Starring
TLC
TLC is the best-selling American girl group of all time, celebrated for breaking boundaries and empowering generations for over three decades. Known for their unique chemistry and cultural impact, the trio—Tionne “T-Boz” Watkins, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, and the late Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes—delivered timeless anthems like “Waterfalls,” “No Scrubs,” “Creep,” and “Unpretty.”
With four multi-platinum albums, #1 singles, and over 85 million records sold worldwide, TLC earned five Grammys and became a global phenomenon. Their 1992 debut, Ooooooohhh… On the TLC Tip , introduced a bold mix of R&B and rap, while 1994’s CrazySexyCool tackled issues like AIDS and gang violence, earning the first MTV Video of the Year award for a female group.
TLC’s influence spans generations, inspiring artists like Destiny’s Child, Nicki Minaj, and BLACKPINK. Honoring Left Eye’s legacy, TLC remains a cultural and musical icon, redefining style, self-expression, and empowerment.
Sugar Ray
Beyond sales of 10 million records, four top 10 songs, hundreds of millions of streams, and millions of tickets sold, Sugar Ray—co-founded by Mark McGrath and Rodney Sheppard —embody the endless summer of popular music and culture. How many artists still pack sheds a whole generation removed from their genesis? How many acts can claim sharing the stage with The Rolling Stones, KISS, and Sex Pistols, collaborating with Run-DMC, and being interpolated by Post Malone? Just Sugar Ray…
1994’s Lemonade & Brownies took the guys around the world and earned cult classic status for its frenetic and unpredictable hybrid. It set the stage for Floored in 1997. The latter’s immortal lead single “Fly” [feat. Super Cat] made them a household name. 21 years down the road, Post Malone incorporated “Fly” in “Sugar Wraith” on the triple-platinum Beerbongs & Bentleys. Helmed by Grammy Award-winning producer David Kahane [Sublime, Paul McCartney, The Strokes], Floored earned the band’s first gold plaque and eventually went double-platinum. Two years later, 14:59 bowed in the Top 20 of the Billboard Top 200, went triple-platinum, and gave us “Someday,” “Falls Apart,” and their second #1 “Every Morning.” In 2001, Sugar Ray crashed the Top 200 at number six as “When It’s Over” staked out a spot on the charts. It added another platinum plaque to their walls. Enjoying a renaissance, Sugar Ray headlined the Under the Sun Tour 2013-2015. They inked a deal with BMG in 2019 and dropped their seventh full-length, Lil Yachty. In addition to features from Rolling Stone and Billboard, NPR claimed “The Newport Beach natives returned to their signature uplifting and airy rock sound.” It only set the stage for more touring and music. No matter how much everything changes, we’ve got Sugar Ray forever.
Better than Ezra
For over 35 years, alt-rock icons Better Than Ezra have maintained a direct line to the unbridled joy of making music, endlessly dreaming up songs with an uncanny power to linger forever in the listener’s heart. Since the arrival of their breakthrough album Deluxe—a platinum-selling LP featuring their era-defining smash hit “Good”—the New Orleans-bred band’s bittersweet but quick-witted songwriting and supremely catchy sound have led to triumphs like landing on Billboard’s “100 Greatest Alternative Artists of All Time” and “100 Greatest Alternative Songs of All Time” lists, building an adoring following who call themselves Ezralites, and achieving major pop-culture milestones like getting name-checked in a classic skit on Saturday Night Live.
The band has embodied a free-spirited complexity since playing house parties at Louisiana State University in 1988. “At our very first rehearsal, I knew there was something special in this band that I’d never seen before,” says Drummond. “It was enough for me to take a leap of faith, get in the van and forgo a college education.” As they built up a regional following, Better Than Ezra delivered their debut album in 1990 and struck gold with 1993’s Deluxe. Thanks to the massive success of the multi-platinum “Good” (a #1 hit on the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart), the band became an MTV staple and soon deepened their catalog with timeless hits like “Desperately Wanting” (from 1996’s Friction, Baby). Through the years, they’ve continued to sell out amphitheaters and arenas worldwide while turning out acclaimed albums like 2014’s All Together Now, featuring the hit single “Crazy Lucky.”
En Vogue
En Vogue is undeniably in a league of their own. From their 1990 debut single “Hold On” to their groundbreaking album Born to Sing , they’ve redefined music and style. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, Rhino/WMG released a remastered 21-track collection featuring rare mixes now available digitally. With harmonizing voices and captivating grace, Cindy Herron, Terry Ellis, Dawn Robinson, and Maxine Jones brought producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy’s vision to life, surpassing expectations.
Hits like “My Lovin’ (You’re Never Gonna Get It),” “Free Your Mind,” and “Don’t Let Go [Love]” cemented their legacy. They’ve won multiple awards, earned millions of streams, and remain cultural icons, with outfits showcased at the Smithsonian.
Now a trio with Rhona Bennett joining Herron and Ellis, En Vogue continues to innovate. Their “Funky Divas” podcast offers fans behind-the-scenes stories, proving that 30 years later, En Vogue is still in the groove!
Fuel
Destiny works in mysterious ways, bringing GRAMMY®-nominated, multi-platinum rock band Fuel back together in 2021. Founding guitarist and songwriter Carl Bell and longtime drummer Kevin Miller rebuilt their bond, joined by new members Aaron Scott (vocals/guitar), Mark Klotz (guitar/vocals), and Tommy Nat (bass/vocals). Together, they released their first album in 18 years, Ånomåly, blending past influences with a modern edg
The single “Hard” explores the weight of memories with powerful riffs and a striking hook. Tracks like “Keep It Away” and “Landslide” showcase the band’s evolving sound, while ballads like “Give” highlight emotional depth. Fuel’s return also celebrates their legacy, with hits like “Shimmer” and “Hemorrhage” cementing their place in rock history. Carl and Kevin’s reconciliation led to a fresh chapter, creating music that bridges old fans and new listeners. Fuel’s resurgence feels both unexpected and perfectly timed—a testament to their enduring passion for rock.
Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth is an alternative rock band from San Jose, California, that formed in 1994. The band comprises Zach Goode (lead vocalist), Greg Camp (guitarist/songwriter), Paul De Lisle (bassist), and drummer Jason Sutter. Their hit songs include “Walkin’ on the Sun” and “All Star.”
Focused at times playing “neo-ska” music, the band has adopted retro styles spanning several decades of popular music, as well as performing covers of popular songs such as The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer” and War’s “Why Can’t We Be Friends” as well as cult favorites such as ? and the Mysterians’ “Can’t Get Enough of You Baby.” Smash Mouth’s first album Fush Yu Mang came out in June 1997. This album could be said to be “neo ska.” Its top position in the charts was #19 on Billboard. The promo for this album said that “While the twelve songs on Fush Yu Mang sound like they belong side by side, each has its own feeling like the very ’60’s ‘Walkin’ On The Sun,’ the surf ‘n’ turf of ‘Nervous In the Alley,’ the Buzzcocks like ‘Pet Names,’ the Mafia rock of ‘Padrino,’ and the fret rock of ‘Let’s Rock.’” Smash Mouth’s second album Astro Lounge was released two years later, in June 1999. It is the band’s most critically and commercially successful album to date. It reached number six on the Billboard charts and it featured the massive hit “All Star.”
Kid ‘n Play
Among the first groups to tame rap’s hardcore mentality into a positive, message-oriented music suitable for teens and mass audiences, Kid ‘n Play debuted in 1988 with the platinum album 2 Hype, which the duo later spun into a deal involving films and a Saturday-morning cartoon show, the first involving a rap act. Though their recording activity became limited during the gangsta-dominated ’90s — 1991’s Face the Nation was their last album — the group managed two sequels to their original House Party film, as well as the 1991 teen flick Class Act.
Kid (born Christopher Reid; Bronx, NY) and Play (born Christopher Martin; Queens, NY) first met while performing in rival high school groups (the Turnout Brothers and the Super Lovers, respectively) and initially teamed up as Fresh Force. Play’s former bandmate, Hurby “Luv Bug” Azor, became the duo’s manager and signed Kid ‘n Play to Select Records in 1987. Despite the predominance of James Brown samples during the mid-’80s, Azor gave 2 Hype a production job more rooted in disco and pop; thanks to the near-top ten R&B hit “Rollin’ with Kid ‘n Play,” the album eventually reached platinum status. Though many rappers were more successful at the time, Kid ‘n Play became film stars due to their clean-cut image — Kid’s six-inch “eraserhead” hairstyle, which seemed outrageous to white audiences, was vindicated by his honest, well-scrubbed face.
Maxi Priest
Music insiders would have you believe that there are a variety of musical genres and categories, and that common ground is few and far between. However, the bottom line is that people embrace music and rhythms that mean something to them, no matter what their background. As Maxi Priest knows, music is universal. Over the course of 10 albums and countless live performances all over the globe, Maxi has unleashed a one-world music that heals, rejuvenates and uplifts.
The second youngest of nine children, Maxi’s parents had moved to London, England from Jamaica. His father was a steelworker in a factory, while his mother devoted her life to Christianity; she was a missionary at a Pentecostal Church and lead singer for the church choir, and as a youngster Maxi grew up listening to gospel, reggae, R&B, as well as pop music. While working as a carpenter building speaker boxes for a local reggae sound-system, Maxi Priest began singing over the mic at live dancehall sessions with artists such as Smiley Culture.
Since his 1988 debut, Maxi has enjoyed tremendous success as a singer with popularity and recognition around the world. In fact, he is the most successful reggae solo artist in the world, second only to legend Bob Marley. He has enjoyed numerous worldwide hits as well as a number one pop chart smash and is widely credited with helping spread the gospel of reggae and Caribbean music.
EMF
British dance-rock quintet EMF formed in Cinderford, England, in October 1989. Blending rock with light techno elements, they quickly gained attention, releasing their debut album Schubert Dip in May 1991. The album reached #3 in the UK and #12 in the US, earning platinum certification in the US. Its infectious single “Unbelievable” topped the Billboard Hot 100 and hit #3 in the UK, becoming a global sensation and earning gold certification. Follow-up hits included “I Believe,” “Children,” and “Lies.”
In 1992, EMF released the darker Stigma, featuring fan favorites “They’re Here” and “It’s You.” Their final full-length album, Cha Cha Cha (1995), included a successful cover of The Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.” After bassist Zac Foley’s sudden passing in 2002, the band took a hiatus but reunited in 2007 for live shows. In 2022, they surprised fans with their first album of new material since 1995, celebrating over 30 years of EMF.
Sponge
Sponge, an alternative rock band from Detroit, Michigan, formed in 1992 by Vinnie Dombroski, quickly rose to fame with their Platinum-selling debut album, Rotting Piñata, featuring iconic hits like “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles).” Known for their electrifying live performances and chart-topping singles, the band followed up with Wax Ecstatic in 1996, earning critical acclaim and a “Song of the Year” nod from Rolling Stone.
Over three decades, Sponge has released nine studio albums and toured extensively, maintaining a loyal fan base. Now led by Dombroski and joined by Andy and Tim Patalan, Kyle Neely, and drummer Dave Coughlin, the band continues to create and perform new music, solidifying their legacy in rock history.
DJ Kool
John W. Bowman Jr., better known as DJ Kool, is an American DJ and rapper celebrated for his infectious party anthems. Born on March 20, 1958, and raised in Washington, DC, DJ Kool drew inspiration from the go-go and rap circuits, shaping his distinctive musical style.
In 1996, he released his iconic single “Let Me Clear My Throat” on American Recordings, which became a global hit. The track reached the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the top 10 in the UK and Netherlands by March 1997. Built around a sample of “The 900 Number” by the 45 King—featuring Marva Whitney’s “Unwind Yourself”—and opening with Kool & the Gang’s “Hollywood Swinging,” the song remains a dance floor favorite. Its irresistible energy and timeless appeal have cemented DJ Kool’s legacy as a pioneer of crowd-moving hits that continue to inspire new generations.
More to Be Announced
Hosted By
Downtown Julie Brown
MTV VJ
Downtown Julie Brown is an English-born actress, television personality, SiriusXM DJ and former MTV VJ. She was the host of Club MTV from 1987 to 1992 and also appeared on other shows and specials on MTV. She became one of the most beloved stars of that era of MTV and was known for her catchphrase, “Wubba, wubba, wubba.”