Happy Birthday, MTV!
44th anniversary of a pivotal moment in music and television history
Today marks the 44th anniversary of a pivotal moment in music and television history. On August 1, 1981, at 12:01 a.m., MTV (Music Television) launched, forever altering the landscape of pop culture.
MTV’s 40 Electric Years #
From the first-ever iconic music video performed on MTV, ‘Video Killed the Radio Star,’ to today’s current MTV Rap segment that’s highlighting the biggest stars to date, this network has changed American culture.
Although it’s impossible to definitively list the celebrities, outlets, or even everyday fans who built this empire into what it is, a few names stand out. Iconic hip-hop songs that built a foundation for the genre include Beyonce’s ‘Formation,’ Missy Elliott’s ‘Get Your Freak On,” Rihanna‘s, ‘Shut Up and Drive,’ A Tribe Called Quest feat. Leaders of the New School’s ‘Scenario,’ the Notorious B.I.G.‘s ‘Hypnotize,’ Nicki Minaj‘s ‘Anaconda,’ and most recently, ‘Montero’ by Lil Nas X in his agenda to push the script of today’s music.
MTV’s Opening Days in 1981 #
The successful and worldwide network didn’t always have the fame it does now. When it launched on August 1, 1981, only 800,000 households streamed its opening hours. And, considering its late hour of launch, many of the viewers and subscribers could have been sleeping. But, as its opening sequence of a launching rocket predicted, the network would take off in ways that were beyond unexpected. The innovation of radio on TV found its home in the hearts of millions of subscribers, family rooms, and stores playing its 24-hour music loop. It changed the entire concept of pop music and the effect it could have beyond the concert stage and in your home.
Many remain clueless to this fact, but MTV was created by a group of creatives who had originated from the world of radio, not television. Although stories differ, the cast of revolutionaries worked together to launch MTV and bring a form of radio to a new form of TV. Robert Pittman, John Lack, and Michael Nesmith all primarily worked to pitch in the conceptual and financial energy and heavy effort needed to fulfill their dream.
The concept had been a popular one in the entertainment world, with people like rockstar Todd Rundgren who wanted to create a 24-hour music video channel complete with DJ hosts. But ultimately, in a twist of fate, Robert Pittman who had originally been opposed to the idea, formed MTV with John Lack.
The idea remained the same: a simple broadcast rotation of music videos during all hours of the day. It seemed difficult to maintain a constant, productive flow of music but with the core philosophy of radio at their disposal, Pittman and his crew knew how to fill time and make sure hit after hit was being played. They found the perfect balance of already popular songs, a few new ones, and an ad base that would keep them in business. If today is any indication, it was a success.
