Boomers sometimes wonder how millennials could miss entire eras of classic rock. Millennials wonder the same thing—just in reverse. These bands have sold out tours, racked up billions of streams, and soundtracked entire phases of millennial life. And no, they don’t sound like the Beatles. That’s kind of the point.

When A Bronx Tale was released in 1993, Lillo Brancato Jr. looked like a sure thing. He was young, charismatic, and held his own opposite Robert De Niro—something many actors far more experienced have struggled to do. Hollywood took notice, and the industry seemed ready to slot him into the next wave of serious leading men.

There’s a reason so many adults can still quote cartoon dialogue from memory. The 2000s weren’t just a strong decade for animated TV—they were a creative explosion where writers, artists, and networks stopped playing it safe and started trusting kids (and adults) to handle smarter jokes, bigger emotions, and stranger ideas. These shows didn’t talk down to their audiences. They grew with them, shaped their humor, and quietly became cultural cornerstones.