the summer of
What it was like to be 15 in 2003 in America
To be fifteen in America in 2003 was to have “In Da Club” by 50 Cent everywhere, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King on every screen, and American Idol on after school. That year, gas cost $1.59 and the iTunes Music Store was the new thing. Born in 1988? You turned 15 in 2003 — a teenager from 2001 to 2007, 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 2003 reel with sounda 30-second video of your year — the song, the screen, the turn.
the mixtape of 2003
In Da Club — 50 Cent
- In Da Club — 50 Cent50's birthday anthem owned every party, every gym, every summer barbecue that entire year.
- Hey Ya! — OutKastThe impossible-not-to-move joy of shaking it like a Polaroid picture all summer long.
- Crazy in Love — Beyoncé ft. Jay-ZThat horn stab announced Beyoncé and turned every sticky dance floor instantly incandescent.
- Bring Me to Life — EvanescenceThe eyeliner anthem you cranked in your headphones, feeling gloriously, operatically misunderstood.
- Ignition (Remix) — R. KellyThe smooth bounce that had the whole cookout singing along, hot and hazy and carefree.
why this one mattered
The song that owned 2003. 'Get Rich or Die Tryin'' was the cultural event of the year and 'In Da Club' was unavoidable — the 'Go shorty, it's your birthday' hook became the default birthday chant for an entire generation. Dr. Dre's beat plus 50's bulletproof mythology made this THE 15-year-old anthem.
the year-end #1 was In Da Club — 50 Cent.
the movies you are watching in 2003
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
- Finding Nemo
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
- The Matrix Reloaded
- Elf
the tv shows you are binging in 2003
- American Idol
- Friends
- CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- The O.C.
- Survivor
the games you are playing in 2003
- The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
- Mario Kart: Double Dash
- Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire
- SoulCalibur II
- Tony Hawk's Underground
- Call of Duty
what things cost in 2003
| a gallon of gas | $1.59 |
|---|---|
| a movie ticket | $6.03 |
| the federal minimum wage | $5.15/hr |
| a first-class stamp | $0.37 |
| the average income | $43,318 |
trending this year
the gadgets you just got
what everyone is snacking on
what everyone is drinking
what made the news in 2003
- US-led coalition invades Iraq, toppling Saddam Hussein's regime within weeks
- Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates on reentry, killing all seven astronauts aboard
- August blackout leaves about 50 million people across the Northeast and Ontario without power
- Arnold Schwarzenegger wins California governor recall election in stunning upset
what everyone is saying
top-performing stocks in 2003
| Company | Ticker | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. | AAPL | $21.37 (pre-split) | +49% |
| Amazon.com | AMZN | $52.62 (pre-split) | +179% |
| Yahoo! | YHOO | $45.03 | +170% |
| Advanced Micro Devices | AMD | $14.90 | +131% |
| eBay | EBAY | $64.61 (pre-split) | +90% |
worst-performing stocks in 2003
| Company | Ticker | Price | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastman Kodak | EK | $25.67 | -27% |
| Schering-Plough | SGP | $17.39 | -22% |
| HealthSouth | HRC | ~$0.10 (delisted to OTC) | -97% |
| AT&T Corp. | T | $20.30 | -22% |
| Solutia | SOI | near $0 (Chapter 11) | -90% |
the summer of 2003.
you can't wait to be older.