Today's youth hardly even knows what it's like to watch a music video on television. YouTube reigns supreme now, but the childhood of current twentysomethings was during the era of MTV's Total Request Live and BET's 106 & Park. We all rushed home from school to watch the video countdowns, and damn, were those videos great.
These days, we're older, but the heroes of our adolescence are still more relevant than ever. Beyoncé just released snippets of new music, Justin Timberlake officially dropped The 20/20 Experience today, and Britney Spears still has a song near the top of the pop charts. But if you're overly nostalgic basket cases like us, you know that nothing will ever compare to the good old days.
With that said, here are 50 Music Videos GIFs That Will Make Twentysomethings Feel Like a Kid Again. Get ready for a surge of memories, and don't say we never did anything for you.
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When you were like, "I want to play video games with Meth and Limp Bizkit."
When hot dogs made her dance before bandz did.
When that new rapper was making fun of the President's sex scandal.
When Bad Boy made goggles and metallic suits seem like luxuries.
When everyone looked for a neighbor to fall in love with.
When a red latex suit was the most important item of clothing in pop culture.
When Christina gave Britney a run for her money—and we had to choose sides.
When you were scared of turning 23.
When every man in America had a new imaginary girlfriend.
When Gregg Alexander made bucket hats cool long before TDE.
When everyone wished they were as cool as the little girl in all the Missy videos.
When Christopher Walken was the best dancer alive.
When an alien was the best dancer alive.
When TLC taught us not to take anyone's crap.
When Busta's video became the scariest thing next to "Thriller."
When everyone would start gyrating at middle school dances.
When Times Square looked like a reasonable place to bask in the glory of love.
When we all rushed out and bought Abercrombie & Fitch.
When we all tried to imitate the dancing in Sean Paul's videos.
When you got pissed that your name wasn't in the song.
When we watched Beyoncé claim the throne right in front of our eyes.
When Len made riding motorized scooters without helmets look safe.
When all teen boys decided to bleach their entire head of hair—instead of just the tips.
When Juicy Couture was everything.
When everyone wanted to be at Nelly's block party.
When we wondered if they were saying, "If I was green, I would die."
When Diddy danced, even in mourning.
When everyone talked about their milkshake. Everyone.
When you wanted a band of identical twins.
When dancing like Fonzworth Bentley was a life goal.
When Britney had you ready for high school.
When Shaggy gave us expert advice on how to deny cheating allegations.
When boy bands ran out of backdrops and headed to LAX to serenade their fans.
When R. Kelly was the most patriotic man in the nation.
When boy bands still weren't over.
When we all wanted to rebel with "real punk music."
When t.A.t.U. inspired us to dare all female friends to make out.
When every girl started singing to themselves in the mirror just like Aaliyah.
When all we wanted to do was preview music on a Discman.
When Ashanti inspired girls to make up choreographed dances in their driveway.
When there was no party like an S Club party.
When a song about wet dreams got too much radio play.
When boy bands looked like they were shooting a JC Penny catalog.
When every couple wanted a pair of matching boots.
When you heard "So what? I'm drunk" before you'd ever been drunk.
When Britney went from school girl to sex slave.
When the Rugrats went hip-hop.
When Christina got dirty.
When you worried that if you ever got a girlfriend, she'd steal all your stuff.
When this was (and still is) very annoying.
