MTV turns 40.

[reTrEaD]

MTV began broadcasting via cable on August 1, 1981.

Ladies and gentlemen ... rock and roll.



Largely unknown VJs rapidly became household names.
Nina Blackwood
Mark Goodman
Alan Hunter
J.J. Jackson
Martha Quinn

The first ten videos aired were:
"Video Killed the Radio Star" The Buggles
"You Better Run" Pat Benatar
"She Won't Dance With Me" Rod Stewart
"You Better You Bet" The Who
"Little Suzi's on the Up" Ph.D.
"We Don't Talk Anymore" Cliff Richard
"Brass in Pocket" The Pretenders
"Time Heals" Todd Rundgren
"Take It on the Run" REO Speedwagon
"Rockin' the Paradise" Styx
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_first_music_videos_aired_on_MTV

Over the years there were significant changes to the programming. Some good (breaking the color barrier), some beyond bad ('reality' shows). I don't much care for it these days, but it was groundbreaking at the onset.

The most whatisthisidonteven moment for me in the early years was Wall of Voodoo's Mexican Radio. What was yours?

[thetragichero]

even if it's not your than, the advent of reality television was groundbreaking. there were a lot of issues discussed in show that normally wouldn't have gotten airtime. original real world had a lot of discussions on race and privilege and disparities in policing in 1992 that are just as valid in 2021. pedro zamora being a gay man with aids (and eventually passing) was pretty groundbreaking in its own right. i learned of a lot of current events from mtv news as a kid. while i'd say some of the fringe music programming (120 minutes and yo! mtv raps) had a big impact but it's the non music programming that had the the biggest

[newey]

The most whatisthisidonteven moment for me in the early years was Wall of Voodoo's Mexican Radio. What was yours?

This:

Largely unknown VJs rapidly became household names.
Nina Blackwood
Mark Goodman
Alan Hunter
J.J. Jackson
Martha Quinn

And quickly became cultural fodder themselves, as in Mojo Nixon's "Stuffin' Martha's Muffin":

"I wanna do some sin
on Martha Quinn. . . "

[reTrEaD]

Aug 1, 2021 17:50:49 GMT -5 newey said:

*Whip It*

Yeah, that was jarring for me too.

Some more wtf, but in the most excellent way: