Year of the Monkey: What Pop Culture Was Like 12 Years Ago

Check out the top movies, music of 2004.

ByABC News
February 8, 2016, 1:25 PM

— -- The Chinese New Year is being celebrated around the world today and many shopping centers and buildings are adorned with toy monkeys.

PHOTO: A giant wooden made monkey is seen as part of decorations in preparations for the coming Chinese New Year celebrations on Feb. 8, 2016 in Chinatown in Manila, Feb. 5, 2016.
A giant wooden made monkey is seen as part of decorations in preparations for the coming Chinese New Year celebrations on Feb. 8, 2016 in Chinatown in Manila, Feb. 5, 2016.

The monkey is the ninth of 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac cycle. Every 12 years is a Monkey year.

Here's a look back at life in 2004, the last Year of the Monkey.

The Top Movies

2004 was all about sequels.

The top two grossing movies were "Shrek 2" and "Spider-Man 2" respectively, according to boxofficemojo.com.

The sequel "Meet the Fockers" also made the top five list.

A Change in TV

2004 marked an end for many beloved TV series.

The final HBO episode of "Sex and the City" aired in February.

PHOTO: Sex and the City's final HBO episode "An American Girl in Paris (Part Deux)," aired Feb. 22, 2004.
Sex and the City's final HBO episode "An American Girl in Paris (Part Deux)," aired Feb. 22, 2004.

The last last episode of "Friends" aired on NBC in May.

The hit series "Frasier" concluded its long run in May as well.

Academy Awards

"The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" took home the prize for Best Picture at the 2004 Academy Awards.

Charlize Theron won the Best Actress Oscar and Sean Penn won the Best Actor Oscar for their performances in "Monster" and "Mystic River." The two ended up dating a few years later.

PHOTO: Sean Penn, left, and Charlize Theron win Best Actor and Best Actress Oscars, respectively, at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Feb. 29, 2004.
Sean Penn, left, and Charlize Theron win Best Actor and Best Actress Oscars, respectively, at the Academy Awards in Los Angeles, Feb. 29, 2004.

But broke up in 2015 after a year and a half together.

PHOTO: Sean Penn and Charlize Theron attend the "Mad Max : Fury Road"  Premiere during the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival, May 14, 2015, in Cannes, France.
Sean Penn and Charlize Theron attend the "Mad Max : Fury Road" Premiere during the 68th annual Cannes Film Festival, May 14, 2015, in Cannes, France.

#1 Album

The No. 1 album of the year was Usher's "Confessions" according to Billboard.

Super Bowl

And no one can forget the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show with Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake -- which was a little more scandalous than last night's Coldplay, Beyonce and Bruno Mars performance.

PHOTO: Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake perform during The AOL TopSpeed Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show, Feb. 1, 2004, in Houston.
Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake perform during The AOL TopSpeed Super Bowl XXXVIII Halftime Show, Feb. 1, 2004, in Houston.