Monday, August 1, 2011

MTV Turns 30


Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll...

On August 1, 1981, MTV was born and it was the beginning of music television. The network launched by showing the actual launch countdown of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the launch of Apollo 11. It then played its very first music video "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Bugles. The second music video was Pat Benatar's "You Better Run."

Granted now MTV has devolved into various reality shows about crass over-tanned Italians and spoiled pregnant teenagers and maybe an occasional music-related program. Yes, it's a far cry from the show's original concept of providing music videos for the masses 24/7, but what it's never lost is its connection to youth culture for better or worse.

In honor of the network's 30th Anniversary, watch the first ten minutes of its first ever broadcast below:



Do you watch MTV now or did so in the past? Do you have a favorite program or memory? Were you a fan of Daria or Beavis & Butthead? Did you rush home to catch TRL? How many seasons of Real World have you seen? Who was your favorite VJ?

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