Music Shows on Television Which Defined the ’90s

If you were growing up in the ’90s, you will definitely identify with these music shows on television.

Shenaz Treasurywala in MTV Most Wanted. (Photo: YouTube Screengrab)

You and I will probably agree that it is sheer coincidence that International Yoga Day and the International Day of Music coincided. You will also agree that the Yoga Day hype somewhat shadowed the International Music Day! Amid all the whole yoga madness, we forgot to celebrate music.

From dhinchak beats to slow melodious tunes, the kind of music we listen to define our personas.

Our childhood was defined by various kinds of music, and music shows. I still remember how I would come back home from school and tune into my favourite music show on TV.

As I took a trip down memory lane on this International Music Day, here’s a list of music shows on TV I still have fond memories of.

MTV Select

When internet speeds were not very high and you had to rely on Internet cafes for downloading your favourite tracks, Nikhil Chinapa, in his uber-cool style would chime in, “Hi ! This is Nihkhil Chinapa, and you are watching MTV Select” .

He would then get a caller on the line and would go on to play her/his favourite number. I remember how I would go hysteric when the song I wanted to hear matched with the caller and was ultimately played on the screen. This show was the definition of cool in the late 90s and early 2000. Chinapa’s rings, the metal pendant and the low waist jeans was everything a cool teenager would associate herself/himself with. While Chinapa would stand in the front of the screen and take music requests from callers, there was also an option to send your message along with your song request via SMS. Those messages would be aired as a ticker on screen, and trust me, some messages were so funny, it would almost make you fall off your chair.

Chinapa’s charm easily made this one of the favourite music shows of our times.

MTV Most Wanted

Who can forget the cute, adorable, charming Shenaz Treasurywala, who hosted one of the highest-rated shows on television – MTV Most Wanted. This show was a big hit amongst teenagers and most of us still remember it.

Shenaz was the darling of television. She would read out beautifully written, decorated letters from her fans and play their song requests. The highlight of the show was the time when Shenaz would announce and read out the best letter of the day.

Philips Top 10

This show was Bollywood’s answer to the Billboard Charts and the Top 10s aired on international music channels. This was a record chart show that aired the top-10 most popular numbers from Indian movies. I still remember sitting in front of the television and waiting for the No. 1 song of the week – though I agree, it wasn’t very difficult to guess which one would it be, considering the song from the latest movie would grab the No. 1 position, most of the times.

Luke’s After Hours

This show would feature a selection of music videos specially chosen by him.

While this show was aired a little after bedtime, at 11pm, the fact that it was telecast only on weekends, helped. We would surreptitiously sneak out of bed, ensuring parents were asleep and tune into Luke’s After Hours. This show would feature a selection of music videos specially chosen by him.

Thanks to this show, you could listen to a Beatles or a Bee Gees track as opposed to Ricky Martin and Britney Spears – considered ‘commercial’ in those times. T

In the end, here I stand, brimming with nostalgia. And as I say goodbye this week, I do so with a song in my heart.

“Thank you for the music... Thanks for all the joys they’re bringing! Who can live without it.. What would life be? Without a song and dance what are we? So I say thank you for the music .. For giving it to me!”

(A freelance food and fashion blogger, Pranjali Bhonde Pethe aims at getting people and their favourite food and style closer through her blog moipalate. Email her at [e-mail] and follow her on @moipalate.)