What was the first music video on MTV?
The first music video shown on MTV was Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles, aired just after midnight on August 1, 1981, when the channel launched.
MTV, short for Music Television, began broadcasting in the United States with the words Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll, followed by footage of the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Choosing a song called Video Killed the Radio Star was a playful statement about the new era.
At first MTV played mostly rock music videos, presented by hosts called VJs, or video jockeys. Artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna and Duran Duran soon became stars partly through their striking videos.
MTV's influence
MTV made music videos a key part of promoting songs and helped shape fashion and youth culture in the 1980s and 1990s. Over time, the channel shifted toward reality shows, and video sites like YouTube became the main place to watch music videos.
Music videos existed before MTV. Short music films were made as early as the 1920s, and bands like the Beatles and Queen made promotional clips in the 1960s and 1970s, including Queen's famous Bohemian Rhapsody video in 1975.
Did You Know?
The second video MTV played was You Better Run by Pat Benatar.