Tuesday, August 01, 2006

Video Arrested, Charged With Murder One?

This week marked the 25th anniversary of MTV. Oddly enough, the network is now older than it's coveted 18-24 year old viewers. Some of us look back fondly on the era of the "vee-jay"; others love the irony of a Music Television channel that no longer plays music; while still more cling to their youth and boldly proclaim "I STILL want my MTV."

Many know that the very first video played (August 1, 1981) on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles - but what happened after that?? I don't mean that as a philosophical question as to how MTV went from a video music channel to an overly advertised reality TV fest of bleeping the Osbournes and the unbearable chicken-or-fish debate of the Newlyweds. Rather, what were the other videos played on that fateful August 1st that earned the channel it's rightful place in the pop-culture hall of fame? Was the #2 video by Styx? Pat Benatar? Phil Collins? Iron Maiden?

Take a guess for yourself and I'll post the answers in the comments.

5 comments:

lisa :) said...

Here's a link to a list of the first 25 videos ever played on MTV. Some of the answers might surprise you. (As in Rod Stewart and REO Speedwagon are both on there. Twice.)

Red Eye Article, First 25 Videos

Greg McConnell said...

I actually didn't even know that "Video Killed The Radio Star" was the first song played on MTV. That's news to me!

JadeEJF said...

Aren't they replaying the entire first day on VH1 Classics?

lisa :) said...

Didn't know about that but that's pretty cool! It's kind of funny too how VH1 and MTV2 became the hot music channels after MTV stopped playing videos and now they need all these VH1 spinoffs and new MTV channels because even the replacement music channels are overrun with non-music shows.

Anonymous said...

Before I even read the list, I know that the second video was a Pat Benetar song. I don't remember which song it was though...