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MTV Is 30 Years Old Today

The Huffington Post UK   First Posted: 02/08/11 01:01 BST   Updated: 01/10/11 11:12 BST

30 Years ago today the MTV music channel launched in the United States. The first video it played was by The Buggles with their one-hit wonder, 'Video Killed the Radio Star'.

Since then the channel has spawned affiliates worldwide and branched out into all genres of music. Here's a few of the highlights.

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Part of what made the channel distinctive in its early years was its strong brand identity - and the creative use of 'idents'.
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30 Years ago today the MTV music channel launched in the United States. The first video it played was by The Buggles with their one-hit wonder, 'Video Killed the Radio Star'. Since then the channe...
30 Years ago today the MTV music channel launched in the United States. The first video it played was by The Buggles with their one-hit wonder, 'Video Killed the Radio Star'. Since then the channe...
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MTV was once my electronic cool older brother, exposing me to sweet new bands, showing me cool videos, and telling me that weird comedy like "The State" is hilarious.

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dudekabob
A box of chocolates! For moi?
452 Fans
05:41 AM on 08/03/2011
I probably haven't watched MTV for 20 years, but it's nice to relive some of their finer moments from the early days. Watching Madonna's incredible "Vogue" number again is pure bliss. (But it does make you wonder how Lady Gaga managed to become a comparable star, in spite of the fact that she hides most of her talents behind 3nd rate carnival theatrics. Thank god Madonna is still performing. Without her, it would truly be a wasteland.
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JoseAnd911World
38 Fans
11:44 PM on 08/01/2011
1981: "MTV, Music Television"
2011: "MTV, Moronic Television"

JJ Jackson is rolling in his grave. (nodding in disbelief)
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bruins77
23 Fans
08:50 PM on 08/01/2011
Cashing in on the dirty play of today's youths. Way to go Money TV
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HUFFPOST COMMUNITY MODERATOR
Puffin16
82.7% of all statistics are made up on the spot
2608 Fans
07:53 PM on 08/01/2011
I enjoy listening to the old VJs on Sirius now - Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, and Alan Hunter. Those were the good old days when MTV was worth watching.
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Classof89
464 Fans
03:20 PM on 08/01/2011
I remember begging my mother to get MTV. Left post-it notes all over the place saying, "I want my MTV". The day we finally got it, the first video I saw was The Clash's "Rock the Casbah". One of my all-time favorite bands and songs. Loved it.

Fast forward 28 years later, I want MTV off of my satellite. They can't get rid of it quick enough for me now.
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ArchanaS
74 Fans
 
02:49 PM on 08/01/2011
It's no longer Music Television/ Channel. It only about reality shows. Anyways Happy Birthday MTV!!
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
JavaJuice
228 Fans
11:56 AM on 08/01/2011
Way to ruin you're brand MTV. They haven't shown videos in years.
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thx3andme
53 Fans
10:55 AM on 08/01/2011
I was a freshman at Central Michigan University in 1981 - moved up there on Aug 27, 1981 which was also my 18th birthday. I lived in a the freshman towers - a quad. Each tower had a tv room in it that ran MTV 24/7. I had never heard of it. Turns out we were actually a test market for Warner. I was taking Radio, Television & Film. This guy from Warner came out to be guest lecturer. He said that even he couldn't get MTV in NYC! I thought that was funny! Our tv lounges were a great place to snack and veg-out between study session or all-nighters! Wow.... good times.....
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VillianousMike
27 Fans
10:23 AM on 08/01/2011
One of my favorite videos on mtv was the "technical difficulties" tape of a frame-by-frame chiron analog animation of a hydra in slow motion while edgar winter's "Frankenstein" played. ca. 1982.

Truly psychedelic. Then "A Flock of Seagulls" came on... which was cool, in it's own way, too.
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JeffersonState
Gruntled Current Employee
74 Fans
06:55 AM on 08/01/2011
I was camped out in front of my friends TV 30 years ago today. The neighborhood kids all gathered at the house with cable, we watched the MTV rocket blast off... even at that time we knew it was going to be huge.

MTV... the worst and best thing that ever happened to music.
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hypnotoad72
Real democracy = living wages.
3313 Fans
04:05 AM on 08/01/2011
MTV died when they moved to "reality shows".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cw6xesXLIAA&feature=related
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mccord82
Liberal Alabama Democrat-yeah that's right
388 Fans
 
03:36 AM on 08/01/2011
"Around the clock, the music never stops."

Clearly they abandoned this along time ago.

"Around the clock the hideous teen moms never stop," is their new mantra.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mburgh
Come Back Samuel Gompers
458 Fans
02:28 AM on 08/01/2011
First MTV destroyed music, then abandoned it. Thanks. I was hung over on Mao Tai, waking up to a headache when I sat MTV arrive. Another mistake that keeps paying.
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Aubreyautumn
26 Fans
02:08 AM on 08/01/2011
Perhaps MTV should change its name to "Maternity Television" and get it over with.
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srooge
74 Fans
01:03 AM on 08/01/2011
They should change it to C TV. All crap all day.
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