Screamers Throughout the Years

Here, you can learn about notable screamers by each year. For a list of all screamers on the wiki, go to the Screamer Library. This timeline only contains some moments, not all moments of each year. Click on the year/decade to view all screamers and shock sites released in that time frame. Note that you can add more screamers to this article if you want.

1970s

Ladies and gentlemen, the very first screamer video...

• What is said to be the first screamer ever made, Monkey on Their Backs, was aired on TV as a PSA on the topic of anti-heroin. Though not deliberately, it can be said to have kickstarted a myriad of videos, gifs, and games under the names of 'screamers'.

1980s

• This decade featured a wave of PSAs and advertisements containing shocking content and jumpscares. They typically contained gore or other disturbing imagery. Examples include Dumb Animals and Faroe Islands.
• In 1987, Budd Dwyer’s Suicide was recorded. It wasn't until the rise of the internet that this footage was shown worldwide on sites such as Ogrish.com and YouTube.

1990s

• In this decade, the first-ever screamer software was released onto Amiga computers, dubbed NightMare. This software would load an image of a skull every five minutes along with a loud scream; possibly the pioneer for screamer videos today.
• More gory PSAs aired, such as Tigers, Teletoon at Night Bumper, and The Chase.
• The world's first shock site, Rotten.com, launched in 1996.
• Insurgents in Chechnya film the murder of a Russian soldier in 1996.
• An early VHS version of the BME Pain Olympics is created in 1997.
• Many infamous websites were created in 1999. Examples include albinoblacksheep.com, X-rider.com and Goatse.cx.
• Also in 1999, the first screamer game, Frau1.exe, was released to the public.

2000

• The first year of the 2000s saw more applications such as Hikaru.exe and McDonalds.exe, and more shock sites such as Happypuppies.net, Ogrish.com, and Skinny Dipping.
• This year starts the "Golden Age" of Screamers.

2001

• What's Wrong?, one of the most famous screamers of all time, and one to pioneer the future of screamers and jumpscares, was released this year. This screamer was the first to use the famous image of a pale woman with black eyes and her hands on her face with her pinky fingers raised. Many other screamers were made in future years in the style first seen here. The screamer was made by Jeremy Winterrowd, who also created the site Winterrowd.com, this year where his creations were hosted.
• Early shock sites such as Rate My Poo and Klerck.org launched this year.
• Yourethemannowdog.com was created.
• Scareware program Madoka.exe was created and spread in Japan.

2002

• Liquid Generation created several screamer games which he dubbed "Sabotages".
• Blue.gif was hosted on TeKZoned.
• Lemonparty.org was launched, inspired by Goatse.cx
• Famous screamer animation Kikia was created this year by an unknown person.
• The GNAA was founded this year.

2003

• Jeremy Winterrowd and Liquid generation continue making screamers on their sites.
• The GNAA launched a series of malicious shock sites under the name "Last Measure" as part of their trolling campaign.
• Controversial Courage the Cowardly Dog Commercial airs on Nickelodeon.
• Garlfield.com creates Garfield's Scary Scavenger Hunt 2.

2004

• The most well-known screamers of all time were released this year, including The Maze while the infamous K-fee commercials were all recorded and ready to air on TV.
• The previously mentioned maze game saw sequels spawn, like Maze Game 2 and Maze Game 3. Alongside these maze games, their site, playscarymazegame.net, was launched.
• The ability to create screamers was opened to more people with games such as Garry's Mod is released.
• The possessed state of Regan MacNeil from the 1973 classic horror film The Exorcist was introduced this year and was already all over the internet after The Maze was released.
• The Albino Blacksheep short video; Good Intentions, was released in 2004.
• More shock sites were launched such as Jiztini.com and many games were released.

2005

• Similar to how 2004 was a huge year for screamers, 2005 was a huge year for shock sites.
• Many famous shock sites such as Bottle Guy, Fuck.org and Heyya.org were launched. Mr. Hands also saw its release this year. It became easier to broadcast your screamers thanks to the launch of YouTube this year.
• Multiple new games were released, as with previous years, including The Never Ending Level Game and a huge quantity of sequels to The Maze.
• The previously mentioned K-fee commercials were aired on TV this year and so was the French ad for the survival horror third-person shooter game Resident Evil 4.
• Other screamers released this year, such as AV Test.

2006

• 2006 saw a huge amount of screamers drop. Most notably Ghost Caught on Tape.
• The website Liveleak was launched this year as an easy place to upload gore and shock videos.
• A surprising amount of "hidden message" videos were released this year, such as Britney Spears Hidden Message, Jingle Bells Reversed and Silent Message.
• The well-known video, Saddam Hussein Execution, was released in 2006 by VenerableDread, who became very active this year and went on to create Cuffi Advert.
• A parody of the K-fee commercials from the Free Enterprise Fund Committee was broadcast.
• Optical Illusions also saw its launch this year.
• This year starts the "Silver Age" of screamers.

2007

• The infamous Japanese screamer game site, lomando.com was posted live this year, and what is said to be the pioneer of shock videos, 2 Girls 1 Cup, was released, which was the basis for a generation of unbelievably disturbing videos had begun, with videos such as 3 Guys 1 Hammer publication. Other such videos, like Cocker Pooch - Swallowing You, were released at this time too.
• Encyclopedia Dramatica adds a plenty of shock sites such as Offended, Reporting Un-Islamic Content and The Pain Series. Plenty of screamers and shock sites saw their rise. Nearly 100 screamers have been said to launch in 2007, making it the most active year yet.
• The "Girl On Bike" ad from Canada's Playland was broadcast.
• Screamers making out to be images where you must identify an issue launched this year, such as What doesn't belong in this picture? and What's Wrong With This Picture? by CMCinema.

2008

• How 2004 was a huge year for screamers and 2005 was a huge year for shock sites, 2008 was a huge year for disturbing videos.
• A list of disturbing videos released in 2008 include 2 Kids 1 Sandbox, Jarsquatter and 4 Girls Fingerpaint.
• This was the first year to see over 100 screamers be released.
• The UK saw a Scary Movie release, released by Fire Kills.
• Leatherface from The Texas Chain Saw Massacre film franchise, saw his debut as a screamer image this year, being as famous as Regan. This reign as a screamer would not last long, however.

2009

• More shock videos were released such as 1 Priest 1 Nun, 1 Guy 1 Screwdriver, and the shock site 1 Guy 2 Spoons.
• Due to his death of lethal dose of propofol administered by Conrad Murray on June 25, 2009, the late and great singer Michael Jackson became the basis of many screamer videos this year, such as 1000 Faces of Michael Jackson, Micheal Jackson scary pop up and the well known Proof of Michael Jackson's Ghost.
• Simple screamers rose this year with videos like Find the Girl.
• Dane Boedigheimer (creator of Annoying Orange) released Demon Dog this year.
• Poochee and Pansy was released and so was Countdown.
• Real Demons Caught On Tape was uploaded to YouTube this year. The number of screamers released started to dip from this year onwards.

2010

• Entering the 2010s, two gifs of 3D versions of retro video game characters became victims to the screamer makeover, 3D NES Mario and 3D Mega Man.
• The famous shock game Can Your Pet? was released this year and many "red dot" games and videos became public, such as Find the Red Dot, The Red Dot Game and Stare at the red dot.
• Justin Bieber became the subject of many screamers this year, with screamers such as Justin Bieber Scary Pop Up, Find Justin Bieber and Save Justin Bieber.
• G-Major videos became famous this year with releases such as WGBH Boston Logo In G Major. The number of screamers a year continued to dip. (see 2020)

2011

• Generic screamer videos were released in 2011.
• The shock site Cheesypeas.net became public.
• As an April Fools' prank, Minecraft launched its "Steve.co" service.
• The British YouTube series Don't Hug Me I'm Scared began.
• The "Screamer Prank" page on TV Tropes was created.
• This year starts the "Bronze Age" of screamers.

2012

• The gif Fukouna Shoujo 03 began circulating the internet.
• YouTubers decided to join in on making screamers, such as Quirkology, who made The Test, and Matthew Santoro, who made Halloween.
• The compilation video 9 Screamers all at once was released onto YouTube, and videos such as Man in the Mirror and Life Changes were published
• Luka Magnotta recorded himself murdering Jun Lin.

2013

• Smosh hit 10 million subscribers on YouTube, and celebrated with a screamer at the end.
• Ads such as the Autoway Tires Commercial and promos for The Heart, She Holler.
• The famous game Bongcheon-Dong Ghost was released and the episode of Brain Games 'Don't Be Afraid' was aired on TV.
• You will not believe how deep this hole is!!! released this year.

2014

• MS.Ghost.TV and CrazyMarc666 rose to become a famous screamer video creators, releasing videos such as Scary Ghost Screamer Video to Scare ! and SCARY POP UP - SCARY GHOST VIDEO !!.
• Five Nights at Freddy's was released onto Gamejolt and Steam and became infamous for its jump scares. Its sequel, Five Night's at Freddy's 2, was also released this year.
• YouTubers Nice Peter and EpicLLOYD released an episode of their famous series, Epic Rap Battles of History, Jack the Ripper vs Hannibal Lecter.
• International screamers started to become popular.

2015

• The famous Squirrel in a mouse trap video was released online and Try Not to Get Scared challenges started to become popular.
• Five Nights at Freddy's 3 and 4 were released.
• I HATE YOU.EXE and other 'exe' games became public.

2016

• Omsj dropped online.
• Don't Hug Me I'm Scared ended on June 19th.
• Screamers started to become very similar and began to "dry up" this year.
• This year starts the "Iron Age" of screamers

2017

• Angry Video Game Nerd episode 150, Polybius, was released as the show's 2017 Halloween special by Cinemassacre, and featured two screamers at the end.
• Many now-deleted still image screamers became public such as What's The Matter With This Picture?.
• Many more .exe games were released, such as Google.exe, Zalgo.exe, Essence.exe, Windows 11.EXE and Untitled.exe. The number of screamers released continued to drop still.

2018

• Memes became a place to host screamers with the Void meme.
• An odd spike in Spongebob Squarepants screamers begun with Look at this picture for 25 seconds and you will see SpongeBob and Patrick! and A peaceful ride through town.

2019

• Scratch screamer games rose to popularity due to Fishing Collection!! and Quiz Night with the Scratch Cat! by MJC03, with entries such as Funny Face (Scratch Version), Scratch Cat Quiz!, etc.
• Memes continued to host screamers with Moto Moto meme by David Argueta, also known as Valdroxx, Cristali, Zafiro, or Jade, who is known for being an art tracer and pedophile.
• Shock sites such as Kekma.ga and Spritecranberry.net launched in 2019, and spread across Reddit and TikTok.

2020

• Logo Editors continue making G-Major Videos (with the exception: Annoying Goose Videos).
• Users on TikTok start to make screamers such as TW-Jumpscare and So Satisfying Paint Peeling.
• Fake K-Pop Fancam screamers start to appear on Twitter.
• US Army veteran Ronnie McNutt committed suicide on his live stream.

2021

• Cartel gore videos like DuckPack51 and FunkyTown go viral.
• A snuff mixtape titled Necropedophiliac was found six years after its release.
• An analog horror video on YouTube titled Luigi Personality Quiz gained 4 million views in November 2021.
• A Scratch copy of Flappy Bird was hacked to display footage of Suicide of Ronnie McNutt.

2022

• Kekma.net shut down after three years of operation.
• Infamous shock sites LOLShock and Shockchan both closed after hosting shock sites for several years.
• Goatse.cx completely closed, cancelling the Goatse Pixel project.

2023

• Jak.soy becomes the first shock site to be released in 2023.