Smart phones(01 of14)
Open Image ModalLong before we had phones that you could carry around in your pocket - and which doubled up as cameras, Internet browsers, music players, and maps - the telephone in 1996 was something mounted to the wall on a cord or, if you were really lucky, that you could carry around the house. (credit:Rex)
Channel 5(02 of14)
Open Image ModalYes, Channel 5 wasn't officially launched until 1997. Until then, terrestrial telly was made up of just four channels. Where would you be without the high-quality programming Channel 5 has to offer, including 'Celebrity Big Brother' and about 10 different programmes about benefits? (credit:Rex)
'Harry Potter'(03 of14)
Open Image ModalThe 'Harry Potter' series, indubitably one of the 20th century's biggest cultural phenomenons, didn't actually kick off until the release of 'The Philosopher's Stone' in 1997. In fact, if you told someone a year earlier that the book everyone would be talking about would be a children's novel series about a teenage wizard and his pet owl, they'd probably look at you like you were some class of crazed Muggle. (credit:James Fraser/REX)
iPods(04 of14)
Open Image ModaliPods changed the way we listen to music forever... but sadly for the people of 1996, they had to do with lugging CD walkmans everywhere they went if they wanted to enjoy a few tunes on their morning commute. (credit:imageBROKER/REX)
Spice Girls(05 of14)
Open Image ModalRight around the launch of 'TFI Friday', Scary, Baby, Ginger Posh and Sporty burst onto the scene with their hit single 'Wannabe', changing the face of the 1990s pop scene and paving the way for a string of hits, including 'Say You'll Be There', 'Stop' and 'Viva Forever'.All this came after 'TFI Friday', though, so the people of Britain had a tiny wait on their hands before they could get their dose of zig-ah-zig-ah. (credit:Steven Sweet/Rex)
The Euro(06 of14)
Open Image ModalYes, back in those days we were all still dealing with Francs, Deutsche Marks and those lovely Spanish coins with the holes in the middle of them. (credit:Egon Bomsch / imageBROKER/REX)
The Eight-Planet Solar System(07 of14)
Open Image ModalBack in those days we all still thought Pluto was a planet. What were we thinking, eh?(No, alright, we didn't actually know Pluto wasn't a planet anymore either until someone brought it to our attention). (credit:imageBROKER/REX)
'The X Factor'(08 of14)
Open Image ModalNever mind 'The X Factor', in 1996 we hadn't had 'Pop Idol' or even 'Popstars' to yet! (credit:Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Archive)
Madonna's 'Ray Of Light'(09 of14)
Open Image ModalOne of the stand-out albums of the 1990s, but it wasn't released until a year after 'TFI Friday' first aired. Back then, Madonna was still most commonly referred to for getting her bits and bobs out in her 'Sex' book, and playing Eva Peron in the biopic, 'Evita'.
E-Books(10 of14)
Open Image ModalIf you wanted to curl up with a good book in 1996, it wasn't just a case of clicking 'buy' and settling down with your feather-light e-reader.Of course, this was all well and good if you wanted to read a quick novel or a story to your child on a night time, but when it came to sinking your teeth into War And Peace, it practically doubled up as weight training. (credit:Jeff Blackler/REX)
PS2(11 of14)
Open Image ModalThe console that revolutionised gaming, the original PlayStation made its debut in 1996, but if you didn't have that, it was a case of Tetris on your yellow brick GameBoy or Super Mario on your Nintendo 64. (credit:Rex/Sipa Press)
'Fifty Shades Of Grey'(12 of14)
Open Image ModalIn 1996, Christian and Ana were still a mere twinkle in E.L. James' eye. (credit:Rex)
Lorde(13 of14)
Open Image ModalAnd no we don't just mean her music - Lorde herself wasn't actually born until November 1996, meaning 'TFI Friday' is actually older than she is. (credit:Paul A. Hebert/AP)
The Kardashians(14 of14)
Open Image ModalThe real reason we never want to go back to 1996 - what would the world be without this lot everywhere you go? (credit:Matt Sayles/AP)