MTV, originally an initialism of Music Television, is an American cable television channel based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs. Today, MTV primarily broadcasts a variety of reality and scripted television programs targeted at adolescents and young adults.
MTV's influence on its audience, including issues related to censorship and social activism, has been a subject of debate for years.
+ On August 1, 1981, at 12:01 a.m., MTV launched with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll," spoken by John Lack, and played over footage of the first Space Shuttle launch countdown of Columbia, which took place earlier that year, and of the launch of Apollo 11.
+ The first music video shown on MTV was The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star", and the second music video shown was Pat Benatar's "You Better Run".
+ The original purpose of MTV was to be "Music Television", playing music videos 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, guided by on-air personalities known as VJs. The original taglines of the channel were "You'll
never look at music the same way again," and "On cable. In stereo."
Although the original MTV channel no longer plays music videos 24/7,
several of its spin-off channels do so, including MTV Hits and MTV Jams. In addition, viewers can play music videos on-demand at MTV.com. MTV continues to support a broad selection of music videos on its international channels as well.
+ MTV provided a lot of artists with huge success however, some artists held negative opinion against the channel. In 1983, Rolling Stone's Steven Levy wrote, "MTV's greatest achievement has been to coax rock & roll into the video arena where you can't distinguish between entertainment and the sales pitch" and the Dead Kennedys released a song in 1985 titled "MTV, Get Off The Air".
+ In 1984, the channel produced its first MTV Video Music Awards show, or VMAs. The first award show, in 1984, was punctuated by a live performance by Madonna of "Like A Virgin". The statuettes that are handed out at the Video Music Awards are of the MTV moonman, the channel's original image from its first broadcast in 1981. Presently, the Video Music Awards are MTV's most watched annual event.
+ By 1997, MTV focused heavily on introducing electronica acts into the mainstream, adding them to its musical rotation including The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Moby, Aphex Twin, Daft Punk, The Crystal Method, and Fatboy Slim. However, in late 1997, MTV began shifting more progressively towards pop music, inspired by the success of the Spice Girls and the rise of boy bands in Europe. Between 1998 and 1999, MTV's musical content consisted heavily of videos of boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync as well as teen pop "princesses" such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson. Airplay of rock, electronica, and alternative acts was reduced. Hip-hop music continued in heavy rotation, through the likes of Puff Daddy, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, Eminem, Ja Rule and their associates. R&B was also heavily represented with acts such as Destiny's Child.
+ As MTV now has its equally as popular sister channels, the main channel doesn't show as many Music Video at present, and infact has its own Television Shows, these mainly being Reality Shows such as 'The Osbournes', 'Punk'd', 'Pimp My Ride' and more recently 'Jersey Shore'.
+ MTV provided a lot of artists with huge success however, some artists held negative opinion against the channel. In 1983, Rolling Stone's Steven Levy wrote, "MTV's greatest achievement has been to coax rock & roll into the video arena where you can't distinguish between entertainment and the sales pitch" and the Dead Kennedys released a song in 1985 titled "MTV, Get Off The Air".
+ In 1984, the channel produced its first MTV Video Music Awards show, or VMAs. The first award show, in 1984, was punctuated by a live performance by Madonna of "Like A Virgin". The statuettes that are handed out at the Video Music Awards are of the MTV moonman, the channel's original image from its first broadcast in 1981. Presently, the Video Music Awards are MTV's most watched annual event.
+ By 1997, MTV focused heavily on introducing electronica acts into the mainstream, adding them to its musical rotation including The Prodigy, The Chemical Brothers, Moby, Aphex Twin, Daft Punk, The Crystal Method, and Fatboy Slim. However, in late 1997, MTV began shifting more progressively towards pop music, inspired by the success of the Spice Girls and the rise of boy bands in Europe. Between 1998 and 1999, MTV's musical content consisted heavily of videos of boy bands such as Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync as well as teen pop "princesses" such as Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Jessica Simpson. Airplay of rock, electronica, and alternative acts was reduced. Hip-hop music continued in heavy rotation, through the likes of Puff Daddy, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Missy Elliott, Eminem, Ja Rule and their associates. R&B was also heavily represented with acts such as Destiny's Child.
+ As MTV now has its equally as popular sister channels, the main channel doesn't show as many Music Video at present, and infact has its own Television Shows, these mainly being Reality Shows such as 'The Osbournes', 'Punk'd', 'Pimp My Ride' and more recently 'Jersey Shore'.
The Launch of MTV from August 1st, 1981 at 12:01am.
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