Video Killed The Radio Star

Assessing MTV's Effect On Music In The Early '80s

by Kimberly Munsey-Carlton

August 1, 1981, at 12:01 a.m., saw the launch of the original MTV Music Television. With the simple line, "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll," spoken by original COO John Lack, an icon was born. The first music video shown on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles, perhaps in hopes that it would be a fulfilled prophesy. Soon after its launch it seemed everyone wanted their MTV.

Although 500,000 people tuned in in the early 80's, my sister "Bambi" and I have always taken shared soul credit for the success of MTV's early years. My parents actually use the word blame, as in, "Those two girls are to blame for that MTV." We were both perfect examples of our generation. We loved the romance of rock-n-roll, whether heavy or pop. Every hour we, like the other half million original viewers, were not in school, at work, or at a club imitating the fashion, attitude and dance that we absorbed from MTV we were watching, listening to, or talking about MTV. We loved the visual aesthetics and being introduced to bands we had never heard of on local Tampa Bay radio. Before MTV the only way to view bands was in magazines, album covers or an occasional glimpse on American Band Stand. Now, we could dress up and represent the very music we loved. Before MTV most of us knew only what we were fed from the play lists via our local radio. Now we had a second venue and an on screen look at our favorites. We were hooked both audibly and visibly. Music companies very soon realized that MTV could control the success or failure of a client because they controlled viewer's purchases, from their Aqua Net hair-dos to their ZZ Top anklets.

MTV helped turn an already image-centric industry into arguably a total image-before-quality industry. While many substantial rock bands and performers of the 1980s were made into household names there were also many one hit wonders who simply looked good on film. One must wonder if there would have been a Milli Vanilli (and their impending tragedy) or a Samantha Fox without the help of MTV. Although known for some blatantly sexual or commercially produced video choices they indeed brought us some classic 1980s acts including Van Halen, Blondie, Journey, The Police, The Cars, Eurythmics, Cinderella, Poison, RATT, Twisted Sister, Culture Club, Def Leppard, Duran Duran, Motley Crue and the immortal Bon Jovi. Even metal giants like Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Scorpions, Ozzie and Dio all had to succumb to the power of the 1980s MTV cable network.

More than affecting the music or even radio, MTV's greatest effect was on video. It's original videos were concert clips or promos done by record companies with cheap graphics and backdrops. MTV helped launch many producer/director careers via the music video. As the culture clamored for more the quality of these videos began to rival full length films. Of course, thanks to these videos, we have captured an archive in sight and sound of an era.

While MTV was responsible for launching new bands and may well have given excess airtime to the most popular acts only, it also spawned a counter-culture of anti-MTV watchers who protested the over-exposure that MTV gave bands they felt did not deserve it. Once accused of selling out MTV quite literally did that when Viacom bought Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment. By the second half of the 1990s MTV had all but forsaken its' hold over the music industry. While original formatting modeled top 40 radio, even using VJs in place of DJs, Music Television's original purpose was to show music videos. Today their main source of music video programming is Total Request Live, and it only airs four times per week.

Today's version couldn't be farther from its' roots, with it's reality television shows and scarcity of video material. It is definitely no threat to radio today, especially with the advent of satellite specialty stations, much less have much power over the music industry. To imagine the 80s without MTV would be to imagine a world without fun. Yes, "back in my day", we would walk 10 miles in the snow...well, you get it. MTV most certainly influenced the music production and style of the 80s. In fact, MTV broadcasts more than influenced. It literally designed our rock-n-roll, quasi-groupie, Madonna-wanna-be, garage band, lifestyles. Yes, boys and girls Grandma's MTV once rocked.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV

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