So, Now What's Carson Daly Going To Do?

MTV announced that "Total Request Live" (TRL) will be ending this November. The show, which counted down the top ten videos every afternoon, will have run for ten years when production shuts down.

It is clear why MTV made the decision: TRL wasn't as popular as it was back in the late 90s when it debuted. I remember when TRL was the first thing you turned on after getting home from school. In fact, I spent so much time doing extracurricular activies, I was mad that I was out of the loop most of the week! TRL was also the indictator of what was cool. We would watch it to see what music made it up there (mostly pop when it started) and to see where your favorite band ranked. It gave fuel to the Backstreet Boys-N*Sync battle. You taunted the fans of the rival band if yours ranked higher in the list. (I was a proud member of Team Backstreet). There was buzz if Carson announced that there would be a new music video debuting that day. This was before YouTube, so chances of seeing the video before the unveiling on TRL was low. It was a magical time that slowly ended as I reached high school. We know longer talked about watching TRL (most of us couldn't make home in time to see it) and I know I stopped watching as the pop groups slowly gave way to the rap/hip hop groups.

I also remember when you didn't dare go near MTV studios in Times Square in the afternoon. Even if it meant going the long way to your destination. The crowd of screaming, sign waving teenagers was just too much--even when I was a screaming, sign waving teenager myself! However, last summer, I spent time in Times Square. Tourists, but no more screaming, sign waving teenagers blocking city traffic.

And so, I bid adieu to a fond memory of my early teen years. In a way, that was my generation's American Bandstand. Producers though stress that TRL isn't ending for good, just going on an indefinite break. So who knows? Maybe in a few years, it'll be back and relative again. And then we'll have to avoid Times Square all over again.