Well, I hate them because they’re across the street from my office, so there’s always a gaggle of teenagers from Scarsdale hanging around the streetcorners, staring up at the 2nd floor studio and shouting when I’m trying to get home at 5. (But I imagine that’s not anyone else’s reason.)
But the stuff they put on TV these days (except 120 Minutes, which I tape and watch the videos I like) is not to my taste anymore either. (Boring digression on how '80s popular music was much better than '90s excised, because I don’t actually believe it.)
I wouldn’t mind so much if they just showed a lot of videos I don’t like; they did that in the '80s (Michael Jackson vs. Kid Rock: discuss?). It’s that they’re not the station they set out to be – they turned into a lame teen-oriented collection of “reality” shows. And if you’re not a teen who wants to be in showbiz (and, since you don’t need talent or looks anymore, who doesn’t?), what’s the point of that?
…but when you get blue, and you’ve lost all your dreams, there’s nothing like a campfire and a can of beans!
What I dislike about MTV and VH1 is the hypocrisy: they are ostensibly for music video, but they hardly play music videos any more. The cable company provides these two “music video” channels, taking up the space a channel which actually plays music videos could be.
Someone above mentioed M2. Is this yet another MTV channel? “This time we promise we’ll play music videos. We know we said that with MTV, but there’s all this other crap we can put on the air. And sure, we said VH1 would play the music that MTV didn’t, but there’s all this different crap that we can play there. But we’ll be good this time. Really. We wouldn’t lie to you a third time…”
Sake Samurai pretty much hit the nail on the head. 120 Minutes is still good, though, if you’re up late enough and home in order to catch it.
But BurnMeUp is right, M2, the spinoff channel, is great. It’s all music videos, all the time (with too much annoying self-promotion in between, but I’m willing to forgive if I can occasionally catch a Soul Coughing or old G&R video). They play lots of old and/or obscure stuff, too, very little of the trendy crap, which multiplies its coolness factor. I don’t get the channel at home, but I have it at AU in my dorm, and it’s basically a constant background in my room.
I’ve been out of the target demographics for longer than my age/income states. I hate MTV because it panders to stupidity. Real World is really irritating. I think to make that show really interesting, but a bunch of newly weds in the camper with their inlaws and lock the doors for 600 miles in the desert with no heat.
Thank God we 1) have the ability to remove this crap from our channel selector and 2) got rid of cable.
I am part of their demographic (14), and I must say that channel sucks. Did it rapidly turn into “no videos, all the time”? Even I remember when they played videos aside from 2:30 AM. That damn “Real World” is so annoying. I can’t remember the last time I saw a video the whole way through. “TRL” is the biggest example of the network running and ruining the music industry. They tell us what the best artists are and if they don’t think we beleive them, they’ll have the artist come in and tell us themself. Pop pop pop. That’s all they show is pop. Yes, KoRn and Limp Bizkit are pop too, thanks to Mtv. Thanks for telling us what we like Mtv. I have to say those “Behind the Music” shows on Vh1 are addicting. I’ve turned to getting my video fix on “Muchmusic” Anyone else watch it? It’s like a canadian Mtv, except it shows videos. It’s not too bad.
I met one of the VJs…he was cool. I went to the building in toronto, went right in and said hey! I am from New Brunswick…can I meet someone…? and I did.
They have MuchMoreMusic now too…kinda like a grown up version of muchMusic. More classic stuff, less dance, virtually no cRAP, its great.
Whoever mentioned Duran Duran above…they were so awesome. Videos peaked right there.( OK, I am a big 80’s fan!)
Sounds to me like there’s room for a really good music channel on cable. With shows for the “classics (rock)” and others for the newer stuff. Maybe even something on Saturdays for the kiddies (teens). Some radio stations play a pretty good mix, why not cable? Doesn’t have to be all videos, taped concerts can be cool. There is some good stuff on PBS. Antbody ever see the Beck concert?
Odelay!
Peace,
mangeorge
Work like you don’t need the money…
Love like you’ve never been hurt…
Dance like nobody’s watching! …(Paraphrased)
I was a huge Duran Duran fan, too and am still an 80s fan–much to the dismay of my fiance.
I long for the days of early 80s MTV. I was incenced when Martha Quinn was fired and replaced with that annoying animatron, Julie Brown. I would rather chew on broken glass than ever hear her voice again.
MuchMusic is great, too. Unfortunately, my cable system doesn’t carry it, but what little I did see, I liked. A few months ago, I saw an hour-long special on the Barenaked Ladies (one of my favorites) and thought, “MTV would NEVER play this!” No, instead, they spend way too much time showing that nasally Brittney Spears. I’m sure if she were to blow her nose, MTV news would cover it.
