October 28 across the 1990s: TRL was counting down the most-requested videos on MTV, 95 episodes were airing across the dial, and the music world had stories to tell. Here's the full picture, year by year.
What Was On TV
Before DVR, before streaming — if you missed it, you missed it. Here's what had everyone talking the next morning.
James Brown · Leonard Maltin + 9 more
11 episodes aired on October 28, 1994: "James Brown", "Leonard Maltin", "Awakening (5)", "Ep. #7400", and 7 more.
D'Angelo, Vertical Hold · Revving Up + 20 more
22 episodes aired on October 28, 1995: "D'Angelo, Vertical Hold", "Revving Up", "Carter, the Enforcer", "All Hallow's Eve", and 18 more.
Comics of Champions · Girls Just Wanna Have Fun + 12 more
14 episodes aired on October 28, 1996: "Comics of Champions", "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", "Ep. #7899", "Arthur's New Puppy", and 10 more.
Why Bears Can't Fly · A Night to Dismember + 18 more
20 episodes aired on October 28, 1997: "Why Bears Can't Fly", "A Night to Dismember", "Vanished", "Speed Baby", and 16 more.
Wednesday, 28 October · Smarter Than the Average Dog + 22 more
24 episodes aired on October 28, 1998: "Wednesday, 28 October", "Smarter Than the Average Dog", "The Fall of Centauri Prime", "Tamara's Return", and 20 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 October 28 across the decade.
Antonios Katinaris, Greek singer-songwriter (born 1931)
Antonios Katinaris, Greek singer-songwriter (born 1931)
Sports
Athletes, events, and moments from October 28 across the 1990s.
Lucy Bronze, English footballer
Lucy Bronze, English footballer
Andrew Harrison, American basketball player
Andrew Harrison, American basketball player
Glen Kamara, Finnish footballer
Glen Kamara, Finnish footballer · Jae'Sean Tate, American basketball player
Stetson Bennett, American football player
Stetson Bennett, American football player
Full Events Archive
Highlights
From politics to pop culture — the 90s news cycle never slept:
1990 Georgian Supreme Soviet election
Georgia holds its only free election under Soviet rule.
Jeon Ji-hee
Jeon Ji-hee, South Korean table tennis player
Maria Sergejeva
Maria Sergejeva, Estonian figure skater
Juri Lotman
Juri Lotman, Russian-Estonian historian and scholar (born 1922)
Whether you were a Blockbuster music shopper or a MTV devotee, these names mattered:
The 90s produced legends. Here's who was in the spotlight:
Lucy Bronze
Lucy Bronze, English footballer
Andrew Harrison (basketball)
Andrew Harrison, American basketball player
Glen Kamara
Glen Kamara, Finnish footballer
Jae'Sean Tate
Jae'Sean Tate, American basketball player
Before streaming, before binge watching — these titles had us glued to the set:
Gargoyles
"Awakening (5)" (Season 1, Episode 5) aired on 1994-10-28.
Days of Our Lives
"Ep. #7400" (Season 1994, Episode 249) aired on 1994-10-28.
Legends of the Hidden Temple
"The Discarded Seal of Ivan the Terrible" (Season 3, Episode 6) aired on 1994-10-28.
Boy Meets World
"Who's Afraid of Cory Wolf?" (Season 2, Episode 6) aired on 1994-10-28.
"David Hyde Pierce, George Carlin" (Season 1994, Episode 176) aired on 1994-10-28.
"Carter, the Enforcer" (Season 9, Episode 7) aired on 1995-10-28.
"From Russia with Gadget Boy" (Season 1, Episode 8) aired on 1995-10-28.
"The Labyrinth (1)" (Season 3, Episode 7) aired on 1995-10-28.
"Michael Bolton/ Anointed/ AZ featuring Miss Jone" (Season 25, Episode 6) aired on 1995-10-28.
"Gabriel Byrne / Alanis Morissette" (Season 21, Episode 4) aired on 1995-10-28.
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" (Season 2, Episode 4) aired on 1996-10-28.
"Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings" (Season 1996, Episode 9) aired on 1996-10-28.
"Joe Torre, Don Rickles, The Heads" (Season 1996, Episode 172) aired on 1996-10-28.
"Why Bears Can't Fly" (Season 1, Episode 7) aired on 1997-10-28.
"Suzanne Somers" (Season 1997, Episode 139) aired on 1997-10-28.
"Maria Martiromo, Penn & Teller, Amy Grant" (Season 1997, Episode 172) aired on 1997-10-28.
"Two Guys, a Girl and a Psycho Halloween" (Season 2, Episode 6) aired on 1998-10-28.
"What's Love Got to Do, Got to Do with Dick?" (Season 4, Episode 5) aired on 1998-10-28.
"Leonard Bernstein: Reaching for the Note" (Season 13, Episode 1) aired on 1998-10-28.
"Medical Imaging: The Voyage Inward" (Season 6, Episode 7) aired on 1998-10-28.
"High Crimes and Misdemeanors" (Season 7, Episode 15) aired on 1998-10-28.
"Kevin Sorbo" (Season 1998, Episode 137) aired on 1998-10-28.
"Daniel Baldwin, Todd Solondz, Phil Collins" (Season 1998, Episode 170) aired on 1998-10-28.
The MTV countdown was everything. These videos owned TRL:
The #1 most requested video on TRL on this date in 1999
#2 on TRL — Jennifer Lopez, "If You Had My Love"
#3 on TRL — Ricky Martin, "Livin' la Vida Loca"
#4 on TRL — Destiny's Child, "Bills, Bills, Bills"
#5 on TRL — Backstreet Boys, "I Want It That Way"
#6 on TRL — Blink-182, "What's My Age Again?"
#7 on TRL — TLC, "No Scrubs"
#8 on TRL — Smash Mouth, "All Star"
#9 on TRL — Savage Garden, "I Want You"
#10 on TRL — Eminem, "My Name Is"
By Year
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