You might not know it if you tuned in today, or anytime in the last twenty years really, but the main function of MTV used to be to play music videos. It’s been a running joke for some time now – a channel named Music Television doesn’t play music anymore. But long before reality shows took over, MTV had a constant rotation of music videos or artist-oriented programming running for 24 hours a day. The music video was an essential marketing tool for any new artist looking to break through. The goal of any band producing a video was to make something original that would make waves on MTV. And it worked – just look at Nirvana’s video for “Smells Like Teen Spirit” as an example. It was a huge catalyst for the band, receiving constant airplay on MTV, and the song ended up influencing the direction of what was considered popular in mainstream music for the next decade.
MTV was therefore very influential in what was popular in music at the time - and what wasn’t. They could easily decide to push one band or artist rather than another. Success on MTV for an artist or band usually resulted in more sales on the Billboard charts, which is another reason why the music video became such an essential component in music marketing since the station launched in the 1980s.
In the 1980s and 1990s, the program on MTV which had the most effect on what was in and what was out was the Top 20 Video Countdown. Debuting in 1984, the countdown aired once a week and showed the most requested and popular videos of the week. Videos moved up and down from week to week based on requests, the Billboard charts, and what artists MTV wanted to promote.
I discovered the Top 20 Video Countdown at some point in 1995. I was ten years old and had just started to get into music. I was well versed in classic rock at this point from riding around in my parents’ car listening to WNEW. But during the brief 6-month period where they changed to an alternative format without my parents noticing, I was starting to get exposed to a whole different, current genre of rock. I had known about MTV as well, but curious at this point, I decided I needed to delve deeper.
That’s when I found the Top 20 Video Countdown. So many bands and artists from different backgrounds. So many interesting videos. So many great songs. It was where I was first exposed to the bands and artists that I still love to this day. I can vividly remember tuning in every Saturday morning in my basement excited to see what new bands were making their debut, which were falling out of favor, and which one ended up in the top spot. And, best of all, to watch Daisy Fuentes present the whole thing.
When you consider all of these elements, you would be hard pressed to name a better two-hour television program to watch. New bands and artists to discover, interviews with celebrities and rock stars, Daisy Fuentes – it all seems like it was too good to be true. Since it’s my own experience with music, clearly I am biased, but I truly do believe this era of music and music videos was the golden era for both.
The wide variety of bands and artists played on the show also speaks to the breadth of what was considered popular music, and by extension, alternative music during this time. I’ve stated previously that there was a point in the 1990s when the definition of alternative was stretched so thin that it encompassed a strange mix of bands that seemingly had nothing in common besides that they were loosely considered “rock.” After I wrote that, I started to doubt myself. Did this actually happen? Maybe I was creating a false memory based on what I had hoped was true. I needed to prove it somehow.
And that’s when I remembered Daisy and the Top 20 Video Countdown. If I could find the perfect episode to serve as a time capsule of sorts to reflect upon how weird things got in late 1990s, maybe I could prove that my nostalgic assertion was correct. I soon discovered that, in what should be a crime, very few of the episodes of the show are available on YouTube. Fortunately for me, bigger nerds than me on the internet compiled records for the playlists for the show from 1984 to the present. After scouring these lists for the perfect example, I am going to place the tipping point of weirdness for 1990s alternative as on or around May 17, 1997. We are going to examine this countdown song by song to get some insight into just how strange things got.
We’re going to limit the discussion to the bands and artists that we can place in a rock or alternative genre, which still surprisingly gives us 14 different artists to discuss. We’re going to pay special attention to the classification of these bands and artists to prove our point.
20) Bush - "Cold Contagious"
It’s not unusual for us to see Bush on the list. Frontman Gavin Rossdale was one of, if not the, heartthrob of ‘90s rock. As such, Bush were mainstays on MTV with a string of successful singles from 1994’s Sixteen Stone and its follow up, 1996’s Razorblade Suitcase. “Cold Contagious” was the last single from the latter – and it is the only song Bush released as a single not to make it on their greatest hits album. That tells you all you really need to know.
19) The Chemical Brothers - "Block Rockin' Beats"
British electronic music really came to the forefront around this time, with the Chemical Brothers being one of the first to break through. With the likes of The Prodigy and Fatboy Slim, there was a brief explosion of electronic, DJ-based music that became popular enough to get constant MTV airplay. Virtually the only words in this song are “back with another one of those block rockin’ beats”- and it’s awesome.
18) Aerosmith - "Falling in Love (Is Hard on the Knees)"
Another interesting theme throughout the ‘90s was the return of big name bands from bygone eras that somehow remained relevant enough to be in heavy rotation. Aerosmith had transformed from an incredible blues-influenced rock band in the ‘70s (see: “Back in the Saddle,” “Toys in the Attic,” or “Dream On”) into a bit of a parody of themselves by the time they released Nine Lives in 1997. For reference, this is the same album that has “Pink” on it. They found true commercial success in the early ‘90s and this seemed like an attempt to recapture that “Dude Looks Like a Lady” and “Love in an Elevator” feel. This descent may seem like fall enough too far, but it would still be a year before they completely sold out with “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”
17) The Mighty Mighty Bosstones - "The Impression That I Get"
I told you MTV played ska! In what was allegedly the third wave of ska, the Bosstones became the first true band from the genre to be featured on the countdown. My apologies to No Doubt and Sublime, who while having ska roots, never skanked in any of their videos. This song somehow eventually rose to number one on the countdown, and led the way for bands like Reel Big Fish to get regular MTV airplay - leaving everyone (me) hoping and praying that the fourth wave of ska is right around the corner.
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The first four artists featured on the countdown are about as varied as I could have hoped for when searching endlessly for the right playlist. We have a standard grunge/rock band, an electronic duo from Britain, an aging classic rock band trying to remain relevant, and a ska band from Boston. Where will we go from here?
15) Blur - "Song 2"
The best explanation of Blur I’ve ever heard was from my mailman Geoff, who was from England, like the band: “They were a great band before they tried to do it the American way.” Formerly a Britpop band, embracing the American way led them to release “Song 2,” their biggest hit in the US. Comparisons to Oasis had worn on the band to the point that they completely reinvented themselves prior to its release, much to Geoff’s chagrin. But not to mine – the lyrics don’t even make much sense but the song is all-time great.
14) The Offspring - "Gone Away"
Ever since 1994’s Smash, The Offspring had been mainstays on MTV. A punk band at heart, their popularity would only increase after 1997’s follow up Ixnay on the Hombre due to the band’s use of humor in catchy songs (see: “Pretty Fly for a White Guy”). In sharp contrast to that, “Gone Away” is a heartrending song that laments personal loss. It’s one of their best songs and a favorite of mine from their catalog.
13) Live - "Freaks"
Live was another MTV darling ever since the release of 1994’s Throwing Copper, and especially thanks to the smash hit “Lightning Crashes.” In 1997, they released the heavier Secret Samadhi and received significant play for its singles from rock radio and MTV. “Freaks” is a weird one, with an even weirder video, but I guess that’s par for the course given the name of the song. It’s not Live at it’s best, either way, but they continued to receive air time based on their reputation and chart success.
12) Foo Fighters - "Monkey Wrench"
The Foo Fighters, led by the legendary Dave Grohl, produced some of the most creative and funny videos during the ‘90s. Whether it was a Footos commercial, or having Taylor Hawkins (RIP) dress up like a girl, the Foos sense of humor usually shone through in this medium. The lead single from the classic The Colour and the Shape, “Monkey Wrench” made quite the impression on me when it came out. The video was vibrant, the song had an incredible, fast-paced riff, and Dave Grohl screams at the end. There’s not much more you could ask for from a song.
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We’ve got less variety on this portion of the list. As a summary, a Britpop band turned somewhat grungey, a punk band from California, and two straight forward rock bands who were dominant throughout the ‘90s. It’s not exactly the range and variety that I wanted, but I’ve got a feeling that’s about to change.
10) Fiona Apple - "Sleep to Dream"
The second single from 1996’s Tidal, “Sleep to Dream” is a modest effort from talented singer/songwriter Fiona Apple. I really was hoping that I could work “Criminal” into this article, mostly for the video, but also for it being the superior song. “Sleep to Dream” is fine – and the video is similar to “Criminal” in that it shows Fiona squirming while singing in rooms of an apartment. Anger and angst were the calling card of ‘90s music, and that’s especially true for Fiona in this song – she is none too pleased with her beau.
9) Squirrel Nut Zippers - "Hell"
The Squirrel Nut Zippers are the smoking gun on this list for me. The fact that this song ever played on MTV is astounding to me. The fact that it ended up at #9 on a list of most popular and requested songs/videos is a near miracle, but stands as a testament to how varied the term ‘90s alternative was stretched at this point. Through a series of horn sections and piano interludes, the band’s lead singer croons lyrics about hell and damnation. For a really creepy experience, make sure you watch the video, as it gets weirder with every passing second. This song is without a doubt the most unique and unlikely pop hit of the ‘90s – and I still have no idea how society as a whole ever let it happen.
8) Jamiroquai - "Virtual Insanity"
Technically classified as an acid jazz and funk band from England, Jamiroquai’s “Virtual Insanity” was a huge hit largely due to the music video. Featuring lead singer Jay Kay in his infamous fur top hat, the video is known for creating the illusion that the floor is moving, while also showing some gross looking bugs at the end. The video went on to win a few Video Music Awards and was by far the band’s biggest hit.
6) Hanson - "MMMBop"
The Hanson brothers became worldwide sensations with “MMMBop,” largely due to their ages at the time of it’s release: 16, 14, and 11. A pop rock band, Hanson did put out a few worthwhile singles in the ‘90s, but none reached the level of this first single. And with good reason – it’s catchy and it’s just fun.
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We’ve reached the breaking point. These artists are about as diametrically opposed as you can find, yet they are all united under the umbrella of ‘90s alternative. For good measure, let’s review: an angry female singer songwriter, a swing band with a candidate for the weirdest song that became popular in the ‘90s, an acid jazz and funk band, and a pop rock band featuring three teenage brothers. It’s going to be tough to top this combination, but let’s finish up the list.
4) U2 - "Staring at the Sun"
In another example of an older band trying to remain relevant, U2 released Pop in 1997. The subpar singles from the album received a great deal of airplay on MTV, but were largely forgettable. “Staring at the Sun” might be the best of the bunch, but the album still remains the worst thing U2 did besides assuming everyone wanted their new album on their iPhone that one time.
2) The Verve Pipe - "The Freshmen"
Is there anything more ‘90s than a song about an abortion being the second most popular song of the week? It really captures the spirit of the decade – the most depressing and dark topics were really explored and expressed in this era more than any other one. In summary, it was cool to be sad and angry – for better or worse. It’s a great, gut wrenching song that was the alternative band’s biggest hit.
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It’s cruel to leave you hanging, so the #1 for this week was “Hypnotize” by Notorious B.I.G.
Why was May 17, 1997 the tipping point for weirdness in ‘90s alternative? Prior to this date, we were still seeing the same variety of grunge and post-grunge alternative bands, along with some newcomers and mainstays of album-oriented rock from the early ‘90s, dominating the Top 20 Video Countdown. As an example, I’d like to share the playlist from almost exactly a year prior to the list we just discussed (pared down to “alternative”):
May 16, 1996
2) Oasis - "Champagne Supernova"
5) Hootie and the Blowfish - "Old Man and Me"
6) Stone Temple Pilots - "Big Bang Baby"
8) The Cranberries - "Salvation"
9) Bush - "Machinehead"
13) Dave Matthews Band - "Too Much"
14) Marilyn Manson - "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)"
15) Jewel - "Who Will Save Your Soul"
16) Soundgarden - "Pretty Noose"
18) Mariah Carey - "Always Be My Baby"
19) Rage Against the Machine - "Bulls on Parade"
20) Tracy Chapman - "Give Me One Reason"
Make no mistake – this is an incredible playlist of songs and music videos. It reads like it’s straight from my Spotify account. But even a year prior to our discussed countdown, we see many of the same types of bands and artists. If you want to get technical and try to classify them, it would look something like this:
· Album-oriented mainstream rock: Hootie, Dave, Oasis
· Grunge/post-grunge: Soundgarden, Bush, STP, The Cranberries
· Rap rock: Rage
· Industrial rock: Manson
· Female singer/songwriters: Jewel, Tracy Chapman
· Mariah isn’t alternative but I left it because the video is an all-time heater.
If we’re talking deviation from the mean, these bands and artists have more in common at this point than they do differences. In a year’s time, alternative music was falling further away from this 1996 standard and branching out in many different, distinct directions:
· Album-oriented mainstream rock: Aerosmith, U2, Hanson, Live
· Grunge/post-grunge: Foo Fighters, Bush, The Verve Pipe, Blur
· Swing: Squirrel Nut Zippers
· Ska: The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
· Punk: The Offspring
· Electronica: The Chemical Brothers
· Female singer/songwriters: Fiona Apple
· Acid jazz: Jamiroquai
Once these bands all found success commercially on MTV, the floodgates were open. Ska bands were getting signed to deals based on the success of the Bosstones. There was an actual swing revival with the likes of Cherry Poppin’ Daddies and Brian Setzer Orchestra becoming mainstream relevant. The Prodigy put out a string of electronica hits that received major airplay. Sugar Ray became a popular band. White Town was featured on the Top 20 Video Countdown. I could keep going. The major point is that alternative music, and what was considered “alternative,” trended further and further towards “anything goes” from May 17, 1997 forward.
I’d like to personally thank the Top 20 Video Countdown, and Daisy Fuentes if she’s reading this article, for providing us with this cross section of the ‘90s alternative scene. Sadly, the Countdown would fall out of favor as the go to place for music videos with the advent of Total Request Live (TRL), a daily program hosted by Carson Daly that would eventually just become a daily advertisement for Fred Durst, boy bands, and Britney Spears. I’ll always be grateful to the Countdown, and to Daisy, for introducing me to so many bands that I’ll love forever. And for providing me with evidence of the exact week ‘90s alternative reached its point of no return.
Just for good measure, here’s 10 minutes of Daisy Fuentes introducing ‘90s videos:
