March 31 across the 1990s: the news was dominated by Approximately 200,000 protesters take to the streets of Lond…, TRL was counting down the most-requested videos on MTV, and 58 episodes were airing across the dial. Here's the full picture, year by year.
In the News
The headlines that defined March 31 across the 1990s.
Approximately 200,000 protesters take to the streets of London to protest agains…
Approximately 200,000 protesters take to the streets of London to protest against the newly introduced Poll Tax.
Georgian independence referendum: Nearly 99 percent of the voters support the co…
Georgian independence referendum: Nearly 99 percent of the voters support the country's independence from the Soviet Union.
The USS Missouri, the last active United States Navy battleship, is decommission…
The USS Missouri, the last active United States Navy battleship, is decommissioned in Long Beach, California.
The Macao Basic Law is adopted by the Eighth National People's Congress of China…
The Macao Basic Law is adopted by the Eighth National People's Congress of China to take effect December 20, 1999. Resumption by China of the Exercise of Sovereignty over Macao
Selena is murdered by her fan club president Yolanda Saldívar at a Days Inn in C…
Selena is murdered by her fan club president Yolanda Saldívar at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas.
What Was On TV
Before DVR, before streaming — if you missed it, you missed it. Here's what had everyone talking the next morning.
Tim Daly · Ep. #7254 + 6 more
8 episodes aired on March 31, 1994: "Tim Daly", "Ep. #7254", "The Mask of Shaka Zulu", "Bart Gets an Elephant", and 4 more.
Robert Wagner · Ep. #7498 + 5 more
7 episodes aired on March 31, 1995: "Robert Wagner", "Ep. #7498", "5D", "Little Rascals", and 3 more.
Virgin, Mother, Cheater · WrestleMania XII + 5 more
7 episodes aired on March 31, 1996: "Virgin, Mother, Cheater", "WrestleMania XII", "Bart on the Road", "The Sample", and 3 more.
E Pluribus Kablam · Monday, March 31, 1997 + 11 more
13 episodes aired on March 31, 1997: "E Pluribus Kablam", "Monday, March 31, 1997", "Never Kill a Boy on the First Date", "March 31, 1997", and 9 more.
Retribution (2): In Memoriam · The Write Stuff + 13 more
15 episodes aired on March 31, 1998: "Retribution (2): In Memoriam", "The Write Stuff", "Death Watch", "The Caper", and 11 more.
TRL Countdown — 1999
Total Request Live was the center of the pop universe. Teens were burning up the phone lines to vote, and the countdown from Times Square was the most-watched 30 minutes on MTV.
The reigning #1 — retired from the countdown after an extended run at the top.
Smash Mouth's "All Star" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Jennifer Lopez's "If You Had My Love" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Blink-182's "What's My Age Again?" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Destiny's Child's "Bills, Bills, Bills" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Ricky Martin's "Livin' la Vida Loca" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Will Smith's "Wild Wild West" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Backstreet Boys's "I Want It That Way" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Savage Garden's "I Want You" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Eminem's "My Name Is" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Music
From chart-toppers to birthdays to passings — what the music world was up to on March 31 across the decade.
The Warsaw Pact formally disbands.
The Warsaw Pact formally disbands.
Mitchell Parish, Lithuanian-American songwriter (born 1900)
Mitchell Parish, Lithuanian-American songwriter (born 1900)
Selena, American singer-songwriter (born 1971)
Selena, American singer-songwriter (born 1971)
Jeffrey Lee Pierce, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1958)…
Jeffrey Lee Pierce, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1958)
Yuri Knorozov, Russian linguist and ethnographer (born 1922)
Yuri Knorozov, Russian linguist and ethnographer (born 1922)
Sports
Athletes, events, and moments from March 31 across the 1990s.
George Iloka, American football player
George Iloka, American football player
Milan Milanović, Serbian footballer
Milan Milanović, Serbian footballer · Rodney Sneijder, Dutch footballer
Stijn de Looijer, Dutch footballer
Stijn de Looijer, Dutch footballer
Mikael Ishak, Swedish footballer
Mikael Ishak, Swedish footballer
Samira Asghari, Afghan member of the International Olympic Committee
Samira Asghari, Afghan member of the International Olympic Committee
Fiona Brown, footballer
Fiona Brown, footballer
Japhet Tanganga, English footballer
Japhet Tanganga, English footballer · Jens Odgaard, Danish professional footballer · Adam Chrzanowski, Polish professional footballer · Ballou Tabla, Canadian professional soccer player · Edon Zhegrova, professional footballer · Ben Williams, Welsh professional footballer · Luca Pizzul, Italian professional footballer · Sander Raieste, Estonian professional basketball player · Nuno Pina, Portuguese football player · Ricardo Felipe, Brazilian footballer · Dimitris Dalakouras, Greek professional footballer
Full Events Archive
Highlights
The world was watching. Here's what dominated the headlines:
Poll tax riots
Approximately 200,000 protesters take to the streets of London to protest against the newly introduced Poll Tax.
Lyra McKee
Lyra McKee, Irish journalist (died 2019)
1991 Georgian independence referendum
Georgian independence referendum: Nearly 99 percent of the voters support the country's independence from the Soviet Union.
USS Missouri (BB-63)
The USS Missouri, the last active United States Navy battleship, is decommissioned in Long Beach, California.
Theofylaktos Papakonstantinou, Greek columnist, political and social analyst and historian (born 1905)
The Macao Basic Law is adopted by the Eighth National People's Congress of China to take effect December 20, 1999. Resumption by China of the Exercise of Sovereignty over Macao
Selena is murdered by her fan club president Yolanda Saldívar at a Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas.
TAROM Flight 371, an Airbus A310-300, crashes near Balotesti, Romania, killing all 60 people on board.
The decade's soundtrack was electric. These artists were making waves:
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact formally disbands.
Mitchell Parish
Mitchell Parish, Lithuanian-American songwriter (born 1900)
Selena
Selena, American singer-songwriter (born 1971)
Jeffrey Lee Pierce
Jeffrey Lee Pierce, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1958)
On the field and off it, athletes were making history:
George Iloka
George Iloka, American football player
Milan Milanović
Milan Milanović, Serbian footballer
Rodney Sneijder
Rodney Sneijder, Dutch footballer
Mikael Ishak
Mikael Ishak, Swedish footballer
Must-see TV was a real thing — and this is what filled the airwaves:
Days of Our Lives
"Ep. #7254" (Season 1994, Episode 35) aired on 1994-03-31.
All My Children
"Thurs Mar 31 1994" (Season 1994, Episode 64) aired on 1994-03-31.
Legends of the Hidden Temple
"The Mask of Shaka Zulu" (Season 1, Episode 29) aired on 1994-03-31.
The Simpsons
"Bart Gets an Elephant" (Season 5, Episode 17) aired on 1994-03-31.
"Madonna, Counting Crows" (Season 1994, Episode 51) aired on 1994-03-31.
"Never Kill a Boy on the First Date" (Season 1, Episode 5) aired on 1997-03-31.
"Bryant Gumbel, Kadeem Hardison, Bandbaz Brothers" (Season 1997, Episode 50) aired on 1997-03-31.
"Retribution (2): In Memoriam" (Season 4, Episode 4) aired on 1998-03-31.
"Something About Disowning Your Father and Flying to Paris Blues" (Season 2, Episode 7) aired on 1998-03-31.
"Jody Watley" (Season 1998, Episode 44) aired on 1998-03-31.
"Don Rickles, Mimi Rogers, Steve Miller" (Season 1998, Episode 49) aired on 1998-03-31.
The digital revolution was just getting started:
Total Request Live had teenagers calling in around the clock. Here's what was charting:
The #1 most requested video on TRL on this date in 1999
#2 on TRL — Smash Mouth, "All Star"
#3 on TRL — Jennifer Lopez, "If You Had My Love"
#4 on TRL — Blink-182, "What's My Age Again?"
#5 on TRL — Destiny's Child, "Bills, Bills, Bills"
#6 on TRL — Ricky Martin, "Livin' la Vida Loca"
#7 on TRL — Will Smith, "Wild Wild West"
#8 on TRL — Backstreet Boys, "I Want It That Way"
#9 on TRL — Savage Garden, "I Want You"
#10 on TRL — Eminem, "My Name Is"
By Year
Get This in Your Inbox Every Morning
Every day at midnight, a fresh dose of 90s nostalgia hits your inbox — tailored to today's date in the 1990s. Music, news, sports, movies and more.
Browse All Posts →