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Writer's pictureMae Dandridge

The Influence of MTV

The 1980s were a time of recovery following nearly two decades of political, economic and social turmoil. To many people, the 1980s represented a clean slate, and a chance to enjoy little luxuries they were not able to appreciate or have previously. With the arrival of cable television in 1948 and video games in 1958, the once-booming music industry struggled to find its place in these new times. Record sales of genres such as pop and disco declined, and it was also believed that radio was a dying art. Trying to stay afloat during the unsure times, radios refused to take risks on new artists and new music and instead turned to generic-sounding “corporate cookie-cutter” bands. This meant there was a whole world of untapped music, waiting to change the world. MTV, Music Television, brought the resurgence of rock ‘n’ roll and pop music back in a new way. The creators sought to create a channel solely dedicated to the fairly new concept of “music videos” and music news. MTV revolutionized and elevated music by attaching another creative outlet to the fresh vocals they aired.


The 1980s came with a new wave of what was considered popular. Due to the declining profitability of music, industry professionals began researching the type of music and image that was successful, something that was practically unheard of in the music industry. This brought significant change to music groups, attempting to expand their influence by conforming to what was “popular.” The week leading up the premiere of MTV, Billboard’s Hot 100 List began looking a little different than it had previously. With performers such as Air Supply, Kenny Rodgers and The Foreigners on the top charts, popular music was already beginning to change. MTV was striving to find visually interesting and entertaining performers, and they began to find them on the top charts.

Music videos were not a new concept- but it certainly wasn’t a popular one. Shows such as American Bandstand and Soul Train had aired music videos before, but MTV wanted more. MTV wanted a new medium to express creativity and wanted a 24/7 channel featuring music videos and music news. During the pilot episode of MTV, multiple video jockeys (VJs) are recorded saying “you’ll never look at music the same ever again,” and they were right.

MTV was a completely new way to get to know the artists. Instead of seeing a small picture of a band on a record cover, or maybe seeing them in concert once in a while, you were able to see the band for the first time- see them dance, see them interact, and get a closer and more intimate look into the artists you love. Artists that had previously been denied from the radio now had a new, more receptive outlet to release their music- giving hundreds of artists opportunities they hadn’t been given before.


At first, many businesses and artists were blind to the impact that MTV was making on the music world. Some artists believed that their music should be interpreted by listeners themselves and that providing a music video was just “a crutch.” They also did not see the benefit of creating additional ways to consume their music and figured that it was a waste of time and money. Reality soon began to catch up with these companies and artists as the Billboard Hot 100 list slowly started to prove them wrong. The songs that aired at the beginning of MTV were selling more records than ever, including the first aired video “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. It was soon largely recognized as a promotional music tool which aided the success of many. Those who refused to adapt were left behind; artists and bands that did not make an effort to hop on the trend soon realized the missed opportunity and consequences of not doing so.

Due to the small number of music videos that had been produced previously, MTV had a hard time filling up the 24/7 time slot in the beginning. However, this gave bands with music videos already prepared a monumental advantage. Bands which already had videos, such as Dexys Midnight Runners (Come on Eileen), were met with great success. Another example of a band that was “made for MTV” was Men at Work. The band realized that looks, attitude, and humour mattered just as much as their songs. They wooed listeners with different, quirky videos- something most had never seen before. They captured the hearts of many with their songs “Down Under” and “Who Can it Be Now” both reaching the #1 spot on Billboard’s Hot 100. Their success also led to the band becoming the best-selling act of 1982, showcasing the show’s newfound power and influence. These successful bands weren’t necessarily the best, but they were a new type of performers, bringing a new type of media into music.


Many “different” and “alternative” bands were able to find success through MTV as well. For example, Duran Duran was visually interesting and had a type of style that previously been looked down upon. With their eyeliner and dark clothes, some people were “scared” of this type of performer. These self-proclaimed “freaks of music” not only created catchy, different sounding music but also redefined gender and sexuality in the process. Viewers who had previously felt “different” or misunderstood were able to relate to the band and see someone like them become successful. The eccentric style tied specifically to Duran Duran inspired new, different styles throughout pop culture.

While MTV was supposed to be a modern new outlet, many realized the lack of diversity. Rick James and David Bowie quickly launched campaigns pointing out the lack of African American artist representation. MTV’s explanation highlighted that they were a “rock ‘n’ roll” channel and not many African Americans had delved into that genre at the time. Nonetheless, this encouraged MTV to branch out and expand their music range. Michael Jackson soon became the first African American to be aired. Jackson was able to utilize his years of trained singing and choreography and create visually astonishing products. Instrumental to the world of music videos was Michael Jackson’s 1983 release of the music video “Thriller.” The 14-minute masterpiece was not only a video- but a story. Nothing of its kind had ever been made. The impact of the video was able to be seen immediately- catching the world by storm. Industry professionals stated that there were “music videos before Thriller, and music videos after Thriller,” implying it completely pivoted the music video scene and inspired greatness in thousands of videos to follow.

In addition to the absence of African Americans at the show’s start, many noticed that women in music were few and far between. Male artists dominated the charts and one artist had her heart set on changing that. Madonna was one of the first and one of the most influential video stars. Nile Rodgers, a highly recognized artist and producer, stated “There are better singers than her. There are better dancers than her. But Madonna- she’s a star.” Madonna was the ultimate performer, using her sexuality and her drive to change the world of female music. She was commonly overheard stating “I want to rule the world”, and quickly became a female icon for women all around the country.

MTV was able to introduce all kinds of role models through their revolutionary show. It demanded more of an artist than just a song- it required determination, heart, energy, style, choreography and so much more. Music was changed into a multi-media way of expression, opening the doors for many artists and viewers alike. It provided platforms for artists to inspire people, and more importantly, inspire change. In a world that had seen so much, people looked forward to seeing what the music world had to offer. MTV created a new type of media to capture the viewers’ attention and allow us to both hear and “see” music in a completely revolutionized way.







Works Cited

Macaluso, Scott. “How MTV Impacted Music.” Joe Bonamassa, 29 Sept. 2017, jbonamassa.com/mtv-impacted-music/.

“MTV Launches.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 13 Nov. 2009, www.history.com/this-day-in-history/mtv-launches.

Saeisenach. “The Lasting Impact of MTV.” Music of the United States, 10 May 2017, courses.gregoryweinstein.com/us-music/2017/05/10/the-lasting-impact-of-mtv/.

Fuchs, Ken, director. VH1 Presents the 80's. VH1, 2001, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1F2qwdriOI.





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