Historical Happenings in August 2025

gallopade
Jul 28
4 min read

Video Killed (or started..?) the Radio Star: The Launch of MTV & How It Impacted Generations To Come

Music is a part of our everyday lives. It’s playing in the background of stores while you’re shopping, it’s in your kid’s favorite cartoons, on the radio, and on TV. But, have you ever stopped to think, “What was truly the start of the commercial phenomenon of music in the 20th century?”

“Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll!”

MTV (Music Television) debuted its first music video at 12:01 EST on August 1, 1981, with those words and aired the video “Video Killed The Radio Star” by The Buggles. This song was chosen specifically for its irony, and what a wonderfully poetic choice it was! The song describes how new media technologies could shape the music industry, and its cutting-edge music video featured vintage TV sets exploding—visual effects that were ahead of their time—and a futuristic retro aesthetic that was able to capture this transformational moment in history.^[1]

In its early days, the MTV Radio Network had to work incredibly hard to break through, experiencing everything from limited video libraries to technical difficulties to makeshift production and repeated rotation of music, plus there was, of course, early resistance from the public. Initially, MTV was only available in about 2.1 million homes and was featured in smaller markets rather than major cities. Cable providers were hesitant, and record companies were skeptical. When MTV came out with Mick Jagger leading a campaign to urge fans to call their cable companies to broadcast MTV, everything changed.

Early Artists & Breakthrough Careers

After “Video Killed the Radio Star,” the videos that followed in MTV’s first broadcast day included:

“You Better Run” by Pat Benatar (first female artist on MTV)
“She Won’t Dance With Me” by Rod Stewart
“You Better You Bet” by The Who
“Little Suzi’s on the Up” by Ph.D
“We Don’t Talk Anymore” by Cliff Richard

MTV quickly demonstrated its power to launch careers and other artists who embraced the visual medium. This, along with the the changing times, quickly saw dramatic benefits, such as:

Duran Duran became international stars largely due to their exotic, fashion-forward videos.
Madonna’s quirky visual style helped her stand out in the crowded music landscape.
ZZ Top experienced a career resurgence with their iconic videos featuring trademark beards and hot rods.^[2]

A Video to the Future

When the mid-1980s rolled around, it was clear that MTV’s impact was not just on the music industry. Whether it was motion pictures, commercials, television, or music videos, the message that stood out was that looking good, or interesting, was just as important as sounding good. By 1985, MTV was purchased by Viacom, Inc., and the model changed from playlists that were freely made by the VJ’s (video jockeys) to custom-curated playlists organized by genre. This shift pushed MTV further into people’s lives, music, and pop culture.^[3]

Music: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow...

It’s clear that music has an enormous impact on our daily lives, and MTV played a major role in that aspect. MTV walked so that streaming services like YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Music could run! Pop culture and fashion did as well, with changes in clothing styles through the eras of different artists depending on who was popular at the time. Today’s artists are still following the same paths as their predecessors by creating interesting and thought-provoking music videos that create conversation and push boundaries. MTV truly changed the way we consume music, and it’s been pivotal in the evolution of the music/pop-culture scene since its debut all those years ago in 1981.^[4]

You’re gonna be a star, kid!

Here are some fun activities to do with your kids whether at home or in the classroom!

Camera Rolling:

Share some music videos from the ‘80s with your students and have them discuss the similarities and differences between those and the music videos today.

Another fun activity could be remaking an ’80s music video with your class by replicating the way it was done in the past! Some options of videos to show:

“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
“Take On Me” by A-ha
“Walking On Sunshine” by Katrina & The Waves
“You Make My Dreams” by Hall & Oates
“Footloose” by Kenny Loggins

Broken Record:

Have your students research a band or artist from the ‘80s that broke records or barriers for that time; were they the first Black performer on the radio? The first woman to have a major hit? The first band to reach No. 1?

Create a presentation talking about their life, their success, and how it impacted their music that followed later.

To discover more historical tidbits, lesson plan ideas, and free activities, follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Also, check out our other blogs for even more “Historical Happenings.”

Sources:

[1] Lemaire, Claude. “The MTV Phenomenon: Changing the Tune of the Music Industry”. PMA Magazine. August, 1, 2023. https://pmamagazine.org/the-mtv-phenomenon-changing-the-tune-of-the-music-industry/

[2] Price, Mark J. “Here’s the Complete List of MTV’s Fist 100 Videos Aired on Aug. 1, 1981”. Akron Beacon Journal. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/entertainment/2021/07/28/mtv-first-100-videos-aug-1-1981/8080884002/

[3] “MTV”. Britannica Money. July 1, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/money/MTV

[4] Davidson, Amy. “MTV’s Revolutionary Impact on the Entertainment Industry”. Beat. July, 2021. https://vocal.media/beat/mtv-s-revolutionary-impact-on-the-entertainment-industry