This is a list of the first music videos broadcast on MTV's first day, August 1, 1981.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE METAL VOICE YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE
All you need is a gmail account
The first video to air on MTV was one emblematic of MTV's concept, The Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" which was then immediately followed by a brief message about music and television coming together and then "You Better Run" by Pat Benatar. 116 unique videos were played, spanning 209 spins over the first 24 hours; from the beginning, MTV used the rotation system and repeated popular videos throughout the day. "You Better You Bet" by the Who, which was also the first video to be repeated, "Just Between You and Me" by April Wine, and "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins were each played five times. Rod Stewart made the most total appearances that day with 16, with 11 of his videos being played.
Due to being a brand new cable network, the first day featured numerous errors including playing clips at the wrong times, moments of dead air, videos that wouldn't play correctly and other technical difficulties.
First music videos aired on MTV
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 Suzi's on the Up" Ph.D.
6 "We Don't Talk Anymore" Cliff Richard
7 "Brass in Pocket" The 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 and the Chartbusters
12 "History Never Repeats" Split Enz
13 "Hold on Loosely" 38 Special
14 "Just Between You and Me" April Wine from Live in London
15 "Sailing" Rod Stewart
16 "Iron Maiden" Iron Maiden 1st Heavy Metal song to be played on MTV
17 "Keep on Loving You" REO Speedwagon
18 "Bluer Than Blue" Michael Johnson
19 "Message of Love" The Pretenders
20 "Mr. Briefcase" Lee Ritenour
21 "Double Life" The Cars
22 "In The Air Tonight" Phil Collins
23 "Looking for Clues" Robert Palmer
24 "Too Late" Shoes
25 "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
26 "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" Rod Stewart
27 "Surface Tension" Rupert Hine
28 "One Step Ahead" Split Enz
29 "Baker Street" Gerry Rafferty
30 "I'm Gonna Follow You" Pat Benatar
31 "Savannah Nights" Tom Johnston 1/2
32 "Lucille" Rockestra
33 "The Best of Times" Styx
34 "Vengeance" Carly Simon
35 "Wrathchild" Iron Maiden
36 "I Wanna Be a Lifeguard" Blotto
37 "Passion" Rod Stewart
38 "Oliver's Army" Elvis Costello
39 "Don't Let Him Go" REO Speedwagon
40 "Remote Control / Illegal" The Silencers
41 "Angel of the Morning" Juice Newton
42 "Little Sister" Rockpile with Robert Plant
43 "Hold On to the Night" Bootcamp
44 "Dreamin'" Cliff Richard
45 "Is It You" Lee Ritenour
46 "Tusk" Fleetwood Mac
47 "He Can't Love You" Michael Stanley Band
48 "Tough Guys" REO Speedwagon
49 "Rapture" Blondie
50 "Don't Let Go the Coat" The Who
51 "Ain't Love a Bitch" Rod Stewart
52 "Talk of the Town" The Pretenders
53 "Can't Happen Here" Rainbow
54 "Thank You for Being a Friend" Andrew Gold
55 "You Better You Bet" The Who
56 "Bring It All Home" Gerry Rafferty
57 "Sign of the Gypsy Queen" April Wine from Live in London
58 "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" Kate Bush
59 "Message of Love" The Pretenders
60 "All Night Long" Rainbow 1/2
61 "Boys Keep Swinging" David Bowie
62 "Rat Race" The Specials
63 "Just Between You and Me" April Wine from Live in London
64 "Once in a Lifetime" Talking Heads
65 "Victim" Bootcamp
66 "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" Rod Stewart
67 "Cruel to Be Kind" Nick Lowe
68 "A Little in Love" Cliff Richard
69 "Take It on the Run" REO Speedwagon
70 "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" 38 Special
71 "Wuthering Heights" Kate Bush
72 "Celebrate the Bullet" The Selecter
73 "More Than I Can Say" Leo Sayer
74 "A Message to You, Rudy" The Specials
75 "In the Air Tonight" Phil Collins
76 "Heart of Glass" Blondie
77 "Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight" Rod Stewart
78 "Kid" The Pretenders
79 "Wrathchild" Iron Maiden
80 "Come What May" Lani Hall and Herb Alpert
81 "I Got You" Split Enz
82 "Sister Disco" The Who From Concerts for the People of Kampuchea
83 "Fashion" David Bowie
84 "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
85 "Love Stinks" J. Geils Band
86 "Johnny & Mary" Robert Palmer
87 "Tomorrow Night" Shoes
88 "Lucille" Rockestra 2/3
89 "Rockin' the Paradise" Styx
90 "Prime Time" The Tubes
91 "One Step Ahead" Split Enz
92 "Hold on Loosely" .38 Special
93 "Cruel You" Shoes
94 "Little Sister" Rockpile with Robert Plant
95 "Calling All Girls" Hilly Michaels
96 "Keep on Loving You" REO Speedwagon
97 "I Was Only Joking" Rod Stewart
98 "You Better You Bet" The Who
99 "Time Heals" Todd Rundgren
100 "Let's Go" The Cars
101 "Just Between You and Me" April Wine from Live in London
102 "Mr. Briefcase" Lee Ritenour
103 "Fashion" David Bowie
104 "I'm Gonna Follow You" Pat Benatar
105 "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" The Ramones
106 "Ridin' the Storm Out" REO Speedwagon
107 "Looking for Clues" Robert Palmer
108 "Little Suzi's on the Up" Ph.D.
109 "Is It You" Lee Ritenour
110 "You're in My Heart" Rod Stewart
111 "Talk of the Town" The Pretenders
112 "The Best of Times" Styx
113 "So Long" Fischer-Z
114 "In the Air Tonight" Phil Collins
115 "I Don't Want To Know" Robin Lane and the Chartbusters
116 "Don't Let Go the Coat" The Who
117 "Go Back Home Again" Andrew Gold
118 "Message of Love" The Pretenders
119 "Remote Control / Illegal" The Silencers
120 "Time for Me to Fly" REO Speedwagon
121 "Wrathchild" Iron Maiden
122 "She Won't Dance With Me" Rod Stewart
123 "Rough Boys" Pete Townshend
124 "History Never Repeats" Split Enz
125 "Dangerous Type" The Cars
126 "Turn It On Again" Genesis
127 "Rapture" Blondie
128 "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
129 "Can't Happen Here" Rainbow
130 "We're So Close" Carly Simon
131 "Tough Guys" REO Speedwagon
132 "Passion" Rod Stewart
133 "Kid Blue" Louise Goffin
134 "Little Sister" Rockpile with Robert Plant
135 "Vienna" Ultravox
136 "Sign of the Gypsy Queen" April Wine from Live in London
137 "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" Elvis Costello and the Attractions
138 "Don't Let Him Go" REO Speedwagon
139 "I Won't Let You Down" Ph.D.
140 "Holiday" Nazareth
141 "You Better You Bet" The Who
142 "All Night Long" Rainbow
143 "Video Killed the Radio Star" The Buggles
144 "You Better Run" Pat Benatar
145 "Surface Tension" Rupert Hine
146 "One Step Ahead" Split Enz
147 "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" .38 Special
148 "In My Arms Again" Shoes
149 "Is It You" Lee Ritenour
150 "Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight" Rod Stewart
151 "Passing Strangers" Ultravox
152 "Just Between You and Me" April Wine from Live in London
153 "Turning Japanese" The Vapors
154 "Rockin' the Paradise" Styx
155 "Bluer Than Blue" Michael Johnson
156 "Message of Love" The Pretenders
157 "Rat Race" The Specials
158 "Roll with the Changes" REO Speedwagon
159 "In the Air Tonight" Phil Collins
160 "Hold On to the Night" Bootcamp
161 "Double Life" The Cars
162 "Take It on the Run" REO Speedwagon
163 "We Don't Talk Anymore" Cliff Richard
164 "Sister Disco" The Who From Concerts for the People of Kampuchea
165 "Celebrate the Bullet" The Selecter
166 "More Than I Can Say" Leo Sayer
167 "I Hope I Never" Split Enz
168 "Talk of the Town" The Pretenders
169 "Hold on Loosely" .38 Special
170 "Blondes (Have More Fun)" Rod Stewart
171 "Wrathchild" Iron Maiden
172 "Savannah Nights" Tom Johnston
173 "I'm Gonna Follow You" Pat Benatar
174 "Don't Let Him Go" REO Speedwagon
175 "Never Let Her Slip Away" Andrew Gold
176 "Time Heals" Todd Rundgren
177 "Brass in Pocket" The Pretenders
178 "Little Sister" Rockpile with Robert Plant From Concerts for the People of Kampuchea
179 "A Little in Love" Cliff Richard
180 "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" Rod Stewart
181 "Victim" Bootcamp
182 "Baker Street" Gerry Rafferty
183 "He Can't Love You" Michael Stanley Band
184 "Looking for Clues" Robert Palmer
185 "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
186 "Keep on Loving You" REO Speedwagon
187 "When Things Go Wrong" Robin Lane and the Chartbusters
188 "Little Suzi's on the Up" Ph.D.
189 "The Best of Times" Styx
190 "Sailing" Rod Stewart
191 "You Better You Bet" The Who
192 "Iron Maiden" Iron Maiden
193 "Can't Happen Here" Rainbow
194 "Oliver's Army" Elvis Costello
195 "Just Between You and Me" April Wine from Live in London
196 "Come What May" Lani Hall and Herb Alpert
197 "Tattooed Love Boys" The Pretenders
198 "In the Air Tonight" Phil Collins
199 "Peter Gunn Theme / Remote Control" The Silencers
200 "Dreamin'" Cliff Richard
201 "Lucille" Rockestra 3/3 From Concerts for the People of Kampuchea
202 "Boys Keep Swinging" David Bowie
203 "Johnny & Mary" Robert Palmer
204 "Only the Strong Survive" REO Speedwagon
205 "Waiting for the Weekend" The Vapors
206 "You're Insane" Rod Stewart
207 "Kiss on My List" Hall & Oates
208 "Living in the Plastic Age" The Buggles
209 "Lonely Boy" Andrew Gold
(Source Wikipedia)
Top 10 Metal Albums of 1996 w/ Todd La Torre of Queensrÿche
Top 10 Best & Definitive Cover Songs by Hard Rock/Metal Bands-w/ Gus G, Ex Ozzy, Firewind Guitarist
Comments