Best-Selling Products From The Decade You Were Born?
Some of you may still remember some of these best-sellers from the decade you were born. We started our list in the mid-1940s all the way till today. Some of these products were revolutionary; others were fantastic innovations or great kids' toys. Let's examine some of the best-selling products in the decade you were born. How many of these items have you owned in your lifetime?
The 1940s
Of course, the 1940s were hugely overshadowed by World War II, but that doesn't mean there were no key inventions that year that didn't pertain to the war. These include the microwave oven, crash-test dummies, and Super Glue. But what were some of the best-selling products of the 1940s? Let's go over some of them.
Metro Bus, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kenmore Automatic Washing Machine
The Kenmore Automatic Washing Machine was introduced in the mid-1940s, although the first patent for a machine-like device was issued in 1691 in England. This Machine featured a groundbreaking timer that was the forerunner of the machines we know today. It was first launched at Sears in the US for $3,000. It was one of the best-selling devices of the 1940s.
The Slinky
We all had one of these as kids, right? Well, the timeless Slinky toy dates back to 1943. Invented by naval engineer Richard James, it sold for $1 in department stores and sold out immediately when it was first released in 1945. James sold more than 100 million Slinkys during that decade.
Roger McLassus, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan
The best-selling car of the decade was the Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan. Although most automobile production in the United States and elsewhere was halted during the Second World War (with the factories being used to produce military vehicles, planes, and other critical components), the Chevrolet Fleetline Aerosedan established itself as the best-selling car of the 1940s.
GTHO, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sunbeam CoffeeMaster Percolator
Before drip coffee took over the coffee scene in the 1970s, percolators were preferred. Americans needed more coffee than ever during the 1940s and relied on the trusty Sunbeam CoffeeMaster percolator to get them up and running in the morning.
Vintage percolator sound, Smitty46sb
Forever Amber By Kathleen Winsor
Kathleen Winsor's historical novel Forever Amber had some rather racy undertones. It sold like wildfire—over 3 million copies in the US alone. The National Legion of Decency, an American Catholic group, castigated the 1947 eponymous film adaptation for its raunchiness.
The Hoover Model 27
This large stand-up vacuum was another post-WWII production that sold like hotcakes. The Model 27 had a smaller, lighter cousin, the Hoover Senior, the British best-selling unit of the decade.
Vintage Hoover Vacuum Model 27 The First Post War Era Hoover, Stef’sVacs&More
The 1950s
Post-war America was a huge rebuilding phase for the nation's economy. With the pressure of the war released, people were free to buy again. And buy they did. Here are the best-selling products of the 1950s.
Glenn, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Bic Cristal Pen
The best-selling pen in the world. The Bic Cristal ballpoint pen was introduced in 1950 by French inventor Marcel Bich; marketed as the Bic Crystal in North America, it sold millions after hitting the American market. The 100 billionth Bic Cristal pen was sold in September 2006 and remains the world's best-selling pen.
Trounce, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sony's Pocket Transistor Radio
Although Sony didn't invent the pocket transistor radio, the Japanese company did have the best-selling pocket transistor radio—the TR 610—of the decade. It was released in 1958 and sold more than half a million units.
Silly Putty
Before there was Play-Doh!, there was Silly Putty. Created as a substitute for rubber in the US in the 1940s, it was marketed as a toy for children in the 1950s. The small egg-shaped silicone ball was one of the hottest toys of the '50s, reportedly selling more than 250,000 units in three days.
plastelina.sk, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Matchbox Toy Cars
Matchbox Toy Cars were the predecessor to today's much-loved "Hot Wheels" cars. Established in the UK in 1953 by Lesney Products, the tiny cars that could fit into a matchbox sold millions worldwide for almost 20 years before their competitor, Hot Wheels, overtook them.
Matchboxler, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
From Here To Eternity By James Jones
The best-selling novel of the 1950s was "From Here To Eternity" by James Jones. A romantic drama set in the immediate aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Americans loved the dramatic love affair at the center of the story. "From Here To Eternity" sold 3 million copies in the 1950s and won the US National Book Award.
Marshall Public Library (Marshall, IL), Wikimedia Commons
RCA's Victor TV
In 1946, only 0.5% of American households had a television. By 1954, that number had risen to 55.7%. This stratospheric rise in TV ownership meant that RCA's black-and-white Victor TV was the best-selling box of the decade.
DogsRNice, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Chevrolet Bel-Air
It's safe to say that Chevy ruled the roost in the 1940s and 1950s American automobile landscape. Their first-generation Bel-Air was produced between 1950 and 1954, with Chevy only able to build 76,000 units (each weighing 3,225lbs). The 1957 release is among the most famous, with the tail-fin style side panels and convertible design. Chevrolet's Bel-Air sold more than 13.4 million units for the decade.
Greg Gjerdingen, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
The 1960s
From The Beatles to the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, and tie-dye clothing, a lot happened in the 1960s. But that didn't stop Americans from rushing out and buying these best-selling 1960s products:
Sunbeam MixMaster
Sunbeam didn't just make coffee percolators. Their mixing machines, the MixMaster, revolutionized household bread-making and other baking. As soon as Americans could get their hands on this 1960s invention, they did.
Mitch Ames, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Mattel's Barbie Doll
Ruth Handler invented the Barbie Doll while traveling to Germany in 1956. She noticed the Germans had a doll called Bild Lilli. She took a few of these dolls back to America, and her husband, Elliot Handler (co-founder of the toy company Mattel), began developing the iconic Barbie. Barbie was officially released in March 1959, but the toy didn't begin to sell like wildfire until the 1960s, selling 350,000 units in the first year.
Los Angeles Times, Adam Cuerden, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kodak Instamatic 104
While Kodak was no stranger to best-selling cameras, its Instamatic line sold millions of units from the 1960s to the 1970s, and the Instamatic 104 was among its best-sellers.
Joost J. Bakker, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Valley Of The Dolls By Jacqueline Susann
Jacqueline Susann's "Valley Of The Dolls" outgrew its poor sales initially to shift millions of copies after its 1966 release. Its mature subject matter of women who become dependent on prescription drugs, "Dolls," was a bitter pill to swallow for many Americans, but they ended up loving the book in the end.
Bruno of Hollywood, Wikimedia Commons
Western Electric 500 Phone
Designed by Henry Dreyfuss in the early 1950s, the Model 500 line was among the most popular circular telephones in the United States. However, the Western Electric 500 would take off in the 1960s and was eventually replaced by push-button phones that emerged in 1963, following a test by AT&T in Pennsylvania.
ProhibitOnions, Wikimedia Commons
Chevrolet Impala
The gorgeous Chevrolet Impala was America's best-selling car of the decade—another win for Chevrolet despite the presence of the Ford Mustang. The Impala sold over a million units in 1965 and stayed the course to become America's best-selling car of the decade.
Dennis Elzinga, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sony's Trinitron TV
All-electronic color television has existed in the US since 1953, with the first all-color broadcast on January 1, 1954. Still, Sony's Trinitron TV of 1968 became one of America's best-selling televisions. Sony discontinued the Trinitron brand in 2008, but not before it had sold more than 100 million units in 40 years.
The Science Museum UK, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The 1970s
The 1970s were an era of electronic innovation, from Atari's Pong to Ray Tomlinson's creation of email in 1971, IBM's manufacturing of the Floppy Disk, and much more. Let's examine some of the best-selling items of the 1970s.
Gale Sherry, Wikimedia Commons
The Little Professor
Although handheld "compact" calculators had existed since 1957, thanks to Japanese company Casio's Model 14-A, the Little Professor was the world's first electronic educational toy. It was released in 1977 during Christmas and sold more than a million units. The Little Professor was aimed at children and allowed them to perform basic arithmetic.
Loop202, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The Texas Instruments 500 Digital Watch
Although Texas Instruments wasn't the first company to introduce the digital watch, that fell to Hamilton, which introduced the Hamilton Pulsar P1 in 1972. Unfortunately, these watches cost as much as a small car. The TI-500, unveiled in 1976, cost just $20 and was immediately the best-selling watch of the decade.
Joe Haupt, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Atari 2600
Do you remember Pong? Not only did Atari invent that stalwart of the 70s, it also invented the Atari 2600, the world's first successfully mass-marketed video game console. Released in 1977, the 2600 sold between 350,000 and 400,000 units during its first year on the market.
Hot Wheels
We've mentioned Hot Wheels before—Matchbox's successor sold like wildfire in the 1970s after being created by Elliot Handler (there's that name again) for Mattel in 1968. The first car sold for 59 cents in 1968, marking the beginning of a tiny car takeover completed by the 1970s. "Hot Wheels, leading the way!", as the slogan says.
Shelby Asistio, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Texas Instruments 30 Calculator
Another win for Texas Instruments in the 1970s was the TI-30 pocket-sized electronic calculator. Able to perform complex mathematical equations, the TI-30 was hugely favored among those who didn't have the money for a personal computer. Although it was only released in 1976, the TI-30 was the most popular calculator of the 1970s.
Loadmaster (David R. Tribble), CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Oldsmobile Cutlass
For a brand that stopped producing cars in 2004 and saw a sharp decline in sales after 1988, the Oldsmobile Cutlass harkens back to when Oldsmobile ruled the American automobile kingdom. Usurping Chevrolet with a small, affordable, high-powered car that was perfect for everyday use, the Cutlass was the best-selling American car of the 1970s.
Betsyfross, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Polaroid OneStep Land Camera
Move over, Instamatic. Polaroid revolutionized color photography in the 1970s by making it instantaneous after releasing the Polaroid OneStep Land Camera in 1977. It would go on to become the best-selling camera of the 1970s.
Jacek Halicki, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The 1980s
The 1980s were another era of technological innovations, from the disposable camera by Fujifilm in 1986 to the nicotine patch and the DMC-DeLorean of Back To The Future (1985). By the end of the decade, the Berlin Wall fell. But what do you remember being the greatest product of the decade?
Raphaël Thiémard, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Speak & Spell
After the Speak & Spell was spotted in 1983, they were flying off the shelves. The device allowed users to type a word onto the screen and the onboard computer would then spell that word out to you in a robotic voice. As an educational tool for younger children, the Speak & Spell was re-released in 2019. But sales haven't eclipsed the original craze of the 1980s.
FozzTexx, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
The Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, was one of the greatest innovations of the 1980s by Nintendo. In attempting to repair the damage they'd caused by the 1970s video game crash, Nintendo released the NES, which sold over 62 million units throughout the decade. It beat Sega, their number-one competitor, by 31 million units.
Realfintogive, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 was the best-selling personal computer of the 1980s, as the industry had gone from strength to strength throughout the previous decade. The Commodore 64 sold 17 million units throughout the 1980s, blowing the ZX Spectrum of Europe out of the water (which sold only 5 million units).
Bill Bertram, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Cabbage Patch Kids
The Cabbage Patch Kids were one of the little ones' favorite dolls of the 1980s. So much so that parents resorted to fisticuffs to acquire the Cabbage Patch Kids dolls for their children. Such was the insanity that 65 million Cabbage Patch Kids found new homes in the 1980s.
Rubik's Cube
A confession: We still haven't solved one of these bad boys. If you were without a Rubik's Cube, then your friends probably had one. You probably spent all school lunch time trying to solve them. Those that did were declared savants. Invented in 1974 by Ernô Rubik, a Hungarian architecture professor and sculptor, the toy didn't go on sale until 1980. It sold over 200 million units between 1980 and 1983.
Ford Escort
One of Ford's most iconic and greatest-ever vehicles was the Ford Escort. Released in North America in 1981 having been previously sold in Europe only (since 1968), the Ford Escort immediately became popular. It filled a gap in the market for a compact car that was an everyday driver. It was the best-selling car of the 1980s, selling over 1 million units throughout the decade.
Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sony Walkman WM-2
The portable gadget of the 1980s was the Sony Walkman. With the WM-2 being released in 1981, it quickly overtook all competitors in the portable music industry, selling 1.5 million units during the 1980s.
Birmingham Museums Trust, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
The 1990s
The 1990s were all about unity. The rise of the Internet, Google, the Sony PlayStation system, and much more. We were all speeding toward a new millennium with new technology. Here are some of the best-selling products of the 1990s.
Bundesarchiv, Engelbert Reineke, CC-BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Nintendo GameBoy
The Nintendo GameBoy took over Sony's Walkman as the greatest handheld console ever when it was released in North America in late 1989. By the end of the 1990s, Nintendo had sold more than 118 million of these bad boys.
The First Sony PlayStation
The now infamous Sony PlayStation was released in 1995, becoming an instant success—selling over 70 million units by 1999 and becoming the most popular game console of the decade. Collectible models of the PlayStation 1 have sold for as much as $3,000.
The Alchemist By Paulo Coehlo
Set in Portugal, The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo was first published in 1988 before being translated to English in 1993. The plot follows a young boy's quest to find hidden treasure and a journey across North Africa to Egypt, where he dreamed he'd find the treasure. The Alchemist sold 65 million copies between 1990 and 1999.
Lula Oficial, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ford Taurus
Ford has been making reliable cars for decades—and the 1990s were no different, with the Taurus ruling the best-sellers list of American automobiles for most of the decade. It sold over 1 million units and was America's best-selling car for five years in a row between 1992 and 1997. The Camry rounded out the decade and usurped Ford from 97-99.
order_242, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Tamagotchi
Like Cabbage Patch Kids and Slinkys, Tamagotchis were one of those things that everyone and their mother had in the 1990s. If you didn't, you probably had a GameBoy, or were just missing out. The Tamagotchi fad kicked off in 1996 and had sold over 40 million units by 1999. They're still selling, with over 91 million sales worldwide as of 2023 data.
Tomasz Sienicki, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Motorola Bravo
If you had a cell phone in the 1990s, you were probably a corporate executive. The rest of us relied on pagers. These nifty little devices sold in the tens of millions throughout the decade before cell phone usage became the go-to method of communication, with over 61 million units used worldwide.
Jakez, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Nokia 3210
A revolution in cell phone technology came with the Nokia 3210, a very affordable cell phone that was released in 1999. Hundreds of millions of these things shifted in the early months of being made available.
CSIRO, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
The 2000s
The 2000s were another decade of incredible technological progress, but also maddening fads that took teenagers by storm—like Heelys. Social media really came into its own and even electric cars were introduced pre-2010. Let's explore some of the best-selling products of the 2000s.
Paul Mannix, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Amazon Kindle
Whether you're for or against e-readers, there's little doubt that Amazon's 2007 release of the Kindle changed the reading game as we know it. No longer did you have to lug around your books in a bag, or even have a bookshelf in your home, everything was in the Kindle. This small, handheld e-reader sold 3 million units by 2010.
James Tarbotton jamestarbotton, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
The Da Vinci Code By Dan Brown
The conspiracy-fiction novel by Dan Brown hit our shelves in 2003 and was an instant classic. Bigger than even Harry Potter by some margin, The Da Vinci Code sold over 80 million copies by 2010, beating Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince by 15 million. It was made into a movie starring Tom Hanks.
Philip Scalia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Garmin Nuvi 350
While previously only being developed by the military, the US government removed all restrictions on global-satellite positioning systems in 2000. Technology companies like Garmin and others seized on the opportunity to create GPS that could be made available to the general public. In 2005, the Nuvi was released and sold millions.
Humberto Möckel, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Toyota Camry
With Ford firmly knocked off its perch at the top of the American automobile food chain, the Toyota Camry took its place in the 2000s as the best-selling car in North America. It sold over 45 million units.
Jeremy, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
PlayStation 2
Sony knew they'd have to follow up the incredible success of the PS1 with something amazing. So, they did. Releasing the PS2 in 2000, it came with more controllers, more USB ports, a faster interface, and could connect to an external drive. It sold 155 million units, besting Nintendo's DS by 1 million units.
Nokia 1100
The Nokia 1100 may not have looked anywhere near as flashy as Apple's iPhone (released in 2007), but it still claimed the crown as the best-selling cell phone of the 2000s. It sold more than 250 million handsets between 2003 and 2009, whereas Apple only shifted 42.5 million units.
Apple iPod
Apple's replacement for the portable CD player, the iPod was a revolution in technology when it was released in October, 2001. Allowing users to store songs on a portable player that was as small as a credit card was an incredible feat. It sold 125,000 within the first two months of its release and would end the decade with an astonishing 225 million units sold. They owned 74% of the MP3 player market by the end of the decade.
You May Also Like:
The Best Deals Waiting In Second-Hand Shops
Companies Built Around A Single Product
The Most Expensive Habits We Have And How To Break Them
Chris Harrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sources:
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
_Ateva_sedan_(24841279051).jpg){kind=link}
