1996: The Year That Brought It Home (Almost)

This audiobook is narrated by a digital voice.

Britain had the sun on its face, a song in its heart (Three Lions, naturally), and Gazza’s tears in its collective memory. Yes, it was 1996 — the year of Euro '96, Britpop’s blazing peak, and a national mood so euphoric it felt like something was finally happening. Even if we were still waiting for it to actually happen.

Spice Girls burst out in a zig-a-zig-ah of platform shoes and pure chaos, turning feminism into a chart-topping export. Trainspotting smacked the big screen in the face with a toilet dive and a terrifying baby, while Alan Partridge was already holed up in a travel tavern with nothing but Mini Cheddars and bitterness.

Tony Blair was striding toward Number 10 in a crisp white shirt, promising things could only get better. Meanwhile, Robbie left Take That (devastation), The Fresh Prince was still a school-night essential, and Tomb Raider gave a generation of gamers their first polygonal crush.

Whether you were glued to TFI Friday, wearing Adidas popper trousers with no clear exit strategy, or still rewinding Wannabe to work out who was Baby and who was Scary — 1996 was the sound of a country finding its feet, flexing its muscles, and chanting “it’s coming home” like it actually meant it.

1996 — the year the ‘90s hit top gear… and England hit the post.