Entertainment
There's probably a tiny part of you that misses coming home from school and catching up with the latest videos from your favorite '90s pop stars. There was nothing like that rush. Although we can thank YouTube for harvesting some of those vintage clips, we can also thank it for killing the hype of music videos in general. And yes, hearsay has been that TRL is coming back rebranded as MTV Live, but for many reasons, there's no way it'll be every bit as deliciously corny as it was back then. There are just some TRL moments that could only happen in the '90s.
Of course, back in the late '90s, this way of worshipping pop stars was pretty much the norm. It was verbal, visual, in-person (or at least via phone call) worship. Today that excitement is a little bit lessened by the internet. Sure, Twitter explosions happen and you'll get millions of tweets announcing, "THE NEW HARRY STYLES ALBUM IS OUT I'M SCREAMING," but really? Most of those people are passively sitting at their computer screens, trying to select the perfect GID. Back in the days of TRL, people were present, and People. Were. Screaming.
So take a stroll down memory lane and revisit some of the most '90s exclusive things from TRL.
1This Entire Class Of '99 Roster
Fred Durst, Limp Bizkit, and the merging of rap-metal could only thrive without significant mockery at the end of the '90s.
2Hanson Hosting A Show & Half Of The Girls In The Audience Rocking The Same Hairstyle As The Band
Everyone is really center-part strong here.
3Justin Timberlake Rocking His Ramen Hair Without Shame
Also, that entire exchange the boys have about what they want in a women.
4P. Diddy Interviewing Nick Carter & His Mom
But specifically the fact that he's being referred to as Puff Daddy (or "Puffy"), like back in the olden times.
5Anyone Having A Frightened Reaction To Marilyn Manson
This girl asks about his shock factor, and while every once in a while I'll still see some sheltered individual that is freaked out by him, most kids are so desensitized these days. Like, he's Grandpa Manson to me.
6Christina Aguilera Introducing Britney's "Crazy"
No rivalry here! And aw, she's hoping that one day she can get a number one song. So young, so innocent.
7Nick Lachey Joking About Then-Gal Pal Jessica Simpson
Long before Newlyweds: Nick And Jessica (and even longer before their divorce).
8A Four-Person Destiny's Child Debuting Their Sophomore Album
First of all, everyone is everyone is a literal teenager, and second of all, that is Beyoncé wearing a matching pleather outfit.
9TLC & Eminem Going Head To Head In A Video War
Eminem loves TLC, but right now, they're the enemy.
10Britney Spears Joining Forces With Melissa Joan Hart
I'm suspecting this was in order to promote Drive Me Crazy, which overall is so 1999 it physically hurts me.
11And This Britney Injury Update
She isn't just Instagraming about a sprained ankle (followed by like six 'grams featuring Minions, because Brit-Brit is all of our middle-aged aunts on social media). She recorded a video so her public could know.
12Literally Everything About This Korn Interview, Particularly The Fact That It's An Interview With Korn
Also the fact that a girl uses the terminology "mad ill" and the fact that literally every member of that crowd probably had a Hot Topic punch card in their pocket.
It was a simpler time. And hey, if you want to flashback to some of the most enjoyably awkward video clips of all time, you can do some more harvesting on YouTube. Feel free to bring some "I <3 Nick Carter" posters, so you can really relive the magic.
