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Reply #30 posted 02/09/10 2:09pm

lowkey

Timmy84 said:

SoulAlive said:



Shalamar didn't make it onto MTV until the summer of 1983,with their New Wave-styled hit "Dead Giveaway".Around this time,MTV also started airing Donna Summer's "She Works Hard For The Money" video.This was months after Michael's videos for "Billie Jean" and "Beat It" were added to their playlist.


Well we know for sure Tina Turner was among the first to be on MTV. I think MTV played her version of "Ball of Confusion" a lot and they also played "Let's Stay Together" if briefly. It's funny that they give Whitney Houston credit for being the VERY first black female act on MTV but that's a lie too. You could say like Michael, she helped to bring attention to black female acts on MTV, then again they probably played Patti LaBelle's "New Attitude" before then.


i know for a fact 'she works hard for the money' was on there before whitney even came out
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Reply #31 posted 02/09/10 2:11pm

lastdecember

avatar

VinnyM27 said:

scriptgirl said:

A lot of people think it was MJ, but wasn’t it Shalamar? I also heard it was Musical Youth who was played first. And did people notice right from the get go that black artists weren’t featured?


I'm 90% sure it wasn't Michael Jackson and that is a myth that got mixed up since he was possibly the first black artist to be in heavy rotation (but the media is super lazy, so they'll never give us the straight answer and in fact created this myth)! Shalamar is a strong possibility but i wouldn't be surprised if it was Donna Summer (or at least that her videos were played before MJ, certainly).

Donna"s "The Wanderer" (the album with the video/single) came out in late 1980. It was the only video released from the set and the song was a top ten hit. If MTV was truly at a loss for videos early on (that was a claim and the reason why Rod Stewart got a ton of play, possibly with concert clips), that would be one that could have popped up in the first day or two, or least in the first week. Also, on top of that, "Donna Summer" (the album that precedded "Thriller" and was used as a template for that album as well as having a single that inspired MJ's "We Are the World") had two video singles (maybe three...did "The Woman In Me" have a video) before "Thriller".

And of course there is Prince. If MJ was the first, it would make more sense if it was for an "Off the Wall" single.


yeah it wasnt Michael Jackson, MJ was the first that "caught on" widely so the legend began, this is a legend to put next to the "Crystal Ball sold 250,000 copies"

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #32 posted 02/09/10 2:17pm

Timmy84

lowkey said:

Timmy84 said:



Well we know for sure Tina Turner was among the first to be on MTV. I think MTV played her version of "Ball of Confusion" a lot and they also played "Let's Stay Together" if briefly. It's funny that they give Whitney Houston credit for being the VERY first black female act on MTV but that's a lie too. You could say like Michael, she helped to bring attention to black female acts on MTV, then again they probably played Patti LaBelle's "New Attitude" before then.


i know for a fact 'she works hard for the money' was on there before whitney even came out


Yeah Donna was popular on MTV long before the arrival of Whitney. "Unconditional Love", her duet with Musical Youth, was also played on MTV. Donna's appeal was probably because she was never categorized as "R&B", many of her early '80s recordings were not played on the R&B stations anyway except for "She Works Hard for the Money". With other acts like Diana Ross, it was also because Diana was still more connected to "black music" then to the format that MJ, Prince and Tina were appealing to.
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Reply #33 posted 02/09/10 4:03pm

SoulAlive

speaking of Diana Ross.....I never understood why MTV didn't show her 1982 "Mirror,Mirror" video.That song is more rock/pop than R&B.
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Reply #34 posted 02/09/10 4:10pm

SoulAlive

Other "black" songs that really should have been shown on MTV:

"Super Freak" by Rick James (1981)
"Alligator Woman" by Cameo (1982)
"Controversy" by Prince (1981)

These are songs that cannot be easily categorized as funk or R&B.There's definitely a New Wave/pop sound in these songs.
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Reply #35 posted 02/09/10 4:13pm

Timmy84

SoulAlive said:

Other "black" songs that really should have been shown on MTV:

"Super Freak" by Rick James (1981)
"Alligator Woman" by Cameo (1982)
"Controversy" by Prince (1981)

These are songs that cannot be easily categorized as funk or R&B.There's definitely a New Wave/pop sound in these songs.


It's interesting to see if they even presented the videos to MTV. hmmm BESIDES from Rick...
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Reply #36 posted 02/09/10 4:26pm

lastdecember

avatar

Timmy84 said:

SoulAlive said:

Other "black" songs that really should have been shown on MTV:

"Super Freak" by Rick James (1981)
"Alligator Woman" by Cameo (1982)
"Controversy" by Prince (1981)

These are songs that cannot be easily categorized as funk or R&B.There's definitely a New Wave/pop sound in these songs.


It's interesting to see if they even presented the videos to MTV. hmmm BESIDES from Rick...


Superfreak was rejected by MTV as not fitting the "rock format" of the station at the time? Really, MTV was considered rock? Duran Duran and Hall and Oates are rock groups??

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #37 posted 02/09/10 4:33pm

lastdecember

avatar

Timmy84 said:

SoulAlive said:

Other "black" songs that really should have been shown on MTV:

"Super Freak" by Rick James (1981)
"Alligator Woman" by Cameo (1982)
"Controversy" by Prince (1981)

These are songs that cannot be easily categorized as funk or R&B.There's definitely a New Wave/pop sound in these songs.


It's interesting to see if they even presented the videos to MTV. hmmm BESIDES from Rick...


On a side note i know we were discussing on the other MTV thread about not needing videos anymore etc...well someone just emailed me pics of Beyonce and Alicia filming "Put it in a Love Song" video in Rio, and all i can say is Thank God for this video.....

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #38 posted 02/09/10 4:36pm

Timmy84

lastdecember said:

Timmy84 said:



It's interesting to see if they even presented the videos to MTV. hmmm BESIDES from Rick...


Superfreak was rejected by MTV as not fitting the "rock format" of the station at the time? Really, MTV was considered rock? Duran Duran and Hall and Oates are rock groups??


I bet MTV didn't even know what the HELL it was. lol
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Reply #39 posted 02/09/10 4:38pm

lastdecember

avatar

Timmy84 said:

lastdecember said:



Superfreak was rejected by MTV as not fitting the "rock format" of the station at the time? Really, MTV was considered rock? Duran Duran and Hall and Oates are rock groups??


I bet MTV didn't even know what the HELL it was. lol

the scary thing, which i didnt know, the co-founder of MTV was black and thought that labeling music like that was so limiting, can someone bring her back with that knowledge

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #40 posted 02/09/10 4:40pm

babybugz

avatar

Timmy84 said:

Prince, Tina, The Bus Boys, Musical Youth and some others were on MTV because their music fit the "rock" format MTV was going for. MJ and Rick and 'em couldn't get on it because they were "R&B" (or "too black" for their channel). I think it's true that CBS did threaten to take their CBS-based pop/rock acts off the channel if MJ wasn't played. Even if he wasn't the first-ever artist on MTV, he indeed was the FIRST black artist to gain HEAVY ROTATION on the channel and that's when MTV suddenly became a huge success. Remember MTV was actually still fledgling when "Billie Jean" aired. I think Rick & David were angry that MORE black acts weren't played. I think Marvin's "Sexual Healing" got some plays on MTV before MJ but I'm not too sure.

True.. Not this topic again lol
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Reply #41 posted 02/09/10 4:45pm

TonyVanDam

avatar

ernestsewell said:

shorttrini said:

Artists like, Eddy Grant, MusicalYouth and Joan Armatrading were on before MJ. However, I do believe "Thriller", was the first long form video to be shown on MTV.

Long form short form, doesn't matter. "Thriller" was the first real long form video anyway, so no matter who played it, it would have been the first.


All of THOSE^ artists were from the UK, not USA. Maybe that was the real problem when it comes to who was THE first black artist to have a video on MTV.
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Reply #42 posted 02/09/10 4:47pm

Timmy84

lastdecember said:

Timmy84 said:



I bet MTV didn't even know what the HELL it was. lol

the scary thing, which i didnt know, the co-founder of MTV was black and thought that labeling music like that was so limiting, can someone bring her back with that knowledge


I KNOW! Now see this is when things get WEIRD.

How can you have a BLACK co-founder and a BLACK veejay yet MTV had a "white, rock" format?! falloff
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Reply #43 posted 02/09/10 4:50pm

TonyVanDam

avatar

Timmy84 said:

You know what's so odd when we have these "first black artist on MTV" discussions, we forget how MTV wasn't even a "phenomenon" prior to Michael Jackson's arrival.

Hell MTV's FIRST video is not known today as people think. And MTV could've been nicknamed the "Rod Stewart Channel" because about 15 of its first videos were from ROD STEWART! falloff

MTV was actually struggling in 1981 and 1982 even when black acts were playing on the channel by then.

MTV's success had to do indirectly with the commercial appeal of one Michael Jackson, if one color really MATTERED to MTV, it was the color green.


The Buggles -- Video Killed The Radio Star. wink

And even today, it is so laughable that everyone thinks it's was Dire Strait's Money For Nothing. lol
[Edited 2/9/10 16:55pm]
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Reply #44 posted 02/09/10 4:52pm

lastdecember

avatar

Timmy84 said:

lastdecember said:


the scary thing, which i didnt know, the co-founder of MTV was black and thought that labeling music like that was so limiting, can someone bring her back with that knowledge


I KNOW! Now see this is when things get WEIRD.

How can you have a BLACK co-founder and a BLACK veejay yet MTV had a "white, rock" format?! falloff


Even more than that, just that knowledge is what is missing, this is why people like Hall and Oates had RB number ones, and Elton John was on Soul Train, i mean labels killed music. Look at an issue of Billboard now, there used to be like 7 charts in the 80's there is like 80 now

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #45 posted 02/09/10 4:53pm

Timmy84

TonyVanDam said:

Timmy84 said:

You know what's so odd when we have these "first black artist on MTV" discussions, we forget how MTV wasn't even a "phenomenon" prior to Michael Jackson's arrival.

Hell MTV's FIRST video is not known today as people think. And MTV could've been nicknamed the "Rod Stewart Channel" because about 15 of its first videos were from ROD STEWART! falloff

MTV was actually struggling in 1981 and 1982 even when black acts were playing on the channel by then.

MTV's success had to do indirectly with the commercial appeal of one Michael Jackson, if one color really MATTERED to MTV, it was the color green.


The Buggles -- Video Killed The Radio Star. wink

And even today, it is so laughable that everyone thinks it's was Dire Strait's Money For Nothing. lol


lol Yeah I've heard that too. And I knew it was The Buggles. Ironically many of MTV's early videos were from mid-to-late-1970s promotional videos either shot in the UK or L.A. I know "Video Killed the Rock Star" was released in 1979. I don't know how that inauspicious video was THE FIRST to air on MTV. I think Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" was the second video to air on MTV afterwards.
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Reply #46 posted 02/09/10 4:54pm

TonyVanDam

avatar

SoulAlive said:

Other "black" songs that really should have been shown on MTV:

"Super Freak" by Rick James (1981)
"Alligator Woman" by Cameo (1982)
"Controversy" by Prince (1981)

These are songs that cannot be easily categorized as funk or R&B.There's definitely a New Wave/pop sound in these songs.


Uptown & Dirty Mind should have been THE first 2 Prince videos on MTV. Both tracks were inspired by new wave. And there were plenty of new wave artists that receive MTV coverages.
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Reply #47 posted 02/09/10 4:54pm

Timmy84

lastdecember said:

Timmy84 said:



I KNOW! Now see this is when things get WEIRD.

How can you have a BLACK co-founder and a BLACK veejay yet MTV had a "white, rock" format?! falloff


Even more than that, just that knowledge is what is missing, this is why people like Hall and Oates had RB number ones, and Elton John was on Soul Train, i mean labels killed music. Look at an issue of Billboard now, there used to be like 7 charts in the 80's there is like 80 now


I KNOW!!! That's confusing how they have all those charts! Don't make sense.
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Reply #48 posted 02/09/10 4:55pm

Timmy84

TonyVanDam said:

SoulAlive said:

Other "black" songs that really should have been shown on MTV:

"Super Freak" by Rick James (1981)
"Alligator Woman" by Cameo (1982)
"Controversy" by Prince (1981)

These are songs that cannot be easily categorized as funk or R&B.There's definitely a New Wave/pop sound in these songs.


Uptown & Dirty Mind should have been THE first 2 Prince videos on MTV. Both tracks were inspired by new wave. And there were plenty of new wave artists that receive MTV coverages.


I wonder if Prince himself didn't want to be on MTV initially... "Uptown", "Dirty Mind", "Controversy", "Sexuality"...I think it was hard to figure Prince out at the time. shrug
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Reply #49 posted 02/09/10 4:57pm

TonyVanDam

avatar

Timmy84 said:

TonyVanDam said:



The Buggles -- Video Killed The Radio Star. wink

And even today, it is so laughable that everyone thinks it's was Dire Strait's Money For Nothing. lol


lol Yeah I've heard that too. And I knew it was The Buggles. Ironically many of MTV's early videos were from mid-to-late-1970s promotional videos either shot in the UK or L.A. I know "Video Killed the Rock Star" was released in 1979. I don't know how that inauspicious video was THE FIRST to air on MTV. I think Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" was the second video to air on MTV afterwards.


BONUS QUESTION: Did ABBA have any videos on MTV before the band broke up in 1982?
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Reply #50 posted 02/09/10 5:00pm

Timmy84

TonyVanDam said:

Timmy84 said:



lol Yeah I've heard that too. And I knew it was The Buggles. Ironically many of MTV's early videos were from mid-to-late-1970s promotional videos either shot in the UK or L.A. I know "Video Killed the Rock Star" was released in 1979. I don't know how that inauspicious video was THE FIRST to air on MTV. I think Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" was the second video to air on MTV afterwards.


BONUS QUESTION: Did ABBA have any videos on MTV before the band broke up in 1982?


I doubt it. lol
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Reply #51 posted 02/09/10 5:01pm

TonyVanDam

avatar

Timmy84 said:

TonyVanDam said:



Uptown & Dirty Mind should have been THE first 2 Prince videos on MTV. Both tracks were inspired by new wave. And there were plenty of new wave artists that receive MTV coverages.


I wonder if Prince himself didn't want to be on MTV initially... "Uptown", "Dirty Mind", "Controversy", "Sexuality"...I think it was hard to figure Prince out at the time. shrug


If Prince was consider R&R material for SNL (a show on NBC no less), he should have been treated as such for MTV before 1982.

EDIT for spell check
[Edited 2/9/10 18:33pm]
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Reply #52 posted 02/09/10 5:04pm

lastdecember

avatar

TonyVanDam said:

Timmy84 said:



lol Yeah I've heard that too. And I knew it was The Buggles. Ironically many of MTV's early videos were from mid-to-late-1970s promotional videos either shot in the UK or L.A. I know "Video Killed the Rock Star" was released in 1979. I don't know how that inauspicious video was THE FIRST to air on MTV. I think Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" was the second video to air on MTV afterwards.


BONUS QUESTION: Did ABBA have any videos on MTV before the band broke up in 1982?


U what ABBA did have they had Video Albums put out, and collections long before it was considered breaking new ground, also doing this were Berlin,Missing persons, Duran and others (though berlin and missing persons were not full albums of videos, they were Sony Video 45's with about 4-5 on them, very cool)

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #53 posted 02/09/10 5:05pm

Timmy84

TonyVanDam said:

Timmy84 said:



I wonder if Prince himself didn't want to be on MTV initially... "Uptown", "Dirty Mind", "Controversy", "Sexuality"...I think it was hard to figure Prince out at the time. shrug


If Prince was consider R&R material for SNL (a show on NBC no less), he sound have been treated as such for MTV before 1982.


I wonder why MTV never took off until 1983 and I think this was partly the reason. They could play 50 Rod Stewart videos and yet not Prince? If any of Prince's pre-1982 vids WERE played it was only for a few notches I guess.
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Reply #54 posted 02/09/10 5:11pm

Timmy84

Playlist from MTV's first date:
# The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
# Pat Benatar - You Better Run
# Rod Stewart - She Won't Dance
# The Who - You Better You Bet
# Phd - Little Susie's on the Up
# Cliff Richard - We Don't Talk Anymore
# The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
# Todd Rundgren - Time Heals
# REO Speedwagon - Take it on the Run
# Styx - Rockin' the Paradise
# Robiin Lane & The Chartbusters - When Things Go Wrong
# Split Enz - History Never Repeats.
# .38 Special - Hold on Loosely
# April Wine - Just Between You & Me
# Rod Stewart - Sailing
# Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
# REO Speedwagon - Keep on Loving You
# The Pretenders - Message of Love
# Lee Ritenour - Mr. Briefcase
# The Cars - Double Life
# Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
# Robert Palmer - Looking for Clues
# The Shoes - Too Late
# Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty - Stop Draggin' my Heart Around.
# Rupert Hines - Surface Tension

# Madness - One Step Beyond
# Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
# Pat Benatar - I'm Gonna Follow You
# Tom Johnson - Savannah Nights
# Rockestra - Lucille
# Styx - The Best of Times
# Carly Simon - Vengeance
# Iron Maiden - Wrathchild
# Blotto - I Wanna Be a Lifeguard
# Rod Stewart - Passion
# Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army
# REO Speedwagon - Don't Let Him Go
# The Silencers - Remote Control/I'm Too Legal
# Juice Newton - Angel of the Morning
# Rockestra - Little Sister
# Bootcamp - Hold on to the Night
# Cliff Richard - Dreaming
# Lee Ritenour - Is it You?
# Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
# Michael Stanley Band - He Can't Love You
# REO Speedwagon - Tough Guys
# Blondie - Rapture
# The Who - Don't Let Go the Coat
# Rod Stewart - Ain't Love a Bitch
# The Pretenders - Talk of the Town
# Rainbow - Can't Happen Here
# Andrew Gold - Thank You for Being a Friend
# Gerry Rafferty - Bring it all Home
# April Wine - Sign of the Gypsy Queen
# Kate Bush - The Man With the Child in His Eyes
# David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
# April Wine - Just Between You and Me
# The Specials - Rat Race
# Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
# Bootcamp - Victim
# Rod Stewart - Tonight's the Night
# Nick Lowe - Cruel to be Kind

List: http://stereogum.com/arch...02995.html

I think partially the reason MTV failed to take off was because Rod Stewart had at least five videos. Some of the videos weren't even rock, it was either pop or pre-new age (Kate Bush) or country (Juice Newton). Most may have been new wave. And CLIFF RICHARD?! lol
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Reply #55 posted 02/09/10 5:14pm

Timmy84

You know what's hilarious about this playlist, they play some of these videos on "Beavis & Butthead" and they were dissing most of them. falloff
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Reply #56 posted 02/09/10 5:16pm

lastdecember

avatar

Timmy84 said:

TonyVanDam said:



If Prince was consider R&R material for SNL (a show on NBC no less), he sound have been treated as such for MTV before 1982.


I wonder why MTV never took off until 1983 and I think this was partly the reason. They could play 50 Rod Stewart videos and yet not Prince? If any of Prince's pre-1982 vids WERE played it was only for a few notches I guess.


the thing was "New York Hot tracks" and sometimes Friday Night Videos and there was this other show on channel 9 that was reall over the top but played some videos long before MTV, and i cannot forget U68 an indie jersey channel that was an alternative to those who didnt have cable and only got to see MTV when they went to their cousins house and brought a blank vhs and let it tape for 6 hours and hope for the best stuff, but U68 was the first NOT MTV to play "Take on Me" by a-ha, mtv has long fought this claim, but take it from me, U68 broke the bands video.

New York Hot tracks broke the dance and RB stuff, NO ONE was playing lisa lisa, the cover girls, and tons of others, but they were
[Edited 2/9/10 17:19pm]

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #57 posted 02/09/10 5:18pm

lastdecember

avatar

Timmy84 said:

Playlist from MTV's first date:
# The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
# Pat Benatar - You Better Run
# Rod Stewart - She Won't Dance
# The Who - You Better You Bet
# Phd - Little Susie's on the Up
# Cliff Richard - We Don't Talk Anymore
# The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
# Todd Rundgren - Time Heals
# REO Speedwagon - Take it on the Run
# Styx - Rockin' the Paradise
# Robiin Lane & The Chartbusters - When Things Go Wrong
# Split Enz - History Never Repeats.
# .38 Special - Hold on Loosely
# April Wine - Just Between You & Me
# Rod Stewart - Sailing
# Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
# REO Speedwagon - Keep on Loving You
# The Pretenders - Message of Love
# Lee Ritenour - Mr. Briefcase
# The Cars - Double Life
# Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
# Robert Palmer - Looking for Clues
# The Shoes - Too Late
# Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty - Stop Draggin' my Heart Around.
# Rupert Hines - Surface Tension

# Madness - One Step Beyond
# Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
# Pat Benatar - I'm Gonna Follow You
# Tom Johnson - Savannah Nights
# Rockestra - Lucille
# Styx - The Best of Times
# Carly Simon - Vengeance
# Iron Maiden - Wrathchild
# Blotto - I Wanna Be a Lifeguard
# Rod Stewart - Passion
# Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army
# REO Speedwagon - Don't Let Him Go
# The Silencers - Remote Control/I'm Too Legal
# Juice Newton - Angel of the Morning
# Rockestra - Little Sister
# Bootcamp - Hold on to the Night
# Cliff Richard - Dreaming
# Lee Ritenour - Is it You?
# Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
# Michael Stanley Band - He Can't Love You
# REO Speedwagon - Tough Guys
# Blondie - Rapture
# The Who - Don't Let Go the Coat
# Rod Stewart - Ain't Love a Bitch
# The Pretenders - Talk of the Town
# Rainbow - Can't Happen Here
# Andrew Gold - Thank You for Being a Friend
# Gerry Rafferty - Bring it all Home
# April Wine - Sign of the Gypsy Queen
# Kate Bush - The Man With the Child in His Eyes
# David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
# April Wine - Just Between You and Me
# The Specials - Rat Race
# Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
# Bootcamp - Victim
# Rod Stewart - Tonight's the Night
# Nick Lowe - Cruel to be Kind

List: http://stereogum.com/arch...02995.html

I think partially the reason MTV failed to take off was because Rod Stewart had at least five videos. Some of the videos weren't even rock, it was either pop or pre-new age (Kate Bush) or country (Juice Newton). Most may have been new wave. And CLIFF RICHARD?! lol


As u can see MTV was all white because it didnt know anything else, but i must say that playlist would never make it now because at the time alot of those artists were older, and we know older doesnt get you on MTV or anything today.

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #58 posted 02/09/10 5:19pm

Timmy84

lastdecember said:

Timmy84 said:



I wonder why MTV never took off until 1983 and I think this was partly the reason. They could play 50 Rod Stewart videos and yet not Prince? If any of Prince's pre-1982 vids WERE played it was only for a few notches I guess.


the thing was "New York Hot tracks" and sometimes Friday Night Videos and there was this other show on channel 9 that was reall over the top but played some videos long before MTV, and i cannot forget U68 an indie jersey channel that was an alternative to those who didnt have cable and only got to see MTV when they went to their cousins house and brought a blank vhs and let it tape for 6 hours and hope for the best stuff, but U68 was the first NOT MTV to play "Take on Me" by a-ha, mtv has long fought this claim, but take it from me, U68 broke the bands video.


Yeah and you know what's also interesting, MTV was DISSED between 1981 and 1983 not just for its lack of popular artists of all races but for its confusing format. Even the first line of veejays were criticized. There wasn't a lot of R&B, heavy metal or hip-hop on MTV. Mainly the videos were either soft rock, classic rock, new wave and probably one or two metal videos. Videos by black artists were also shown in the early playlists but not as much as Rod Stewart or Styx probably. lol

The only few acts that claim MTV was Pat Benatar, Hall & Oates and probably Duran Duran. Other than that MTV was dissed in the early years and like "Soul Train" it initially open to limited markets only in the United States. The rest of the world didn't get MTV until 1985.
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Reply #59 posted 02/09/10 5:21pm

Timmy84

lastdecember said:

Timmy84 said:

Playlist from MTV's first date:
# The Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star
# Pat Benatar - You Better Run
# Rod Stewart - She Won't Dance
# The Who - You Better You Bet
# Phd - Little Susie's on the Up
# Cliff Richard - We Don't Talk Anymore
# The Pretenders - Brass in Pocket
# Todd Rundgren - Time Heals
# REO Speedwagon - Take it on the Run
# Styx - Rockin' the Paradise
# Robiin Lane & The Chartbusters - When Things Go Wrong
# Split Enz - History Never Repeats.
# .38 Special - Hold on Loosely
# April Wine - Just Between You & Me
# Rod Stewart - Sailing
# Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden
# REO Speedwagon - Keep on Loving You
# The Pretenders - Message of Love
# Lee Ritenour - Mr. Briefcase
# The Cars - Double Life
# Phil Collins - In the Air Tonight
# Robert Palmer - Looking for Clues
# The Shoes - Too Late
# Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty - Stop Draggin' my Heart Around.
# Rupert Hines - Surface Tension

# Madness - One Step Beyond
# Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street
# Pat Benatar - I'm Gonna Follow You
# Tom Johnson - Savannah Nights
# Rockestra - Lucille
# Styx - The Best of Times
# Carly Simon - Vengeance
# Iron Maiden - Wrathchild
# Blotto - I Wanna Be a Lifeguard
# Rod Stewart - Passion
# Elvis Costello - Oliver's Army
# REO Speedwagon - Don't Let Him Go
# The Silencers - Remote Control/I'm Too Legal
# Juice Newton - Angel of the Morning
# Rockestra - Little Sister
# Bootcamp - Hold on to the Night
# Cliff Richard - Dreaming
# Lee Ritenour - Is it You?
# Fleetwood Mac - Tusk
# Michael Stanley Band - He Can't Love You
# REO Speedwagon - Tough Guys
# Blondie - Rapture
# The Who - Don't Let Go the Coat
# Rod Stewart - Ain't Love a Bitch
# The Pretenders - Talk of the Town
# Rainbow - Can't Happen Here
# Andrew Gold - Thank You for Being a Friend
# Gerry Rafferty - Bring it all Home
# April Wine - Sign of the Gypsy Queen
# Kate Bush - The Man With the Child in His Eyes
# David Bowie - Ashes to Ashes
# April Wine - Just Between You and Me
# The Specials - Rat Race
# Talking Heads - Once in a Lifetime
# Bootcamp - Victim
# Rod Stewart - Tonight's the Night
# Nick Lowe - Cruel to be Kind

List: http://stereogum.com/arch...02995.html

I think partially the reason MTV failed to take off was because Rod Stewart had at least five videos. Some of the videos weren't even rock, it was either pop or pre-new age (Kate Bush) or country (Juice Newton). Most may have been new wave. And CLIFF RICHARD?! lol


As u can see MTV was all white because it didnt know anything else, but i must say that playlist would never make it now because at the time alot of those artists were older, and we know older doesnt get you on MTV or anything today.


And older artists don't even MAKE videos no more but you'll be lucky to see 'em on YouTube lol
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