Total Request Live (commonly known as TRL) is the flagship television series on MTV that features popular music videos. TRL is MTV's prime outlet for music videos as the network continues to concentrate on reality-based programming. In addition to music videos, TRL features daily guests. The show is a popular promotion tool used by musicians, actors, and other celebrities to promote their newest works to the show's target teendemographic.
TRL plays the top ten most requested videos of the day, as requested by viewers who vote online for their favorite video. The countdown starts with the tenth most requested video and ends with the most requested. As of October 22, 2007, TRLs countdown is based on votes, charts, ringtones, download, radio airplay, and streams, meaning that the most user requested video might not be the number 1 video. The show generally airs Monday through Thursday for one hour, though the scheduling and length of the show have fluctuated over the years. Despite the word "Live" in the title of the show, many episodes are actually pre-recorded.
The roots of TRL trace back to 1997 when MTV began producing MTV Live (originally hosted by BritishVJToby Amies) from the newly opened MTV studios in Times Square in New York. MTV Live featured celebrity interviews, musical performances, and regular news updates. Though producers downplay the similarities, MTV Live shared several signature elements with Much On Demand, a live show on MuchMusic, a Canadian competitor's channel, including its Good Morning America-styled format of windows displaying onlookers on a metropolitan street. Music videos were not the major focus of the program.
During the same time period, MTV aired a countdown show simply called Total Request, hosted by Carson Daly. Total Request was far more subdued, as Daly introduced music videos from an empty, dimly lit set. As the show progressed and gained more momentum with viewers tuning in, it was soon added to the list of daytime programming during MTV's Summer Share in Seaside Heights, New Jersey. The countdown would prove to be one of the most watched and most interactive shows in recent MTV history, demonstrating that it had potential to become an even larger success by combining with the element of live television. It brought music to the next level with the music videos everyday, and interviews with the artist.
First generation of TRL (1998-2002)
By the fall of 1998, MTV producers decided to merge the real-time aspect of MTV Live and the fan-controlled countdown power of Total Request into Total Request Live, which made its official premiere from the MTV studios on September 14, 1998. The show has since grown to become MTV's unofficial flagship program.
The original host of TRL, Carson Daly, brought popularity to the show. The widely known acronym of TRL was adopted as the official title of the show in February 1999, after Daly and Dave Holmes began using the acronym on-air regularly. Since then, the program has rarely been referred to as its complete title, Total Request Live.
TRL spent its first year developing a cult-type following. In the fall of 1999, a live studio audience was added to the show. 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.
Some evolutionary changes were made to TRL throughout the next couple of years. The show received a new set and on-screen graphics for the debut of the fall 2001 season. A year later, on October 23, 2002, TRL celebrated its 1,000th episode. The #1 video on that day was "Dirrty" by Christina Aguilera. Also throughout the year of 2002, original host Carson Daly would be seen gradually less and less.
In 2001, the popularity of TRL was at such a level that it spawned a country music spin-off, CMT Most Wanted Live, on sister network CMT. That show lasted until 2004.
Second generation (2003-present)
In 2003, the next generation of TRL was ushered in as Carson Daly officially stepped down as host. He left the show to host his own talk show, NBC's Last Call, which premiered a year earlier. Since Daly stepped down, a revolving door of VJs have hosted TRL, including Damien Fahey, Vanessa Minnillo, Quddus, La La Vasquez, Susie Castillo, and Hilarie Burton. Some of these VJs made their debut on the show in earlier years, so they already had the opportunity to host the show on days in which Carson Daly was not present.
Some changes were made to TRLs voting process in 2005. The show previously allowed anyone to vote online multiple times, but as part of these changes, only registered members on 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 no longer be taken by phone, ending the legacy of the phone number 1-800-DIAL-MTV, which had been in use for voting on MTV since the premiere of the countdown show Dial MTV in the early 1990s.
In September 2006, TRL reached its eighth anniversary, and it continues to be the longest-running live program that MTV has ever produced. It is also the third longest-running program of all time in the network's history, following behind the The Real World, which has aired for the past 14 years, and 120 Minutes, which aired for 17 years. 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 debuted what was billed as the first ever hip-hoppublic service announcement on global warming. The three-minute piece, titled "Trees," warned about deforestation and the dangers of global warming. The video corresponded with MTV's social campaign, Break the Addiction, as part of think MTV.
The current hosts of TRL, as of 2008, are Damien Fahey and Lyndsey Rodrigues. Additionally, Stephen Colletti, former cast member on Laguna Beach, has appeared on TRL as host numerous times. The rest of the VJs are working on separate projects. La La Vasquez is working on what is going to be her debut rap album , Hilarie Burton is working on episodes of One Tree Hill, and Quddus is working on a movie.
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.
2007 rumors of cancellation and rebranding
In 2007, rumors stating that the ratings challenged music video countdown show was to be cancelled began circulating. In early 2007, an average of 373,000 viewers regularly watched the program.[1]New York Daily News were one of the first to publish this rumor. In February 2007, MTV said the rumor was unfounded and claimed TRL will continue to air for the foreseeable future.
The producers of Total Request Live experimented with web-based viewer interaction throughout the 2006?2007 season, showing viral videos, allowing viewers to send feedback on a video via internet forums and webcams, and also stressing MTV's Overdrive wideband video service. However, MTV still secretly planned to cancel the show and replace one with even more emphasis on viewer interaction, named YouRL (a homophone of URL.)[2]
Consequently, in July 2007, it was reported that YouRL was not received well by test audiences and that the concept of YouRL has been abandoned for the time being. Total Request Live proceeded with a new season as usual on September 4, marking the tenth season of Total Request/Total Request Live.[3]
In June 2008, TRL transformed itself to the new FNMTV brand, with airing the top ten hits as well as new videos and other segments such as trivia.
TRL is widely viewed as the show that launched the careers of many teen artists from the late 1990s and early 2000s. Without the popularity and influence of TRL, the following artists may not have enjoyed the amount of success they achieved.
Boy bands
Even though clean-cut boy bands like The Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync reached success 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, thanks in part to the many TRL fans who closed down the streets of Times Square in order to see the group live on the show.
'N Sync also appeared on TRL in 2000, when their second LP, No Strings Attached, topped the Backstreet Boys' first week sales. Once again, the large number of fans in attendance closed down the streets of Times Square. Throughout most of 1998, 1999, and 2000, videos by the Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC would claim the #1 position on the countdown.
Pop princesses
Pop singers like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson all made their music debuts on TRL as well. Spears especially reached huge amounts of success after her videos became hits on the countdown. She became regular on the show and would often appear as a guest. When the Backstreet Boys or 'N Sync did not have a current video on the countdown, a video by Britney Spears would most likely take the #1 position. Simpson wouldn't enjoy the same type of success until four years later, when she starred in Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, an MTV reality show. The series helped her videos become moderate hits on TRL. Mandy Moore saw success on the show with her debut single's "Candy" in 1999 and "I Wanna Be with You", but did not get her first number one video until her 2002 single "Crush" which she also performed on the show.
Jessica Simpson's younger sister Ashlee Simpson is another pop princess that has had some success on TRL with her first music video "Pieces of Me" in 2004. Ashlee Simpson had 3 videos in the # 1 and one close to retirement, Ashlee had a first # 1 video than her sister Jessica. She would go on to score a number of #1 videos on the show.
The artist with the most current retirees videos is the pop princess Britney Spears with 13 videos retired, a honorary retired video (I'm A Slave For You) and 3 videos retired # 1.
An unusual pop princess streak occurred in March 2007: The number one and number two spots were women for every show. There was no other month in the history of TRL where every show had a woman at the top spot.[4][5]
Disney stars
Vanessa Hudgens premiered "Come Back to Me" which peaked at number 4, and "Say OK" which only made it to #10. The Jonas Brothers have had their songs "Hold On", and "SOS" premiere, "SOS" made it on the countdown peaking at #6. "When You Look Me in the Eyes" was on the charts for several weeks before peaking at #1, after Jonas-fans crushed and flooded the TRL site by requesting hundreds of times on March 192008. Aly & AJ's videos for "Chemicals React" and "Potential Breakup Song" have both been on the TRL countdown with "Chemicals React" peaking at #4, and "Potential Breakup Song" peaking at #6. One of the most successful Disney stars to make it on the countdown was Ashley Tisdale with her song "He Said She Said" topped the charts at #1 and stayed there for 16 times.
The show was parodied on the MTV2 program Wonder Showzen. In the first season episode "Nature", the show was parodied as Total Racewar Live, hosted by Wonder Showzens black supremacist character Rufus Truthfist, it was also shot at the actual TRL stage.
The show was referenced in the song "White America" by Eminem: "I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get."
In Drake and Josh Go Hollywood, Damien Fahey introduces Drake Parker and his band before they play the song "Hollywood Girl" in Hollywood.
Fictional episodes of TRL were shot for "The Post-It Always Sticks Twice" episode of Sex and the City, during Season 6. The episode starred Jason Lewis as "Smith", Samantha Jones' (Kim Cattrall's) boyfriend. He featured as a guest host on TRL.
In the May issue of "VIBE" Magazine, "TRL" was listed as the #11 most influential television show in the past 15 years. It stated without TRL there would be no 106 & Park or MTV's Direct Effect.
International versions
The first version of TRL outside the U.S. was in Italy. Started on MTV Italy on November 2, 1999, it was hosted by Marco Maccarini and Giorgia Surina, followed by Federico Russo and Carolina Di Domenico. Since the 2005-06 season, Surina returned to TRL with a new co-host, Alessandro Cattelan. After the 2005-06 season, the show was hosted only by Alessandro Cattelan. For the season 2007-08 the show was hosted for the first moment by Alessandro Cattelan and Elena Santarelli, and for the summer the male host was replace by Carlo Pastore. Currently, TRL Italy airs live daily from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. from Piazza del duomo in Milan. Throughout its 8 seasons, TRL was broadcast from Milan, Rome, Venice, Naples, Genova and Turin. TRL Italy is the longest-running show on MTV Italy. On December 23, 2004, a special two-hour event, "TRL #1000," was aired to celebrate the series' 1000th episode. On 2006 there is also a program called TRL Awards where the people choose the artist of the year via web or mobile. And on summer 2007 was aired a special weekly-appointement called TRL Extra Live, who famous Italian singers did a mini-concert.
The British version, known as TRL UK, was hosted by Dave Berry, Alex Zane, Jo Good, and Maxine Akhtar. It was broadcast live from Leicester Square in London. Following the first series' broadcast from Leicester Square, the top 10 countdown was removed from the show. The second series finished at the end of 2005. The show never returned to air, and its studios are currently being used for a weekly talk show fronted by Russell Brand, which also airs on MTV UK). Although TRL UK has finished its run, MTV UK still airs the American version weekday mornings at 10:00 a.m.
The German version of TRL is also very successful throughout Europe (after Italy), and it is known as Total Request Live Germany. TRL Germany has the highest television ratings of all the TRL versions in Europe. The show is hosted by Joko and Mirjam Weichselbraun or Patrice Bouédibéla Tuesday - Friday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. TRL Germany is set in Berlin. TRL Germany is divided in 4 versions: Urban TRL, which airs Top 10 HipHop music videos every Tuesday, Rock TRL airs Top 10 Rock videos every Wednesday, regular TRL airs every Thursday with its own Top 10 and TRL XXL, with a special live guest airs every Friday.
The Australian version of TRL began as a weekend show, but then began aired live Monday through Friday. It is 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 has since been cancelled at the end of 2006 and was replaced by "The Lair"
In Latin America, a version of TRL called Los 10+ Pedidos (The 10 Most Requested) airs daily. The show is hosted by "Gabo" in the Northern and Central regions. It is hosted by Cecilia in the Southern region. A spin-off of the show, Los 10+ Rock, is also shown every day. It focuses on the 10 most requested rock videos, based on the overall voting for Los 10+ Pedidos. Two more spin-offs have recently appeared: Los 10+ Pop in the Southern region, and Los 10+ Metal in the Central region.TRL Latin America
In Brazil, MTV airs a show similar to TRL known as Disk MTV. This program was created before TRL, existing since the launch of MTV Brazil in 1990, and has never changed its format as a top ten request show over the years. It airs weekdays from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. On December 29, 2006, MTV Brazil aired the last Disk MTV, it had a week long special about the best videos of its 16 year run, the last video shown in the program was Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." The show was cut due to the decision of network of not airing music videos on its 2007 schedule, claiming that videos are something that can be viewed online on their Overdrive website.
After a Polish version of TRL was unsuccessful, MTV Poland decided to launch a new chart show based on TRLs structure. Its name is The Interactive Chart and it is aired from Monday to Saturday at 4 p.m. on MTV Poland.
In Canada, MTV Canada airs MTV Live, a talk show comparable in many ways to TRL, but with very limited musical content, because MTV Canada is licensed as a talk channel, not a music channel. Also in Quebec, there is "Plus sur commande" which airs in "Musique Plus" it's a little similar to TRL.MuchMusic's Countdown and MuchOnDemand are closer in format to TRL.
MTV Tr3s, a U.S. channel targeted to bilingualHispanic people, launched Mi TRL in September 2006. The show carries the same format and graphics as the English version of TRL. Mi TRL was initially anchored by Carlos Santos and Susie Castillo. Since then, Castillo has been with another VJ, Denise Ramerez. MTV News segments on the show are delivered from Los Angeles by correspondent Liz Hernandez.
MTV România launched the Romanian version of TRL from an Orange concept store on Calea Victoriei (a major commercial avenue in the center of Bucharest) on January 23, 2006[6]. The show airs two times a week, on Tuesday and Wednesday. The graphic is similar to that of the Italian version.
MTV France has launched the French version () of the American show on January 24, 2007. The format was different from the original concept: there wasn't the countdown with the 10 favourite videos and in every episode there was a movie's mini-documentaries intitled . The show closed after only an episode on January 25, 2007 and it has cancelled from the schedule of MTV France.
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