2002 was a year when the world tried to find its footing between sobering headlines and some seriously fun distractions.
The fight against terrorism dominated the news, with attacks like the Bali bombings and the Moscow theater hostage crisis highlighting how uneasy the world still felt as countries adjusted to a new sense of global security.
On a brighter note, the Winter Olympics turned Utah’s Salt Lake City into a snowy celebration of sports and flag-waving, and the soccer World Cup in South Korea and Japan saw Brazil win its record fifth title.
Tech and science fans had plenty to buzz about with the founding of a young company called SpaceX, and robot vacuums like the Roomba quietly started cleaning floors and hinting at a smarter home future.
Over at the cinema, Toby Maguire swung into theaters as Spider-Man, and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers kept fantasy fans hooked.
Taken together, 2002 blended heavy global moments with sports triumphs, new technology, and entertainment that remains iconic year after year.
Continue reading to explore the defining moments of 2002, from pivotal events and inspiring stories to unforgettable music, quotes, and more.
Historical Events
Here you can explore the incredible moments that shaped 2002, a year filled with unforgettable events!
January 2002
Jan 29
President George W. Bush gave his State of Union Address.
He announced that North Korea, Iran, and Iraq were threats to America's way of life.
Mar 5
The Osbournes reality TV show aired for the first time on MTV.
The American show featured Ozzy, Sharon, Kelly, and Jack Osbourne. Ozzy and Sharon have another child (Aimee) who refused to participate.
April 2002
Apr 30
A remake of the original 1996 Resident Evil was released exclusively for GameCube.
The director, Shinji Mikami, thought the 1996 version didn't age well, and that the GameCube would better allow his vision for the game to come to life. Not only were the remake's graphics better, but it also had a new range of features, including better gameplay mechanics, new areas, more advanced puzzles, and an improved script.
May 2002
May 6
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, more commonly known as SpaceX, was founded by Elon Musk.
May 26
Eminem released his fourth studio album, “The Eminem Show.”
It went on to win the 2002 Billboard Album of the Year and Grammy Award Best Rap Album 2003.
June 2002
July 2002
Jul 14
President of France, Jacques Chirac narrowly escaped an assassination during the Bastille Day celebration.
Nobody was hurt during the incident. The attacker was a 25-year-old who was a member of "neo-Nazi and hooligan" groups.
August 2002
September 2002
November 2002
December 2002
Dec 6
Adaptation directed by Spike Jonze, starring Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep, premiered.
Dec 18
The Two Towers, the second of the Lord of the Rings films, was released in theaters.
It made $62 million in its opening weekend and $926 million worldwide.
Dec 20
Gangs of New York, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, and Cameron Diaz, was released.
Dec 27
Chicago, the film based on the musical and directed by Rob Marshall, was released.
Dec 28
LinkedIn was founded by Reid Hoffman and the founding team members from PayPal and Socialnet.com.
Their website wasn't launched until May 5, 2003.
Dec 29
China’s Shenzhou spacecraft launched on its fourth and final uncrewed flight.
This final uncrewed launch, specified as mission Shenzhou 4, was used to test the last few pieces of technology required for a crewed flight, with the most critical piece of tech being the life support systems. The flight test was a complete success, with no significant changes happening to the spacecraft before its crewed launch.
Famous Births
Let's celebrate the amazing individuals who came into the world in 2002!
Age
23 years old
Born IN
Oklahoma, USA
Age
23 years old
Born IN
Texas, USA
Age
23 years old
Born IN
British Columbia, Canada
Age
23 years old
Born IN
Washington, USA
Age
23 years old
Born IN
Pennsylvania, USA
Age
23 years old
Born IN
Pennsylvania, USA
Quotes
Here's a collection of notable quotes that emerged in 2002.
May 18
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”
Nelson Mandela
(South African President)
Sep 17
“Fool me once, shame on … shame on you. Fool me… You can’t get fooled again!”
George W. Bush
(American Politician)
2002 in Music
2002 gifted us with a treasure trove of unforgettable melodies that became the soundtrack of our lives!
From the catchy pop sound of “Hot in Herre” by Nelly to the emotional depth of “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne, these songs became instant classics and had us hooked with their infectious energy.
Discover the music highlights from 2002 that you need to know about.
Album of the Year
The “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” soundtrack, featuring various artists, took listeners on a musical journey through Americana in 2002, winning the Grammy for Album of the Year.
Song of the Year
Alicia Keys’ powerful and soulful ballad “Fallin'” showcased her talent and won her the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2002.
Best New Artist
Alicia Keys’ soulful voice and virtuosic piano skills won her the Grammy Award for Best New Artist in 2002, making her an undeniable talent in the world of R&B and soul.
Eurovision Song Contest Winner
The 47th Eurovision Song Contest, held in 2002 in Tallinn, Estonia, showcased the musical talents of the continent.
Marie N, a talented singer from Latvia, delivered a charming performance of “I Wanna,” securing Latvia’s first and, at that time, only Eurovision win.
2002 In Numbers
Let’s look at some fun number facts! If you’ve ever wondered what 2002 looks like in Roman numerals, it’s written as MMII. And when we look at it in binary, 2002 is represented as 11111010010, with a series of ones and zeros that form a unique digital code.
The year 2002 is special because it is a palindrome. A palindrome is a number or word that reads the same forwards and backwards, and 2002 does exactly that.
Abundant Number
Also, 2002 is recognized as an abundant number, which means that when you add up all the smaller numbers that can evenly divide into it, the resulting sum exceeds the number itself.
So, when you add up all the smaller numbers that can divide evenly into 2002 (1, 2, 7, 11, 13, 14, 22, 26, 77, 91, 143, 154, 182, 286, 1001), they add up to 2030, which is greater than 2002.
Chinese Zodiac 2002
According to the Chinese zodiac, 2002 was The Year of the Horse, which occurs once every twelve years.
The Chinese zodiac isn’t just based on animals, though, as the cycle also incorporates the five elements – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water. So not only was 2002 the Year of the Horse, it was actually the Year of the Water Horse, which occurs once every sixty years!
Due to the unique nature of the Chinese calendar, the Year of the Water Horse began on February 12th, aligning with their lunar cycle, and continued until January 31, 2003.
Those born in the Year of the Horse are typically energetic, independent, and adventurous. They possess a strong sense of freedom, have a competitive nature, and are known for their optimism.
The Years of the Horse gave us remarkable people, including Jennifer Lawrence, Jacob Sartorius and Loren Gray.
2002 Trivia
Did you know that in 2002, euro banknotes and coins were introduced as physical money across 12 European countries?
This huge changeover replaced long-standing national currencies like the French franc and German mark for over 300 million people, making it the largest cash swap in history.
It marked a major milestone in European integration and made travel and trade much simpler with one shared currency.
