My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
07-20-16, 12:25 PM
#26
DVD Talk Legend
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
I'll always remember Remote Control for the following question:
"What band would you only need to knit nine mittens for"?
I couldn't have lived with out MTV from the late 80s into the early 90s. I found so many bands through Headbangers Ball who I would likely have never heard otherwise. Unfortunately I knew it was the beginning of the end of that show when they started playing Pearl Jam "Alive". I love that album but it had no place on Headbanger's Ball.
"What band would you only need to knit nine mittens for"?
I couldn't have lived with out MTV from the late 80s into the early 90s. I found so many bands through Headbangers Ball who I would likely have never heard otherwise. Unfortunately I knew it was the beginning of the end of that show when they started playing Pearl Jam "Alive". I love that album but it had no place on Headbanger's Ball.
07-20-16, 06:30 PM
#27
DVD Talk Reviewer & TOAT Winner
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
MTV was criticized in its early years for not playing enough "black" music- even Michael Jackson didn't get played a lot when he was mega-popular.
07-20-16, 08:13 PM
#28
Banned by request
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
What was the first non-music program MTV did? Remote Control?
The early 90's were really the golden age of MTV. They were still running music, with genre-specific programming like Yo MTV Raps, Headbangers Ball, and 120 Minutes, in addition to innovative original series like MTV News, Aeon Flux, Beavis and Butthead, and The Real World. Damn, I miss that shit.
The early 90's were really the golden age of MTV. They were still running music, with genre-specific programming like Yo MTV Raps, Headbangers Ball, and 120 Minutes, in addition to innovative original series like MTV News, Aeon Flux, Beavis and Butthead, and The Real World. Damn, I miss that shit.
07-20-16, 09:18 PM
#29
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
I remember getting cable in Spring of 1987 and seeing MTV's Spring Break shows. They used to get away with a lot back then and toned it down year after year. I think it eventually wound up on MTV2.
07-20-16, 09:33 PM
#30
DVD Talk Hero
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
I watched The Young Ones in 1987 or 1988. It couldn't have been later, because it was before I moved.
I think it was in 1990 that I saw a story in Billboard magazine about MTV changing their programming. They dumped the hair metal bands and started playing hip hop. The article said that some hair metal band sued, saying that if they weren't played on MTV, nobody would buy their records. It was hilarious on multiple levels.
I think it was in 1990 that I saw a story in Billboard magazine about MTV changing their programming. They dumped the hair metal bands and started playing hip hop. The article said that some hair metal band sued, saying that if they weren't played on MTV, nobody would buy their records. It was hilarious on multiple levels.
07-20-16, 11:06 PM
#31
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
Man I remember coming back home after dates on Saturdays, parents were already in bed, throwing a Hot Pocket in the turn dial microwave, burning the shit out of my mouth, and watching some Headbangers Ball videos till 2 am.
Grew to like a lot of hair metal bands that no one has ever heard of that way.
Grew to like a lot of hair metal bands that no one has ever heard of that way.
07-21-16, 12:28 AM
#32
DVD Talk Legend
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
Oh man, if we start talking Liquid Television, we'll be here forever. Everyone talks about Aeon Flux, but this was always the best animated thing ever shown on MTV:
Always loved how they kept the audio outtakes in, and sometimes even animated them.
Always loved how they kept the audio outtakes in, and sometimes even animated them.
07-21-16, 01:03 AM
#33
Banned by request
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
MTV had some of the best animation. Liquid Television, Cartoon Sushi, Aeon Flux, Beavis and Butthead, The Head, The Maxx, I'm sure I'm forgetting a bunch.
07-21-16, 01:56 AM
#34
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
There are at least six cable channels devoted to music videos and a few others that offer music programming.
07-21-16, 05:47 AM
#35
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
Then by 1982, music videos changed everything as your look was just as important as your music. So pop bands figured out that a cool music video could sell, and that is when MTV got away from Rock & Roll. I still remember the summer of 1982 when I first got into MTV they played: The Go Go's, Duran Duran, The Motels, Asia, Men at Work, etc, as they all had cool videos. The older artists from the 70's videos were just straight up them playing their instruments on some set and they were so bland.
1983-84 is when they started playing black artists as I remember that was the first I saw of Michael Jackson/Bilie Jean, Lionel Richie/All Night Long, Prince/Little Red Corvette, The Pointer Sisters/Jump. And Michael Jackson/Thriller Video was when it came full circle in January 1984, as they played it EVERY hour on the hour for months.
07-21-16, 08:06 AM
#36
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
I think Remote Control started 1987 or 1988? I think that was their first rebranding as I'm pretty sure they cleaned house with all of the Original VJ's in 1987, and then the next wave of VJ's (Downtown Julie Brown, Kennedy, Tabitha Soren, Kurt Loder did MTV News every half hour).
I think a big change in MTV when was 'Yo!MTV Raps' was so successful as they realized there actually was an audience for that music, especially white kids. I still think that time period (early 90's) is when music got away from pure pop and got genre specific like Grunge, Rap, Country, Hip-Hop, etc. There is no way you can run all of those types of music and be able to hold a mass audience. Once you focus on one type of music, you are going to turn off another fanbase. It was easy in the mid 80's as pretty much everything that was popular was considered Pop Music so they could run with those videos all day.
I think a big change in MTV when was 'Yo!MTV Raps' was so successful as they realized there actually was an audience for that music, especially white kids. I still think that time period (early 90's) is when music got away from pure pop and got genre specific like Grunge, Rap, Country, Hip-Hop, etc. There is no way you can run all of those types of music and be able to hold a mass audience. Once you focus on one type of music, you are going to turn off another fanbase. It was easy in the mid 80's as pretty much everything that was popular was considered Pop Music so they could run with those videos all day.
No matter the genre the novelty of turning on the tv to play song's that are on the radio all the time when you go to school or work was always gonna be a novelty with a short shelf life. The only surprising thing is something like Remote Control didn't start even sooner.
07-21-16, 04:48 PM
#37
DVD Talk Legend
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
There are at least six cable channels devoted to music videos and a few others that offer music programming.
I bet in outer countries MTV is still known as a music station.
Huge festivals like Glastonbury mix different genres of music and nobody complains and I can not see why MTV can't show music videos from all different genres in U.S.
07-21-16, 05:54 PM
#38
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
6 channels that only show music videos and no reality shows?
I bet in outer countries MTV is still known as a music station.
Huge festivals like Glastonbury mix different genres of music and nobody complains and I can not see why MTV can't show music videos from all different genres in U.S.
I bet in outer countries MTV is still known as a music station.
Huge festivals like Glastonbury mix different genres of music and nobody complains and I can not see why MTV can't show music videos from all different genres in U.S.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV_Hi...nt_programming
07-21-16, 06:06 PM
#39
DVD Talk Legend
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
I do remember that, but I think MTV was trying to be a Rock & Roll music station at first. I don't even think they wanted to be associated with pop music, as they essentially wanted to be 'Classic Rock' of TV with bands like Bowie, Rolling Stones, etc.
Then by 1982, music videos changed everything as your look was just as important as your music. So pop bands figured out that a cool music video could sell, and that is when MTV got away from Rock & Roll. I still remember the summer of 1982 when I first got into MTV they played: The Go Go's, Duran Duran, The Motels, Asia, Men at Work, etc, as they all had cool videos. The older artists from the 70's videos were just straight up them playing their instruments on some set and they were so bland.
1983-84 is when they started playing black artists as I remember that was the first I saw of Michael Jackson/Bilie Jean, Lionel Richie/All Night Long, Prince/Little Red Corvette, The Pointer Sisters/Jump. And Michael Jackson/Thriller Video was when it came full circle in January 1984, as they played it EVERY hour on the hour for months.
Then by 1982, music videos changed everything as your look was just as important as your music. So pop bands figured out that a cool music video could sell, and that is when MTV got away from Rock & Roll. I still remember the summer of 1982 when I first got into MTV they played: The Go Go's, Duran Duran, The Motels, Asia, Men at Work, etc, as they all had cool videos. The older artists from the 70's videos were just straight up them playing their instruments on some set and they were so bland.
1983-84 is when they started playing black artists as I remember that was the first I saw of Michael Jackson/Bilie Jean, Lionel Richie/All Night Long, Prince/Little Red Corvette, The Pointer Sisters/Jump. And Michael Jackson/Thriller Video was when it came full circle in January 1984, as they played it EVERY hour on the hour for months.
No, I know what you meant (I just take umbrage when someone refers to a particular sub-genre of rock and roll, or time period, and only THAT is "rock and roll"). But I thought that MTV's original plan was mostly based on new wave, as both elements (music videos and new wave) really got going around the same time. If you recall those early "I want my MTV!" commercials, yes Pete Townshend was in them, but so were Billy Idol and the Police. Obviously, a channel dedicated to new wave would last as long as the genre did, so they'd have to branch out.
07-22-16, 06:53 AM
#40
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
6 channels that only show music videos and no reality shows?
I bet in outer countries MTV is still known as a music station.
Huge festivals like Glastonbury mix different genres of music and nobody complains and I can not see why MTV can't show music videos from all different genres in U.S.
I bet in outer countries MTV is still known as a music station.
Huge festivals like Glastonbury mix different genres of music and nobody complains and I can not see why MTV can't show music videos from all different genres in U.S.
There was an excellent Frontline episode years ago called "The Merchants of Cool" that examined MTV's use of market research. It's on the Frontline website.
07-22-16, 08:54 AM
#41
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
I know this question has almost become a cliche for the past 15 years, as everyone blames MTV for not playing videos anymore. I honestly think that music changed in the 90's and that was essentially the death of music videos.
When I was growing up in the heyday of MTV during the mid 80's, pop music ruled everything. And what I mean ruled is that every type of music in one way another co-opted pop. Whether it was hair bands like Whitesnake and Motley Crue, or classic rock groups from 70's like Bowie, Rolling Stones, and Bruce to pure pop sensations like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince and Whitney Houston.
MTV could play all of this music 24 hours a day and still have a mass audience, as rap and heavy metal were just a niche group of fans. Then the early 90's came and other forms of music became popular: Grunge, Rap/HipHop, Country, and Pop.
So what should MTV play 24 hours a day to get a mass audience? Would Nirvana fans listen to Notorius BIG? Would Eminem fans listen to Britney Spears or N'Sync? How about Country Music artists became mainstream too?
My point is that in the 1980's, MTV could play Michael Jackson, Madonna, Rolling Stones, Prince, Duran Duran, etc, and most teenagers growing up liked or loved most of them. But once music became diverse in the 90's/00's, then there would never be a mass audience to watch videos anymore, hence the death of MTV.
Now of course YouTube, and other forms of listening to music changed MTV too, but the bottom line is that radio stations are still alive playing music, the only difference is they cater to one specific genre of music, where MTV can never survive doing that.
When I was growing up in the heyday of MTV during the mid 80's, pop music ruled everything. And what I mean ruled is that every type of music in one way another co-opted pop. Whether it was hair bands like Whitesnake and Motley Crue, or classic rock groups from 70's like Bowie, Rolling Stones, and Bruce to pure pop sensations like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince and Whitney Houston.
MTV could play all of this music 24 hours a day and still have a mass audience, as rap and heavy metal were just a niche group of fans. Then the early 90's came and other forms of music became popular: Grunge, Rap/HipHop, Country, and Pop.
So what should MTV play 24 hours a day to get a mass audience? Would Nirvana fans listen to Notorius BIG? Would Eminem fans listen to Britney Spears or N'Sync? How about Country Music artists became mainstream too?
My point is that in the 1980's, MTV could play Michael Jackson, Madonna, Rolling Stones, Prince, Duran Duran, etc, and most teenagers growing up liked or loved most of them. But once music became diverse in the 90's/00's, then there would never be a mass audience to watch videos anymore, hence the death of MTV.
Now of course YouTube, and other forms of listening to music changed MTV too, but the bottom line is that radio stations are still alive playing music, the only difference is they cater to one specific genre of music, where MTV can never survive doing that.
07-23-16, 03:28 AM
#42
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
Depends on the video. There are many I only watch once, but there are others I have watched many times, including:
Saint Etienne - "I've Got Your Music" - The song is about the joy of putting on headphones and zoning out to your favorite band. The group asked fans to send them video clips of themselves holding up their favorite albums. Sometimes I watch it just to look at the records they're holding up, other times I watch to actually look at the people.
Kylie Minogue - "Come Into My World" - Kylie walks out of a dry cleaners in Paris, walks down the sidewalk, crosses the street, walks back up the sidewalk, then crosses the street to end up back where she started. She does this four times. Every time she does, an additional Kylie walks out of the cleaners. In addition, the background scenes get more and more chaotic, since there's an additional extra with every lap she makes. I'm not a Kylie fan, but this is fun to watch.
Fiest - "1234" - Not much of a Feist fan, either. But I could watch this all day, just to see how it was shot. This also applies to Weezer's "Undone", Spoon's "The Underdog", Metric's "Gimme Sympathy", most of OK Go's stuff, and other continuous-take music videos.
Saint Etienne - "I've Got Your Music" - The song is about the joy of putting on headphones and zoning out to your favorite band. The group asked fans to send them video clips of themselves holding up their favorite albums. Sometimes I watch it just to look at the records they're holding up, other times I watch to actually look at the people.
Kylie Minogue - "Come Into My World" - Kylie walks out of a dry cleaners in Paris, walks down the sidewalk, crosses the street, walks back up the sidewalk, then crosses the street to end up back where she started. She does this four times. Every time she does, an additional Kylie walks out of the cleaners. In addition, the background scenes get more and more chaotic, since there's an additional extra with every lap she makes. I'm not a Kylie fan, but this is fun to watch.
Fiest - "1234" - Not much of a Feist fan, either. But I could watch this all day, just to see how it was shot. This also applies to Weezer's "Undone", Spoon's "The Underdog", Metric's "Gimme Sympathy", most of OK Go's stuff, and other continuous-take music videos.
07-27-16, 04:24 AM
#43
DVD Talk Legend
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
If MTV did only play music videos people would complain the music sucks and miss they days of Prince, Van Halen, Guns N' Roses, etc and the music they listened to as kids.
07-27-16, 07:38 AM
#44
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
People always think MTV was better in the past. I remember when they started playing George Lopez and Fresh Prince reruns all the time people complained why can't they play Mr. Peanutbutter's House and Horsin Around reruns like they used to.
07-27-16, 02:55 PM
#46
DVD Talk Legend
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Palm Springs and Los Angeles
Posts: 23,210
Received 108 Likes
on
97 Posts
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
Vh1 Classic is being rebranded MTV Classic on Aug 1. and will show a bunch of old shows.
it will include some rare stuff that hasn't aired in ages like Aeon Flux and Clone High. They will also be including classic episodes of Unplugged, Yo! MTV Raps, 120 Minutes and Headbangers Ball.
The music video blocks are staying but under alternate names:
Metal Mania -> Headbangers
Rock Fest -> Rock Block
Totally 80's -> I Want My 80s
90s Rocked -> 90s Nation
Morning Video Block -> MTV Classic Videos
VH1 Classic 120 Minutes -> 120 Minutes
And they're adding the following blocks
YO! Hip Hop Mix (Classic Hip-Hop)
House Of Pop (Pop from the 80s-early 00s)
Total Request Playlist (late 90s-early 00s)
The channel is also relaunching on the 35th anniversary of MTV with the entire first hour of MTV as it aired back on August 1st 1981, complete with classic commercials and technical glitches.
it will include some rare stuff that hasn't aired in ages like Aeon Flux and Clone High. They will also be including classic episodes of Unplugged, Yo! MTV Raps, 120 Minutes and Headbangers Ball.
The music video blocks are staying but under alternate names:
Metal Mania -> Headbangers
Rock Fest -> Rock Block
Totally 80's -> I Want My 80s
90s Rocked -> 90s Nation
Morning Video Block -> MTV Classic Videos
VH1 Classic 120 Minutes -> 120 Minutes
And they're adding the following blocks
YO! Hip Hop Mix (Classic Hip-Hop)
House Of Pop (Pop from the 80s-early 00s)
Total Request Playlist (late 90s-early 00s)
The channel is also relaunching on the 35th anniversary of MTV with the entire first hour of MTV as it aired back on August 1st 1981, complete with classic commercials and technical glitches.
07-27-16, 03:17 PM
#47
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
Rex - if you liked that Kylie Minogue video, you should watch more of Michel Gondry's videos. Start with Star Guitar and Sugar Water.
07-27-16, 05:58 PM
#48
DVD Talk Legend
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
I miss the days when you can listen to music on a gramophone.
07-28-16, 12:03 PM
#49
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Thread Starter
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
-Duran Duran (A View to a Kill)
-Phil Collins (Sussudio)
-Bruce Springsteen (Glory Days)
-Huey Lewis & The News (The Power of Love)
-Tears For Fears (Everybody Wants to Rule the World)
-Billy Joel (You're Only Human)
-Whitney Houston (You give Good Love)
-Prince (Rasberry Beret)
-Survivor (The Search Is Over)
-Madonna (Angel)
-Eurythmics (Would I Lie To You)
-Til Tuesday (Voices Carry)
-Brian Adams (Heaven)
-Sting (If you Love Sombody Set Them Free)
-Howard Jones (Things Can Only Get Better)
-Heart (What About Love)
-Glen Frey (Smugglers Blues)
-Aretha Franklin (Freeway of Love)
My point is that these were all mainstream artists that pretty much appealed to anyone, so you could play these videos all day in 1985 and there was a market that watches them. If you go through the Top 40 these days, I guarantee most of it would not appeal to the masses other then a few songs.
Last edited by mcnabb; 07-28-16 at 01:04 PM.
07-28-16, 12:52 PM
#50
DVD Talk Hero
Re: My theory on why MTV doesn't play music videos anymore
Just thought I'd weigh in with the younger perspective. My daughter is 10 and spends hours in the basement watching music videos on YouTube with her friends. They can watch whatever they want, whenever they want, for as long as they want, as many times as they want. That will always be more appealing than putting MTV on and hoping they play the video you want to see.
I tell my friends who don't have kids that things are way different now. Between YouTube and Netflix, my daughter and my 12 year old son can always watch exactly what they want to watch. Neither one of them watches anything on traditional TV. I watched tons of shows every week on primetime and Saturdays growing up. They just watch whatever they want at all times instead on any of their devices.
And frankly, if that technology had been around when I was a kid I would have done the same thing.
I tell my friends who don't have kids that things are way different now. Between YouTube and Netflix, my daughter and my 12 year old son can always watch exactly what they want to watch. Neither one of them watches anything on traditional TV. I watched tons of shows every week on primetime and Saturdays growing up. They just watch whatever they want at all times instead on any of their devices.
And frankly, if that technology had been around when I was a kid I would have done the same thing.