Let's face it, ever since "Total Request Live" debuted on September 14th, 1998, the music scene has gone downhill.

"TRL" is credited for the success of groups/artists such as...

Backstreet Boys
N'Sync
Britney Spears
Christina Aguilera
Eminem
Jessica Simpson

If it were not for "TRL", those artists/groups would be nowhere near as successful as they had been the last 7 years.  Thanks to a show like "TRL", we have had an overload of Teenage girls ruining the music scene, they all drool over these boy bands and even admire these diva's like Britney Spears, so they would Vote countless times until they reached #1 on the "TRL" Countdown and then go out and buy their albums non-stop, helping propell those album's and their songs to #1 on all Music Charts across the country.

It's not just a coincidence that the popular mucis cene started going downhill in Early 1999 (When "TRL" started hitting it's popularity)

Sure the "Backstreet Boys" were around for a couple of months before TRL premiered, but it was TRL which completely skyrocketed their popularity and helped them take over the music scene for the next 2 years.

Britney Spears made her debut on TRL.  No one heard about her untill TRL began playing her new music video for "Baby One More Time" in December 1998 and suddenly she became a huge success and a popular icon for TRL.

Eminem made his debut on TRL and his first music video for "My Name Is" spent 30 days in a row at #1, and then they retired the video.  Eminem's popularity can be credited to TRL, even if he may hate the idea of that.

The same goes on and on and on for people like Christina and Jessica, they all made their music video debut's on TRL, which helped get them noticed, and since TRL was such a hugely popular show from Early 1999 until about 2003, it has been the jumpstart for many musical careers.  Unfortunately, musical careers that should have NEVER been created.

TRL has not only ruined the Music Scene in the United States, but it has completely ruined MTV.  MTV was actually watchable before Late 1998, but once TRL came aboard, we've had to deal with stupid reality shows and bubblegum pop music videos being played every 10 minutes.

TRL is to thank for the failure of EVERYTHING!  :P

I disagree. 1994 was the last year with decent music.

I disagree. 1994 was the last year with decent music.


When you posted that, I figured you must be 50 or something and still listen to 60's music  ;D, but then I saw your profile and noticed you are only 16  :o (I didn't know people that young were on here)

There is one thing I can say is reponse to that.  You were 4 years old in 1994 (Your supposed last best year for music) which means you probably were not listening to music at all up to 1998.  You really have to remember the music at the time to have a good sense of it.  At the time, the music from 1994-1998 wasn't as bad as someone young (like yourself) would think so today.  It's simple to listen to a song from 1996 right now (And also have no memory of hearing it when it was originally popular) and sit there and say that it sucks.  But the song was, at the time, something special and cool and was even pretty good, especially with the nostalgia factor thrown in.

I'm sorry, but I just can't help but feel bad for anyone that young who has the opinion that there were no good songs after 1994, the truth is though is you were not there to hear it during it's popularity, when the song sounded different to people at the time as opposed to hearing it today  :(

Or maybe you just have a completely different taste in music.

Maybe it saddens me because I was born around the Early/Mid 80's and I have such great memory of certain songs from 1995-1998 that bring me back to my childhood/early teenage years.

What is TRL exactly?  IS it like a phone in request video show?

I feel as if the music scene was just fine during the beginning/middle of 1998.  I don't see how anyone here could deny that, I mean, wouldn't you rather hear the type of songs that were popular around that time than the stuff we have to put up with today? (thanks to MTV)

I feel as if TRL/MTV ushered in the big bang of Boy Bands, Bubblegum Pop and Rap.

I think we were much better off before TRL came along and ruined it all.  When songs like "Torn" by Natalie Imbruglia or "Iris" by Goo Goo Dolls were the most popular in the Summer of 1998, we just don't get stuff like that anymore (That 90's A/C music).  TRL totally turned it around and let all the Teenage girls take over the music scene.  It's sad!


What is TRL exactly?  IS it like a phone in request video show?

A show on MTV where they sit in a studio in Times Square counting down the Top 10 Music Videos voted on by people (They vote on MTV.com)

Here is a clip of TRL so you can get an idea of the show.  This clip is probably of the most infamous moment in TRL History, when Mariah Carey began her "Meltdown".  It's from around July 2001 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXrTO0A-k8o)

When you posted that, I figured you must be 50 or something and still listen to 60's music  ;D, but then I saw your profile and noticed you are only 16  :o (I didn't know people that young were on here)

There is one thing I can say is reponse to that.  You were 4 years old in 1994 (Your supposed last best year for music) which means you probably were not listening to music at all up to 1998.  You really have to remember the music at the time to have a good sense of it.  At the time, the music from 1994-1998 wasn't as bad as someone young (like yourself) would think so today.  It's simple to listen to a song from 1996 right now (And also have no memory of hearing it when it was originally popular) and sit there and say that it sucks.  But the song was, at the time, something special and cool and was even pretty good, especially with the nostalgia factor thrown in.

I'm sorry, but I just can't help but feel bad for anyone that young who has the opinion that there were no good songs after 1994, the truth is though is you were not there to hear it during it's popularity, when the song sounded different to people at the time as opposed to hearing it today  :(

Or maybe you just have a completely different taste in music.

Maybe it saddens me because I was born around the Early/Mid 80's and I have such great memory of certain songs from 1995-1998 that bring me back to my childhood/early teenage years.


Okay, maybe you will feel better with my brief (and I mean brief) assessment. 1994 was by far, in my opinion, the last year of overall good music. After 1994, you have some good scatterings from many genres in each year. Yet, after 1998, the decline began. Furthermore, I would also agree that the birth of TRL and the ga-ga mentality of many viewers of the program led to the demise of MTV and its musical impact.

A show on MTV where they sit in a studio in Times Square counting down the Top 10 Music Videos voted on by people (They vote on MTV.com)


So basically they play crappy videos ;D

I'm glad I don't get MTV

I used to like TRL back during those days because I was a huge fan of quite a few of those artists and I'd enjoy watching the show and seeing where they were in the countdown, if they'd make a surprise appearance, stuff like that.  However, they also played the whole video and didn't have as much inane banter between the hosts.  Nowadays, you're lucky if you see 45 secs of the video inbetween all the stupid yammering the hosts do.  There are a few artists out right now who end up on TRL so every now and again I'll turn it on, but maybe that's once a month if that.


And TRL was not responsible for the downfall of MTV.  The Real World was.  Once that little ship of horrors left the docks, MTV realized they had a cash cow in reality TV......hence why since then you've seen TONS of reality shows on that channel.  TRW was the end of the channel as people who grew up with it knew it. 

I used to like TRL back during those days because I was a huge fan of quite a few of those artists and I'd enjoy watching the show and seeing where they were in the countdown, if they'd make a surprise appearance, stuff like that.  However, they also played the whole video and didn't have as much inane banter between the hosts.  Nowadays, you're lucky if you see 45 secs of the video inbetween all the stupid yammering the hosts do.  There are a few artists out right now who end up on TRL so every now and again I'll turn it on, but maybe that's once a month if that.


And TRL was not responsible for the downfall of MTV.  The Real World was.  Once that little ship of horrors left the docks, MTV realized they had a cash cow in reality TV......hence why since then you've seen TONS of reality shows on that channel.  TRW was the end of the channel as people who grew up with it knew it. 


TRW was okay for a few years. I prefer the early ones up to Seattle. After that, it was clear it was over as I grew up with it. However, the seasons after Seattle alongside with TRL ruined it.

TRW was okay for a few years. I prefer the early ones up to Seattle. After that, it was clear it was over as I grew up with it. However, the seasons after Seattle alongside with TRL ruined it.



Yeah, I liked the earlier seasons as well, but it became apparent after awhile that all they wanted on the show were sluts and manwhores with drinking problems.

Yeah, I liked the earlier seasons as well, but it became apparent after awhile that all they wanted on the show were sluts and manwhores with drinking problems.



ya seriously....that's all they are about nowadays. ::)

ya seriously....that's all they are about nowadays. ::)



It's supposed to be The "Real" World.  The earlier seasons had real people, with real lives and real opinions about real things.  Do you think the people casted for the first 2 seasons would stand a chance of being casted for the next season?  Hell no.

No disputes there. I do agree about the sluts and manwhores with absolutely no interesting qualities about them.

It sounds like I am missing alot by now having MTV

Maybe that is a good thing though ;D

When you posted that, I figured you must be 50 or something and still listen to 60's music  ;D, but then I saw your profile and noticed you are only 16  :o (I didn't know people that young were on here)

There is one thing I can say is reponse to that.  You were 4 years old in 1994 (Your supposed last best year for music) which means you probably were not listening to music at all up to 1998.  You really have to remember the music at the time to have a good sense of it.  At the time, the music from 1994-1998 wasn't as bad as someone young (like yourself) would think so today.  It's simple to listen to a song from 1996 right now (And also have no memory of hearing it when it was originally popular) and sit there and say that it sucks.  But the song was, at the time, something special and cool and was even pretty good, especially with the nostalgia factor thrown in.

I'm sorry, but I just can't help but feel bad for anyone that young who has the opinion that there were no good songs after 1994, the truth is though is you were not there to hear it during it's popularity, when the song sounded different to people at the time as opposed to hearing it today  :(

Or maybe you just have a completely different taste in music.

Maybe it saddens me because I was born around the Early/Mid 80's and I have such great memory of certain songs from 1995-1998 that bring me back to my childhood/early teenage years.


Oh not this again *rolleyes*

That really is such a tired, antiquated belief. I've said it tons before and I'll say it again: You don't have to remember something as it went on in order to like it. I like many songs from 1985. Just because I was 3 and 4 at the time (albeit they're vague recollections, but memories anyway) doesn't mean I'm unable to like them.

People can also like things later on (i.e. watching '80s music videos in 1992, watching Full House reruns in 1994).

Back on topic though, I think TRL did contribute to the 1999ish wave of teen pop becoming as big as it was, and the beginning of the Reality TV era for MTV. That type of music started in mid '97 or so, so it probably would've been popular anyway without it, but not as excessively.

MTV also played "Smells Like Teen Spirit" constantly in 1991, which is how it got so big.

Back on topic though, I think TRL did contribute to the 1999ish wave of teen pop becoming as big as it was, and the beginning of the Reality TV era for MTV. That type of music started in mid '97 or so, so it probably would've been popular anyway without it, but not as excessively.

MTV also played "Smells Like Teen Spirit" constantly in 1991, which is how it got so big.



Yeah, teen pop would have likely still been about as popular without the exposure on MTV even though not quite as popular.

Let's face it, ever since "Total Request Live" debuted on September 14th, 1998, the music scene has gone downhill.

"TRL" is credited for the success of groups/artists such as...

Backstreet Boys
N'Sync
Britney Spears
Christina Aguilera
Eminem
Jessica Simpson

If it were not for "TRL", those artists/groups would be nowhere near as successful as they had been the last 7 years.  Thanks to a show like "TRL", we have had an overload of Teenage girls ruining the music scene, they all drool over these boy bands and even admire these diva's like Britney Spears, so they would Vote countless times until they reached #1 on the "TRL" Countdown and then go out and buy their albums non-stop, helping propell those album's and their songs to #1 on all Music Charts across the country.

It's not just a coincidence that the popular mucis cene started going downhill in Early 1999 (When "TRL" started hitting it's popularity)

Sure the "Backstreet Boys" were around for a couple of months before TRL premiered, but it was TRL which completely skyrocketed their popularity and helped them take over the music scene for the next 2 years.

Britney Spears made her debut on TRL.  No one heard about her untill TRL began playing her new music video for "Baby One More Time" in December 1998 and suddenly she became a huge success and a popular icon for TRL.

Eminem made his debut on TRL and his first music video for "My Name Is" spent 30 days in a row at #1, and then they retired the video.  Eminem's popularity can be credited to TRL, even if he may hate the idea of that.

The same goes on and on and on for people like Christina and Jessica, they all made their music video debut's on TRL, which helped get them noticed, and since TRL was such a hugely popular show from Early 1999 until about 2003, it has been the jumpstart for many musical careers.  Unfortunately, musical careers that should have NEVER been created.

TRL has not only ruined the Music Scene in the United States, but it has completely ruined MTV.  MTV was actually watchable before Late 1998, but once TRL came aboard, we've had to deal with stupid reality shows and bubblegum pop music videos being played every 10 minutes.

TRL is to thank for the failure of EVERYTHING!  :P


No TRL has nothing to do with it. The Backstreet Boys and Nsync were both big before TRL was on the scene and so were other "bubblegum pop" groups. It was just changing times and a new era of popular music started. By the way Christina Aguilera is very talented, so I'm glad she got big. Eminem is also a good artist even though a lot of people hate him.

Oh not this again *rolleyes*

That really is such a tired, antiquated belief. I've said it tons before and I'll say it again: You don't have to remember something as it went on in order to like it. I like many songs from 1985. Just because I was 3 and 4 at the time (albeit they're vague recollections, but memories anyway) doesn't mean I'm unable to like them.

People can also like things later on (i.e. watching '80s music videos in 1992, watching Full House reruns in 1994).


My point is that you have a better "appreciation" for music from a certain time if you grew up as a kid/teen listening to it while it was popular.  Brings back great memories and such.

So maybe alot of the songs are "cheesy", but they bring back great memories and you love those songs never the less and are able to appreciate them more because of it.

So it might not be the quality of the song, but more so the memories attached with them.

No TRL has nothing to do with it. The Backstreet Boys and Nsync were both big before TRL was on the scene and so were other "bubblegum pop" groups. It was just changing times and a new era of popular music started. By the way Christina Aguilera is very talented, so I'm glad she got big. Eminem is also a good artist even though a lot of people hate him.

But I don't think you got my point, "TRL" is what put it over the top to the absolute peak it could reach.  N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys had moderate success before TRL, and once TRL came about, both groups became Huge and eventually got #1 Hits on the Billboard charts.  This can all be credited easily to TRL's popularity.

I was 15 when TRL premiered and I watched the show for the first year, I remember it pretty well and having to put up with the constant battle between Backstreet Boys and N'Sync for the #1 song on the Countdown every week.  Teenage girls were lining up outside on the streets of Times Square screaming their little heads off just to see the members of both groups.  TRL was more popular than you'd probably think if you didn't watch it the first year or 2.  It had a major baring on the music scene.

Also around the time TRL was becoming very popular in 1999/2000, Downloading Music came along with it, which helped it even further for these teenage girls to get Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and Britney Spears songs played to death on the radio because of the Music Charts

I'm telling you right now, if TRL never existed, the Music Scene in the united states might look a smidge bit different today.  I honestly believe that.

TRL is a huge place to advertise new music and new artists, and they shove them down our throats until we hear their music over and over again and then we begin to want to hear more (or less, depending on who you are).

And I agree that Eminem is talented and I enjoyed his first 3 albums very much, i'm just saying that the extreme popularity of Eminem over the last 7 years is why we have Rap dominating the charts today.

And I thought Christina was also talented when she first came onto the scene, but then she changed her whole image and her music turned into pretty much the same stuff you hear all day on the radio today.  Her early bubblegum pop wasn't really that bad...

I disagree with saying that Eminem is the reason why Rap has been dominating the charts for 7 years. His product isn't even 10% of what is on the air.

Let's face it, ever since "Total Request Live" debuted on September 14th, 1998, the music scene has gone downhill.

"TRL" is credited for the success of groups/artists such as...

Backstreet Boys
N'Sync
Britney Spears
Christina Aguilera
Eminem
Jessica Simpson

If it were not for "TRL", those artists/groups would be nowhere near as successful as they had been the last 7 years.  Thanks to a show like "TRL", we have had an overload of Teenage girls ruining the music scene, they all drool over these boy bands and even admire these diva's like Britney Spears, so they would Vote countless times until they reached #1 on the "TRL" Countdown and then go out and buy their albums non-stop, helping propell those album's and their songs to #1 on all Music Charts across the country.

It's not just a coincidence that the popular mucis cene started going downhill in Early 1999 (When "TRL" started hitting it's popularity)

Sure the "Backstreet Boys" were around for a couple of months before TRL premiered, but it was TRL which completely skyrocketed their popularity and helped them take over the music scene for the next 2 years.

Britney Spears made her debut on TRL.  No one heard about her untill TRL began playing her new music video for "Baby One More Time" in December 1998 and suddenly she became a huge success and a popular icon for TRL.

Eminem made his debut on TRL and his first music video for "My Name Is" spent 30 days in a row at #1, and then they retired the video.  Eminem's popularity can be credited to TRL, even if he may hate the idea of that.

The same goes on and on and on for people like Christina and Jessica, they all made their music video debut's on TRL, which helped get them noticed, and since TRL was such a hugely popular show from Early 1999 until about 2003, it has been the jumpstart for many musical careers.  Unfortunately, musical careers that should have NEVER been created.

TRL has not only ruined the Music Scene in the United States, but it has completely ruined MTV.  MTV was actually watchable before Late 1998, but once TRL came aboard, we've had to deal with stupid reality shows and bubblegum pop music videos being played every 10 minutes.

TRL is to thank for the failure of EVERYTHING!  :P


My point is that you have a better "appreciation" for music from a certain time if you grew up as a kid/teen listening to it while it was popular.  Brings back great memories and such.

So maybe alot of the songs are "cheesy", but they bring back great memories and you love those songs never the less and are able to appreciate them more because of it.

So it might not be the quality of the song, but more so the memories attached with them.

But I don't think you got my point, "TRL" is what put it over the top to the absolute peak it could reach.  N'Sync and the Backstreet Boys had moderate success before TRL, and once TRL came about, both groups became Huge and eventually got #1 Hits on the Billboard charts.  This can all be credited easily to TRL's popularity.

I was 15 when TRL premiered and I watched the show for the first year, I remember it pretty well and having to put up with the constant battle between Backstreet Boys and N'Sync for the #1 song on the Countdown every week.  Teenage girls were lining up outside on the streets of Times Square screaming their little heads off just to see the members of both groups.  TRL was more popular than you'd probably think if you didn't watch it the first year or 2.  It had a major baring on the music scene.

Also around the time TRL was becoming very popular in 1999/2000, Downloading Music came along with it, which helped it even further for these teenage girls to get Backstreet Boys, NSYNC and Britney Spears songs played to death on the radio because of the Music Charts

I'm telling you right now, if TRL never existed, the Music Scene in the united states might look a smidge bit different today.  I honestly believe that.

TRL is a huge place to advertise new music and new artists, and they shove them down our throats until we hear their music over and over again and then we begin to want to hear more (or less, depending on who you are).

And I agree that Eminem is talented and I enjoyed his first 3 albums very much, i'm just saying that the extreme popularity of Eminem over the last 7 years is why we have Rap dominating the charts today.

And I thought Christina was also talented when she first came onto the scene, but then she changed her whole image and her music turned into pretty much the same stuff you hear all day on the radio today.  Her early bubblegum pop wasn't really that bad...


I don't really have anything to contribute.  I just wanted to quote this, so I can waste space, the same way you did by typing it all out ;D

hip-hop/r&b music has been dominating the hot 100 since around 1995. It really blew up even more in about 2001.

And I thought Christina was also talented when she first came onto the scene, but then she changed her whole image and her music turned into pretty much the same stuff you hear all day on the radio today.  Her early bubblegum pop wasn't really that bad...



What?  Her stuff sounds NOTHING like what's on the radio right now.  That's why she's the anti-Britney.  She actually takes chances musically in order to evolve so she's not stuck doing the same crappy bubblegum pop that everyone else is doing.  She's one of the most innovative artists out there right now, and her new album is further proof of that.

What?  Her stuff sounds NOTHING like what's on the radio right now.  That's why she's the anti-Britney.  She actually takes chances musically in order to evolve so she's not stuck doing the same crappy bubblegum pop that everyone else is doing.  She's one of the most innovative artists out there right now, and her new album is further proof of that.


Yeah I agree, her new stuff is great.

I don't really have anything to contribute.  I just wanted to quote this, so I can waste space, the same way you did by typing it all out ;D


So, are you saying that I put too many spaces in between sentences or are you insulting my points?

hip-hop/r&b music has been dominating the hot 100 since around 1995. It really blew up even more in about 2001.

R&B is your key word there.  R&B is what was huge in the 90's, Rap/Hip-Hop is what is huge in the 00's

So, are you saying that I put too many spaces in between sentences or are you insulting my points?

R&B is your key word there.  R&B is what was huge in the 90's, Rap/Hip-Hop is what is huge in the 00's


Yeah but the R&B in the '90s was definitely hip-hop influenced R&B.

Yeah but the R&B in the '90s was definitely hip-hop influenced R&B.


It was a bit of both,  Hip-Hop influnced and Ballad'esque (like Boyz II Men and Whitney Houston)

Either way, it's very rare to hear a popular flat out R&B song anymore.  All we hear is the same Rap Beats in every rap song today, and each one is actually very popular (I don't know how.  There is no creativity in rap anymore)

So, are you saying that I put too many spaces in between sentences or are you insulting my points?


No, he's saying you typed too much out.  A thesis wasn't necessarily warranted.

So, are you saying that I put too many spaces in between sentences or are you insulting my points?


Maybe a bit of both ;D

I just haven't seen so much text in one post in a long time

Well, I already had MY music revolution (Nirvana), it's kind of tough to believe I'm living in an era where some people just don't know what it's like to grow up with great, exciting new bands, unpretentious straight rock.

people are starting to doubt that another meteor like the elvis, the beatles, zep, nirvana, can hit again. Rest assure it will happen, have patience!

My point is that you have a better "appreciation" for music from a certain time if you grew up as a kid/teen listening to it while it was popular. 



No.  You don't.  I despise my generation's "music".


Brings back great memories and such.



A song doesn't have to be from your "time" to bring back great memories.  Not by a longshot.  For me, hearing "Time" by Pink Floyd(for example) brings back a LOT more memories than "In Da Club" or any of the other soulless crap from the 2000s.

I still maintain American popular music peaked in the late 1960s through the mid 1970s.  Over half of what I listen to, nah, hell, probably 80% of what I listen to is from that period.  And I think music REALLY started to go to sheesh in 1990.  I don't understand where people are coming from at ALL saying the first half of the 90s had good music.  But then again I don't like Nirvana, so there ya go.

I'm 18 years old, by the way.

Well, I already had MY music revolution (Nirvana), it's kind of tough to believe I'm living in an era where some people just don't know what it's like to grow up with great, exciting new bands, unpretentious straight rock.

people are starting to doubt that another meteor like the elvis, the beatles, zep, nirvana, can hit again. Rest assure it will happen, have patience!


What are you talking about?  Nirvana sucked.  Hard. :D

TRL wasn't the downfall of music. But then, I hate when people accuse pop music of being the "death of music", so that arguement is totally futile. TRL, however, was pretty much the downfall of MTV actually showing videos; as the show went on, it became less and less about showing the videos and more about doing crazy stunts that supposedly appealed to the audience. In 1998 and even through parts of '99, they'd show all of the video or, at least 3/4ths of it. By the time 2000 rolled around, they'd cut it to about 1/2 to 3/4ths, and now they just show clips. It's ridiculous.

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Interesting thread. I never considered that TRL was responsible for killing good music, but I suppose they are in no small part. I remember seeing that show when it first came out, and it sucked, even back then.

When image became more important than musicianship is when music in general turned to a big steaming dog turd.

Intriguing though, did TRL bring about crappy music, or did crappy music bring about TRL?

Interesting thread. I never considered that TRL was responsible for killing good music, but I suppose they are in no small part. I remember seeing that show when it first came out, and it sucked, even back then.

When image became more important than musicianship is when music in general turned to a big steaming dog turd.

Intriguing though, did TRL bring about crappy music, or did crappy music bring about TRL?




There's been sh*t music since day 1, but TRL has only been real popular since about 1999.  The influx of all these teen pop acts in a way spurred it on, so you could argue that the music begat the show.

And as a whole, I love the idea of a music video.  I think it can express things that the song cannot and it brought a ton of exposure to bands that wouldn't have gotten it otherwise.

TRL did signal the beginning of the downfall of MTV.

TRL did signal the beginning of the downfall of MTV.


Weird, I never ever watched MTV very much, at all (although I'd always wanted to have seen it in its 1981-85ish heyday). Even in the early '90s, I thought MTV's playlist and overall style was too heavy metal and rap centered, which is why I always preferred VH1.

Although I did tune in for the occasional shows like Beavis and Butthead. ;)

When TRL came around, I stated to dislike MTV more...

Though it slowly went downhill since the early '90's until it became unwatchable in 1998

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