November 16 across the 1990s: the news was dominated by After nearly 18 years of incarceration, China releases Wei J…, TRL was counting down the most-requested videos on MTV, and 87 episodes were airing across the dial. Here's the full picture, year by year.
In the News
The headlines that defined November 16 across the 1990s.
After nearly 18 years of incarceration, China releases Wei Jingsheng, a pro-demo…
After nearly 18 years of incarceration, China releases Wei Jingsheng, a pro-democracy dissident, from jail for medical reasons.
Daniel Nathans, American microbiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born…
Daniel Nathans, American microbiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1928)
What Was On TV
Before DVR, before streaming — if you missed it, you missed it. Here's what had everyone talking the next morning.
Merrill Markoe · Kathy Ireland + 9 more
11 episodes aired on November 16, 1994: "Merrill Markoe", "Kathy Ireland", "White Men Can't Kiss", "Ep. #7408", and 7 more.
Cult of the Immortal · Tori Spelling + 12 more
14 episodes aired on November 16, 1995: "Cult of the Immortal", "Tori Spelling", "Lea Thompson, Peter Tork", "The Cage", and 10 more.
Now, Who Wants Ice Cream? · Madison (host), REM, Midnight Oil + 25 more
27 episodes aired on November 16, 1996: "Now, Who Wants Ice Cream?", "Madison (host), REM, Midnight Oil", "Gets Planted (Photosynthesis)", "Lawnmower Ape", and 23 more.
The Curse of the Gorgons · 1997 Week 12 + 9 more
11 episodes aired on November 16, 1997: "The Curse of the Gorgons", "1997 Week 12", "Mud Bowl / Gerald Moves Out", "Oliver Twist", and 7 more.
My Fair Monster / The Nosey Face / Shelf of Brains · Family Reunion (1) + 19 more
21 episodes aired on November 16, 1998: "My Fair Monster / The Nosey Face / Shelf of Brains", "Family Reunion (1)", "Hidden Treasures", "Arthur Rides the Bandwagon", and 17 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 November 16 across the decade.
Pop group Milli Vanilli are stripped of their Grammy Award because the duo did n…
Pop group Milli Vanilli are stripped of their Grammy Award because the duo did not sing at all on the Girl You Know It's True album. Session musicians had provided all the vocals.
Chet Powers, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1943)…
Chet Powers, American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1943)
Sports
Athletes, events, and moments from November 16 across the 1990s.
Dénes Dibusz, Hungarian football player
Dénes Dibusz, Hungarian football player
Nemanja Gudelj, Serbian footballer
Nemanja Gudelj, Serbian footballer
George Akpabio, Nigerian footballer
George Akpabio, Nigerian footballer · Marcelo Brozović, Croatian footballer
C. J. Beathard, American football player
C. J. Beathard, American football player · Nélson Semedo, Portuguese footballer · Denzel Valentine, American basketball player
Yoshiki Yamamoto, Japanese footballer
Yoshiki Yamamoto, Japanese footballer
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Cameroonian footballer
André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Cameroonian footballer
Boulaye Dia, Senegalese footballer
Boulaye Dia, Senegalese footballer
Bruno Guimarães, Brazilian footballer
Bruno Guimarães, Brazilian footballer
Bol Bol, South Sudanese-American basketball player
Bol Bol, South Sudanese-American basketball player · Mats Wieffer, Dutch footballer
Full Events Archive
Highlights
From politics to pop culture — the 90s news cycle never slept:
Arjo Atayde
Arjo Atayde, Filipino actor
Tomomi Kasai
Tomomi Kasai, Japanese actress and singer
Hoxne Hoard
The Hoxne Hoard is discovered by metal detectorist Eric Lawes in Hoxne, Suffolk.
Matthew Allwood
Matthew Allwood, Australian rugby league player
After nearly 18 years of incarceration, China releases Wei Jingsheng, a pro-democracy dissident, from jail for medical reasons.
Daniel Nathans, American microbiologist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1928)
Whether you were a Blockbuster music shopper or a MTV devotee, these names mattered:
Pop group Milli Vanilli are stripped of their Grammy Award because the duo did not sing at all on the Girl You Know It's True album. Session musicians had provided all the vocals.
The 90s produced legends. Here's who was in the spotlight:
Dénes Dibusz
Dénes Dibusz, Hungarian football player
Nemanja Gudelj
Nemanja Gudelj, Serbian footballer
Marcelo Brozović
Marcelo Brozović, Croatian footballer
C. J. Beathard
C. J. Beathard, American football player
Before streaming, before binge watching — these titles had us glued to the set:
Roseanne
"White Men Can't Kiss" (Season 7, Episode 9) aired on 1994-11-16.
Days of Our Lives
"Ep. #7408" (Season 1994, Episode 262) aired on 1994-11-16.
Babylon 5
"The Geometry of Shadows" (Season 2, Episode 3) aired on 1994-11-16.
Aladdin
"The Way We War" (Season 2, Episode 48) aired on 1994-11-16.
"Richard Lewis, Linda Fiorentino, Melissa Etheridge" (Season 1994, Episode 188) aired on 1994-11-16.
"Cult of the Immortal" (Season 2, Episode 22) aired on 1995-11-16.
"Steve Guttenberg, William Prochrow" (Season 1995, Episode 194) aired on 1995-11-16.
"Sean Penn, Barbara Walters, Meat Loaf" (Season 1995, Episode 190) aired on 1995-11-16.
"Madison (host), REM, Midnight Oil" (Season 1996, Episode 36) aired on 1996-11-16.
"Gets Planted (Photosynthesis)" (Season 3, Episode 10) aired on 1996-11-16.
"Lawnmower Ape" (Season 1, Episode 10) aired on 1996-11-16.
"Blackstreet/ Aaliyah/ The Braxtons" (Season 26, Episode 4) aired on 1996-11-16.
"Woodcraft of Alsace, France" (Season 16, Episode 7) aired on 1996-11-16.
"The 17th Annual Florida Classic: Florida A&M vs. Bethune–Cookman" (Season 17, Episode 1) aired on 1996-11-16.
"Robert Downey Jr. / Fiona Apple" (Season 22, Episode 6) aired on 1996-11-16.
"The Main Man Part II" (Season 1, Episode 10) aired on 1996-11-16.
"The Curse of the Gorgons" (Season 2, Episode 7) aired on 1997-11-16.
"The Man Who Shot Cane Skretteburg" (Season 2, Episode 7) aired on 1997-11-16.
"My Fair Monster / The Nosey Face / Shelf of Brains" (Season 2, Episode 5) aired on 1998-11-16.
"Where There's a Will, There's No Way" (Season 1, Episode 7) aired on 1998-11-16.
"No Sex, Some Drugs and a Little Rock 'n' Roll" (Season 3, Episode 8) aired on 1998-11-16.
"India, Land of the Tiger: Unknown Seas" (Season 17, Episode 6) aired on 1998-11-16.
"Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs" (Season 1998, Episode 11) aired on 1998-11-16.
"Ken Olin" (Season 1998, Episode 146) aired on 1998-11-16.
"Kid Scientists, Cameron Diaz, Mariah Carey" (Season 1998, Episode 183) aired on 1998-11-16.
The MTV countdown was everything. These videos owned TRL:
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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