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    29 Pop Culture Moments That Happened Summer Of 1996 That Feel Like Both Yesterday And 50 Years Ago

    This is what summer looked like 25 years ago.

    1. Friends wrapped up its second season with "The One With Barry and Mindy's Wedding":

    Screenshot of Rachel in a ugly pink bridesmaid dress

    2. Bob Barker was still the host of The Price is Right — which celebrated its 25th anniversary with a big primetime special:

    3. Watching Nick at Nite meant Block Party Summer and Lucy Tuesdays:

    Screenshot of Lucy Tuesdays Nick at Nite commercial

    4. The Rosie O'Donnell Show made its debut and became an instant hit:

    Photo of Rosie O'Donnell at her desk on the show

    5. Also making its debut that summer was The Daily Show, which was hosted by Craig Kilborn...

    Logo for The Daily Show

    6. ...and Kenan & Kel:

    7. If you had the internet, you were most likely using AOL — and, of course, it was dial-up:

    AOL homepage in 1996

    8. And, of course, a movie night at home usually meant going down to Blockbuster and renting a movie:

    Blockbuster Night commercial screenshot

    9. The Nintendo 64 was released in Japan — but it wouldn't be released in the US until September:

    N64 product shot

    10. Mariah Carey had one of the biggest songs of the summer with "Always Be My Baby":

    Screenshot of Mariah Carey on a tire swing over a pond

    11. As did the Fugees with their cover of "Killing Me Softly With His Song":

    Screenshot of Lauryn Hil

    12. The Fugees' album The Score was also one of the biggest-selling albums that summer, as was Nas's It Was Written:

    13. Primitive Radio Gods had the biggest alt-rock song with "Standing Outside A Broken Phone Booth With Money In My Hand":

    14. And a little group called the Spice Girls released a new song in July called "Wannabe":

    Screenshot of the Spice Girls dancing on a staircase

    15. The 1996 Summer Olympics were in full swing down in Atlanta...

    Photo from the opening ceremony of the Olympics

    16. ...and Kerri Strug and the Magnificent Seven took home the gold in gymnastics:

    Kerri Strug being carried off the floor by her couch

    17. The Chicago Bulls beat the Seattle SuperSonics during Game 6 to win the NBA Finals — with Michael Jordan being named MVP:

    Michael Jordan holding the NBA Finals trophy

    18. Prince Charles and Princess Diana officially divorced after being separated for nearly four years:

    Princess Di and Prince Charles looking upset in 1992

    19. Tom Cruise had one of the biggest blockbusters of the summer with Mission: Impossible...

    20. ...and he was also still married to Nicole Kidman:

    Tom and Nicole holding hands on the red carpet

    21. While Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow were Hollywood's it couple:

    Brad and Gwyneth both dressed in black and walking down the street of NYC

    22. And Cameron Diaz was Hollywood's newest it girl after starring in The Mask:

    Photo of Cameron smiling and playing a GameBoy

    23. Denzel Washington was named People's Sexiest Man Alive:

    Denzel with his wife at a movie premiere

    24. The Nutty Professor was also one of the biggest movies of that summer:

    25. While Independence Day was the biggest film of the summer — establishing Will Smith as a blockbuster star:

    26. Speaking of Will, his show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, aired its final episode:

    Screenshot of Will standing in an empty set

    27. MTV 2 launched and promised to only show music videos:

    MTV 2 logo

    28. Tickle Me Elmo hit the shelves in July, and we had NO idea just what we were in for:

    Tickle Me Elmo doll in box

    29. And finally, if you attended a wedding, quinceañera, bar/bat mitzvah, sleepover, birthday, and/or backyard party that summer, then you probably danced the "Macarena."