19 Iconic MTV ‘TRL’ Performances That Need To Be Rewatched And Relived

You might not have requested that these classic “TRL” performances come back into your life, but you’ll be so glad that they are here.

“TRL,” which stands for Total Request Live, premiered 19 years ago on Sept. 14, 1998. The mainly Carson Daly-hosted MTV series lasted for 10 years and featured music videos, interviews and special performances out of its New York City location.

To celebrate this anniversary, and to refresh our memories of how amazing the show was before it gets rebooted on Oct. 2, here are 19 of the most iconic musical performances during the show’s first run.

*NSYNC – “Tearin’ Up My Heart” (1998)

The 90s boy band era was huge and “TRL” only helped expand it even further, giving them this platform to perform some of their hits, especially this one. These dance moves were made for a performance like this.

Backstreet Boys – “I Want It That Way” (1999)

Right there alongside *NSYNC in the boy band era was BSB and they took the “TRL” stage to show off their vocals and charm.

Christina Aguilera – “Genie in a Bottle” (1999)

When mainstream music listeners weren’t clamoring for the next song from a boy group, they were listening to female pop singers. Some of the greats included Aguilera.

Aaliyah – “Try Again” (2000)

To keep the fun going, Aaliyah hit the stage in 2000 to give show off her dance moves and unique style that felt like a true Aaliyah performance.

Britney Spears – “Oops! I Did It Again” (2000)

The only thing Spears did again was dominate the stage and show off her usual flair, her usual pop princess dance moves and her iconic super-cropped top.

Mandy Moore – “Crush” (2001)

There’s no other option except to have a crush on this song and this performance of it. Simply sweet, this is young Moore at her syrupy-pop prime.

Justin Timberlake – “Like I Love You” (2002)

This was an incredibly huge moment. This was Timberlake’s first solo single and his solo “TRL” debut. He rocked the outside stage in Times Square and had all the screaming fans ready to cheer on his career as a soloist.

Avril Lavigne – “Complicated” (2002)

Pop-rocker Lavigne took the outside summer stage to perform her hit song and all she had to do was stand there, sing and be angsty and it was more than enough.

Jay-Z ft. Beyonce – “Bonnie & Clyde” (2003)

Talking about iconic, are you seeing Beyoncé’s denim dress right now? This duo, performing this song epitomizes what it is for a performance to be classic.

Outkast – “Hey Ya” (2003)

This is just a good-time song, and this performance simply showcased that fact. You can’t help but smile while watching this song being performed.

Rachel Stevens – “Sweet Dreams My L.A. Ex” (2003)

This song marked Steven’s debut as a solo artist, following her career as a singer in the hit group S Club 7. She took the stage and told the world that she was now a solo singer and that she could own it. And she really did own that stage.

Usher – “Yeah!” (2004)

This was essentially a music video on a stage. If you didn’t know it was “TRL,” you’d think you were watching a behind-the-scenes look at a music video being created, and it’s just as good as that sounds.

Destiny’​s Child ft. T.I. - “Soldier”​ (2004)

Oh, Destiny’s Child. They could never do any wrong. Every performance was always so exciting and thrilling and kept you paying attention the whole time. Even if it was simply because it was Destiny’s Child, after all.

Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” (2005)

Just out in the world, taking on the crowds and the sunshine, Stefani showed off her moves, her style, her voice and her fresh, fun personality during this performance.

Rihanna – “Pon De Replay” (2005)

This performance will just make you want to hit replay, over and over. Classic Rihanna, always giving an entertaining show.

Shakira & Wyclef Jean – “Hips Don’t Lie” (2006)

Shakira gave a dance-heavy performance that felt like a music video on stage. She was showing what “TRL” was really made for, which was bringing music videos to life.

Lindsay Lohan – “I Want You To Want Me” (2006)

Quite the interesting performance for Lohan, as this song was less about moving around on stage and more about the vocals.

Ashley Tisdale – “He Said She Said” (2007)

The Disney darling rocked it out and just had a lot of fun on the stage, making her place known. It was great seeing her out there, holding her own.

Danity Kane – “Damaged” (2008)

It was only right that this girl group performed on “TRL” (multiple times, actually), seeing as the group was featured on the MTV series “Making The Band.”

Though our hearts were in fact damaged when the series ended in 2008, it’s about to healed when the show makes its big comeback. The “TRL” reboot will premiere live from the MTV Times Square studio on Oct. 2 on MTV.