the summer of

What it was like to be 15 in 2014 in America

To be fifteen in America in 2014 was to have “All of Me” by John Legend everywhere, Guardians of the Galaxy on every screen, and The Big Bang Theory on after school. That year, gas cost $3.43 and the Amazon Echo was the new thing. Born in 1999? You turned 15 in 2014 — a teenager from 2012 to 2018, 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 2014 reel with sounda 30-second video of your year — the song, the screen, the turn.

the mixtape of 2014

All of Me — John Legend

  1. All of Me — John LegendThe slow-dance that closed every wedding and every basement homecoming, foreheads pressed together.
  2. Happy — Pharrell WilliamsClapping along felt almost mandatory, a forced sunshine you now remember more fondly than you danced it.
  3. Pompeii — BastilleThat eh-eh-oh chant filled the car on late drives when you felt everything was quietly crumbling.
  4. Take Me to Church — HozierHozier's smoldering hymn was the first song that made desire feel like something worth risking everything for.
  5. Stay With Me — Sam SmithSam Smith's lonely plea was the 3 a.m. text you shouldn't have sent but did anyway.

▶ Play your 2014 reel

why this one mattered

The piano ballad that played at every 2014 school dance, prom slow-song, and first-love moment. A 15-year-old dedicated this to a crush and meant it; its tender 'all of me loves all of you' line made it the year's universal romance anthem, eclipsing the relentless cheer of 'Happy.'

the year-end #1 was Happy - Pharrell Williams.

the movies you are watching in 2014

  • Guardians of the Galaxy
  • The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1
  • Captain America: The Winter Soldier
  • The Lego Movie
  • X-Men: Days of Future Past

the tv shows you are binging in 2014

  • The Big Bang Theory
  • The Walking Dead
  • Game of Thrones
  • NCIS
  • True Detective

the games you are playing in 2014

  • Mario Kart 8
  • Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U
  • Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
  • Just Dance 2015
  • Minecraft
  • Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

what things cost in 2014

What things cost in 2014
Gas (per gallon)$3.43
Movie ticket$8.17
First-class stamp49 cents
minimum wage$7.25/hr
the average income$53,657

trending this year

Apple Pay
HLundgaard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Apple Pay
Taylor Swift's '1989'
Tim Reckmann, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Taylor Swift's '1989'
Serial (podcast)
Jonathan Velasquez (via Unsplash), CC0 / Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Serial (podcast)
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Master Sgt. Kap Kim, 10th Mountain Division / U.S. Army (work of U.S. federal government) · Public Domain
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
Flappy Bird
Santeri Viinamäki (Wikimedia user Zunter), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Flappy Bird

the gadgets you just got

Apple iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus
Dennis Cortes (Unsplash), CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Apple iPhone 6 / iPhone 6 Plus
Apple Watch (unveiled Sept 2014)
Crew (via Pixabay), CC0 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Apple Watch (unveiled Sept 2014)
Amazon Echo (Alexa) launch
Smart Home Perfected (smarthomeperfected.com), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Amazon Echo (Alexa) launch
GoPro HERO4
Photo by Resolution hire (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:GoPro_Hero_4_Black.jpg · CC BY-SA 4.0
GoPro HERO4
PlayStation 4 (peak year)
Evan-Amos (Vanamo Media), Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons
PlayStation 4 (peak year)

what everyone is snacking on

Doritos Loaded (stuffed cheese snack)
chee.hong (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Doritos Loaded (stuffed cheese snack)
Oreo (Cookie Dough / Marshmallow Crispy flavors)
Angel caboodle (uploaded by Nikeplektrum), via Wikimedia Commons (File:Close up of an Oreo cookie.JPG) · CC BY 3.0 / GFDL
Oreo (Cookie Dough / Marshmallow Crispy flavors)
Lay's 'Do Us a Flavor' Wasabi Ginger chips
Evan-Amos, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Lay's 'Do Us a Flavor' Wasabi Ginger chips
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
jules / stone-soup (Flickr), CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Flamin' Hot Cheetos
annulla, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Flamin' Hot Cheetos

what everyone is drinking

Red Bull Energy Drink
Oto Zapletal, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red_Bull_energy_drinks.jpg) · CC BY-SA 4.0
Red Bull Energy Drink
Coca-Cola 'Share a Coke' personalized bottles
Mike Mozart — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%22Share_a_Coke%22_(14823114294).jpg · CC BY 2.0
Coca-Cola 'Share a Coke' personalized bottles
Monster Energy
Bxxiaolin, 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 4.0
Monster Energy
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
Push Doctor — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Starbucks_Pumpkin_Spice_Latte_(38404428942).jpg · CC BY 2.0
Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte
Gatorade
Fotonovela, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gatorade_Thirst_Quencher.jpg) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Gatorade

what made the news in 2014

  • Ferguson erupts in protest after a police officer kills Michael Brown
  • Ebola outbreak spreads global fear as the epidemic reaches American shores
  • Russia annexes Crimea, igniting a tense standoff with the West
  • The Ice Bucket Challenge floods social feeds and raises millions for ALS
Ebola outbreak grips West Africa
CDC Global, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Ebola outbreak grips West Africa
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 vanishes
LS(HM) Andy Coutanche / UK Ministry of Defence, via Wikimedia Commons · OGL v1.0 (UK Open Government Licence)
Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 vanishes
Russia annexes Crimea
kremlin.ru / Aleksey Nikolskiy, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)
Russia annexes Crimea
Ferguson unrest after Michael Brown shooting
Kane Farabaugh / Voice of America (public domain, US federal government work) · Public Domain (US federal government / VOA)
Ferguson unrest after Michael Brown shooting
ISIS declares caliphate, seizes Mosul
Photo by U.S. Army (Wikimedia Commons), source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fall_of_Mosul.tiff · Public domain
ISIS declares caliphate, seizes Mosul

what everyone is saying

  • "On fleek"Viral Vine by Peaches Monroee describing perfect eyebrows
  • "Bae"Term of endearment ('before anyone else') that exploded in 2014
  • "Turnt / Turnt up"Slang for being hyped or partying hard
  • "Ice Bucket Challenge"Viral ALS fundraiser pouring ice water over your head
  • "Ellen's Oscar selfie"Star-packed selfie at the March 2014 Academy Awards that broke Twitter retweet records

top-performing stocks in 2014

Top-performing stocks in 2014
CompanyTickerPriceChange
Skyworks SolutionsSWKS$72+155%
Southwest AirlinesLUV$42+114%
Electronic ArtsEA$47+105%
Edwards LifesciencesEW$127+90%
AllerganAGN$213+90%

worst-performing stocks in 2014

Worst-performing stocks in 2014
CompanyTickerPriceChange
TransoceanRIG$18-56%
Genworth FinancialGNW$8.50-46%
Noble Corp.NE$16.50-43%
EnscoESV$30-41%
Freeport-McMoRanFCX$23-38%

the summer of 2014.

the best of it still feels like it's coming.

…and then it cools. Play the reel to feel where 2014 goes.

Turn 2014 into a 30-second reel →

▶ Play your 2014 reel with sound