Fun Photos To Remember The Golden Days Of MTV
Music videos are rare today, and most of them don't take too many risks. However, music videos weren't a thing at all until MTV arrived.
Music Television combined everyone's two true passions at the time to give people a completely different experience on the small screen. Some of the most iconic music videos debuted on MTV, and it was an international event like no other. Every MTV show came with a unique identity that merged with the network's aesthetic of craziness.
MTV changed the game and opened the doors to all kinds of artistic pursuits, from mind-blowing music videos with 3D animations to iconic skits that became TV shows and sometimes even movies. MTV was the place for young people to enjoy music like never before, while their parents told them their brains were rotting from too much TV.
Those were the times, and this is what they looked like.
MTV on the moon
This was probably the first thing you saw about MTV, and it was already something else.
MTV - Music Television
MTV was the start of something completely new, described as “the first major telecommunications ever to merge the power of stereophonic sound with the visual impact of television.”
Michael Jackson's Thriller
The video for Michael Jackson's Thriller debuted on MTV. That's how big MTV was.
MTV in 1981
This was probably what your TV looked like in 1981, when MTV debuted. And you'd see the craziest videos of your life on that screen.
Supercable
A sign of the times. If it's on Supercable, it must be good. Super, even.
Daria
A lot of characters and TV Shows started as MTV skits to then acquire international fame as generational icons.
Celebrity Deathmatch
Celebrity Deathmatch was so good that nobody ever tried to replicate its formula. And nobody had the time and money to do it either.
Video Killed the Radio Star
MTV was a vibe, an aesthetic, a mood, a lifestyle. MTV was everything in the 80s.
MTV Music Awards Hosts
Dan Aykroyd and Bette Midler hosted the first-ever MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, summarizing what the 80s were about.
MTV Music Awards at its finest
Crossovers like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Madonna were an everyday thing if you were watching MTV.
MTV Music Awards
The award itself was a really nice thing to have on your shelf, from the time when awards looked cool.
Dire Straits' Money for Nothing
Your mind was often blown by never-before-seen videos that pushed the boundaries of what was possible at the time.
The Head
If you stayed up late, you'd see some really groundbreaking and bizarre stuff you'd never forget.
Singled Out
Many argue that the decline of MTV began with the rise of its reality shows. And while they might be right, they were also pretty revolutionary for the times.
The Real World
MTV's first reality show spanned many seasons, and it's also considered the first reality show ever. Today, is one of the longest-running programs in MTV history, and one of the longest-running reality series in history.
MTV Unplugged
The most iconic bands of the 90s were given the chance to perform in a different environment, sometimes giving one of the best shows of their career.
VJs
These are the faces of the people who would show you the most bizarre music videos ever.
The Logo
The MTV logo was iconic and versatile, allowing tons of artists to create special promos interacting with it in many different colors.
What Happened
The MTV logo was so versatile that many people would use it to parody the brand and its decline through the 90s and 2000s.
The Year In Rock
Before YouTube Rewind, 80s kids had this one-hour special with all their favorite videos.
Remote Control
Remote Control was MTV's first game show, and it didn't just include trivia questions about music, movies, and TV, but also skits, animations, and bizarre segments that made the show truly special.
The Osbournes
So many memes came out of MTV's shows even before they were called memes.
MTV Movie Awards
After years of the MTV Video Music Awards, they expanded to movies. It was probably an excuse to hang out with movie stars, and it paid off. Big time.
Kiss Unmasked
Rare footage of Kiss with no make-up. Something that you could only see on MTV at the time.
