The Effects of MTV on American Culture

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MTV, formally known as Music Television, is one of the most viewed networks on television today. Roughly thirty-three years old, it has changed the American culture drastically in more than just one way. Specifically targeting teens and young adults, the MTV network provides all of the most up to date gossip on celebrities, highlights the latest fashion trends, promotes versified lifestyles, and defines the music industry of our generation. However, this so-called “idolized network” has not always been this way. The American culture has been affected by MTV through the creation of the network, the transformation from simply just music television to inappropriate reality shows, and the promotion of inappropriate content.

Historically, MTV was created and first aired on television August 1, 1981. The first words spoken on the hit series were by one of MTV’s creators, John Lack: “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll. Because the network initially began as a program in which video jockeys aired free music videos, the first ever video to be shown was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles. A few years later on September 14, 1984, MTV hosted its first ever Video Music Awards. Today, this awards show dominates all top social media, and is one of the main reasons that the network currently exists. Cyndi Lauper and Madonna were the first two “famous” recording artists to appear on the awards show. Gaining immediate viewers from nearly all of the households in New Jersey, record companies started to open their eyes to the idea that MTV could potentially revolutionize and generate more money than ever off of the music videos that were aired. As the idea that MTV was promoting through these music videos became more popul...

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