What was the best year to be alive? Can anyone ever really say, given it depends so much on your parameters, and, crucially, when, where and to whom you were born.
That said, there’s always someone willing to crunch the numbers and come up with an official answer.
Perhaps the most scientific study to date is one by the New Economics Foundation, which concluded that we reached peak happiness in the UK in 1976.
That verdict was based on the think tank’s own ‘measure of domestic progress’ (MDP), a radical alternative to ‘gross domestic product’ (GDP) that looks beyond the economy and considers how overall well-being has changed for the average household.
Most people remember 1976 for the long hot summer, perhaps romanticised by those who lived through it and recall happy days at the local lido above those spent queueing under the sweltering sun to collect water from standpipes in the street.
You may remember the strikes, the plummeting pound and soaring inflation, but there was plenty to make up for that, the records show, including lower crime, narrowing income inequality and greater public investment.
We’ve opted for a less scientific approach when it comes to choosing our reasons why 1976 was the best year to be alive, all backed up with the photos to help prove that assertion.
Will 1976 forever be the year we, as a country, achieved peak happiness, before throwing away the progress we had made, in search of economic growth?
Whatever the answer, it’s fair to say 2026 ranks pretty low so far, opening as it has done with global destruction, the crippling cost of living, and rising unemployment.
5. It was the era of the Raleigh Chopper
The much-loved Raleigh Chopper bike was the British design classic that every youngster wanted in the mid-70s. Nicknamed the 'banana seat' bike, due to its unique looks, it was good for getting around town but also for trying to pull off the most daring stunts in front of, and occasionally over, your friends. | National World Photo: Frank Orrell
6. Gold on the ice
1976 was the year John Curry carved his name into sporting history, winning Great Britain's first ice skating gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck | Getty Images Photo: Tony Duffy/ALLSPORT
7. Winning Eurovision
Do you still remember the days when the UK did well at Eurovision Song Contest? Even during a supremely successful era, 1976 stood out, as Brotherhood of Man swept to victory with the ridiculously catchy 'Save Your Kisses For Me'. | Getty Images Photo: Keystone
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8. Record-breaking car is launched
It is the best-selling car in British motoring history, and the remarkable success story began in 1976. That was the year the Ford Fiesta was launched. Production continued until 2023, with an incredible 4.8 million vehicles sold during its lifespan. | Heritage Images via Getty Images Photo: National Motor Museum