# The First Two Hours of MTV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [May 30, 2023, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759 "2023-05-30T02:31:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/41 "2023-05-31T02:35:18Z")
My college girlfriend and I used to watch her with the sound off, to accentuate the head tics that she kept doing. It was one of those things the more you saw it, the funnier it got. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/42 "2023-05-31T03:49:02Z")
Music videos are still made by virtually all major pop stars. They’re just on YouTube now instead of cable tv. ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/43 "2023-05-31T04:24:54Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > The four living VJs all work for Sirius/XM now, so I still get to hear them to this day. Ironically, the music they introduced on MTV back then probably sounded better coming though your 1970s-80s era mono television set than the for-shit bitrate Siriusxm’s satellites use to stream today. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/44 "2023-05-31T16:00:39Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Music videos are still made by virtually all major pop stars. They’re just on YouTube now instead of cable tv. They’re made, but there is usually so little effort put into them it’s not worth it. The last time I saw a good music video was _This is America_ by Childish Gambino. They are rarely so inspired these days. I like the ones by _Ok Go_ too. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/45 "2023-05-31T16:03:27Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > They’re made, but there is usually so little effort put into them it’s not worth it. The last time I saw a good music video was _This is America_ by Childish Gambino. They are rarely so inspired these days. I like the ones by _Ok Go_ too. I can remember their videos, but I’ll be damned if I can remember a single Ok Go song. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/46 "2023-05-31T16:09:16Z")
Their music is pretty mediocre and forgettable. Though I do like the song “The One Moment,” but I mostly like it for the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/47 "2023-05-31T16:42:19Z")
Hey, there are a lot of good videos still being made. Most of them aren’t the level of “This is America”, but most of them don’t have a major label providing the promotional money. Besides, they’re music videos. They’re over in about 5 minutes, so they don’t have to be _that_ earth breaking. Two of my favorites from the last year or so: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YMNZuZe2OCY/maxresdefault.jpg "Panda Bear & Sonic Boom - Edge Of The Edge (Official Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMNZuZe2OCY) This one has particularly good use of a video synthesizer. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-4JPQMF4rXs/hqdefault.jpg "Sonic Boom - "I Feel A Change Coming On" (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4JPQMF4rXs) ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/48 "2023-05-31T16:50:13Z")
Providence, RI here - just barely remember marijuana-crazed channel surfing into ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ which I’ve always understood to be the first piece ever played on MTV. If I’m wrong, I’m not sure I want to know it - it seems too perfect. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/49 "2023-05-31T16:59:40Z")
I disagree. A lot of videos I see nowadays are immense productions. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/50 "2023-05-31T17:03:46Z")
I’d love to see your best suggestions. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/51 "2023-05-31T17:39:09Z")
Many of the really elaborate videos these days are from Asia. Here’s the Korean group [Blackpink.](https://youtu.be/2S24-y0Ij3Y) Here’s the Japanese group [Perfume.](https://youtu.be/cGlFxkWgI84) And another Korean group [Twice.](https://youtu.be/V2hlQkVJZhE) ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/52 "2023-05-31T17:48:58Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Many of the really elaborate videos these days are from Asia. K-pop has a lot of great videos. The music industry there is very much big production and big promos. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/53 "2023-05-31T18:32:30Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > I remember watching music videos as fillers between movies on HBO before MTV. Including the aforementioned _Fish Heads_ which should be wished into the cornfield of earworms. I see what you did there… ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/54 "2023-05-31T19:01:55Z")
I was going to make fun of the crap music, but after The Who they get Chrissie Hynde and Todd Rundgren in the first half hour. Not too shabby! In 81, I was a college junior, as into music as I ever have been in my life. Likely in the first of several quite mediocre bands. MTV was a VERY big deal at the time. The Thriller video was a must watch event. I never saw the appeal of Shoes, other than them being somewhat local and the low tech recording. In that vein, I far preferred The dBs, Squeeze… But I was falling pretty hard for the harsher sound of The Clash, Elvis, Graham Parker, Pretenders, Ramones… ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/55 "2023-05-31T19:36:07Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > MTV was a VERY big deal at the time. The Thriller video was a must watch event. And it was always number one in subsequent countdowns of best music videos, years later, when I was watching it. I’d also rank _Like a Prayer_ and _Freedom '90_ as personal favorites. But those came later. It’s been a while since I’ve felt young. 🕶 ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/56 "2023-05-31T20:09:56Z")
I think many of us remember the really good videos (Thriller) and the really bad videos (Rock Me Tonight), but we tend to forget the average videos. They’re still making videos today, but most of them are average and easily forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/57 "2023-05-31T20:16:59Z")
> [@Odesio](#): > > I think many of us remember the really good videos (Thriller) and the really bad videos (Rock Me Tonight), but we tend to forget the average videos. They’re still making videos today, but most of them are average and easily forgotten . Might be good fodder for another thread, but: When “Thriller”'s video was just mentioned, along with the video countdown shows … it made me wonder what were other well-esteemed videos? The ones that consistently made the Top 10s of those all-time countdown shows? (_I mean … MTV had “ **all-time** video countdown!” programs by at least 1985, if not earlier. The medium wasn’t even a decade old, and the channel was barely four!_) So … anyway, what other videos does the house recall often coming in high on these countdowns? “Thriller” almost always was #1, but they seemed to sometimes drop it down to #2 to keep it interesting. I recall The Cars “You Might Think” being a consistent Top 5 selection. When Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” came out in 1986, it was considered something of a watershed in the medium – in fact, I think “Sledgehammer” was the go-to #1 when they wanted to drop “Thriller” down to #2. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/58 "2023-05-31T22:00:02Z")
Take On Me. Don’t Come Around Here No More. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/59 "2023-05-31T22:06:57Z")
Of course, “Take On Me”. Firmly planted in the Top 3 or 4 of most countdowns. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2023, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759/60 "2023-05-31T22:16:00Z")
The one that crosses my mind most frequently is [Men Without Hats - The Safety Dance.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM4okRvCg2g) No idea why, but that sucker burnt itself into my brain somehow… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-first-two-hours-of-mtv/984759.md?page=4)