December 20 across the 1990s: the news was dominated by A Missouri court sentences the Palestinian militant Zein Isa…, TRL was counting down the most-requested videos on MTV, and 46 episodes were airing across the dial. Here's the full picture, year by year.
In the News
The headlines that defined December 20 across the 1990s.
A Missouri court sentences the Palestinian militant Zein Isa and his wife Maria …
A Missouri court sentences the Palestinian militant Zein Isa and his wife Maria to death for the honor killing of their daughter Palestina.
Dean Rusk, American lawyer, and politician, 54th United States Secretary of Stat…
Dean Rusk, American lawyer, and politician, 54th United States Secretary of State (born 1909)
American Airlines Flight 965, a Boeing 757, crashes into a mountain 50 km north …
American Airlines Flight 965, a Boeing 757, crashes into a mountain 50 km north of Cali, Colombia, killing 159 of the 163 people on board.
Alan Lloyd Hodgkin, English physiologist and biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate …
Alan Lloyd Hodgkin, English physiologist and biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1916)
What Was On TV
Before DVR, before streaming — if you missed it, you missed it. Here's what had everyone talking the next morning.
Richard Crenna · Jude Theriot + 6 more
8 episodes aired on December 20, 1994: "Richard Crenna", "Jude Theriot", "Ep. #7432", "Episode 612 (Christmas Edition)", and 4 more.
Ray Davies · Jean-Claude Van Damme + 7 more
9 episodes aired on December 20, 1995: "Ray Davies", "Jean-Claude Van Damme", "Marilu Genner, Christopher Hitchens", "Do You Fear What I Fear?", and 5 more.
Ep. #7937 · Friday, December 20, 1996 + 6 more
8 episodes aired on December 20, 1996: "Ep. #7937", "Friday, December 20, 1996", "The Ball", "The Well-Worn Lock", and 4 more.
A Christmas Cruella · Word of the Day / Johnathan Babysits + 11 more
13 episodes aired on December 20, 1997: "A Christmas Cruella", "Word of the Day / Johnathan Babysits", "The Head Trip Syndrome", "Family Portrait", and 9 more.
Scavenger Hunt / What's Up Jack? / Grown Ups 'n Kids · 1998 Week 16 + 5 more
7 episodes aired on December 20, 1998: "Scavenger Hunt / What's Up Jack? / Grown Ups 'n Kids", "1998 Week 16", "White House Christmas 1998", "Mayored to the Mob", 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.
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.
Korn's "Freak On A Leash" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Britney Spears's "...Baby One More Time" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
*NSYNC's "I Drive Myself Crazy" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Sugar Ray's "Every Morning" 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.
98 Degrees's "The Hardest Thing" was one of the most-requested videos of the period, burning up the phone lines from fans all over the country.
Lauryn Hill's "Ex-Factor" 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.
Music
From chart-toppers to birthdays to passings — what the music world was up to on December 20 across the decade.
Hank Snow, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1914)…
Hank Snow, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1914)
Sports
Athletes, events, and moments from December 20 across the 1990s.
Marta Xargay, Spanish basketball player
Marta Xargay, Spanish basketball player
Rachael Boyle, Scottish footballer
Rachael Boyle, Scottish footballer · Jorginho, Brazilian footballer · Fabian Schär, Swiss footballer
Andrea Belotti, Italian footballer
Andrea Belotti, Italian footballer
Calvin Ridley, American football player
Calvin Ridley, American football player
Anžejs Pasečņiks, Latvian basketball player
Anžejs Pasečņiks, Latvian basketball player
Jarrod Bowen, English football player
Jarrod Bowen, English football player
De'Aaron Fox, American basketball player
De'Aaron Fox, American basketball player
Kylian Mbappé, French footballer
Kylian Mbappé, French footballer
Full Events Archive
Highlights
Murder of Tina Isa
A Missouri court sentences the Palestinian militant Zein Isa and his wife Maria to death for the honor killing of their daughter Palestina.
Read more →
Days of Our Lives
"Ep. #7432" (Season 1994, Episode 290) aired on 1994-12-20.
Read more →Before Twitter, before 24/7 news apps — here's what had everyone talking:
JoJo (singer)
JoJo, American singer and actress
Murder of Tina Isa
A Missouri court sentences the Palestinian militant Zein Isa and his wife Maria to death for the honor killing of their daughter Palestina.
Jillian Rose Reed
Jillian Rose Reed, American actress
Simone Beck
Simone Beck, French chef and author (born 1904)
Dean Rusk, American lawyer, and politician, 54th United States Secretary of State (born 1909)
American Airlines Flight 965, a Boeing 757, crashes into a mountain 50 km north of Cali, Colombia, killing 159 of the 163 people on board.
Alan Lloyd Hodgkin, English physiologist and biophysicist, Nobel Prize laureate (born 1916)
From grunge to hip-hop to pop — the 90s music scene was everything:
Hank Snow
Hank Snow, Canadian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1914)
Wikipedia →From stadiums to living rooms, these were the names fans were cheering:
Jorginho (footballer, born December 1991)
Jorginho, Brazilian footballer
Fabian Schär
Fabian Schär, Swiss footballer
Andrea Belotti
Andrea Belotti, Italian footballer
Calvin Ridley
Calvin Ridley, American football player
The silver screen and the small screen were both firing on all cylinders:
Days of Our Lives
"Ep. #7432" (Season 1994, Episode 290) aired on 1994-12-20.
Rescue 911
"Episode 612 (Christmas Edition)" (Season 6, Episode 13) aired on 1994-12-20.
Something Wilder
"Holy Water" (Season 1, Episode 7) aired on 1994-12-20.
NOVA
"Journey to the Sacred Sea" (Season 22, Episode 9) aired on 1994-12-20.
"Tom Brokaw, Grant Hill, Aaron Neville" (Season 1994, Episode 207) aired on 1994-12-20.
"Marilu Genner, Christopher Hitchens" (Season 1995, Episode 218) aired on 1995-12-20.
"Isomers Have Distinct Characteristics" (Season 1, Episode 12) aired on 1995-12-20.
"Howard Stern, Melissa Etheridge" (Season 1995, Episode 209) aired on 1995-12-20.
"Billy Crystal, Cuba Gooding Jr., Darlene Love" (Season 1996, Episode 205) aired on 1996-12-20.
"A Christmas Cruella" (Season 1, Episode 11) aired on 1997-12-20.
"The Head Trip Syndrome" (Season 1, Episode 10) aired on 1997-12-20.
"A Knight to Remember (Henry III of England, 1216, England)" (Season 2, Episode 16) aired on 1997-12-20.
"Scavenger Hunt / What's Up Jack? / Grown Ups 'n Kids" (Season 1, Episode 13) aired on 1998-12-20.
"White House Christmas 1998" (Season 1998, Episode 1) aired on 1998-12-20.
Before YouTube, this is how you discovered music videos:
The #1 most requested video on TRL on this date in 1999
#2 on TRL — Eminem, "My Name Is"
#3 on TRL — Korn, "Freak On A Leash"
#4 on TRL — Britney Spears, "...Baby One More Time"
#5 on TRL — *NSYNC, "I Drive Myself Crazy"
#6 on TRL — Sugar Ray, "Every Morning"
#7 on TRL — Limp Bizkit, "Nookie"
#8 on TRL — 98 Degrees, "The Hardest Thing"
#9 on TRL — Lauryn Hill, "Ex-Factor"
#10 on TRL — Destiny's Child, "Bills, Bills, Bills"
By Year
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