Gone Too Soon: 33 Sodas from the 80’s, 90’s & 00’s

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I’m not sure about you, but I’ve tried many of these 33 soft drinks. Some are still sold, some are discontinued, and some have returned many years later. We all love things from our past, and this should bring back many wonderful memories for you.

Enjoy the sugary, sticky, goodness loaded with caffeine and nostalgia…and stay cool!

1. Surge

Surge was discontinued in 2002 and is making a comeback in stores and at Burger King in the frozen variety along with Pauly Shore.

Yeah, Buuuuddy!​

2. Orbitz

What’s not to love about a “Lava Lamp” soda with floating flavor balls?

​Hmmm, chewy soda!

3. LifeSavers Soda

Not sure anyone liked the pineapple flavor…

 

4. Fruitopia

This brand got its inspiration from the 60’s and 70’s.

5. Apple Slice

While Apple Slice was introduced in 1986, there were many other Slice flavors to follow in the 90’s.

Which one was your favorite?

  • Strawberry
  • Grape
  • Lemon Lime
  • Fruit Punch
  • Mandarin Orange
  • Pineapple
  • Red

Mine was Mandarin Orange!

Picture

6. 7Up Gold

This was an early spice flavored soda.

7Up Gold Can

​7. Bubble Up

Another lemon-lime soda….

8. Cocaine

Yep, there was a real soda with this name, but it had no actual Cocaine…

Cocaine Soda Cans

 

9. Snapple’s Clear Root Beer

What?? Clear root beer; that’s just not right.

Snapple Clear Root Beer

 

10. Crystal Pepsi

Yep, it’s clear Pepsi!

11. Jolt Cola

Need twice the caffeine of regular soda? You can still find this stuff in select stores.

Original Jolt Can

12. Coca-Cola Blak

Whose bright idea was it to add coffee to Coke? Well, it apparently didn’t last long due to poor sales.

Coca-Cola Blak

Apparently Coffee & Coke are a terrible combination. Watch what happens when Anderson Cooper drinks it.

13. Original New York Seltzer

This clear seltzer/soda brand has seen a recent revival.

Original New York Seltzer

14. Like Cola

This stuff was famous for being 99% caffeine free. What’s fun about that?

Original New York Seltzer

 

15. Hi-C Ecto Cooler

I can’t believe this passed for being healthy (With 100% Vitamin C!) when it was really just another way to plug the Ghostbusters.

16. OK Soda

Targeting Generation X, this soda was the anti-establishment for the disillusioned. Funky packaging included.

17. Pepsi Blue

Maybe Pepsi was trying to revive Crystal Pepsi and just add Berry flavoring to it?

18. Squeez-It

What kid didn’t like the squeezable plastic bottles? Not sure how this was legitimately labeled 100% fruit juice.

19. Pepsi Holiday Spice

Cause everyone needs more spice in their Pepsi…

20. Josta

Need more than just caffeine? Add some Guarana and you will move as fast as a panther.

21. dnL

This one is marketing gold! Someone on the marketing team turned the bottle upside down, changed the flavoring, and voila, there is a new product line extension. This one didn’t last.

 

22. Sprite Remix

Sprite was looking to get more people to drink their soda, so they added different tropical flavors to the mix.

23. Coca-Cola Lime

People had been adding lime to their Coke for years, and Coke thought they would help out their customers by adding it for them. The lime was overwhelming; people wanted to add the exact amount to fit their taste.

24. Pepsi Twist

Pepsi got into the citrus action by adding lemon. This one was nasty; trust me, I tried it. It only took one swig to make up my mind!

25. Clearly Canadian

This is one of my favorites on this list; I remember these in middle school. I know I am dating myself here. If you had one of these in your lunchbox, you were one of the cool kids…for a day.

26. Mountain Dew Pitch Black

This wasn’t a bad idea, but it was too grapey! Grape is one of those flavors that you need just the right amount. Not too little, not too much, but just right.

27. Pepsi Ice & Pepsi Fire

A+ for creativity but F for production.

​Who wants their soda on fire, and what were they thinking with adding mint to a blue Pepsi?

28. Kick

Yet another Mountain Dew knockoff that offered a citrus flavored, highly caffeinated beverage.

29. Pepsi Strawberry Burst

Man, they were going for a berry or tropical Pepsi. I’ve never tasted any of these, but I can’t imagine them tasting good.

30. Coke II (2) aka New Coke

This was supposed to taste like Pepsi and turn Pepsi lovers into Coke 2 lovers. It was also labeled as New Coke.

31. Hubba Bubba Soda

Um, this one would never be made today. Gum flavored soda can’t be offered as remotely healthy.

32. Vault

Another citrus soda with a kick (caffeine); they tried to take down Mountain Dew. No one has ever come close to topping the power of the Dew.

Vault Energy Drink Can

33. Tab

While not completely discontinued, no list of nostalgic drinks is complete without Tab.

​It got its name from the “pull-tab” that was used to open the bottle.

 

One Response

  1. Loved seeing all the drinks from my childhood and wished I could find a few of them again because I loved them back then and would love to taste that goodness again.

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Hi, I’m Miles Anthony Smith, founder of Why Stuff Sucks™, a lead generation/nurturing focused digital marketing agency.

I live for the business results we get for our clients, and love coaching others to level up their digital marketing and leadership skills. Cheers!