25 things you won't believe are turning 25 in 2025

Although camera phones are common today, the first phone for sale with a camera was released in 2000. The phone was called J-SH04, and it had just a 0.1-megapixel resolution.

A 2002 version of the J-Phone is pictured above.

The popular computer game, "The Sims," made its debut on February 4, 2000, and since then, the franchise has sold 200 million game copies, The Washington Post reported in 2020.

One of the most recent editions of the game, "The Sims 4: Life and Death," was released on October 31, 2024.

In 2000, Abercrombie & Fitch launched a new brand called Hollister, geared toward teenagers. The clothing store markets itself as laid-back attire, inspired by California's relaxed lifestyle.

Today, there are more than 500 Hollister stores worldwide.

Before there was Tinder or Bumble, clinical psychologist Dr. Neil Clark Warren created eHarmony, a website designed to help you meet your perfect match.

The site initially had users answer more than 450 questions to help them better enter long-term relationships. Since then, the site has cut down its questions, but remained one of the top online dating services. In 2017, for example, eHarmony had 750,000 paid subscribers and 10 million active users.

In January 2000, boy band NSYNC released "Bye Bye Bye" as the lead single for their album "No Strings Attached."

The song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 list, and the music video became a cultural phenomenon, staying in first place on "Total Request Live" for 25 days. It was even nominated for video of the year at MTV Video Music Awards.

Twenty-five years ago, Ricky Martin released "She Bangs," and the single climbed the charts. It reached 12th place on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for 18 weeks.

When Lee Ann Womack released her country single "I Hope You Dance" in 2000, it became a hit. It reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and she earned a Country Music Association Award for single of the year.

When Baha Men first released "Who Let the Dogs Out," it flopped, barely reaching the top 40. But slowly, the single gained popularity in the early 2000s, as the catchy lyrics and tune caught on.

In the '80s and '90s, Bon Jovi released massive hits like "Livin' on a Prayer" and "You Give Love a Bad Name," but the band released another hit single in 2000: "It's My Life." The song eventually climbed to the top of the charts, carrying the band into another decade of success.

Bandmates Chris Martin, Will Champion, Jonny Buckland, and Guy Berryman released their debut studio album, "Parachutes," in July 2000 under the name Coldplay.

The album featured the song "Yellow," which remains a fan-favorite.

Following the success of her three other books in the "Harry Potter" series, JK Rowling published her fourth book, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," in the summer of 2000.

In 2020, Screen Rant reported that the book has sold about 65 million copies, making it the second-most popular book in the series.

Twenty-five years since the book's release, the franchise is still extremely successful, with a film series, amusement rides at Universal Studios, a show on Broadway, and an upcoming TV series.

However, Rowling herself has been the subject of controversy in recent years.

In the nearly 25 years since their release, Quinn's books have become the source material behind one of Netflix's most popular series to date: "Bridgerton."

The show, and its spinoff series, "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story," attracted 189 million views in the first half of 2024, with season three of "Bridgerton" accounting for 92 million in less than two months following its releases in May and June.

Season four is currently in the works.

"Erin Brockovich" is a biographical film about the real-life woman — played by Julia Roberts — who battled a California power company after it was accused of polluting a city's water. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including best picture. Roberts took home the Oscar for best actress.

"Almost Famous" became a cultural juggernaut when it came out in 2000. The movie follows a high schooler who's writing an article for Rolling Stone about a new rock band.

It features an all-star cast, including Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, Anna Paquin, and Zooey Deschanel. The film went on to be nominated for four Academy Awards, but it only took home one for best original screenplay.

Twenty-five years ago, a then 26-year-old Christian Bale starred as Patrick Bateman, a banking exec who moonlights as a psychopathic killer, in "American Psycho." The movie quickly became a cult classic — in 2013, the film was even turned into a Broadway musical.

In the summer of 2000, "Scary Movie" was released to parody the most popular horror films of the time, including "Scream," "Sixth Sense," and "The Blair Witch Project." It went on to be a success, launching Anna Faris' acting career and sparking multiple sequels.

In October 2024, Marlon, Shawn, and Keenan Wayans announced they're returning to the franchise for "Scary Movie 6."

In 2000, Russell Crowe starred as Maximus, a vengeful Roman general, in "Gladiator." The following year, the film was nominated 12 times at the Academy Awards, winning best picture. Crowe also took home the trophy for best actor.

Its sequel, "Gladiator II," was released in 2024 and starred Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Denzel Washington.

In 2000, Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union starred as rival cheerleading captains Torrance and Isis in the hit teen movie "Bring It On."

The success of the film prompted several sequels in the following years.

"Survivor" premiered on CBS on May 31, 2000. In the reality TV competition, strangers are placed in a remote and isolated location, then they have to find food and shelter, while also competing in challenges.

Each contestant is voted off the island one by one until there's only one standing survivor. That person wins $1 million. Over the last 25 years, "Survivor" has had 47 seasons, all of which have been hosted by Jeff Probst.

After "Survivor," CBS premiered another hit reality competition show in July 2000: "Big Brother."

The series follows a group of strangers who are forced to live together in a house while under constant surveillance. They compete in challenges and, in the end, one person wins $500,000.

Through the years, the show became increasingly popular, prompting spin-offs like "Celebrity Big Brother." So far, there have been 26 seasons, all hosted by Julie Chen Moonves.

In a February 2024 "Life in Looks" interview with Vogue, Lopez said that her stylist at the time, Andrea Lieberman, asked her not to wear the dress.

"My stylist was like, 'Please don't wear it. Somebody else has worn it,''" Lopez said, adding, "I was like, 'Well, you bought it, and it looks the best, so I'm going to wear it.' And so I did. And it caused quite a stir."

Lopez isn't wrong — the world has her and that dress to thank for Google Image Search, according to former Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

In the end, the Yankees became champions, winning its third consecutive World Series four games to one.

At just 20 years old, Venus Williams lifted the Wimbledon trophy for the first time in her career after defeating Lindsay Davenport.

Williams went on to win the Wimbledon singles' trophy four more times. She also has won six Wimbledon doubles titles.

Twenty-five years later, it's easy to forget how close the 2000 presidential election was.

Democratic nominee Al Gore and Republican nominee George W. Bush went head to head, but on election night, it was unclear who won.

With the votes so close in Florida, the state ordered a recount. After a slew of legal fights around the recount in Florida, the Supreme Court decided that the initial results would be counted, giving Bush the election. He won by a .009% margin, or 537 votes.

Although President Ronald Reagan ordered NASA to build the International Space Station in 1984, it wasn't until 2000 that people actually lived on it.

Bill Shepherd, Yuri Gidzenko, and Sergei Krikalev became the first three to reside on the ISS and live there for several months. Since then, more than 270 people from over 20 countries have visited the ISS, according to NASA.