Total Request Live
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Total Request Live | |
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Also known as | TRL |
Presented by |
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Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
No. of seasons | 20 |
No. of episodes | 2,254 |
Production | |
Running time |
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Original release | |
Network | MTV |
Release | September 14, 1998 November 16, 2008 | –
Release | October 2, 2017 2019 | –
Total Request Live (known commonly as TRL) is an American television program broadcast on
During the original run of the program, TRL played the ten most requested music videos of the day, as voted by viewers via phone or online. The show generally aired Monday through Thursday for one hour, though the scheduling and length of the show fluctuated over the years. Although TRL was billed as a live show, many episodes were actually pre-recorded. Due to declining ratings, and the larger decline of music-based television in favor of online services, MTV announced the cancellation of TRL on September 15, 2008.[1] The special three-hour finale episode, Total Finale Live, aired on November 16, 2008.[2]
Less than a decade later, TRL was revived on October 2, 2017.[3] In 2019, the show aired Saturday mornings at 10:00 a.m. ET as TRL Top 10. The show was then rebranded to Fresh Out Live.
History
Origin
Total Request Live originated from several pre-existing programs on
Part of a series on |
MTV |
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Programs on MTV |
MTV personalities |
Censorship on MTV |
MTV Generation |
MTV News |
Total Request was more subdued than MTV Live, as Daly introduced music videos from an empty, dimly lit set. As the show progressed and gained more momentum, it was added to the list of daytime programming during MTV's Summer Share in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. The countdown proved to be one of the most watched and most interactive shows in MTV history, demonstrating that it had potential to become an even larger success by combining the element of live television.
Original run (1998–2008)
Carson Daly era
In Fall 1998, MTV producers merged the real-time aspect of MTV Live with the fan-controlled countdown power of Total Request into Total Request Live. The program made its debut from MTV Studios on September 14, 1998. The show then grew to become MTV's unofficial flagship program.
The original host of TRL,
TRL spent its first year developing a cult-type following.[5] In Fall 1999, a live studio audience was added. By Spring 2000, the countdown reached its peak, becoming a very recognizable pop culture icon in its first two years of existence. A weekend edition of the show known as TRL Weekend, with a countdown consisting an average of the week's Top 10, aired for a short time in 2000.[citation needed]
In 2000, MTV gradually began introducing new VJs on TRL. After winning a viewer contest to interview celebrities at the
In July 2001, MTV sponsored the Total Request Live Tour, which played over 30 dates in North America and featured acts like Destiny's Child, 3LW, Jessica Simpson, Eve, and Nelly.[9]
On October 23, 2002, TRL celebrated its 1,000th episode. The number-one video on that day was "Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera. Also, throughout 2002, original host Carson Daly was gradually seen less and less as he had branched out with his own late-night talk show Last Call with Carson Daly on NBC.[10] The show had near-daily segments from MTV News correspondents reporting on the latest in national or entertainment and music news from inside the studio.
Post-Carson Daly era
In 2003, the next generation of TRL was ushered in as Carson Daly officially stepped down as host to focus on his own talk show, which premiered a year earlier on NBC.
Some changes were made to TRL's voting process in 2005. The show previously allowed anyone to vote online several times, but as part of these changes, only registered members of MTV.com could vote online. Additionally, a limit of one vote per day was added. Then, on July 10, 2006, MTV announced that votes would not be taken by phone, ending the legacy of the "DIAL MTV" phone number, which had been in use for voting on MTV since the premiere of the countdown show Dial MTV in the mid-1980s.
In September 2006, TRL reached its eighth anniversary and, at that point, TRL was the longest-running live program that MTV had ever produced. Around this time, TRL began airing officially on just four days a week (Monday through Thursday), as opposed to all five weekdays. On November 2, 2006, TRL introduced what was billed as the first-ever
On May 22, 2007, TRL celebrated its 2000th episode, showing highlights from the past 2000 episodes, and a special countdown of ten of the most successful videos to ever appear on the show. Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River" topped the special countdown.
By 2008, the only remaining hosts of TRL were Fahey and Rodrigues. Burton left TRL in 2004 after joining the cast of
The end of TRL
In 2007, rumors began circulating that the ratings-challenged music video countdown show was to be canceled. In early 2007, an average of 373,000 viewers regularly watched the program.
On September 15, 2008, it was announced that TRL would end. The final regular weekday episode aired on November 13, 2008, with guest
Final top 10
TRL chose the top ten most iconic videos and aired them as their final countdown.[22]
Position | Year | Artist | Video | Director |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1998 | Britney Spears | "...Baby One More Time" | Nigel Dick |
2 | 2000 | Eminem | "The Real Slim Shady" | Philip Atwell
|
3 | 1999 | Backstreet Boys | "I Want It That Way" | Wayne Isham |
4 | 2000 | *NSYNC | "Bye Bye Bye" | |
5 | 2002 | Christina Aguilera featuring Redman | "Dirrty" | David LaChapelle |
6 | 1999 | Kid Rock | "Bawitdaba" | Dave Meyers |
7 | 2003 | Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z | "Crazy in Love" | Jake Nava |
8 | 2004 | "Yeah!" | Mr. X | |
9 | 1999 | Blink-182 | "What's My Age Again?" | Marcos Siega |
10 | 2003 | Outkast | "Hey Ya!" | Bryan Barber |
Revivals (2014–2016)
On June 25, 2014, MTV announced that they would bring back Total Request Live for a one-off special edition on July 2, presented by MTV personality Sway with recording artist Ariana Grande, who performed her single "Problem" and premiered her song "Break Free", as well as having her hip hop knowledge tested in a "Hip Hop Mix Up" game. The special was titled Total Ariana Live and was broadcast from MTV's Times Square studio in front of a live audience. Grande called it "a huge honor" to bring back TRL.[23] The episode drew an average of 456,000 viewers.[24]
On September 27, 2016, as part of MTV's Elect This campaign, the network revived the program for a one-hour live special called Total Registration Live.
MTV Classic
Following the launch of MTV Classic on August 1, 2016, music video blocks have consistently aired on the network under the name Total Request Playlist. However, this is merely an automated playlist of pop, rap/hip-hop, R&B, and rock videos from the late 1990s to the 2000s.
Return (2017–2019)
On July 30, 2017, MTV announced that the network would revive TRL.
Since January 22, 2018, TRL has been shortened from a full hour to only a half-hour per day. The program was on hiatus until April 23, 2018.[27] In February 2018, a half-hour late-night edition of TRL, Total Request LateNight was launched. The show aired Monday and Tuesday at 11 PM and was often an after-show for a preceding program. MTV announced plans to expand the show to three nights in the summer and four nights by the end of the year, but this never materialized.[28] On April 23, 2018, MTV launched a pre-recorded, hour-long daily morning edition of TRL titled Total Request AM. The show aired at 8 AM and was hosted by Sway. Vinny from Jersey Shore was brought on as host for the first week and the first guests were boy band PrettyMuch. The program featured the return of a top ten countdown focusing on a specific playlist (Monday Motivation being the first countdown).[28]
2019 saw another retooling and name change to TRL Top 10, which featured hosts Sway, Kevan Kenney and Jamila Mustafa.[29] An offshoot of the program, Fresh Out Live, airs every Friday on MTV.[30]
Impact
TRL became "appointment after-school TV, its studio at 1515 Broadway a pop-culture fishbowl where rabid teens could catch a glimpse of their favorite stars."[31] Debuting before social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, the show is considered one "of the first truly interactive television shows, utilizing the synergy of the internet and television to countdown the top music videos of the day."[32] Among the interactive features of TRL was the video shoutout, a 15-second video clip where fans could "appear, screen-within-screen, during the airing of a music video" screaming about their love for an artist or band.[33] Because TRL was initially filmed in an age before social media, the show was seen as "the last pure view of...big celebrities. You were getting unadulterated ego."[31] The show had a number of notably unscripted moments happen in studio, such as band members streaking or celebrities showing up unannounced.[31] Taylor Hanson of Hanson, a frequent guest on TRL, said "Before you could see what an artist had for breakfast from Twitter, TRL was the place you were going to hear about it."[31]
TRL not only became "destination TV" for young people to get news on their favorite stars and on pop culture, but also a place for viewers to stay updated with major world events as MTV News reporters would make regular appearances announcing news headlines. As MTV News correspondent SuChin Pak said, "For young people, TRL was not only where you got to see your rock idols and pop stars, but where you connected with the major events happening around the world, outside the small town you were living in."[31]
The show was likened to the millennial generation's version of American Bandstand or Soul Train,[31] averaging 853,000 viewers in 1999 according to Nielsen.[33] TRL is widely viewed as the show that launched the careers of many artists from the late 1990s and early 2000s. MTV News correspondent John Norris said, "It's an interesting debate whether NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, Britney, Christina [Aguilera], Jessica [Simpson] and Good Charlotte would have had the careers they had without TRL."[31] Writing for Spin, Peter Gaston opined that TRL "helped keep the major labels afloat by boosting pop artists sales numbers on the Billboard charts."[34] TRL became a "must-stop on every celebrity's promotional itinerary."[33] Musicians themselves including Eminem and Britney Spears[35] would sometimes fill in for the hosts. The show was also the site of in-studio performances by big artists promoting album releases.[35]
Boy bands
Even though late '90s boy bands like Backstreet Boys and NSYNC released albums before TRL began in the fall of 1998, both groups only reached their commercial peaks after their videos were seen on TRL. In 1999, the Backstreet Boys' second LP, Millennium, achieved the highest first week sales ever from an LP at the time.[36]
In 2000, when NSYNC released their second LP
Pop princesses
Pop singers like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Mandy Moore and Jessica Simpson all made their music debuts on TRL as well. Spears, Aguilera, and Simpson would often appear as guests and their music videos would receive regular airplay. Simpson's video "Irresistible" reached number two on the countdown in 2001. Shakira made her English-language pop debut with "Whenever, Wherever", and saw regular number one spot status with the songs "Objection (Tango)", "La Tortura" (the first only Spanish-speaking song to reach number one on the countdown), and "Hips Don't Lie". Mandy Moore saw success on the show with her debut single's "Candy" in 1999 and "I Wanna Be with You", but did not score her first number-one video until her 2002 single "Crush".
Jessica Simpson's younger sister
Rock bands
Although best known for featuring pop acts, TRL regularly featured videos and performances from rock bands in genres such as
Disney stars
Hilary Duff was the first Disney Star in heavy rotation on MTV, She premiered "So Yesterday", which peaked at number one days later, and continue to top the countdown with the videos for "Our Lips Are Sealed", "Fly", "Wake Up", "Beat of My Heart" and"With Love" and her popularity was a determining factor for another Disney stars on TRL.
Video game
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
AllGame | [49] |
GameSpot | 4.1/10[50] |
GameZone | 6.5/10[51] |
IGN | 5/10[52] |
PC Gamer (US) | 50%[53] |
A PC video game called MTV Total Request Live Trivia was developed by Hypnotix and published by Take-Two Interactive, with a release on August 14, 2001. GameRankings rates it at 53.89% acclaim,[47] with a 48/100 grade from Metacritic.[48]
International versions
Past programs
- The first version of TRL outside the US was in Italy. Started on TRL Awardswhere viewers chose the artist of the year via web or mobile. In the summer of 2007, a special weekly show called TRL Extra Live aired, featuring Italian singers performing a mini-concert. The final version of the programme was hosted by Brenda Lodigiani, Alessandro Arcodia, Wintana Rezene and Andrea Cadioli under the name TRL on the Road and ended on 24 September 2010.
- Orange concept store on Calea Victoriei (a major commercial avenue in the centre of Bucharest) on 23 January 2006.[54]The show aired two times a week on Tuesday and Wednesday. The graphics were similar to that of the Italian version. The show was cancelled in 2009.
- The British version, known as Camden, London before moving to Leicester Squarein London from second series. Following the second series' broadcast from Leicester Square, the top ten countdown was removed from the show. The second series finished at the end of 2005 and the show never returned to air.
- The Australian version of TRL began as a weekend show, but then began airing live Monday through Friday. It was hosted by Maz Compton, Lyndsey Rodrigues, Nathan Sapsford, and Jason Robert Dundas. In early 2006, it returned to airing only on Friday evenings. The show was cancelled at the end of 2006 and was replaced by "The Lair". A revival of TRL returned in 2019. It is hosted by Ash London, Angus O'Loughlin, Flex Mami, and Lisa Hamilton.
- After a Polish version of TRL was unsuccessful, MTV Polanddecided to launch a new chart show based on TRL's structure titled RMF MAXXX Hits, which aired from Monday to Saturday at 2 p.m.
- MTV Francelaunched the French version (Ton Request Live) of the US show on 24 January 2007. The format was different from the original concept: there was no video countdown and each episode included a film's mini-documentaries entitled "TRL en Movies". The show closed after only a single episode on 25 January 2007.
- The German version of TRL was very successful throughout Europe (after Italy), and it was known as Total Request Live Germany. TRL Germany had the highest television ratings of all the TRL versions in Europe. The show was hosted by Joko Winterscheidt and Mirjam Weichselbraun or Patrice Bouédibéla from Tuesday to Friday from 4.30 to 5.30 pm, and it was divided in four versions: Urban TRL (hip-hop music), Rock TRL (rock music), regular TRL (various genres), and TRL XXL (special live guest). It was replaced with MTV Home in Summer 2009.
Similar programs
- In Latin America, a version of TRL called Los 10+ Pedidos (The 10 Most Requested) airs daily. The show is hosted by "Gabo" and "Macarena".[55]
- Carlos Santos and Susie Castillo, with Santos later being replaced by Denise Ramerez. MTV Newssegments on the show are delivered from Los Angeles by correspondent Liz Hernandez. The show was cancelled along with TRL in November 2008.
- Viacom's sister channel BET featured its own urban-oriented countdown, 106 & Park, and the two shows frequently competed with one another for guests, though by the end of the run of TRL, both shows aired with some space between them, allowing guests to appear on both shows on the same day.
- TeenNick featured a kid-friendly rendition of TRL called TeenNick Top 10.
See also
References
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- ^ a b Koblin, John (July 30, 2017). "MTV Mines the Past for Its Future: 'Total Request Live'". New York Times. Retrieved July 30, 2017.
- ^ "MTV's Total Request Live (TRL): The Real Story & Memorable Moments". August 8, 2017.
- ^ "Inside Total Request Live - Merchants Of Cool - FRONTLINE - PBS". www.pbs.org.
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- ^ Jicha, Megan (April 5, 2006). "Former student returns on 'Request' to Blackman". The Huntington News. Northeastern University. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
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- ^ "How MTV's TRL Met Its Slow, But Inevitable Demise". LedgerNote. January 30, 2018. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
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- ^ Becker, Anne (April 30, 2007). "MTV Favors 'YouRL' Swap for 'TRL'". Broadcasting & Cable. Archived from the original on January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ^ Widdicombe, Ben (July 16, 2007). "New York Minute". New York Daily News. Archived from the original on January 4, 2013. Retrieved July 17, 2007.
- ^ Cohen, Jonathan (November 11, 2008). "Superstars Sign on For 'TRL' Finale". Billboard. Retrieved November 11, 2008.
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- ^ Cantor, Brian (July 4, 2014). "Ratings: MTV's "Total Ariana Live" Draws In Under 500,000 Viewers". Headline Planet.
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- ^ "TRL returns on April 23! Follow TRL on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Musical.ly for updates!". MTV. April 16, 2018.
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- ^ Beckerman, Jim. "How 'Fresh Out' host, Kevan Kenney of Ho-Ho-Kus, talked his way into an MTV job". North Jersey Media Group. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
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- ^ a b c Marks, Craig (November 8, 2017). "How Total Request Live Created the Boy-Band Boom and Saved MTV (for a While)". Vulture. Retrieved July 30, 2021.
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- ^ a b Lipshutz, Jason (April 27, 2018). "The 10 Greatest Boy Band Videos of the TRL Era". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
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- ^ Anitai, Tamar (March 18, 2008). "Jonas Brothers Phone a Fan on 'TRL'". MTV News. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ a b "MTV Total Request Live Trivia for PC". GameRankings. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
- ^ a b "MTV Total Request Live Trivia for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
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Further reading
- Jackman, Ian (2000). Total Request Live: The Ultimate Fan Guide. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743418508.
External links
- Total Request Live at IMDb