World Events in 2016
UK Votes to Leave the EU (Brexit)
On 23 June, the UK voted 52% to 48% to leave the European Union, sending shockwaves through global markets and politics. Prime Minister David Cameron resigned the next morning. The result exposed deep divisions in British society.
Donald Trump Elected President
Businessman and reality TV star Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in November's presidential election, defying polls and pundits. His populist, anti-establishment campaign reshaped American politics and polarised the nation.
Leicester City Win the Premier League
In the greatest underdog story in sporting history, Leicester City won the English Premier League title at odds of 5000-1. The previous season they had narrowly avoided relegation. Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez led the fairytale.
Brussels and Nice Terror Attacks
Coordinated bombings at Brussels airport and metro in March killed 32 people. In July, a lorry was driven into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing 86 people. The attacks intensified security concerns across Europe.
Pulse Nightclub Shooting
On 12 June, a gunman killed 49 people at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. It was the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history at the time, and a devastating attack on the LGBTQ+ community.
Fall of Aleppo
After years of siege, the Syrian government backed by Russian airstrikes recaptured the city of Aleppo in December. The battle caused massive civilian casualties and destruction, with harrowing images emerging of the devastation.
Music in 2016
"One Dance"
Drake ft. Wizkid & Kyla
Drake's dancehall-influenced track spent 15 weeks at UK number one, the longest run in years. It introduced Afrobeats to mainstream Western pop audiences and was Spotify's most-streamed song of 2016.
"Love Yourself"
Justin Bieber
Co-written with Ed Sheeran, Bieber's stripped-back hit spent two weeks at US number one early in 2016 and was among the year's biggest sellers, marking his transition from teen idol to credible pop artist.
#1 Film of 2016
Captain America: Civil War
Box Office: $1.15 billion
Marvel pitted Iron Man against Captain America in what was essentially an Avengers film, with Spider-Man and Black Panther making scene-stealing debuts. It topped the worldwide box office and set up the next phase of the MCU.
Born in 2016
Children of 2016
Born into a year of political upheaval — the Brexit and Trump generation
Dream Kardashian
Daughter of Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna, born November 2016
Lost in 2016
David Bowie
Musician and cultural icon (Ziggy Stardust, Heroes, Let's Dance)
Age 69
Prince
Musician (Purple Rain, When Doves Cry, Kiss)
Age 57
Muhammad Ali
Boxer, three-time world heavyweight champion and activist
Age 74
Leonard Cohen
Singer-songwriter and poet (Hallelujah, Suzanne)
Age 82
Alan Rickman
Actor (Die Hard, Harry Potter, Love Actually)
Age 69
Technology in 2016
Pokemon Go became the first mainstream augmented reality hit, getting people wandering into traffic worldwide. AirPods launched and were immediately mocked, then became ubiquitous. TikTok's predecessor Musical.ly was growing fast. VR headsets finally shipped — Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. Amazon's Alexa was becoming a household presence.
- ● Pokemon Go launched and became a global AR phenomenon
- ● Apple AirPods launched, pioneering wireless earbuds
- ● Tesla's Autopilot brought semi-autonomous driving to consumers
- ● Google DeepMind's AlphaGo defeated world Go champion Lee Sedol
Cost of Living in 2016
| Item | UK | US |
|---|---|---|
| Average house price | £210,000 | $210,000 |
| Average salary | £28,000 | $53,000 |
| Pint of milk | 50p | $0.86 |
| Loaf of bread | £1.34 | $2.75 |
| Dozen eggs | £2.00 | $2.20 |
| Pint of beer | £3.50 | $4.10 |
| Gallon of petrol/gas | £4.70 | $2.14 |
| Cinema ticket | £7.50 | $8.65 |
Shop 2016 memorabilia on eBay/Amazon
The Zeitgeist of 2016
A year of seismic political shocks. Brexit stunned Britain and Trump stunned America. The deaths of David Bowie and Prince within months of each other felt like the universe was collapsing. Pokemon Go got millions off their sofas briefly. Stranger Things arrived on Netflix. The cultural mood was one of bewilderment and uncertainty.
In the News in 2016
The UK voted 52-48 to leave the EU in June. Donald Trump defeated Hillary Clinton in November. The Zika virus caused alarm across the Americas. Turkey survived a coup attempt. Aleppo fell after years of siege. Leicester City won the Premier League at 5000-1 odds.