Some of it may surprise you. Not the Rod Stewart part, though. It’s true what they say about early MTV being too Rod Stewarty.
The Buggles – Video Killed the Radio Star
Pat Benatar – You Better Run
Rod Stewart – She Won’t Dance
The Who – You Better You Bet
Phd – Little Susie’s on the Up
Cliff Richard – We Don’t Talk Anymore
The Pretenders – Brass in Pocket
Todd Rundgren – Time Heals
REO Speedwagon – Take it on the Run
Styx – Rockin’ the Paradise
Robiin Lane & The Chartbusters – When Things Go Wrong
Split Enz – History Never Repeats.
.38 Special – Hold on Loosely
April Wine – Just Between You & Me
Rod Stewart – Sailing
Iron Maiden – Iron Maiden
REO Speedwagon – Keep on Loving You
The Pretenders – Message of Love
Lee Ritenour – Mr. Briefcase
The Cars – Double Life
Phil Collins – In the Air Tonight
Robert Palmer – Looking for Clues
The Shoes – Too Late
Stevie Nicks & Tom Petty – Stop Draggin’ my Heart Around.
Rupert Hines – Surface Tension
Madness – One Step Beyond
Gerry Rafferty – Baker Street
Pat Benatar – I’m Gonna Follow You
Tom Johnson – Savannah Nights
Rockestra – Lucille
Styx – The Best of Times
Carly Simon – Vengeance
Iron Maiden – Wrathchild
Blotto – I Wanna Be a Lifeguard
Rod Stewart – Passion
Elvis Costello – Oliver’s Army
REO Speedwagon – Don’t Let Him Go
The Silencers – Remote Control/I’m Too Legal
Juice Newton – Angel of the Morning
Rockestra – Little Sister
Bootcamp – Hold on to the Night
Cliff Richard – Dreaming
Lee Ritenour – Is it You?
Fleetwood Mac – Tusk
Michael Stanley Band – He Can’t Love You
REO Speedwagon – Tough Guys
Blondie – Rapture
The Who – Don’t Let Go the Coat
Rod Stewart – Ain’t Love a Bitch
The Pretenders – Talk of the Town
Rainbow – Can’t Happen Here
Andrew Gold – Thank You for Being a Friend
Gerry Rafferty – Bring it all Home
April Wine – Sign of the Gypsy Queen
Kate Bush – The Man With the Child in His Eyes
David Bowie – Ashes to Ashes
April Wine – Just Between You and Me
The Specials – Rat Race
Talking Heads – Once in a Lifetime
Bootcamp – Victim
Rod Stewart – Tonight’s the Night
Nick Lowe – Cruel to be Kind
This list I found matches up exactly with what I’ve been watching, except Classic just played Vapors’ “Turning Japanese,” Michael Johnson’s “Bluer Than Blue,” and (according to Conrad) Genesis’ “Turn It On Again.” So either the channel’s cheating or my list is incomplete. (I think they’re cheating.)
And since VH1 Classic is just airing the videos, not the VJ segments — I know, I was disappointed too — at least we can count on YouTube.
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Lee Ritenour in tha HY-OWSE!
Man it was really all about the rock ballad back in 1981. I wonder how many babies were born as a direct result of REO’s “I’m gonna keep on loving you”.
Wow, Ritenour. How bout that? The Silencers, though, that’s cool.
uh for all you “remember how cool it was when mtv video” types –
thing about that “rock block” of Rainbow/Andrew Gold/Gerry Rafferty/April Wine next time you complain about “yo mama”
Geez, did they play the entire Speedwagon CD? that’s ridiculous.
i think the entry for Rockestra “little sister” is supposed to be Rockpile
it’s a live video from the Concert for kampuchea film (old mtv trick, take one film and chop it into 20 music videos)
Yes. The channel must be cheating. If they weren’t they’d be playing “Hold On Loosely” six or seven times in a row because that is distinctly how I remember it.
Like most kids my age, we used to watch hours of pain for three minutes of pleasure. Its amazing how much Juice Newton I was able to tolerate for a chance to see Nick Lowe or Blotto.
Blotto? “I Wanna Be a Lifeguard?” Wow…space and time just collapsed on my big head.
The chyron for “Lucille” said Rockestra. I assume “Little Sister” was the same.
“Hold On Loosely” is on RIGHT NOW.
it should also just be Shoes — Too Late. that’s a great oddball choice, they’re a classic midwest power-pop band.
also, fun fact: Nina blackwood went to my high school and is in our hall of fame.
it should also just be Shoes — Too Late. that’s a great oddball choice, they’re a classic midwest power-pop band.
also, fun fact: Nina blackwood went to my high school and is in our hall of fame.
“watch hours of pain for three minutes of pleasure” is exactly what it was like! I watched MTV from the minute I got up until I was forced to go to bed, just waiting for my favorite songs to be played.
speaking of rod stewart, gasoline alley is one damn good album.
chase, his first two or three are great
hold loosely kicks ass
Loved seeing all those early Pretender vids…not showing the original vj’s sucked….seems like Mtv should have celebrated this a little more…guess they need to focus on their current crappy programing.
Scott – Rockestra is a real band from the same album/movie as the Rockpile song (concert for kampucheah) but Rockestra (an all-star jam session during the movie) didnt do “little sister” that was Rockpile
i’m guessing Bootcamp was on the board of directors for MTV, allmusic.com has never heard of them either
finally i’ve watched lee ritenour early this year
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmartha Quinn.
Though I wasn’t born til 1984 and didn’t become an MTV fiend til the early to mid 90′s, it sure is nice to peak into a time where videos were all the rage and not just in the wee hrs of the night or right before work in the a.m. Love all the comments about watching MTV “from the minute I got up until I was forced to go to bed”.
That’s rubbish they aren’t showing the VJ snippets too. I was looking forward to seeing the 5 original VJs.
Is Rockestra a REAL band? I think Pete Townshend was REAL HIGH when they made that film.
Oh, fuck…the Michael Stanley Band. My sister and her friends were Michael Stanley Band GROUPIES. No shit. They got invited backstage at one show, “PARTIED” with the band, and were subsequently personally invited to multiple shows thereafter.
Really, my only surprise was that “In the Air Tonight” wasn’t in the first 5. It’s not even in the first 20. I thought Phil Collins and that song were huge. I guess Miami Vice helped with that though.
sorry tauwan, i just have to tease — you became an MTV fiend between the ages of 6 and 10? that’s a good one. too funny.
Robin Lane and the Chartbusters! I only thought my dad knew who they were…
I couldn’t believe it was on the playlist, so I had to look it up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTO51QOeXOs&search=Oliver%27s%20Army
Remember when MTV started there were no commercials? Thats because cable cost about 5 bucks a month so having comercials would be paying twice. Cable fucks us hard now price wise.
The two vids from Iron Maiden is a Tad conspicuous on this list. Who in fuck are Robin Lane and the Chartbusters?
Also, Martha Quinn is the sexiest woman alive.
Martha Squid was gross, still is I guess if she is alive.
Ah good to see when MTV actually played more than just singles back in the days when bands made albums not just songs and filler. Back when mussicians mostly played their instruments (FU Duran Duran) of course MTV changed this. Now its a bunch of semi good looking people with no talent. Or uglu fucks trying to be thugs with good marketing teams.
Yaknow what’s funny… they played a song labeled as The Who singing You Better You Bet towards the end, but it was really Hilly Michaels singing Calling All Girls. Kinda makes me wanna watch Spring Break or My Tutor and have my 9th grade media highlights complete…
Awesome to see IRON MAIDEN on the list twice…I’ve loved MAIDEN since’82 and they still rock .UP THE IRONS…\m/ BOSTON ’06 \m/