April 5 across the 1990s: the news was dominated by An ASA EMB 120 crashes in Brunswick, Georgia, killing all 23…, TRL was counting down the most-requested videos on MTV, and 40 episodes were airing across the dial. Here's the full picture, year by year.
In the News
The headlines that defined April 5 across the 1990s.
An ASA EMB 120 crashes in Brunswick, Georgia, killing all 23 aboard, including S…
An ASA EMB 120 crashes in Brunswick, Georgia, killing all 23 aboard, including Sen. John Tower and astronaut Sonny Carter.
Alberto Fujimori, president of Peru, dissolves the Peruvian congress by military…
Alberto Fujimori, president of Peru, dissolves the Peruvian congress by military force.
In Japan, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge opens to traffic, becoming the longest bridge…
In Japan, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge opens to traffic, becoming the longest bridge span in the world.
Two Libyans suspected of bringing down Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988 are handed over…
Two Libyans suspected of bringing down Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988 are handed over for eventual trial in the Netherlands.
What Was On TV
Before DVR, before streaming — if you missed it, you missed it. Here's what had everyone talking the next morning.
Tom Arnold · Ep. #7257 + 4 more
6 episodes aired on April 5, 1994: "Tom Arnold", "Ep. #7257", "The Mother-in-Law", "The Kevorkian File", and 2 more.
Wayne Newton · Ep. #7501 + 3 more
5 episodes aired on April 5, 1995: "Wayne Newton", "Ep. #7501", "Goldilocks", "Prom Night: The Return", and 1 more.
Jon Stewart (guest host), Daisy Fuentes · Full Moon + 2 more
4 episodes aired on April 5, 1996: "Jon Stewart (guest host), Daisy Fuentes", "Full Moon", "Skirt Chasers", "David Hyde Pierce, Scott Thompson, Pulp".
The Cardigans, Alice in Chains, No Doubt · Jean-Claude Van Damme, Margaret Colin, Johnny Lang + 12 more
14 episodes aired on April 5, 1997: "The Cardigans, Alice in Chains, No Doubt", "Jean-Claude Van Damme, Margaret Colin, Johnny Lang", "Hand Cranked for Your Enjoyment", "Midnight at the Governor's Mansion", and 10 more.
Charity · Open Heart + 5 more
7 episodes aired on April 5, 1998: "Charity", "Open Heart", "The Great Yeti Adventure", "The Trouble with Trillions", and 3 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.
Santana's "Smooth" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
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.
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.
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.
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 April 5 across the decade.
Emmalyn Estrada, Canadian singer-songwriter and dancer
Emmalyn Estrada, Canadian singer-songwriter and dancer
Kurt Cobain, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1967)…
Kurt Cobain, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1967)
Daniel Caesar, Canadian singer-songwriter
Daniel Caesar, Canadian singer-songwriter
Sports
Athletes, events, and moments from April 5 across the 1990s.
Amer Said Al-Shatri, Omani footballer
Amer Said Al-Shatri, Omani footballer · Patrick Dangerfield, Australian footballer · Fredy Hinestroza, Colombian footballer · Ismaeel Mohammad, Qatari footballer · Sercan Yıldırım, Turkish footballer · Género Zeefuik, Dutch footballer
Yassine Bounou, Moroccan footballer
Yassine Bounou, Moroccan footballer · Nathaniel Clyne, English footballer · Adriano Grimaldi, Italian-German footballer · Joël Mall, Swiss footballer · Guilherme dos Santos Torres, Brazilian footballer · Sonny Carter, American soccer player, physician, and astronaut (born 1947) · Jay Miller, American basketball player (born 1943)
Shintaro Kurumaya, Japanese footballer
Shintaro Kurumaya, Japanese footballer · Kaveh Rezaei, Iranian footballer · Dmytro Ryzhuk, Ukrainian footballer · Takeshi Inoue, Japanese footballer (born 1928)
Andreas Bouchalakis, Greek footballer
Andreas Bouchalakis, Greek footballer · Laura Feiersinger, Austrian footballer · Scottie Wilbekin, American-Turkish basketball player
Edem Rjaïbi, Tunisian footballer
Edem Rjaïbi, Tunisian footballer · Richard Sánchez, Mexican footballer
Sei Muroya, Japanese footballer
Sei Muroya, Japanese footballer · Gleb Rassadkin, Belarusian footballer · Sebastian Starke Hedlund, Swedish footballer
Raouf Benguit, Algerian footballer
Raouf Benguit, Algerian footballer
Borja Mayoral, Spanish footballer
Borja Mayoral, Spanish footballer
Nathan Broadhead, Welsh football player
Nathan Broadhead, Welsh football player
Bobby Miller, American baseball player
Bobby Miller, American baseball player
Full Events Archive
Highlights
The world was watching. Here's what dominated the headlines:
Alex Cuthbert
Alex Cuthbert, Welsh rugby player
Haruma Miura
Haruma Miura, Japanese actor and singer (died 2020)
Jakub Sedláček (ice hockey)
Jakub Sedláček, Czech ice hockey player
Atlantic Southeast Airlines
An ASA EMB 120 crashes in Brunswick, Georgia, killing all 23 aboard, including Sen. John Tower and astronaut Sonny Carter.
The Space Shuttle Atlantis launches on STS-37 to deploy the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory.
Alberto Fujimori, president of Peru, dissolves the Peruvian congress by military force.
Peace protesters Suada Dilberovic and Olga Sučić are killed on the Vrbanja Bridge in Sarajevo, becoming the first casualties of the Bosnian War.
In Japan, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge opens to traffic, becoming the longest bridge span in the world.
Two Libyans suspected of bringing down Pan Am Flight 103 in 1988 are handed over for eventual trial in the Netherlands.
The decade's soundtrack was electric. These artists were making waves:
Emmalyn (singer)
Emmalyn Estrada, Canadian singer-songwriter and dancer
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Cobain, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1967)
Daniel Caesar
Daniel Caesar, Canadian singer-songwriter
On the field and off it, athletes were making history:
Patrick Dangerfield
Patrick Dangerfield, Australian footballer
Ismaeel Mohammad
Ismaeel Mohammad, Qatari footballer
Sercan Yıldırım
Sercan Yıldırım, Turkish footballer
Yassine Bounou
Yassine Bounou, Moroccan footballer
Must-see TV was a real thing — and this is what filled the airwaves:
Days of Our Lives
"Ep. #7257" (Season 1994, Episode 38) aired on 1994-04-05.
All My Children
"Tuesday April 5 1994" (Season 1994, Episode 67) aired on 1994-04-05.
Rescue 911
"Episode 522" (Season 5, Episode 22) aired on 1994-04-05.
The Good Life
"The Mother-in-Law" (Season 1, Episode 12) aired on 1994-04-05.
"Ted Koppel, Wynton Marsalis, Carrie Fisher" (Season 1994, Episode 54) aired on 1994-04-05.
"Bryant Gumbel, Bruce Springsteen" (Season 1995, Episode 54) aired on 1995-04-05.
"Jon Stewart (guest host), Daisy Fuentes" (Season 1996, Episode 38) aired on 1996-04-05.
"David Hyde Pierce, Scott Thompson, Pulp" (Season 1996, Episode 56) aired on 1996-04-05.
"The Cardigans, Alice in Chains, No Doubt" (Season 1997, Episode 13) aired on 1997-04-05.
"Jean-Claude Van Damme, Margaret Colin, Johnny Lang" (Season 1997, Episode 2) aired on 1997-04-05.
"Midnight at the Governor's Mansion" (Season 13, Episode 21) aired on 1997-04-05.
"Brownstone/ Yvette Michelle/ Next Levels/ Mr. & Mrs. Soul Train Finals" (Season 26, Episode 24) aired on 1997-04-05.
"The Great Yeti Adventure" (Season 1, Episode 11) aired on 1998-04-05.
"The Kennedys: Power, Seduction and Hollywood" (Season 2, Episode 4) aired on 1998-04-05.
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 — Santana, "Smooth"
#3 on TRL — Smash Mouth, "All Star"
#4 on TRL — Jennifer Lopez, "If You Had My Love"
#5 on TRL — Will Smith, "Wild Wild West"
#6 on TRL — Destiny's Child, "Bills, Bills, Bills"
#7 on TRL — Ricky Martin, "Livin' la Vida Loca"
#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
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