FEATURE:
MTV at Forty
until 1st August, I am going to put out a few features before then that explore music videos. Not that MTV is just about music videos but, in its earliest days, it was a vital portal for music lovers. Before then, there was not really anywhere one could see music videos from big artists of the day. Now, we almost take the form for granted - and there are countless videos on platforms like YouTube. I do think that it is sad that there was this MTV decline in the first few years of this century. I guess, after the boom of the 1980s and 1990s, there was going to be a downturn. From 1995 to 2000, MTV played 36.5% fewer music videos. There, perhaps, was less demand for the form; a certain novelty had worn off. Maybe viewers were bombarded and hooked on videos so, inevitably, that led to a lack of demand and popularity. One can discover more about MTV as, at its peak, it was a sensation! I remember discovering MTV in the early-1990s, where I saw many iconic videos there for the first time. As a fan of the charts and catching up with the trending music of the time, I felt that MTV provided a visualisation and expansion of the music I was listening to. Even though MTV launched in 1981, prior to launch, the network was first tested on 1st December, 1977, as Sight on Sound. The channel started off by airing music videos and related programming as guided by television personalities known as ‘video jockeys’ (V.J.s).
In future features, I am going to go into various periods of MTV and the development of the music video. I don’t think the necessity and importance of music videos has really changed in the four decades since MTV was launched. Maybe streaming is a more important platform but, given the fact there are far more artists now than there were in 1981, I feel that the music video is more prevalent and popular. Some might debate that MTV changed its format because the music video was less important and was not broad enough. This sort of returns to my features regarding a genuine lack of music television. One cannot realistically say that there is no need for music television. Whilst we have streaming and radio helping to promote artists, music television allows them to perform and talk about their latest release. Top of the Pops went off air in 2006. I think it is a shame that music television has become rarer. There are so many great music videos released every month; they sort of get buried on YouTube and many people miss out. Music news is divided between various websites and platforms, so it can be hard getting on top of it and keeping up with what is happening. Rather than do something nostalgic and try and reboot MTV exactly as it was in 1981, I think that a modern launch that broadens the station would be great.
There is not going to be the same giddiness there was in the early years regarding videos and their power but, rather than feature purely all the best new videos, there could be a mix of the classic and fresh. Throw into the mix so many music documentaries and older shows that could be brought to a new audience. MTV could also encourage new music shows and, with very few music shows in the U.K. and U.S., having a weekly show that is an absolute must-see would be popular. Maybe it would not be realistic to abandon the reality programmes and current schedule of MTV and go back to it purely being about music because, as the years have rolled on, technology has allowed instant access to videos, music and information that was not available back in 1981. It will be sad to think that, come August, people will mark four decades of MTV with mixed feelings. There is going to be the celebration of a channel that, for well over a decade, was hugely important and influential. There were problems, for sure. The lack of Black artists featured on the station – as in videos by Black artists – was something that was tackled and eventually rectified. I guess changing tastes and culture meant that MTV would lose its shine and uniqueness. A lot has altered since MTV declined and started to broadcast reality shows. Modern music is busy, bright and diverse and, with so many great artists, videos and developments sprouting up, I do think that a dedicated music channel is necessary. Perhaps an MTV relaunch would not need the fanfare it did on 1st August, 1981, though I do feel like it has a bigger place now than it did years ago.
I am going to finish off by bringing in an article published four years ago to mark MTV at thirty-six. Even though it became less about videos at a certain point, its legacy and cool is clear:
“MTV has tried to bring back some of their past music programming in some form or another over the last few years. ‘Unplugged’ and ‘120 Minutes’ were both revived in the early 2010s, but ended up either being relegated to specials on the MTV website. Attempts at bringing back music videos in the early hours of the morning failed. This week, it was announced that ‘Total Request Live,’ the music video countdown show that premiered in 1998 and gave rise to boy bands like The Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC and 98 Degrees, and bubblegum pop princesses like Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, would be making a return in October.
MTV has been a pioneer in music television and cultural programming. Early on, the channel was a force in the music industry, popularizing the music video and launching the careers of many artists along the way. Though it has gotten away from the music programming it was once known for, its ability to break boundaries has continued to guide the channel’s current programming. MTV might not be the musical influencer that it once was and probably never will be again, but it will always be remembered for what it has done, no matter what comes next”.
I am eager to explore MTV more fully as we get closer to its fortieth anniversary. At a time when we are embracing music more and, in my view, music videos are still hugely relevant and important, dusting off MTV in some form and injecting it with new life and purpose seems sensible to me! By blending the old and new and tailoring the station more to the modern world – not, as I mentioned, simply doing something retro -, I think it could be a success. Given all the MTV gave and how good it was back in its day, when we celebrate its fortieth anniversary in the summer, it would be a shame to think of it…
IMAGE CREDIT: Candy Kugel
AS an irrelevant thing of the past.