1998
News
- Great Britain and Northern Ireland compete at the Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and win one bronze medal.
- Millennium Dome construction begins.
- The Good Friday Agreement, an agreement between the UK and Irish governments, and the main political parties in Northern Ireland is signed.
- Great Boxing Day Storm: severe gale-force winds hit Ireland, southern Scotland and northern England. Roads, railways and electricity are disrupted.
Entertainment
- The DVD format is released onto the UK market for the first time. Among the first set of titles released on the new format is Jumanji.
- Manchester United TV begins broadcasting, making Manchester United F.C. the world’s second football team to have its own television channel, the first being Middlesbrough (Boro TV) in 1997.
- The Union Jack dress worn by the Spice Girl Geri Halliwell is sold at Sotheby’s for £41,320.
Music
- Danbert Nobacon of Chumbawamba pours a bucket of ice over UK Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott at the 1998 Brit Awards.
- Liam Gallagher is charged with assault, for allegedly breaking a fan’s nose in Brisbane, Australia after the fan took photographs.
- George Michael is arrested in a park in Beverly Hills, California after being caught in a “lewd act” by an undercover police officer, who was operating in a sting operation using so-called “pretty police”. Michael was fined $810 and was sentenced to 80 hours community service. Michael would soon “come out” and sent up the incident in his video for “Outside”.
- Geri Halliwell announces her departure from the Spice Girls.
Number #1 Hits of 1998
| Artist | Title |
| Various Artists | Perfect Day |
| All Saints | Never Ever |
| Oasis | All Around The World |
| Usher | You Make Me Wanna |
| Aqua | Dr. Jones |
| Celine Dion | My Heart Will Go On |
| Cornershop | Brimful Of Asha |
| Madonna | Frozen |
| Celine Dion | My Heart Will Go On |
| Run DMC vs Jason Nevins | It’s Like That |
| Boyzone | All I Need |
| All Saints | Under The Bridge/Lady Marmalade |
| Aqua | Turn Back Time |
| The Tamperer Feat. Maya | Feel It |
| B*Witched | C’est La Vie |
| Baddiel & Skinner & The Lightning Seeds | Three Lions ’98 |
| Billie | Because We Want To |
| Another Level | Freak Me |
| Jamiroquai | Deeper Underground |
| Spice Girls | Viva Forever |
| Boyzone | No Matter What |
| Manic Street Preachers | If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next |
| All Saints | Bootie Call |
| Robbie Williams | Millennium |
| Melanie B Feat. Missy Elliott | I Want You Back |
| B*Witched | Rollercoaster |
| Billie | Girlfriend |
| Spacedust | Gym & Tonic |
| Cher | Believe |
| B*Witched | To You I Belong |
| Spice Girls | Goodbye |
Sport
- Reading F.C. move into their new Madejski Stadium, named after chairman John Madejski, near junction 12 of the M4 motorway in the south of Reading. It seats more than 24,000 spectators.
