MTV (Music Television) made its debut on August 1, 1981, at midnight (12:01 AM), with the iconic words “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.”
MTV launched as a 24-hour music video channel famously kicking things off with “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles – the very first music video they played, which symbolized the channel’s focus on music videos and the changing landscape of the music industry. For the first few years, it stuck closely to its music-only format, featuring VJs (video jockeys) who introduced clips and shared music news.
MTV quickly became a cultural phenomenon, revolutionizing how music was consumed and promoted. It introduced the concept of music videos as a vital marketing tool for artists, leading to the rise of visually creative and innovative music videos.
MTV’s debut not only changed the music industry but also influenced pop culture, fashion, and television programming. It became a platform for artists like Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Duran Duran, who leveraged the network to achieve superstardom. Over the years, MTV expanded its programming to include reality shows, animated series, and various entertainment formats, further solidifying its place in media history.
Around 1985, after being acquired by Viacom, MTV started shifting toward broader content but the real turning point came in 1992 with the debut of The Real World, MTV’s first major reality show, which marked a significant move away from pure music programming and for many of us who still remember the 90s, these were the last good years of the channel. The reason we tuned in, was to enjoy the music, the videos, the carefree entertainment. It’s a bygone era and one that I personally feel rather nostalgic about.
For all my music trivia fans here, these are the first 10 songs MTV played on air:
Oggs' Earth 
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