About two months after the internet was obsessed with the year 2016, now it’s the ‘90s that are in vogue. People on the internet are asking, and answering, a single question: What were you like in the ‘90s?
NBC’s Joe Fryer unpacked the trend that’s leaving people longing for life 30 years ago in a TODAY segment that aired on March 12. Some of the biggest ‘90s stars, from John Stamos to Drew Barrymore, have already participated. And the Goo Goo Dolls, whose song is included in the trend, are weighing in, too.
Here’s what to know about the “what were you like in the ‘90s?” trend.
Inside the ‘What Were You Like in the ‘90s?’ Trend
The trend is simple. People film themselves in the present day with questions like this atop the screen: “Mom, what were you like in the ‘90s?” or “Dad, what were you like in the ‘90s?”
Then comes a montage of photos and videos of the same person in the ‘90s. The Goo Goo Dolls classic “Iris,” playing over the photos and videos, heightens the nostalgia.
Celebrities, including ones who rose to fame in the ‘90s, are happily hopping on the trend. John Stamos shared memories from his “Full House” Uncle Jesse era, showing off his “bad boy” look and reminding social media why he was every girl’s first crush at the time. Kevin Bacon posted photos on Instagram flashing back to his long hair and leather jackets.
The celebrity participation list does not stop there, with more posts from Jewel, Reese Witherspoon, Brooke Shields, Joey McIntyre and music groups like the Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys.
The trend is prompting reflection, too. Drew Barrymore wrote on Instagram that she “went down memory lane looking at these photographs.” Kristin Davis, who played Charlotte York on the HBO show “Sex and the City,” one of the defining cultural moments of the ’90s, said the era was a “very interesting time.”
Who’s Driving the Nostalgia?
The generations who’ve grown up online are the ones yearning for a time that was not-so-digital.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha are driving this ‘90s nostalgia trend, according to Clay Routledge, a leading expert on the science of nostalgia.
“They think there’s something really cool about the pre-digital life — about the analog, more-tactile in-person life — and they’re trying to get in touch with that and find inspiration from it, to find balance in their own digital lives,” Routledge told TODAY.
Younger generations have also been inspired by the FX and Hulu series “Love Story” about JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s ‘90s romance.
Gen Z and Gen Alpha are obsessed with Bessette’s minimalist style and JFK Jr. has been inspiring young men to don caps.
The Goo Goo Dolls React to the Viral Trend
The flashback montages are all accompanied by the same song: “Iris” By the Goo Goo Dolls. The song, which came out in 1998, also had a moment in 2025, and was deemed “the song of the summer” by the Wall Street Journal thanks to its resurgence on charts. Footage of Goo Goo Dolls frontman and guitarist John Rzeznik singing in a rainy concert in Buffalo has also gone viral.
The band is calling the most recent trend a “blast.”
“We’re so thrilled at the continued support of ‘Iris’ nearly 30 years after its release,” Rzeznik told TODAY. “The ‘90s trend is a blast for us and it’s so fun to see all the old school photos from some of our favorite people. “
“It’s also really cool to connect with a younger audience who are discovering not only 'Iris' but a lot of our songs,” Rzeznik added. “It’s really been a great time and I’m super grateful.”
