Open Thread: I STILL Want My MTV!
At first, I thought it was a joke, but it’s not. No more MTV Music Television.
Video didn’t kill the radio star – streaming did. The last vestiges of music video, worldwide, are now gone.
MTV was must-see TV for decades. No house party was complete without it in the background. How many of us first encountered our favorite music or grew to love a band because their music videos were so captivating? And how many established stars reached new heights of cultural fame thanks to their videos? Take Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, for instance. (In fact, any Michael Jackson video still evokes strong emotions.) Even Rick Astley, for heaven’s sake… people are still being Rickrolled.
TOP LISTS?
There are countless lists about the top music videos of all time, like this one. It’s a fun walk – or dance – through time. Some videos made me love the song so much that I can’t enjoy the song without the video. For example, I literally can’t listen to Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim without picturing Christopher Walken, the Coolest Guy ever, dancing at 58.
Or consider the warm optimism and whimsy of Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.
Other videos turbocharged already great songs, like Panama by Van Halen or Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper.
Of course, there are also more somber music videos. Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails transformed Trent Reznor’s nihilism into a profound reflection on time, aging, and choices. Even Trent admitted, “It’s not my song anymore.” The sheer poetry of the video for REM’s Losing My Religion elevates it beyond just a song about lost love. And even after all this time, I Don’t Like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats still sends chills down my spine.
YOUR TURN
But that’s just my perspective. Which music videos do you miss? Which ones would you watch over and over? Share your favorites in the comments!
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers. Virge frequently writes about Old School New York City and performs at open mic readings throughout the city. Send Open Thread suggestions to editor@seniorplanet.org.
Photo: monticellllo – stock.adobe.com
At first, I thought it was a joke, but it’s not. No more MTV Music Television.
Video didn’t kill the radio star – streaming did. The last vestiges of music video, worldwide, are now gone.
MTV was must-see TV for decades. No house party was complete without it in the background. How many of us first encountered our favorite music or grew to love a band because their music videos were so captivating? And how many established stars reached new heights of cultural fame thanks to their videos? Take Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” video, for instance. (In fact, any Michael Jackson video still evokes strong emotions.) Even Rick Astley, for heaven’s sake… people are still being Rickrolled.
TOP LISTS?
There are countless lists about the top music videos of all time, like this one. It’s a fun walk – or dance – through time. Some videos made me love the song so much that I can’t enjoy the song without the video. For example, I literally can’t listen to Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim without picturing Christopher Walken, the Coolest Guy ever, dancing at 58.
Or consider the warm optimism and whimsy of Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.
Other videos turbocharged already great songs, like Panama by Van Halen or Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper.
Of course, there are also more somber music videos. Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails transformed Trent Reznor’s nihilism into a profound reflection on time, aging, and choices. Even Trent admitted, “It’s not my song anymore.” The sheer poetry of the video for REM’s Losing My Religion elevates it beyond just a song about lost love. And even after all this time, I Don’t Like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats still sends chills down my spine.
YOUR TURN
But that’s just my perspective. Which music videos do you miss? Which ones would you watch over and over? Share your favorites in the comments!
Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers. Virge frequently writes about Old School New York City and performs at open mic readings throughout the city. Send Open Thread suggestions to editor@seniorplanet.org.
Photo: monticellllo – stock.adobe.com
