In the grand narrative of pop culture history, certain years act as seismic shifts—moments when the old guard finally cedes ground to the disruptive new. While the 1990s gave us the rise of indie film and the 2000s delivered the reality TV boom, stands as a singular, fascinating paradox. It was the year Hollywood doubled down on spectacle, yet the most talked-about show was about a high school chemistry teacher. It was the year music went maximalist (hello, Miley’s foam finger), yet the algorithm began its quiet creep into our listening habits.