Music Blogs

On August 1, 1981 I went along with my mom to a home for special needs children where she was a nurse. I joined some of the older kids in the television room where they were watching the debut of a brand new cable channel called MTV. I was instantly hooked. At this time in my life I was just starting to discover music and I had no idea the impact this cable channel would have on me, and the popular culture over the remainder of the 1980s. Although you would not know it today, when MTV started the concept was very simple. It simply put radio on TV, with video jockeys instead of disc jockeys. It didn't matter too much at the time that the channel had a limited number of music videos to play since people instantly took to the new format. MTV would go on to become one of the most important venues in the nation for bands to get their music heard.

If you ask any music trivia buff they could tell you that the first music video played on MTV was "Video Killed The Radio Star" by The Buggles. But not many know what else was played on that very first day.

This playlist includes every song that was played by MTV on August 1, 1981.

Playlist: MTV Day 1 

   1. Video Killed The Radio Star - The Buggles   

   2. You Better Run - Pat Benatar   

   3. She Won't Dance With Me - Rod Stewart   

   4. You Better You Bet - The Who   

   5. Little Susie's on the Up -  PhD    

   6. We Don't Talk Anymore - Cliff Richard   

   7. Brass In Pocket - Pretenders   

   8. Time Heals - Todd Rundgren   

   9. Take It On The Run - REO Speedwagon   

   10. Rockin' The Paradise - Styx   

   11. When Things Go Wrong - Robin Lane & The Chartbusters   

   12. History Never Repeats - Split Enz   

   13. Hold On Loosely - .38 Special   

   14. Just Between You And Me - April Wine   

   15. Sailing - Rod Stewart   

   16. Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden   

   17. Keep On Loving You - REO Speedwagon   

   18. Message Of Love - Pretenders   

   19. Mr. Briefcase - Lee Ritenour   

   20. Double Life - The Cars   

   21. In the Air Tonight - Phill Collins   

   22. Looking For Clues - Robert Palmer   

   23. Too Late - The Shoes   

   24. Stop Draggin' My Heart Around - Stevie Nicks   

   25. Surface Tension - Rupert Hines  

   26. One Step Beyond - Madness   

   27. Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty   

   28. I'm Gonna Follow You - Pat Benatar   

   29. Savannah Nights - Tom Johnson 

   30. Lucille - Rockestra   

   31. The Best Of Times - Styx   

   32. Vengeance - Carly Simon   

   33. Wrathchild - Iron Maiden   

   34. I Wanna Be A Lifeguard - Blotto   

   35. Passion - Rod Stewart   

   36. Oliver's Army - Elvis Costello   

   37. Don't Let Him Go - REO Speedwagon   

   38. Remote Control/I'm Too Legal - The Silencers   

   39. Angel Of The Morning - Juice Newton   

   40. Little Sister - Rockestra

   41. Hold On To The Night - Bootcamp  

   42. Dreamin' - Cliff Richard   

   43. Is It You? - Lee Ritenour   

   44. Tusk - Fleetwood Mac   

   45. He Can't Love You - Michael Stanley   

   46. Tough Guys - REO Speedwagon   

   47. Rapture - Blondie   

   48. Don't Let Go The Coat - The Who   

   49. Ain't Love A Bitch - Rod Stewart   

   50. Talk Of The Town - Pretenders   

   51. Can't Happen Here - Rainbow   

   52. Thank You For Being A Friend - Andrew Gold   

   53. Bring It All Home - Gerry Rafferty   

   54. Sign Of The Gypsy Queen - April Wine   

   55. The Man With The Child In His Eyes - Kate Bush   

   56. Ashes To Ashes - David Bowie   

   57. Just Between You And Me - April Wine   

   58. Rat Race - The Specials   

   59. Once In A Lifetime - Talking Heads   

   60. Victim - Bootcamp 

   61. Tonight's The Night - Rod Stewart   

   62. Cruel To Be Kind - Nick Lowe  

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