I missed it. A lot of people missed it.Hell, even MTV didn't want to acknowledge their 25th birthday. That's right, 25 years ago yesterday, MTV launched itself into pop culture with Video Killed the Radio.
In the following years, as the network cut more deals to get on more cable TV plans, it introduced a whole new medium with an entirely new definition of cool. Remember David Lee Roth's "Dave TV! ALL DAVE ALL NIGHT!" Ah, the memories.
For better or worse (I would argue worse), MTV helped video become as much a part of music as audio. And I admit that it was cool to see the artists I'd been listening to on the radio perform on TV regularly.
But then, the network made an interesting discovery. With the trial of its first "game show" Remote Control (the show that made Colin Quinn a household name), they found that they could engage users for half an hour instead of the 5 minutes of a music video. This of course, meant they could charge more for advertising, which in turn bolsters the bottom line leading to nice fat bonuses for the network execs.
Bye bye music, hello Real World.
Anyway, it's a cultural cliche anymore that MTV isn't really MTV. It completely sucks anymore, but that's okay because the entire traditional music industry sucks too.
Of course maybe, like MTV, I'm just getting old.
tagged: music, video, MTV, old, Remote Control, Colin Quinn, pop culture
Came to your blog just by surching around a bit. Hello from Norway - you have a great blog - I'll be back:-)
ReplyDeleteRenny,
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by and leaving the kind words. It's great to have the Norwegians stop by. With the beautiful culture and "party-hearty" attitude, they're my second-favorite foreigners ;-)
Judging by your accent, I'd say your from the Akershus region of Norway. Nes maybe?
Anyway, you're welcome here anytime. Please stop by and comment again soon!
Gotta love those fuckin' Norwegians. Any way MTV has become irrelevant to musicians, and me. I watch VH1
ReplyDeleteemaw - don't flatter yourself. With all due respect to rennyba, the Norwegians haven't seen the sun for 3 months and won't see it again for another 3 months.
ReplyDeleteIt's dark, it's cold and the sled dogs are looking kinda sexy.
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
(My apologies to "rennyba"...just busting emaw's chops at your expense...no offense intended)
rennyba,
ReplyDeletePay no attention to XO. He's just cranky because he decided to quit smoking (against my advice). Actually, he's always been cranky, so I'm not sure what the deal is.