 has never carried a free supermarket carrier bag.
• They were born the year the Queen became the longest-reigning British monarch.
• Anyone born in 2015 turns 30 in 2045, 40 in 2055, 50 in 2065, 60 in 2075 and 70 in 2085.
• 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 2018
• Look back to 2017
• Look back to 2016
• Look back to 2014
• Look back to 2013
• Look back to 2012
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• How to run a quiz night
• Decade music round questions
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• The 2020s so far
• The 2000s: 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
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• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What was the Christmas number one in 2015?

'A Bridge Over You' by the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Choir, which outsold Justin Bieber after he publicly backed it.

When did the Queen become the longest-reigning monarch?

9 September 2015, passing Queen Victoria's reign.

How old is someone born in 2015?

Subtract 2015 from the current year. They turn 40 in 2055, 50 in 2065, 60 in 2075 and 70 in 2085.

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.