10 Songs That Scream Total Request Live

I would race home from school to watch Carson Daly count down the top 10 music videos of the day. Even though the Top 10 didn't change much… ever, it was apparently very exciting to watch BSB fight with *NSYNC (and occasionally Britney) for the number one spot every day. Here are 10 songs that…

By

Back in the day, long before people could watch videos on the internet, MTV actually used to play music (as in, more than a 10-second clip at the end of Jersey Shore). And my favorite music video show? The epic video countdown we all followed so damn religiously, Total Request Live. TRL was the reason I woke up every morning. I would race home from school to watch Carson Daly count down the top 10 music videos of the day. Even though the Top 10 didn’t change much… ever, it was apparently very exciting to watch BSB fight with *NSYNC (and occasionally Britney) for the number one spot every day. Here are 10 songs that will forever make me think “TRL!” when I hear them.

1. “Freak On A Leash” — Korn

Whenever I hear the word ‘bullet,’ I’m immediately taken back in time to this music video. I see a cartoon bullet traveling through bedrooms, streets, restaurants, etc. That bullet was everywhere. How did it not hit anyone?

2. “The Bum Bum Song” — Tom Green

I celebrated the day Tom Green’s ridiculous faux song beat out TRL’s pop kings and queens for first place. I remember Green coming on the show to say that his song didn’t deserve to be number one, but who could deny ‘I wanna hear the canon!’?

3. “Intergalactic” — Beastie Boys

I always thought the Beastie Boys were super bad ass, so their releasing a song during my youth was awesome. This video was full of transformer/power ranger like robot things. Very futuristic. Very Y2K.

4. “The Real Slim Shady” — Eminem

This song taught me what a clitoris is. I remember watching this video every day and rapping the vulgar lyrics at camp with my friends. I didn’t care that he was sh-tting on my beloved Britney Spears. After this song sparked major controversy, I remember downloading parodies of it on Napster — including a fake Christina Aguilera’s “Will The Real Slim Shady Please Shut Up?” It’s been 12 years now and he hasn’t shut up yet — but Christina has. At least on iTunes.

5. “Oops I Did It Again” — Britney Spears

For a brief time, I made sure I caught TRL every day for the sole purpose of learning the dance Britney and her crew did in this video. I had already learned “Crazy” thanks to Darren’s Dance Grooves, but I was on my own for “Oops.” Other than the spaceship dance, this video was amazing for the rando Titanic reference alone. Why? What does this have to do with space? What does this have to do with ANYTHING?