this channel launched with the words
ladies and gentlemen rock and roll
ladies and gentlemen rock and roll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
taking a look at the history of MTV I
want my MTV music television or MTV
first hit the airwaves on August 1st
1981 and quickly air the Buggles clip
video killed the radio star
followed by the pat benatar tune you
better run originally MTV’s programming
was centered on music videos to help
artists gain exposure and these videos
were introduced by young on-air
personalities known as video jockeys or
V J’s since its debut MTV has helped
television audiences connect with music
on a new level early on MTV concentrated
on rock music and played classic artists
such as the police and journey
many 80s rock acts also found thing
through the channel like the arrhythmia
and Van Halen the channels focus on rock
left many black artists out of regular
rotation the color barrier was finally
broken in 1983 when MTV played the
Michael Jackson video Billie Jean
Jesus
this not only increased Jackson’s
worldwide recognition but also paved the
way for more coverage of other black
artists the next year the channel
debuted the MTV Video Music Awards as an
alternative to the more formal Grammys
and the winner is Michael Jackson the
Thrilla an awards ceremony is dedicated
to film called the MTV Movie Awards
premiered eight years later as MTV’s
popularity grew the network branched out
by creating music themed shows such as
the alternative rock based 120 minutes
the heavy-metal focused headbangers ball
and the hip hop devoted yo MTV raps MTV
began covering major international
concerts with 1985’s
Live Aid throughout the years the
channel has also broadcast live
performances from global gigs such as
live 8 and Live Earth the Live series
MTV Unplugged debuted in 1989 and became
a popular outlet for acoustic
performances
music friend
thank you bet this shoe
in the early 1990s the network helped
popularize reality television with shows
like the real world
MTV’s ever-evolving format also came to
include more adult-oriented animated
programs Aeon Flux Daria and beavis and
butthead all became well known it was
also during this period that musicians
became more focused on their videos and
as a result they became more artistic
and polished in fact a number of famous
directors got their start in the
industry
directing videos in the 90s MTV then
began to embrace a variety of musical
acts
these included successful rock R&B and
pop acts like Metallica boys two men
New Kids on the Block and Madonna they
also started playing more hip hop like
LL Cool J don’t call it a comeback and
less mainstream rappers like Snoop Doggy
Dogg and Tupac then came Nirvana to lead
the rise of alternative rock
the success of their smells like teen
spirit video allowed for heavier
rotation of other grunge and all trock
bands like Rage Against the Machine and
Nine Inch Nails MTV also started airing
game shows and talk shows such as
singled out and the Jon Stewart Show
around this time by 1997 MTV began
incorporating more electronica into its
programming and showcased artists like
The Prodigy and Daft Punk electronic
influences were soon seen in the music
of recognizable acts like David Bowie
Radiohead and u2 however by the end of
that year pop took over the airwaves
with the Spice Girls Backstreet Boys and
Britney Spears becoming staples hip hop
and R&B acts like Puff Daddy Eminem and
Destiny’s Child also started making the
rounds on MTV in response to criticism
that it was not playing enough music
videos MTV came up with several music
video based shows the most popular of
these was the countdown show Total
Request Live thanks to host Carson Daly
however the network continued to
schedule non music related programming
including comedy shows and soap operas
such as the Tom Green show jackass and
undressed the next decade saw the
reduction of music video airplay and the
rise of reality shows some of the most
successful celebrity based ones were the
Osborne’s Punk’d newlyweds Nick and
Jessica and a shot at love with Tila
Tequila other reality shows turned cast
members into stars and these included
the Laguna Beach the real Orange County
and the hills in 2009 MTV had a surprise
hit with a controversial but extremely
popular show Jersey Shore he’s like all
these girls are come home we’re awesome
like alright that’s cool whatever today
MTV votes networks in over 30 languages
in over 160 countries the network has
stayed relevant by continually adapting
throughout its existence and has
succeeded in becoming an undeniable
influence not only in music but in
popular culture as well
ladies and gentlemen rock and roll
ladies and gentlemen rock and roll
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
taking a look at the history of MTV I
want my MTV music television or MTV
first hit the airwaves on August 1st
1981 and quickly air the Buggles clip
video killed the radio star
followed by the pat benatar tune you
better run originally MTV’s programming
was centered on music videos to help
artists gain exposure and these videos
were introduced by young on-air
personalities known as video jockeys or
V J’s since its debut MTV has helped
television audiences connect with music
on a new level early on MTV concentrated
on rock music and played classic artists
such as the police and journey
many 80s rock acts also found thing
through the channel like the arrhythmia
and Van Halen the channels focus on rock
left many black artists out of regular
rotation the color barrier was finally
broken in 1983 when MTV played the
Michael Jackson video Billie Jean
Jesus
this not only increased Jackson’s
worldwide recognition but also paved the
way for more coverage of other black
artists the next year the channel
debuted the MTV Video Music Awards as an
alternative to the more formal Grammys
and the winner is Michael Jackson the
Thrilla an awards ceremony is dedicated
to film called the MTV Movie Awards
premiered eight years later as MTV’s
popularity grew the network branched out
by creating music themed shows such as
the alternative rock based 120 minutes
the heavy-metal focused headbangers ball
and the hip hop devoted yo MTV raps MTV
began covering major international
concerts with 1985’s
Live Aid throughout the years the
channel has also broadcast live
performances from global gigs such as
live 8 and Live Earth the Live series
MTV Unplugged debuted in 1989 and became
a popular outlet for acoustic
performances
music friend
thank you bet this shoe
in the early 1990s the network helped
popularize reality television with shows
like the real world
MTV’s ever-evolving format also came to
include more adult-oriented animated
programs Aeon Flux Daria and beavis and
butthead all became well known it was
also during this period that musicians
became more focused on their videos and
as a result they became more artistic
and polished in fact a number of famous
directors got their start in the
industry
directing videos in the 90s MTV then
began to embrace a variety of musical
acts
these included successful rock R&B and
pop acts like Metallica boys two men
New Kids on the Block and Madonna they
also started playing more hip hop like
LL Cool J don’t call it a comeback and
less mainstream rappers like Snoop Doggy
Dogg and Tupac then came Nirvana to lead
the rise of alternative rock
the success of their smells like teen
spirit video allowed for heavier
rotation of other grunge and all trock
bands like Rage Against the Machine and
Nine Inch Nails MTV also started airing
game shows and talk shows such as
singled out and the Jon Stewart Show
around this time by 1997 MTV began
incorporating more electronica into its
programming and showcased artists like
The Prodigy and Daft Punk electronic
influences were soon seen in the music
of recognizable acts like David Bowie
Radiohead and u2 however by the end of
that year pop took over the airwaves
with the Spice Girls Backstreet Boys and
Britney Spears becoming staples hip hop
and R&B acts like Puff Daddy Eminem and
Destiny’s Child also started making the
rounds on MTV in response to criticism
that it was not playing enough music
videos MTV came up with several music
video based shows the most popular of
these was the countdown show Total
Request Live thanks to host Carson Daly
however the network continued to
schedule non music related programming
including comedy shows and soap operas
such as the Tom Green show jackass and
undressed the next decade saw the
reduction of music video airplay and the
rise of reality shows some of the most
successful celebrity based ones were the
Osborne’s Punk’d newlyweds Nick and
Jessica and a shot at love with Tila
Tequila other reality shows turned cast
members into stars and these included
the Laguna Beach the real Orange County
and the hills in 2009 MTV had a surprise
hit with a controversial but extremely
popular show Jersey Shore he’s like all
these girls are come home we’re awesome
like alright that’s cool whatever today
MTV votes networks in over 30 languages
in over 160 countries the network has
stayed relevant by continually adapting
throughout its existence and has
succeeded in becoming an undeniable
influence not only in music but in
popular culture as well
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