The Decade That Suddenly Feels Very Far Away
If you grew up in the 1970s, a lot of its music, TV, and fashion can still feel surprisingly familiar, given how often they still get brought up in today's modern society. But no matter how close it feels, the calendar will immediately tell you a different story. From household technology that once seemed advanced to entertainment that brought communities together, the 70s belonged to a world with very different habits. Here are just 20 facts about the 70s that will instantly remind you how old you are, even if you don't feel it.
1. Someone Born in 1970 Is Now in Their 50s
Sometimes it's hard to think about how much time has passed until you do some actual math. A person born in the 1970s actually turned 50 back in 2020, which might be hard to wrap your head around, especially if the 70s don't feel that long ago.
2. The First Star Wars Movie Is Nearly 50 Years Old
It's not just people born in the 70s that are turning 50, turns out, one of the most beloved franchises in the world is hitting a new milestone too. The very first Star Wars movie arrived to theatres in 1977, which means this original film is now approaching its 50th anniversary. You wouldn't think it though, given how popular and relevant it remains in pop culture today!
Agnieszka Stankiewicz on Unsplash
3. Saturday Night Live Started in 1975
Saturday Night Live is still just as beloved and talked about today, which makes it hard to believe that it first aired around 50 years ago in October of 1975. Its earliest cast included names like Chevy Chase, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, and Dan Aykroyd, many of whom today's generation won't be able to recognize.
4. People Actually Had to Get Up to Change the TV Channel
Nowadays, the moment you settle in on the couch to watch TV, you won't need to move for hours until you need to. But back in the 1970s, though remote controls technically existed, most households still changed channels by physically walking over to television to turn a dial. It's crazy thinking how different being a couch potato is today.
5. The Sony Walkman Didn't Even Exist Yet
Most people think of the Walkman as an old-school device that might've existed at the turn of the 1900s, but actually, for most of the 70s, it wasn't even around yet! Sony didn't introduce the Walkman until the end of the decade in 1979, making this portable music device an incredibly futuristic invention at the time.
6. Grease Was Released in 1978
One of the most iconic musical movies that people continue to enjoy today, Grease came out back in 1978 to a very pleased audience. John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John were young stars when audiences first watched Danny and Sandy sing their way through the story, which makes it hard to realize just how much time has passed.
7. Disco Wasn't Retro Yet
During the second half of the 1970s, disco wasn't played at parties as a nostalgic reminder of another era, it was considered current popular music, with artists like the Bee Gees, Donna Summer, and Chic regularly appearing on the radio and record charts. Remembering that disco now is considered "retro" just acts as a reminder of your actual age.
8. Home Computers Were Still a Novelty
The idea of personal computers being rare might sound baffling to kids of today, but during the 1970s, they were nowhere near ordinary household equipment! Machines such as the Apple II, introduced in 1977, helped show what home computing could eventually become, with devices now completely blowing it out of the water.
9. Phones Stayed Attached to the House
For most people in the 1970s, making a call meant using a device connected to the wall by a cord. There wasn't pacing around as you talked or lying on the couch or bed to have a long conversation; where you had your call was limited by the phone cord.
Ambitious Studio* | Rick Barrett on Unsplash
10. Jaws Changed Summer Movies in 1975
Steven Spielberg made headlines with his hit movie Jaws when it released in the summer of 1975. It was so popular, it helped establish the notion that Hollywood movies could become big blockbuster events! People still talk and enjoy this movie to this day, which makes it hard to remember at times that the film is over 50 years old.
Gerald Geronimo at https://www.flickr.com/photos/g155 on Wikimedia
11. Eight-Track Tapes Were Normal
Eight-track tapes were a familiar way to listen to recorded music in cars and homes throughout much of the 1970s. Unfortunately, it did come with having to accept occasional interruptions when the tape switched between programs, even sometimes right in the middle of a song. If you still remember owning an eight-track collection, you've lived through enough audio formats to make today's streaming services seem far more advanced.
12. People Waited for Their Favorite TV Shows
Binge-watching was definitely not a term the people of the 70s would be familiar with. Because back in this era, television viewers couldn't simply put on any episode they wanted to watch whenever. Programs aired according to fixed schedules, and missing an episode meant waiting for a rerun if you got lucky. Television has seriously changed from what it once was!
13. The First Rocky Movie Came Out in 1976
Even if you've never watched the movie, you've likely heard of the character Rocky Balboa. That's how iconic the first Rocky movie is, released back in 1976, a whopping half a century ago. Not only did it begin the start of a very successful franchise, but the iconic storyline continues to wow generations even born today.
14. Calculator Watches Seemed Extremely Advanced
Considering that digital watches today can handle calls, messages, maps, and more, the fact that calculator watches were so impressive back in the 1970s is a little funny in hindsight. People used to admire any form of device that could display glowing numbers.
15. Gas Stations Often Had Attendants
Full-service gas stations were much more common during the 1970s, which meant drivers could remain in their cars while an attendant filled the tank. Self-service eventually became the standard that most of the United States is now familiar with, although rules still vary in certain places. But if you remember pulling into a station and expecting someone to approach your window, that was actually many decades go.
16. The Atari 2600 Arrived in 1977
The Atari 2600 launched in 1977, becoming an important part of early home gaming that shaped what we know today. Its graphics were extremely simple compared with modern games, but back then, it felt exciting and new to many players. You know you've been around for a while if this Atari console was your very first!
17. McDonald's Didn't Have Chicken McNuggets Yet
It's hard to imagine a world without Chicken McNuggets, but for some in their 50s and above, this was their reality growing up. McDonald's might've been a part of the American fast food scene already, but this iconic menu item wasn't introduced until the following decade!
18. Television Stations Actually Signed Off at Night
Most American television stations didn't broadcast around the clock during the 1970s, which meant that after the final scheduled program, viewers might see a station identification, a test pattern, or simply static until broadcasts resumed the next morning. You'll remember that the idea of 24-hour streaming libraries wasn't even a possibility during this time if you lived through it.
19. The First Mobile Phone Call Was Made in 1973
1973 was the first time that a handheld phone call was publicly demonstrated by Motorola engineer Martin Cooper. All these years we've been walking around making calls without a second thought, but back in this era for those who lived through it, this was an incredibly ground-breaking moment.
20. The Entire Decade Ended More Than 45 Years Ago
The 1970s officially came to an end on December 31, 1979, which if you do the math, means the decade has now been over for more than 45 years. Even the youngest adults who clearly remember its final years have had several decades of life experiences since then. It might feel like yesterday, but the numbers don't lie!
