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rocktivity

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24. MTV got to be too much about television and too little about music

Fri Aug 1, 2014, 09:28 PM

Aug 2014

Last edited Tue Nov 23, 2021, 08:16 PM - Edit history (7)

Because it was music you saw, you started seeing too many good videos of less-than-good songs. Looks became more important than talent, forcing MTV to subsist on constantly reinventing itself visually -- why do you think Madonna became its patron saint? The beginning of the end was when the VJs, most of whom had actual backgrounds in music, were replaced with "personalities," which culminated in the Village Voice describing the MTV News host (a veteran Rolling Stone reporter) as being "the only person MTV hired because he had a brain." So it was doomed right out of the gate.

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33 Years ago today: Video Killed the Radio Star [View all] Cooley Hurd Aug 2014 OP

what killed MTV? napkinz Aug 2014 #1

Reality shows shenmue Aug 2014 #2

MTV stopped playing music videos about 13 years ago if I recall napkinz Aug 2014 #4

They tried to get the record labels to play for play rocktivity Aug 2014 #22

Too much corporate greed and too much substandard music rocktivity Aug 2014 #35

ooh! Post the first video you ever saw on MTV wyldwolf Aug 2014 #3

First thing I ever saw on MTV was a showing of the movie "Let It Be" Cooley Hurd Aug 2014 #5

Rarely shown even now ballabosh Aug 2014 #34

"apparently Paul is blocking it" napkinz Aug 2014 #66

This is obviously unconfirmed, but from Wikipedia ballabosh Aug 2014 #67

My neighborhood didn't get wired for cable until 1988 rocktivity Aug 2014 #39

Did Get MTV Until 1982...But This Was My First The Great Escape Aug 2014 #55

I don't remember the first one I ever saw, kentauros Aug 2014 #62

Gotta admit - Video Killed the Radio Star was my first. djean111 Aug 2014 #6

The GREAT Trevor Horn!!!! Cooley Hurd Aug 2014 #7

I was cranking Drama today. reflection Aug 2014 #46

I remember them playing Go Vols Aug 2014 #8

This tune too: Cooley Hurd Aug 2014 #11

I used to love MTV back then nt steve2470 Aug 2014 #9

Ah, the memories. SummerSnow Aug 2014 #10

Radio is still cranking out music, MTV, not so much. liberal N proud Aug 2014 #12

The first time I ever heard of Prince was seeing his Lochloosa Aug 2014 #13

...and a good one from Martin Briley: Cooley Hurd Aug 2014 #14

Another that got played quite a bit Go Vols Aug 2014 #19

Radio stars didn't die... Hugin Aug 2014 #15

Put the blame on VTRs Garthem Aug 2014 #16

WTG! Make me feel babylonsister Aug 2014 #17

M(oran)TV L0oniX Aug 2014 #18

Ahh, someone is really upset about MTV? Wow, you are a lot of fun! n-t Logical Aug 2014 #20

I hate it when something that's good gets destroyed. L0oniX Aug 2014 #26

like gramophones, fucking assholes killed those too snooper2 Aug 2014 #70

I loved the 80s. Still listen to 80s on 8 on Xmradio! n-t Logical Aug 2014 #21

For the occasional walk down memory lane, I strongly recommend... Shandris Aug 2014 #73

Thanks for the link! cool! nt Logical Aug 2014 #74

First one, not so much. Some that jump out? Savannahmann Aug 2014 #23

Everyone thought that Knopfler wrote "Money for Nothing" in his or her amandabeech Aug 2014 #40

That Dire Straits song is edited Seeking Serenity Aug 2014 #60

yep Go Vols Aug 2014 #71

MTV got to be too much about television and too little about music rocktivity Aug 2014 #24

Didn't they play only one song all day safeinOhio Aug 2014 #25

Sorry, I was still a radio person back then. Stellar Aug 2014 #27

I was watching!!! nt msanthrope Aug 2014 #28

What really killed the radio star was the Telecommunications Act of 1996. JEFF9K Aug 2014 #29

I remember August 1, 1981 vividly. Boomerproud Aug 2014 #30

This.... 1980 or so... Tikki Aug 2014 #31

Love this! octoberlib Aug 2014 #41

MTV GET OFF THE AIR!!! Crowman1979 Aug 2014 #32

I thought today was the day but hadn't seen it anywhere else. Lost In America Aug 2014 #33

hey, if Cartoon Network could have a recovery, maybe MTV can! nt MisterP Aug 2014 #36

First one I saw: riqster Aug 2014 #37

I remember a lot of Rod Stewart videos being played when octoberlib Aug 2014 #38

I was watching that day stopwastingmymoney Aug 2014 #42

I dismissed MTV until I happened to catch... RoverSuswade Aug 2014 #43

"I want my MTV!!!" amandabeech Aug 2014 #44

The song was by Dire Straits awoke_in_2003 Aug 2014 #49

Yes, I know that the song was from Dire Straits, I have the album in vinyl. amandabeech Aug 2014 #50

oh, I misunderstood. nt awoke_in_2003 Aug 2014 #54

Bah, I was watching HBO's 'Video Jukebox' in the late 70's. X_Digger Aug 2014 #45

My First M Vid - Not MTV reACTIONary Aug 2014 #47

I remember those cool people...before cool was kewl... Rex Aug 2014 #48

I'm not sure of the very first one I saw, but I recall watching these (and more) on early MTV: Arugula Latte Aug 2014 #51

and then there's Duran Duran - Rio Baclava Aug 2014 #52

I'm so jealous of everybody. minivan2 Aug 2014 #53

I had a great time being young in the '80s, but I wish I'd been born a couple decades later. Arugula Latte Aug 2014 #57

The one that sticks in my mind is SamKnause Aug 2014 #56

This was the first video I saw on MTV, Aug 1, 1981 Seeking Serenity Aug 2014 #58

Another great TR early MTV video: Cooley Hurd Aug 2014 #59

LOVED THAT. Seeking Serenity Aug 2014 #61

Oddly Enough, I already listened to that song once this week. That is enough for the decade. CBGLuthier Aug 2014 #63

For me, it was around 1982 when we first got it in our neck of the sticks. HughBeaumont Aug 2014 #64

This is the first one I remember seeing - Spirochete Aug 2014 #65

HUGE hits in the first days/weeks after launch WhaTHellsgoingonhere Aug 2014 #68

33 years from now... sylvanus Aug 2014 #69

Remind me: what does the "M" stand for? brooklynite Aug 2014 #72