Before the advent of YouTube, MTV was one of the mainstays of the entertainment industry when it came to watching video clips.
First airing on the 1st of August 1981, Music Television (MTV for short), debuted as a cable channel with one main purpose: to air music videos for its viewers. Since launching, MTV has evolved into its own empire, gaining the attention of various stars and artists. It has managed to gain ground in both television and music markets, influencing the culture of entire generations.
The first MTV broadcast kicked off with footage of the space shuttle Columbia during its first launch countdown, with the words “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll” uttered over the video. These words are now immortalized in history, marking the launch of a very successful channel.
Apart from the unforgettable first broadcast, the first music video aired on the channel was also quite fascinating. Video Killed the Radio Star, a song by the British rock band The Buggles, was first to grace the screen.
Martha Quinn, one of five of the channel’s original video jockeys (or VJs), recalls the night the channel launched. She said it was a very emotional event and they were all crying. She even compared it to the birth of a child. Quinn served as one of the VJs who contributed to the non-stop broadcasts during the channel’s first year.
Along with MTV’s memorable firsts, the channel seemed intent on making an impact on its audience, launching with the tagline “You’ll never look at music the same way again.” MTV certainly delivered on this promise.
The channel was indeed true to their word, quickly delivering on their tagline. Within months after the channel launched, American record stores began stocking albums that were promoted on MTV, rather than those on local radio stations. The channel’s fame as a platform for discovering new artists also gave way to the second British Invasion. These new musical acts from overseas managed to make waves with the US audience.
MTV has truly made history with its 24/7 dedication to music videos, defining its very own generation of music aficionados.