These photos tell the story of a decade which gave us Britpop and the Spice Girls, and witnessed the downfall of Margaret Thatcher and the rise of New Labour.
The evocative images capture some of the major events of the 1990s, the decade’s biggest trends, from fashion to TV, and its defining characters.
What are your happiest memories of the 90s, and which bits are you glad we’ve left behind?
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5. A nation mourns
Few events have united a nation in grief like the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales, in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Mourners left a sea of flowers outside Buckingham Palace in tribute to the 'People's Princess', and a new version of Elton John's Candle in the Wind, known as Goodbye England's Rose, soared to the top of the charts, raising millions for charities Diana had supported. The emotion proved too much for this youngster, pictured paying her respects at the palace with her family. | THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images Photo: THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images
6. Girl Power
Britpop may have defined the 90s but the Spice Girls were the decade's biggest pop phenomenon, with their 'girl power' mantra inspiring a new generation of youngsters. They were formed in 1994 and their debut single, Wannabe, rocketed to number one two years later. As well as their infectious pop anthems and positive message of female empowerment, part of the appeal was that everyone could identify with one of the quintet, be it Scary Spice (Mel B), Sporty (Melanie C), Baby (Emma Bunton), Ginger (Geri Halliwell) or Posh (Victoria Beckham). They have sold more than 100 records worldwide, making them the best selling female group in history. This fantastic photo of the pop icons was taken backstage at the 1997 Brit Awards. | Ray Burmiston/Avalon/Getty Images Photo: Ray Burmiston/Avalon/Getty Images
7. Gazza's tears
His dazzling skills lit up Italia 90, yet it was Paul Gascoigne's tears after receiving the yellow card that would have seen him miss out on the final which proved the iconic image of England's World Cup campaign. The moment was famously parodied in an advert for Walkers crisps, featuring Gazza and his teammate Gary Lineker. The agonising semi-final loss to West Germany on penalties was as close as England would come to glory for another 28 years. | Allsport/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Photo: Allsport/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
8. Millennium bug
Yes, it was called the millennium bug but it dominated the news during the late 90s in a way anyone too young to remember will find hard to fathom. People genuinely believed the world was going to come crashing down around us all because computer programmes had not been designed to recognise the '00' in the date. That didn't happen. | Getty Images Photo: Avalon/Getty Images