To be fifteen in Britain in 2015 was to have “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars everywhere, Spectre on every screen, and The Great British Bake Off on after school. That year, gas cost £1.12/L and Adele's 'Hello' shattering streaming records was the new thing. Born in 2000? You turned 15 in 2015 — a teenager from 2013 to 2019, right in the window a soundtrack bonds to you for life.
Compiled by the Original Lore archive from period charts, box-office and price records. How we build these · sources noted throughout.
Uptown Funk — Mark Ronson feat. Bruno MarsRetro funk that gripped the top spot for what felt like the entire year; you could not escape that horn stab.
Cheerleader — OMITropical-house whistle drifting from every open car window, the definitive sound of a beer-garden, factor-thirty summer.
Take Me to Church — HozierHozier's brooding, blasphemous slow-burn, played in dim student bars when everything felt intense and impossibly meaningful.
Love Me like You Do — Ellie GouldingThe Fifty Shades ballad Ellie soared over, blushed and belted at sleepovers you'd never admit to your mates.
Lean On — Major Lazer & DJ Snake feat. MØMØ's ache over that pan-flute drop, a global streaming smash you Shazam'd off someone's phone at a house party.
Seven weeks at number one and it felt like seventy — if you were 15 in 2015 this brass-blasting, hip-swinging monster was the whole year in one song, the guaranteed floor-filler at every party, the one everyone still knows every word of. Too hot, hot damn.
the year-end #1 was the UK's best-selling single of 2015.
the movies you are watching in 2015
Spectre
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Jurassic World
Minions
Avengers: Age of Ultron
the tv shows you are binging in 2015
The Great British Bake Off
Poldark
Doctor Foster
Strictly Come Dancing
Peaky Blinders
the games you are playing in 2015
FIFA 16
Call of Duty: Black Ops III
Minecraft
Star Wars Battlefront
Grand Theft Auto V
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
what things cost in 2015
What things cost in 2015
a litre of petrol
£1.12
a pint of lager
£3.34
a 1st-class stamp
63p
a gallon of gas
£1.12/L
minimum wage
£6.70/hr
a movie ticket
£7.20
the average income
£27,600
trending this year
Wikimedia Commons, source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spotify_2013_(logo).png · Public domainSpotify everywhereVIC / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0Apple MusicPhoto by Twitter Inc. (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Periscope_Logo.svg · Public domainPeriscope & live streamingPhoto by AmarinderBrar (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Contactless_Payment_Card_opened_to_show_RF_antenna.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0Contactless paymentAI-generated illustrationThe dress (blue or gold?)
the gadgets you just got
Albert Tomanek, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsApple WatchNeONBRAND (neonbrand) via Unsplash / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 · CC0 1.0iPhone 6SPhoto by Soar Boards (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zero_G_Hands_Free_Segway_2_Wheel_Self_Balancing_Scooter_Hoverboard_(21402993483).jpg · CC BY 2.0hoverboardPhoto by Resolution hire (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoPro_Hero_4_Black.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0GoPro Hero4Fitbit Charge HR
what everyone is snacking on
Photo by Rerrj at English Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Greggs_sausage_rolls.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0Greggs sausage rollPhoto by Bodo (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Freddo_split_(13529657513).jpg · CC BY 2.0Freddo (now more than 10p)Photo by ed g2s (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maltesers.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0MaltesersPhoto by Fumikas Sagisavas (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bavarian_pretzels%F0%9F%A5%A8.jpg · CC0Pretzel / Cronut crazeAI-generated illustrationGraze box
what everyone is drinking
AI-generated illustrationCapri-SunBxxiaolin, edited by Pittigrilli, via Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Can_of_Monster_Energy_drink_sold_in_China_(0.33_l),_on_white_background.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0Monster EnergyPhoto by WestportWiki (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fever_Tree_Tonic_-_August_2014.jpg · CC BY-SA 3.0Fever-Tree tonicAI-generated illustrationCoconut waterAI-generated illustrationLucozade Energy
what made the news in 2015
The Conservatives win a surprise majority in the general election
Princess Charlotte is born, fourth in line to the throne
Jeremy Corbyn is elected Labour leader in a landslide
The Rugby World Cup is hosted in England as the hosts crash out early
Photo by Number 10 (Crown Copyright) (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Official_portrait_of_David_Cameron.jpg · CC BY 2.0Conservatives win a shock majority in the general electionPhoto by Londisland (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Princess_Charlotte_of_Cambridge_in_2019_(cropped).jpg · CC BY 3.0Princess Charlotte is bornPhoto by Garry Knight (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jeremy_Corbyn_(2015).jpg · CC BY 2.0Jeremy Corbyn elected Labour leader in a landslidePhoto by Richard Allport (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:England_vs_Australia_2015_RWC_English_NT.jpg · CC BY-SA 2.0England host and crash out of their own Rugby World CupAI-generated illustration'The dress' divides the internet over its colour
what everyone is saying
"😂 Face with Tears of Joy"Oxford's Word of the Year — an emoji for the first time
"on fleek"perfectly on point, still the compliment of the year
"squad goals"aspirational friendship, courtesy of Taylor Swift
"the dress"was it blue and black or white and gold?
"netflix and chill"the innocent-sounding invitation that wasn't
