MTV Launches: Music Television Revolutionizes Culture
MTV launched at 12:01 a.m. on August 1, 1981, with the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll" spoken by John Lack over footage of the Space Shuttle Columbia launch. The first music video aired was The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star," a deliberate irony. MTV was initially available in only a handful of cable markets, primarily in New Jersey suburbs, because Manhattan cable systems hadn't signed on yet. Record labels were skeptical and provided videos for free, not realizing they were handing over their primary marketing tool. Within two years, MTV had transformed the music industry: photogenic British acts like Duran Duran and Culture Club dominated American charts because they had polished videos while American rockers had none.
August 1, 1981
45 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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