December 1 across the 1990s: the news was dominated by Channel Tunnel sections started from the United Kingdom and …, TRL was counting down the most-requested videos on MTV, and 51 episodes were airing across the dial. Here's the full picture, year by year.
In the News
The headlines that defined December 1 across the 1990s.
Channel Tunnel sections started from the United Kingdom and France meet beneath …
Channel Tunnel sections started from the United Kingdom and France meet beneath the seabed.
Cold War: Ukrainian voters overwhelmingly approve a referendum for independence …
Cold War: Ukrainian voters overwhelmingly approve a referendum for independence from the Soviet Union.
In the Indian state of Bihar, Ranvir Sena attacks the CPI (ML) Party Unity stron…
In the Indian state of Bihar, Ranvir Sena attacks the CPI (ML) Party Unity stronghold Lakshmanpur-Bathe, killing 63 lower caste people.
What Was On TV
Before DVR, before streaming — if you missed it, you missed it. Here's what had everyone talking the next morning.
Gary Busey · Pwetty Wady + 5 more
7 episodes aired on December 1, 1994: "Gary Busey", "Pwetty Wady", "Tim Matheson", "Ep. #7418", and 3 more.
P.J. O'Rourke · Caroline Kennedy, Ellen Alderman, Kimberly McCullough + 9 more
11 episodes aired on December 1, 1995: "P.J. O'Rourke", "Caroline Kennedy, Ellen Alderman, Kimberly McCullough", "Robert Evans, Bill Lee", "The Box", and 7 more.
1996 Week 14 · Coifed cockatoo; fearful turtles + 5 more
7 episodes aired on December 1, 1996: "1996 Week 14", "Coifed cockatoo; fearful turtles", "The Juggs Have Left the Building", "A Milhouse Divided", and 3 more.
The Golden Years · A Different Kind of Mystery + 8 more
10 episodes aired on December 1, 1997: "The Golden Years", "A Different Kind of Mystery", "December 1, 1997", "Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings", and 6 more.
It's Insane, This Guy's Taint · Father's Day + 10 more
12 episodes aired on December 1, 1998: "It's Insane, This Guy's Taint", "Father's Day", "Good Hill Hunting", "Leopards of the Night", 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 December 1 across the decade.
Ray Gillen, American singer-songwriter (born 1959)
Ray Gillen, American singer-songwriter (born 1959)
Stéphane Grappelli, French violinist (born 1908)
Stéphane Grappelli, French violinist (born 1908)
Sports
Athletes, events, and moments from December 1 across the 1990s.
Rakeem Christmas, American basketball player
Rakeem Christmas, American basketball player
Masahudu Alhassan, Ghanaian footballer
Masahudu Alhassan, Ghanaian footballer · Javier Báez, Puerto Rican baseball player · Linos Chrysikopoulos, Greek basketball player · Gary Payton II, American basketball player · Marco van Ginkel, Dutch footballer
Seedy Njie, English footballer
Seedy Njie, English footballer
Jenna Fife, Scottish footballer
Jenna Fife, Scottish footballer · James Wilson, English footballer
Nico Schlotterbeck, German footballer
Nico Schlotterbeck, German footballer
Full Events Archive
Highlights
From politics to pop culture — the 90s news cycle never slept:
Channel Tunnel
Channel Tunnel sections started from the United Kingdom and France meet beneath the seabed.
Tomáš Tatar
Tomáš Tatar, Slovak ice hockey player
Carla Lehmann
Carla Lehmann, Canadian-English actress (born 1917)
Ukraine
Cold War: Ukrainian voters overwhelmingly approve a referendum for independence from the Soviet Union.
George Stigler, American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1911)
In the Indian state of Bihar, Ranvir Sena attacks the CPI (ML) Party Unity stronghold Lakshmanpur-Bathe, killing 63 lower caste people.
Fourteen-year-old Michael Carneal opens fire at a group of students in Heath High School in West Paducah, Kentucky, killing three and injuring five.
Endicott Peabody, American lieutenant, lawyer, and politician, 62nd Governor of Massachusetts (born 1920)
Whether you were a Blockbuster music shopper or a MTV devotee, these names mattered:
Ray Gillen
Ray Gillen, American singer-songwriter (born 1959)
Stéphane Grappelli
Stéphane Grappelli, French violinist (born 1908)
The 90s produced legends. Here's who was in the spotlight:
Rakeem Christmas
Rakeem Christmas, American basketball player
Javier Báez
Javier Báez, Puerto Rican baseball player
Linos Chrysikopoulos
Linos Chrysikopoulos, Greek basketball player
Gary Payton II
Gary Payton II, American basketball player
Before streaming, before binge watching — these titles had us glued to the set:
Biker Mice from Mars
"Pwetty Wady" (Season 2, Episode 26) aired on 1994-12-01.
Days of Our Lives
"Ep. #7418" (Season 1994, Episode 277) aired on 1994-12-01.
My So-Called Life
"Pressure" (Season 1, Episode 13) aired on 1994-12-01.
Madman of the People
"Jack Has Left the Building" (Season 1, Episode 8) aired on 1994-12-01.
"Dana Carvey, Toad The Wet Sprocket" (Season 1994, Episode 199) aired on 1994-12-01.
"Caroline Kennedy, Ellen Alderman, Kimberly McCullough" (Season 1995, Episode 212) aired on 1995-12-01.
"Robert Evans, Bill Lee" (Season 1995, Episode 205) aired on 1995-12-01.
"The Spirit of Christmas: Jesus vs. Santa" (Season 1, Episode ?) aired on 1995-12-01.
"Andrew Carnegie: Prince of Steel" (Season 1995, Episode 76) aired on 1995-12-01.
"Steve Martin, Kenneth Branagh" (Season 1995, Episode 201) aired on 1995-12-01.
"Coifed cockatoo; fearful turtles" (Season 8, Episode 12) aired on 1996-12-01.
"The Juggs Have Left the Building" (Season 11, Episode 7) aired on 1996-12-01.
"Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings" (Season 1997, Episode 15) aired on 1997-12-01.
"Alexandra Wentworth" (Season 1997, Episode 153) aired on 1997-12-01.
"Todd Rundgren" (Season 1998, Episode 151) aired on 1998-12-01.
Silicon Valley was young, the dot-com boom was brewing, and tech was about to change everything:
The MTV countdown was everything. These videos owned TRL:
The #1 most requested video on TRL on this date in 1999
#2 on TRL — Destiny's Child, "Bills, Bills, Bills"
#3 on TRL — Blink-182, "What's My Age Again?"
#4 on TRL — Santana, "Smooth"
#5 on TRL — Smash Mouth, "All Star"
#6 on TRL — Jennifer Lopez, "If You Had My Love"
#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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