MTV Takes Off

@RasmaSandra (73444)
Daytona Beach, Florida
September 15, 2016 1:17pm CST
Today lots of people of all ages cannot imagine a life without MTV especially the younger generation. MTV as a cable TV network which would be dedicated to popular music was launched on August 1, 1981. It would create a whole new way for people to view music videos and listen to the newest hits. MTV came to life just after midnight on this day and began with the words, “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll”. After the introduction came the video “Video Killed the Radio Star” by a New Wave duo called The Buggles. This was followed by “You Better Run” by Pat Benatar. The music videos kept coming and included Blondie “Rapture”, J. Geils Band “Love Stinks” among lots of others. That very first week on rotation there were around 80 videos. Soon MTV was the way the world watched music videos on cable TV. I remember visiting my aunt in the early 1990s and watching MTV Europe on her TV in Denmark. It was fantastic to be able to hear the English language as most everything else on TV was in Danish or a Scandinavian language. Today of course MTV can be accessed also through the Internet. I don’t know but somehow I haven’t really gotten into MTV. My source for music, TV shows and other things is YouTube. What do you prefer MTV or YouTube?
On this day in History, MTV makes its maiden broadcast on Aug 01, 1981. Learn more about what happened today on History.
8 people like this
8 responses
Marsha Cooper
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
15 Sep 16
MTV pretty well sucks now with all those stinking reality shows. I miss the days that it was actually music tv and they played videos all day.
3 people like this
Kimberley
@mom210 (9036)
• United States
16 Sep 16
I had no idea MTV was still on, we do not get it. For music I do use you tube some, but cannot use it to much as it uses up our data limit.
2 people like this
Marlina
@marlina (154166)
• Canada
15 Sep 16
I much prefer YouTube.
1 person likes this
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Sep 16
YouTube is my source for most everything @marlina Never really got into MTV
1 person likes this
DianneN
@DianneN (246900)
• United States
15 Sep 16
I remember watching one show when it first came out. I haven't watched it since!
1 person likes this
Ron Rybs
@Ronrybs (17849)
• London, England
15 Sep 16
I remember watching MTV way back in the mid-80s, but not looked at it since
1 person likes this
Miss Nikki
@MissNikki (5237)
• Maple Ridge, British Columbia
15 Sep 16
I don't watch a lot of music stuff on tv, like I used to when I was younger. When I do, though, I usually watch MuchMusic, which is a Canadian music tv channel. I sometimes watch a couple reality shows on the American MTV on cable.
1 person likes this
GreatMartin
@GreatMartin (23676)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
16 Sep 16
"the younger generation. " You sort of correct yourself--it was the older generation now in their 40s who made MTV!!!
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Sep 16
MTV never really grew on me. Guess I'm just too used to YouTube only problem there is that it is a great source for music but I cannot always get the movies and shows I prefer in full @GreatMartin Thanks for pointing that out to me. Boy time does fly when you're having fun
The Horse
@TheHorse (205790)
• Walnut Creek, California
15 Sep 16
MTV was kind of cool back in the day. The bands featured were mostly more "mainstream" than what I listened to, but it was still fun. Somewhere among the way it (MTV) morphed into garbage. I don't really know what happened.
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 Sep 16
Might be that YouTube became more common. Hey I watch it all the time on the net and sort of almost forgot about MTV. Then I thought it might be worth a mention @TheHorse