Rewind to
1995
12 different songs reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1995. The year opened with On Bended Knee by Boyz II Men at the top, and Fantasy by Mariah Carey held #1 the longest — 8 weeks in 1995.
Prices rose 2.8% over 1994, a calm year by historical standards. One dollar in 1995 buys about what $2.11 buys in 2025.
A gallon of regular gas averaged $1.15, up 3% from 1994. In 2025 dollars that is $2.42, against an actual 2025 average of $3.26.
Mailing a letter took a 32¢ stamp (it is 73¢ in 2025), and the federal minimum wage was $4.25 an hour.
Songs that hit #1
12
Gallon of gas
$1.15
2025: $3.26
Inflation
2.8%
change in CPI vs 1994
$1 then is
$2.11
in 2025 dollars
Every #1 hit of 1995
| Song | Artist | First week at #1 | Weeks at #1 in 1995 |
|---|---|---|---|
| On Bended Knee | Boyz II Men | Jan 7 | 3 |
| Creep | TLC | Jan 28 | 4 |
| Take A Bow | Madonna | Feb 25 | 7 |
| This Is How We Do It | Montell Jordan | Apr 15 | 7 |
| Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman? | Bryan Adams | Jun 3 | 5 |
| Waterfalls | TLC | Jul 8 | 7 |
| Kiss From A Rose | Seal | Aug 26 | 1 |
| You Are Not Alone | Michael Jackson | Sep 2 | 1 |
| Gangsta's Paradise (From "Dangerous Minds") | Coolio Featuring L.V. | Sep 9 | 3 |
| Fantasy | Mariah Carey | Sep 30 | 8 |
| Exhale (Shoop Shoop) (From "Waiting To Exhale") | Whitney Houston | Nov 25 | 1 |
| One Sweet Day | Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men | Dec 2 | 5 |
Weeks are counted within 1995; a song that carried over from 1994 or into 1996 shows only its 1995 weeks.
What things cost in 1995
| Item | 1995 price | In 2025 dollars | Actual 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gallon of regular gas | $1.15 | $2.42 | $3.26 |
| Dozen large eggs | $0.92 | $1.95 | $4.25 |
| Loaf of white bread (per lb) | $0.79 | $1.67 | $1.87 |
| Gallon of whole milk | $2.48 | $5.25 | $4.07 |
| Ground beef (per lb) | $1.37 | $2.89 | $6.09 |
| Whole chicken (per lb) | $0.92 | $1.94 | $2.06 |
| Bacon (per lb) | $1.99 | $4.20 | $7.02 |
| Ground coffee (per lb) | $4.04 | $8.53 | $8.18 |
| Bananas (per lb) | $0.49 | $1.04 | $0.65 |
| Sugar (per lb) | $0.40 | $0.84 | $1.02 |
| Potatoes (per lb) | $0.38 | $0.80 | $0.96 |
| Flour (per lb) | $0.24 | $0.52 | $0.56 |
| Electricity (per kWh) | $0.09 | $0.20 | $0.18 |
| Federal minimum wage (per hour) | $4.25 | $8.98 | $7.25 |
| Median new home sale price | $133,475 | $281,996 | $415,400 |
| First-class stamp | 32¢ | 68¢ | 73¢ |
Compare 1995 prices with any amount → · Find the #1 song on any day in 1995 →
The internet in 1995
Websites in existence
23,500
June 1995 · Netcraft / Internet Live Stats
Americans online
9.2%
World Bank, via FRED
- 1995JavaScript in ten days — Brendan Eich writes the first version of JavaScript at Netscape in about ten days. source
- 1995Domains stop being free — After SAIC buys Network Solutions, the National Science Foundation lets it charge for domain registrations: $100 for two years. Until then, registering a .com cost nothing. source
- August 1995Internet Explorer 1.0 — Microsoft releases Internet Explorer as part of the Plus! add-on pack for Windows 95, and the browser wars begin. source
- August 9, 1995Netscape's IPO — Netscape's stock nearly triples on its first day of trading. Many count it as the start of the dot-com boom. source
- August 24, 1995Windows 95 — Microsoft launches Windows 95 with the Start button and a Rolling Stones song. Stores open at midnight. source
- September 3, 1995AuctionWeb (later eBay) — Pierre Omidyar launches AuctionWeb. One of the first things sold is a broken laser pointer. source
