MTV has been on for 25 years now... who remembers when it first started?

Question

MTV started when I was a kid. I remember how cool it was and they played videos at least 75% the time. What do you remember about MTV when it first came out? What was your favorite video from the 80's? Please share your favorite MTV memory.

Answer 1

oh, god, what DON'T I remember? The 80's...now THAT was when music was music.


Shot through the heart, and you're to blame baby, you give love A BAD NAME

Madonna only knew how to dance lying down on the floor (Well, come to think of it, that hasn't changed much, now has it?)

Tone Loc- WILD THANG

Beastie Boys-No...sleep....til brooklyn

Randy, the guy with the big hair that every girl in my school creamed over

Downtown Julie Brown


Poison


OH MICKEY YOU'RE SO FINE, YOU'RE SO FINE YOU BLOW MY MIND HEY MICKEY...HEY MICKEY!!!!


Dude, you just made my night by asking that question. Thanks and God bless

Answer 2

I was just starting college when MTV came out - I tuned in not long - about a month after it started broadcasting -
I remember watching Pat Benatar singing "Hit Me with your Best Shot" - the second video ever shown and thinking how hot she was - but I thought the VJs (what a lame term) were strange.
We used to tune in to MTV to watch the videos and listen to songs (artists would put out videos before their singles hit the radio)
Favorite memories - Bruce Springstein dancing with Courtney Cox in the Dancing in the Dark
Ray Davies doing some terrific acting in The Kinks "Come Dancing" Video
Watching Little Stephen and several stars in the "Sun City" video - (My favorite all-star video)
Wondering what the hell Dan Akroyd was doing in "We are the World" (and why they let Kim Carnes only sing 2 words???)

BTW - there was also a great show on NBC on Friday nights called Friday Night Videos - that was a lot of fun, and you had to make choices for what was the top video - "Foolin" by Def Leopard or "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top

And the biggest mystery of all - How the Hell did Paulie Shore become a star????

Sigh - MTV is all terrible reality shows now - has nothing to do about music -

Answer 3

MTV started when I was just starting high school--it was great !
My favorite part was Head Bangers Ball--I was religious about that show ! I actually used to make dinner for the memebers of Cinderella before they went big time (they played at a bar near the Denny's I worked at in NJ)
I used to record the videos that were on--had a great library too
Sadly, MTV should be called RTV (Reality TV) now--so I no longer have respect or watch the channel.

Answer 4

I do. Back then they actually showed Music Videos and had the likes of Mick Jagger saying "I want my MTV!"

The best videos were by the Talking Heads and the Cars and Duran, Druan.

Remember Hungry Like The Wolf!

That was an expensive 35mm video!

Even Angelyne had a video out, remember "I always keep a list of all the boys I kiss."

A friend of my, Jeffrey Spry, has a video out with his band Felony for the "Fanantic."

Back then any garage band with a video could get on MTV!

When everything else on cable, HBO, Showtime, WGN, WOR was boring, you turned on MTV and watched videos all night.

Remember the premier of Michael Jackson's Thriller!?

Remember Beat It!

Answer 5

I was 10 when MTV started and everyone was so excited. We used to have to record Friday night videos (on our VCR that had the huge dials on it.....lmao) that came on about 2 in the morning if we wanted to see music videos before that. My family however lived on a dirt road that had no cable! We got 3 channels, sometimes 4. I only got to watch it at my friend's houses in town. My favorite video was "Take On Me" by A-ha. It was cool the way part of it was animated and part was live-action. For the times that was something!

Answer 6

OK now I am gonna show my age but OH well........The very first video I remember on MTV was Ratt. I don't remember the song, but that was the name of the band. You are absolutely right, MTV stands for MUSIC TELEVISION and when iit first came out that is ALL it was. Not these reality shows that have NOTHING to do with music.. I also remember Quiet Riot...I think the song was "*** On Feel The Noize". WOW..thanks for the trip down memory lane.........

Answer 7

I remember wanting my MTV and writing my cable company to get it added.

I remember clearing all the furniture out of the middle of the living room so my best friend and I could try to learn all the dance moves of our favorite video at 2am.

I remember when MTV actually PLAYED music videos.

I remember "Remote Control" and how badly I wanted to be on that show.

I remember being in awe of a-ha's "Take On Me" and the cool computer animation in Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing".

I remember wanting a hat just like Simon's in "Hungry Like the Wolf" for Christmas. (I still have it.)

I remember when they played the 15 minute version of "Thriller", every hour, on the hour.

Ah, those were the days.

Answer 8

Yes, I do remember that too... Not sure if that is a cool thing or just makes me old... LOL

Duran Duran riding on a yacht, U2 riding on white horses in the snow, dead people dancing with Michael Jackson, Thomas Dolby in a science lab, Van Halen dancing in a classroom (and David Lee Roth's HIGH kicks)...

Geeze, the memories!

Answer 9

Yeah, I remember when MTV actually played music. Now, I'm not really sure what they have as programming....only that I have no interest in watching it.

Answer 10

1981 Michael Jackson Thriller