the summer of
What it was like to be 15 in 2002 in America
To be fifteen in America in 2002 was to have “Lose Yourself” by Eminem everywhere, Spider-Man on every screen, and American Idol on after school. That year, gas cost $1.36 and the BlackBerry 5810 phone was the new thing. Born in 1987? You turned 15 in 2002 — a teenager from 2000 to 2006, 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.
▶ Play your 2002 reel with sounda 30-second video of your year — the song, the screen, the turn.
the mixtape of 2002
Lose Yourself — Eminem
- Lose Yourself — EminemThe one-shot anthem that made you believe your whole life could turn on a single moment.
- Without Me — EminemSlim's bratty comeback ruled the summer, quoted in every hallway and burned onto every CD-R.
- Hot in Herre — NellyNelly's sweaty banger detonated at every pool party, the definitive sound of that whole August.
- In the End — Linkin ParkThat piano line still drops you into a bedroom where everything felt like the end of the world.
- Bring Me to Life — EvanescenceAmy Lee's gothic swell was pure teenage melodrama, and it fit exactly how you already felt.
why this one mattered
The '8 Mile' anthem that closed out 2002 and detonated through every 15-year-old's school year. 'One shot, one opportunity' became the universal pump-up mantra — the first rap song to win an Oscar. For teens that year it was the inescapable, fist-clenching call to seize the moment.
the year-end #1 was How You Remind Me — Nickelback.
the movies you are watching in 2002
- Spider-Man
- Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding
the tv shows you are binging in 2002
- American Idol
- Friends
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- 24
- The Osbournes
the games you are playing in 2002
- Kingdom Hearts
- Super Mario Sunshine
- Metroid Prime
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
- Animal Crossing
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
what things cost in 2002
| a first-class stamp | 37¢ |
|---|---|
| a gallon of gas | $1.36 |
| a movie ticket | $5.81 |
| minimum wage | $5.15/hr |
| the average income | $42,409 |
trending this year
the gadgets you just got
what everyone is snacking on
what everyone is drinking
what made the news in 2002
- Bush brands Iraq, Iran and North Korea an 'axis of evil' in his State of the Union
- Department of Homeland Security created as nation reels from terror fears
- Winter Olympics light up Salt Lake City amid post-9/11 patriotic fervor
- Beltway sniper attacks paralyze the Washington D.C. region with fear
what everyone is saying
top-performing stocks in 2002
| Company | Ticker | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic Arts | ERTS | $60 | +18% |
| Best Buy | BBY | $24 | +5% |
| Newmont Mining | NEM | $29 | +50% |
| Barrick Gold | ABX | $15 | +5% |
| Apollo Group | APOL | $44 | +65% |
worst-performing stocks in 2002
| Company | Ticker | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| WorldCom | WCOEQ | $0.10 | -99% |
| Tyco International | TYC | $17 | -71% |
| AOL Time Warner | AOL | $13 | -59% |
| Qwest Communications | Q | $5 | -64% |
| JDS Uniphase | JDSU | $2.50 | -71% |
the summer of 2002.
the best of it still feels like it's coming.