Media nostalgia: what we miss
MySpace. Flip phones. Walkmans and discmans. VCRs and DVDs. Blockbuster.
There’s a lot that has come and gone in media, and for some of us, it doesn’t feel like too long ago that they were part of our daily lives. (Our answers will definitely show our age!)
We thought we’d ask the team what they miss from their childhoods or recent years that has disappeared from popularity or production altogether!
Enjoy a trip down memory lane…
Ange: Napster and Limewire — precursors to Spotify! Vinyl. What every kid in the 80s wanted desperately: a WALKMAN. Nintendo Gameboy! Especially the double screen Donkey Kong. I think what I really miss was making your own stuff. Mix tapes taped off the radio… then making dance routines in my lounge room. That no-one would ever see! Just an imaginary audience.
Nintendo Game Boy
Steve: My top ones would be handheld gaming consoles with 8bit graphics, waking up to watch Video Hits on the weekend and getting the new So Fresh CD each season. I also remember when Mum bought me The Chamber Of Secrets VHS from Safeway one night, but I was in the middle of an episode of Charmed, so I had to wait for that to finish before I could put HP on! My first phone was the Motorola Razr and I remember being super cool flipping up the phone to take a call (probably just from Mum or Dad though).
Jo: GOOD question. I miss VHS! It was a more tactile experience than DVD or now streaming! (But I also don't miss it ya know – especially having to rewind things.)
I miss not having Facebook or social media.
Bea: The Instagram chronological feed 😂 But seriously, I would say being able to customise your MySpace site (learnt basic coding this way) and MSN chats.
Homepage for MSN Messenger.
Soph: I always loved CDs — I always had them in alphabetical order in my room or on the TV unit in the lounge room. My favourite part was the inside booklet with the lyrics and I clearly remember lying on my bed with my discman learning Avril Lavigne albums on repeat off. by. heart.
Nick: Making mix tapes on cassettes.
Em: CDs! And my cute iPod Nano. And discmans.
Laura: Is is odd that I actually miss Blockbuster!? And trying to record the radio on a cassette, hoping and praying that the DJ wouldn't talk over the end of the track.
Remember getting New Releases and Weeklies?
Josh: Gameboy.
James: The Windows Media Player visualiser.
Windows Media Player visualiser.
Greg: My Nokia 8110… miss feeling like I was in The Matrix.
Cici: The Blackberry or MSN Messenger.
Is there something from your youth that you wished still existed today? What would yours be?
We wonder what the kids of today will miss in 10-20 years time… No doubt there’ll be a whole new wave of apps and other technologies that will leave some 2021 faves in the dust!