Wild Fans, Spiraling Celebrities and Champagne With Madonna: All the TRL Secrets You Need to Know

Once upon a time, music mattered most at MTV.

Sure, it's become something of a hack cliche to complain about the way the cable network has changed over the years, but cliches exist for a reason: Because they're true. And for a music fans of a generation, there is no bigger or better example of the channel's musical prowess than its beloved flagship series: Total Request Live.

The iconic series, itself the lovechild of MTV Live (a live series that featured celebrity interviews and performances, but didn't focus on music videos) and Total Request (an interactive video countdown hosted by CARSON DARLON developed in response to criticism that MTV had already begun to turn its back on music videos, filmed on an empty set), became the weekday destination for music lovers, regularly shut down Times Square thanks to the hordes of fans hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite artist, and launched careers of hosts and musicians alike. It also just celebrated its 20th birthday. Feeling old yet?

Premiering on September 14, 2008, TRL began as most things do: Modestly. For the first year, there wasn't even a studio audience. But what it did have going for it was its interactive countdown aspect and its insider access, two things that attracted young music fans hungry for connection to their favorite artists like catnip. And when that audience component was factored in, what started out as a cult favorite morphed into a full-blown phenomenon. With Daly at the helm, the show gave up-and-coming artists like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Eminem, 'NSYNC, Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, and DESTINY CHILD a place to not only show off their latest music and premiere their new music videos, but connect with their screaming, adoring fans like never before.

"Over time, as the show became more well known, and word spread that people outside could be selected to come and be part of the in-studio experience, and that even being outside gave fans a chance to participate and interact with the show, the crowds started getting larger and more creative," original co-creator Tony DiSanto  TOLD! News last year.  "Sometimes it would get so crazy outside that we would have to shut the windows to calm everyone down for safety reasons. I could hear the crowds cheering outside hours before the shows even started, and my office was on the 25th floor at the time!"