October 20 across the 1990s: the news was dominated by A 6.8 Mw earthquake strikes the Uttarkashi region of India, …, TRL was counting down the most-requested videos on MTV, and 72 episodes were airing across the dial. Here's the full picture, year by year.
In the News
The headlines that defined October 20 across the 1990s.
A 6.8 Mw earthquake strikes the Uttarkashi region of India, killing more than 1,…
A 6.8 Mw earthquake strikes the Uttarkashi region of India, killing more than 1,000 people.
John Tonkin, Australian politician, 20th Premier of Western Australia (born 1902…
John Tonkin, Australian politician, 20th Premier of Western Australia (born 1902)
What Was On TV
Before DVR, before streaming — if you missed it, you missed it. Here's what had everyone talking the next morning.
Teri Hatcher · Leo Buscaglia + 8 more
10 episodes aired on October 20, 1994: "Teri Hatcher", "Leo Buscaglia", "Ep. #7394", "Poor Iago", and 6 more.
Linda Lavin, Eva LaRue · - + 10 more
12 episodes aired on October 20, 1995: "Linda Lavin, Eva LaRue", "-", "Angie's Turn", "He Said, She Said", and 8 more.
The Way of All Flesh · 1996 Week 8 + 9 more
11 episodes aired on October 20, 1996: "The Way of All Flesh", "1996 Week 8", "Big Mike", "In Your House: Buried Alive", and 7 more.
Treasure of Swamp Island / Lord of the Termites · Water, Water Everywhere + 21 more
23 episodes aired on October 20, 1997: "Treasure of Swamp Island / Lord of the Termites", "Water, Water Everywhere", "Earthquake", "The Deliverer", and 19 more.
Safety Dog · Beauty and the Beasts + 10 more
12 episodes aired on October 20, 1998: "Safety Dog", "Beauty and the Beasts", "Al's Fair Lady", "The French Connection", and 8 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.
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.
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.
Santana's "Smooth" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
TLC's "No Scrubs" 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.
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.
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.
Limp Bizkit's "Nookie" 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 October 20 across the decade.
YoungBoy Never Broke Again, American rapper
YoungBoy Never Broke Again, American rapper
Sports
Athletes, events, and moments from October 20 across the 1990s.
Mattia De Sciglio, Italian footballer
Mattia De Sciglio, Italian footballer · Kyle Wiltjer, Canadian-American basketball player
Ademola Lookman, Nigerian footballer
Ademola Lookman, Nigerian footballer · Daizen Maeda, Japanese footballer · Nguyễn Tiến Linh, Vietnamese footballer
Jordan Ridley, Australian rules footballer
Jordan Ridley, Australian rules footballer
Jack Lynch, Irish footballer, lawyer, and politician, 5th Taoiseach of Ireland (…
Jack Lynch, Irish footballer, lawyer, and politician, 5th Taoiseach of Ireland (born 1917)
Full Events Archive
Highlights
Days of Our Lives
"Ep. #7394" (Season 1994, Episode 70) aired on 1994-10-20.
Read more →Before Twitter, before 24/7 news apps — here's what had everyone talking:
Sam Mataora
Sam Mataora, Cook Islands rugby league player
Joel McCrea
Joel McCrea, American actor (born 1905)
Firestorm
A massive firestorm breaks out in the hills of Oakland and Berkeley, California killing 25 people and destroying more than 3,000 homes, apartments and condominiums.
Phupoom Pongpanupak
Phupoom Pongpanupak, Thai actor
A 6.8 Mw earthquake strikes the Uttarkashi region of India, killing more than 1,000 people.
Christopher Stone, American actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1942)
John Tonkin, Australian politician, 20th Premier of Western Australia (born 1902)
From grunge to hip-hop to pop — the 90s music scene was everything:
From stadiums to living rooms, these were the names fans were cheering:
Mattia De Sciglio
Mattia De Sciglio, Italian footballer
Kyle Wiltjer
Kyle Wiltjer, Canadian-American basketball player
Ademola Lookman
Ademola Lookman, Nigerian footballer
Daizen Maeda
Daizen Maeda, Japanese footballer
Jack Lynch, Irish footballer, lawyer, and politician, 5th Taoiseach of Ireland (born 1917)
The silver screen and the small screen were both firing on all cylinders:
Days of Our Lives
"Ep. #7394" (Season 1994, Episode 70) aired on 1994-10-20.
Aladdin
"Poor Iago" (Season 2, Episode 29) aired on 1994-10-20.
Cops
"New York City #1" (Season 7, Episode 10) aired on 1994-10-20.
Friends
"The One With the East German Laundry Detergent" (Season 1, Episode 5) aired on 1994-10-20.
"Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid" (Season 1995, Episode 63) aired on 1995-10-20.
"Sparky Mortimer, Steely Dan" (Season 1995, Episode 171) aired on 1995-10-20.
"The Way of All Flesh" (Season 1, Episode 7) aired on 1996-10-20.
"In Your House: Buried Alive" (Season 1996, Episode 11) aired on 1996-10-20.
"Brutal Youth" (Season 4, Episode 5) aired on 1996-10-20.
"Television: Window to the World" (Season 4, Episode 4) aired on 1996-10-20.
"Treasure of Swamp Island / Lord of the Termites" (Season 2, Episode 25) aired on 1997-10-20.
"Water, Water Everywhere" (Season 1, Episode 2) aired on 1997-10-20.
"Buffalo Bills at Indianapolis Colts" (Season 1997, Episode 8) aired on 1997-10-20.
"Joey Lawrence" (Season 1997, Episode 134) aired on 1997-10-20.
"Beauty and the Beasts" (Season 3, Episode 4) aired on 1998-10-20.
"Chris Elliott" (Season 1998, Episode 132) aired on 1998-10-20.
"State Fair Champions, Ringo Starr" (Season 1998, Episode 164) aired on 1998-10-20.
Before YouTube, this is how you discovered music videos:
The #1 most requested video on TRL on this date in 1999
#2 on TRL — Ricky Martin, "Livin' la Vida Loca"
#3 on TRL — Backstreet Boys, "I Want It That Way"
#4 on TRL — Destiny's Child, "Bills, Bills, Bills"
#5 on TRL — Santana, "Smooth"
#6 on TRL — TLC, "No Scrubs"
#7 on TRL — Eminem, "My Name Is"
#8 on TRL — Savage Garden, "I Want You"
#9 on TRL — Blink-182, "What's My Age Again?"
#10 on TRL — Limp Bizkit, "Nookie"
By Year
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