How Did MTV Influence Music During The 1980s

On August 1, 1981, Music Television (MTV), a new twenty-four-hour music video channel, launched with the famous words: “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll” (Youtube). The launch is remembered in history as the most important event to influence music during the 1980s. MTV’s excelling popularity following its debut initiated a musical and cultural evolution. The Golden Age of MTV from 1981 to 1992 was branded by the MTV effect, which affected the industry and defined the music of the 1980s (Beer). MTV revolutionized music videos, determined the memorable music of the eighties, generated a decade of one-hit wonders, introduced a new generation of hip hop, and influenced the second British invasion. Prior to August 1, 1981, there was no need for music videos. MTV created an outlet for a product that barely existed. The first music video played on MTV was “Video Killed the

MTV debuted as the hip hop movement was about to launch; ultimately, they were forced to broaden their broadcasts and incorporate hip-hop into their playlists. As MTV grew and became more powerful, they began to make demands about the program and choices about the music they wanted to play.

The program, Yo! MTV Raps, provided a platform for hip-hop videos and their growing popularity. The premier of Yo! MTV Raps influenced a monumental shift in rap culture as music videos became a major factor in hip hop. The airing of hip hop videos allowed artists to gain visibility and expand the genre to a new market of white MTV viewers. As music videos became vital to the success of an artist, “there was an increased focus on how a singer looks rather than how he or she sounds” (Flores). Soon hip hop artists were crafting images and videos to appeal to MTV and marketable white suburban