Many hearts were broken when Oasis announced their historic split in 2009. The Gallagher brothers' tumultuous relationship had finally reached a breaking point ahead of their performance at a festival near Paris.
Noel Gallagher announced his immediate departure from the band following Oasis' final live show at V Fest in Staffordshire. Since that infamous announcement 15 years ago, the brothers have continued to create new music and play old music to nostalgic audiences around the world.
Oasis fans took to social media yesterday to express their excitement at the prospect of seeing Noel and Liam Gallagher on stage together for the first time in 15 years, after the band officially announced they will be reuniting for a series of UK shows in 2025.
The band announced their return in dramatic Oasis style: “The guns have fallen silent. The stars have aligned. The long wait is over. Come see us. It won't be on TV.”
Of course, Liam and Noel have continued to live their own lives in the meantime, releasing and performing new music over the years as part of their respective solo careers, but a lot has changed not only since their journey together ended in 2009, but also since it began in the early '90s.
Where it all began: 1990s Oasis
Oasis were arguably (no, arguably) the biggest rock band of the 1990s, and their first album, released in August 2024, was a massive hit around the world.
Of course, a lot has happened in the three decades since they burst onto the scene, their combination of catchy melodies, guitar-heavy music and anthemic bops making them the bad boys of the modern rock n' roll industry, not to mention their big (clashing) personalities.
The world was undoubtedly a very different place in the 1990s, so for those of you who don't remember or are unaware, here are some of the major events that were happening during that time.
The Cold War had just ended and the Soviet Union had collapsed. Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990 and became South Africa's first black president in 1994. The Internet became available worldwide in 1991. Mobile phones became smaller and more powerful. US President Bill Clinton was impeached in 1998-1999. Princess Diana tragically died in 1997. Major TV series and films such as Friends and Titanic were released.
…And that’s just scratching the surface.
One of the most interesting ways to look at how the world has changed since the '90s is from a technology perspective.
Naturally, people were very impressed with the technological advances that emerged in the 90s. The last decade of the 20th century was a transformative time, with many groundbreaking technologies emerging at the same time that changed the world and created enormous possibilities for the future.
Thirty years later: How has technology changed from the 1990s to now?
For the many fans who followed Oasis from their initial success and eagerly awaited some kind of reunion, life has changed dramatically over the past few decades.
From smartwatches and mobile phones to artificial intelligence technology and self-driving cars, our current reality would have seemed like a fever dream back when Wonderwall was blasting from your stereo system in the mid-'90s.
Here are 15 impressive ways to see how technology has changed between the 1990s and now.
1. Internet
Then: In the 1990s, Internet technology was limited to dial-up Internet. It was slow, and you couldn't use your phone while accessing the Internet. Search engines were limited, Internet Explorer dominated the browser market, and websites were very simplistic in both interface and functionality. Multimedia was limited, and the Internet as a whole was not particularly safe or secure. The “dot-com boom” occurred in the late '90s as a result of shared hopes and expectations for the future.
Today: Most people and businesses today depend on the Internet. Ultrafast broadband, including both 4G and 5G, and advanced Wi-Fi that is accessible almost everywhere mean that connectivity is near-constant. Today, the Internet is at the heart of how we communicate, shop, connect, work, and play, and it continues to evolve and become more sophisticated as it impacts every aspect of most people's lives.
2. Cloud Computing
Then: Cloud computing didn't exist yet in the 90s. All data had to be stored on physical servers or on actual personal devices, with limited storage space, accessibility, etc.
Today: Modern cloud computing allows users to store and process data remotely, opening up more business possibilities than ever before. Scalable cloud computing services such as Google Cloud, AWS, and Microsoft Azure allow individuals and businesses to access their data from anywhere, anytime, while keeping it safe and secure.
3. Smartphones and Mobile Technology
THEN: The 90s were the beginning years of mobile telephony, when only the most basic mobile devices capable of calling and SMS services existed. The actual devices were large and very basic, but for the first time they offered the possibility of communicating by other means than a landline.
Today: Mobile phones are not only small and usable anywhere, they also provide users with incredible computing capabilities that were undreamed of before the 2000s. With features like internet browsing, high-tech cameras, multi-purpose applications, social media, GPS services, and a variety of other sensors, mobile phones have become multi-purpose devices that almost everyone carries with them at all times.
4. Wearable Technology and IoT
THEN: Wearable technology was very basic in the '90s, with the range including digital watches (such as Casio), Sony Walkman music devices, and very basic pedometers and heart rate monitors.
Today: Wearable technology has become a big part of modern culture, with smartwatches and fitness trackers becoming mainstream for athletes and everyday people alike. With brands like Garmin and Apple leading the way, modern smartwatches are equipped to track a variety of things, including heart rate, steps, blood oxygen levels, sleep patterns, and more.
5. Social Media
THEN: In the '90s, social media didn't exist, except for basic forms of digital communication like chat rooms, early email, forums, and other things that were super exciting at the time.
Today: Social media plays a major role not only in the personal lives of individuals but also in businesses and their marketing. The first platforms like Friendster, LinkedIn, and MySpace were launched in 2002-2003, and since then, industry giants like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and Twitter have changed the world in terms of online communication, enabling widespread global interaction, personal branding, and content sharing that was not possible in the 90s.
6. Electronic Commerce
THEN: In the '90s, shopping, or even purchasing, online was just becoming a reality, and early versions of companies like Amazon and eBay were just beginning to emerge.
Today: E-commerce is now mainstream retail, allowing users to browse and buy whatever they want, from gadgets and accessories to groceries and clothing. (We're heartbroken, Rachel Green.) The industry's most successful companies, including Shopify, Alibaba, and the time-tested Amazon, have completely transformed global commerce with advanced logistics and personalized shopping experiences.
7. Artificial Intelligence
Back then: The concept of artificial intelligence as we know it today was the stuff of science fiction movies and comics, with reality limited to the most basic applications in various research communities. Many would argue that the most advanced AI technology of the 90s was that of Deep Blue, which developed the AI chess program famously used to defeat the then world champion Garry Kasparov in 1997.
Today: Today, AI is integrated into nearly every part of our daily lives, from voice assistants (such as Siri and Alexa), to programs that help provide recommendations, advanced machine learning in healthcare, cognitive software, and even the creation of written responses and documents. Some would argue that modern AI technology is, and will continue to be, the most influential development of the 21st century. Autonomous cars are one of the biggest “futuristic” developments to have come out of AI in recent years, making ideas from many 20th century movies (such as Back to the Future) a reality.
8. Virtual and Augmented Reality
THEN: While the idea of VR undoubtedly existed in many people's fantasies in the '90s, the technology as we know it was still years away from being fully developed. In the '90s, VR tech ranged from arcade joysticks, surround sound, and 3D graphics.
Present: While the foundations of modern VR (and even Augmented Reality) undoubtedly lay in the 1990s, it's only been in the last decade that the technology has truly developed into the modern devices we know today. Successful organizations like Sony, Oculus, and Nintendo have been involved in the development of numerous entertainment-focused VR gaming devices and programs. VR has also now found widespread application in industries like healthcare, education, and more.
9. Big Data and Analytics
Then: In the '90s, data sets tended to be small due to the difficulty of collecting them and other factors. They were analyzed and curated manually, or used very basic early technology that had very limited capabilities and could only handle relatively small samples. This meant that it was not possible to analyze large data sets, limiting research.
Now: These days, technology has made it possible to collect and process massive data sets in real time. This involves incredibly high-tech software and technologies, and sometimes even artificial intelligence, to organize, analyze, and extract patterns and more from vast amounts of data almost instantly. This has been made possible by advances in data storage, processing power, democratization of data, increased data privacy, and automation of some functions, among many other things.
10. Medicine and Biotechnology
2020s: Advances in precision medicine, CRISPR gene editing, and biotechnology revolutionized healthcare with personalized treatments and breakthroughs in genetics, immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine. Then: It's fair to say that medical research was always a priority in an ever-advancing technological world. In the '90s, medicine was certainly advancing, and biotechnology was also slowly advancing. However, scientific research methods and medical practices were still limited, and the Human Genome Project (HGP) itself was still in progress.
Today: Medical technology has changed and advanced dramatically over the past 30 years. Scientists and physicians have conducted incredibly advanced research, advancing their capabilities and medical knowledge in ways that were previously unthinkable. This includes developments in precision medicine, CRISPR gene editing, and general biotechnology, which have led to breakthroughs in many areas, including regenerative medicine, immunotherapy, and more. Overall, medical technology has advanced to the point where doctors can treat diseases that were untreatable 30 years ago.
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