MTV Turns 35 today

[HardyGirl]

Man, in 1981, we were just getting cable for the first time, and I never even heard of MTV. When I went to live w/ my dad later that year, kids w/ cable couldn't stop talking about this new channel. My dad didn't have cable yet, and lived in an area that was hard to get good reception, so we had to settle for watching Video One w/ Richard Blade on one of the syndication stations after school. Later on, my older brother bought my dad a VCR for Christmas, and figured out how to jury rig some of the cable channels through it, one of which being MTV. We were all so excited! I do miss the old days of the original "VJs", video premieres, the Friday night countdown, and events like "We Are The World" and "Live Aid". Happy Birthday MTV!

http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2016/08/01/35-years-ago-mtv-debuted-and-video-killed-radio-star/87678898/

[Mikey]

I don't really consider what calls itself MTV today any relation to we knew of as MTV.

Instead of saying happy birthday I feel better saying RIP

[Spawn67]

Yea I agree with the R.I.P.
I can however say that I have nothing but good memories watching MTV as a kid and teen probably until 1993 I would say. I remember how excited I was when my parents first got cable in 1984 and that means I wouldn't have to watch friday night videos (remember that show?) anymore to catch a video. Watching headbangers ball was always a trip sitting through 2 hours of crap only to catch 1 or 2 good videos. I loved watching 120 minutes 87-89 before it became the "in" thing a couple years later with grunge becoming popular. Seeing these off the wall videos from so many bands that are even considered the top sellers of all time right down to some artsy basement band that time seems to have forgot. In my late teen years sitting around with friends partying watching Bevis and Butthead. Good times!
It seems music back than was HUGE compared to music nowdays. Ive often wondered if it was because of my young age back then or just technology itself.
But MTV died for me around 93 and even with all these vh1 classics and other retro shows nothing compares to watching these videos in there prime. I still do enjoy going on youtube to watch old videos though.

[Marvelmania]

Yep the first 15 years were pretty awesome but all down hill since then. I really loved it as a teen and basically grew up with it. Back in the early 90's they took it away from the cable systems here in favor for a pay-per-video channel. They held a rally concert headlining John Cougar Mellencamp and after about 6 months finally brought it back. Now they should hold a rally to take it away.

[megomania]

VH1 Classic is being rebranded as MTV Classic Running old shows

http://www.businessinsider.com/mtv-old-shows-on-new-channel-mtv-classic-2016-7

[Spawn67]

VH1 Classic is being rebranded as MTV Classic Running old shows

http://www.businessinsider.com/mtv-o...classic-2016-7

Wonder if they will show any episodes of Remote Control?

[Mikey]

^ Kari Wuhrer (pre boob job) was a doll

[WannabeMego]

Rip mtv

[Hector]

MTV still exists?

[TrekStar]

MTV Music television, is now considered Most Terrible Viewing.

[Earth 2 Chris]

When we finally got cable in 1984, MTV was still very new and exciting. I greatly enjoyed Remote Control (and was in love with Kari Wuher), but in many ways, it was the beginning of the end for MTV. The final nail in the coffin was The Real World, which beget the downfall of scripted TV, honestly.

Chris

[Spawn67]

Yea I've always thought that to about Remote Control. I remember how I thought it was odd back then to have a show like that on.
Does anyone remember when MTV showed episodes of The Monkees in the mid 80s reviving them in a way.
I remember when The Young Ones came on Sunday nights as well as The Beatles cartoon on Saturday mornings.

[Earth 2 Chris]

Does anyone remember when MTV showed episodes of The Monkees in the mid 80s reviving them in a way.

Definitely. Brian and Jason bring this up in the new Plaid Stallions episode on the Monkees. I was a Monkee fan as a young kid, and they came back around at just the right age for me.

Remote Control was the first show on MTV that wasn't directly music-related. Whenever a cable channel does that, you can now track how quickly they abandon their original mission statement.


Chris

[PNGwynne]

I have memories similar to many here about MTV. But I've also felt the sting of other cable stations who lost their way, like AMC, A&E, Bravo, even Animal Planet.

Maybe that's why TCM is such a daily treasure to me, it has maintained its format well.

[EmergencyIan]

^ Exactly, what Wayne said, all the way down to the TCM part.

- Ian