Pick a Day

Music History Events: TV Appearances

July 21, 2001 Lauryn Hill tapes her MTV Unplugged special, playing new songs in a very emotional performance. It's clear that she's not going for mainstream appeal, and is not about to follow up her The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill album with another big seller.

July 9, 2001 During an appearance on MTV's TRL, four of the Backstreet Boys announce their Black & Blue tour will be put on hold so their fifth member, AJ McLean, can enter rehab to treat alcoholism and depression.

May 21, 2001 Josh Groban's career takes off after he appears on the Season 4 finale of Ally McBeal as a jilted teenager. More

May 14, 2001 After a six-season run, the last episode of Brandy's TV series Moesha airs. This final episode is a cliffhanger, with Moesha learning she is pregnant and her brother getting kidnapped.

March 12, 2001 "Freud's Dilemma," the first ever episode of The Chris Isaak Show, airs on Showtime. The new adult comedy stars Chris Isaak playing a wannabe rock star.

March 6, 2001 MTV Cribs visits Redman's two-bedroom pad on Staten Island. Unlike the show's usual ostentatious fare, the rapper's modest crib is a testament to "keeping it real." The highlights are his makeshift doorbell (which is signaled by crossing two exposed wires), a freezer-full of Gorton's fish, and his cousin conked out on his living room floor.

September 20, 2000 The first episode of MTV Cribs airs on the music network, showcasing the (mostly) lavish homes of Jewel, Moby, and The Osbournes. The popularity of the show helps The Osbournes land their own hit reality series a couple years later.More

June 9, 2000 The day after Curve magazine runs an interview with Sinead O'Connor declaring she's a lesbian, the Irish singer appears on The Rosie O'Donnell Show to perform her anthemic single "No Man's Woman."

May 28, 2000 The White Stripes perform on TV for the first time, playing "Apple Blossom" and "You're Pretty Good Looking" on the Detroit Public Television series Backstage Pass.

May 13, 2000 Britney Spears is the musical guest and host on Saturday Night Live, where she performs two songs and appears in four sketches. In her opening monologue, she addresses rumors that she's had implants. "I'm 18 and still growing," she says, as her breasts move around in her shirt.

February 21, 2000 Foo Fighters cancel a short tour of South America so they can play "Everlong" for David Letterman on his first show back from heart surgery.

January 23, 2000 Britney Spears guest stars on The Simpsons in the episode "The Mansion Family," where she presents the award for Springfield's oldest man.

November 13, 1999 Garth Brooks hosts Saturday Night Live and performs "Way Of The Girl" as his Australian rock star alter-ego, Chris Gaines.

October 21, 1999 Dishwalla appear on Charmed in the episode "The Devil's Music," where their manager delivers girls who will "do anything to meet the band" to a devil. Alyssa Milano, posing as a groupie, vanquishes the demon.

October 5, 1999 The Corrs perform live on MTV's Unplugged at Ardmore Studios in Wicklow, Ireland. The resulting CD and DVD have sold well over 2 million copies.

September 24, 1999 Britney Spears appears on the Sabrina, the Teenage Witch episode "No Place Like Home," where she dances with Sabrina.

April 19, 1999 James Darren begins a five-episode stint on the primetime soap opera Melrose Place as an unscrupulous millionaire named Tony Marlin.

January 11, 1999 Peter Tork of The Monkees guest stars as a bandleader on the "Best Man" episode of The King of Queens.

May 1, 1998 Brian Eno appears as Father Brian Eno in the "Going to America" episode of British sitcom Father Ted.

March 14, 1998 The Backstreet Boys appear on Saturday Night Live for the first time, performing "As Long As You Love Me" and "Quit Playing Games (With My Heart)."

February 28, 1998 Garth Brooks hosts Saturday Night Live. As the musical guest, he performs his hit "Two Piña Coladas."

February 15, 1998 Backstreet Boys appear on the TV show Sabrina the Teenage Witch in "The Band Episode."

December 10, 1997 Olivia Newton-John causes trouble for Murphy Brown on the episode "I Hear A Symphony."

November 24, 1997 Johnny Rotten of The Sex Pistols is the defendant in an episode of Judge Judy. The case is a wrongful termination suit brought on by his former drummer, which Rotten wins.

October 10, 1997 Davy Jones sings "Daydream Believer" to Melissa Joan Hart on the Sabrina, the Teenage Witch episode "Dante's Inferno."

February 23, 1997 After declaring a truce in an effort to end violence between East Coast and West Coast rappers, Puff Daddy and Snoop Doggy Dogg appear on The Steve Harvey Show in the episode "I Do, I Don't."

February 17, 1997 ABC airs Hey, Hey, It's the Monkees, a one-hour comedy special written and directed by original Monkee Mike Nesmith. From their '60s pad, the group recalls their old shenanigans and sings a medley of their classic hits: "Last Train To Clarksville," "Daydream Believer," "(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone," "I'm A Believer" and "Pleasant Valley Sunday."

January 8, 1997 Chuck D guest stars on the NBC sitcom NewsRadio episode "Rap," to face off against Phil Hartman's Bill McNeal, who is convinced rap music will destroy society.

May 19, 1996 Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins, Peter Frampton and Cypress Hill appear on the "Homerpalooza" episode of The Simpsons, a spoof on the Lollapalooza tour. Cypress Hill, the first rappers to guest star on the show, are accused of ordering the London Symphony Orchestra while high, and end up teaming with them on "Insane In The Brain."

January 28, 1996 Chris Isaak guest-stars in the Friends episode "The One After the Superbowl," where he plays Phoebe's date, Rob Donnen.