In February 2010 MTV underwent a huge change. Perhaps this was their way of greeting the new decade by altering their logo and perhaps disregarding the very nuance that was this very network. MTV: Music Television was shortened to just become forever known as its acronym form. Arguably, although it still stands for that same thing, it has linguistically undergone a shift in meaning as it now stands alone as a proper noun and has all sorts of connotations most of which are unfortunately not relating to music.
When “Video Killed the Radio Star” (The Buggles) became the first video to be played on MTV in 1981 it signified an eminent change in everything the music industry was at that stage. There were now low budget song length clips to put faces to voices and evaluate the way one dressed and a whole new element of competition, perhaps peaking when Michael Jackson came out with his music video epic, Thriller. Tv shows were dedicated to all different music genres such as Yo! MTV Raps, The Week in Music or even the live intimate Unplugged sessions, but alas, all these shows saw their fateful demise as MTV was becoming known for more than just its music. There have been correlations drawn between the music video’s demise and the internet where video clips are a few clicks and taps of the key board away. Why bother sitting around waiting and hoping your bands latest clip will come on when you can enter it on youtube and have not only the song of your choice, but an entire back catalogue ready for your viewing pleasure. Even if you were to request a song there is still a million other screaming fans in front of you (cue TRL with Carson Daly). Living in a capitalist world, one can understand that when MTV’s marketing chief expresses that the ‘music television’ aspect just isn’t a known aspect of this cultural phenomenon in todays world, so why bother trying to fool people? Rather, let’s brainwash them with tv shows about the musicians. Does Nelly really need another Escalade? How about some unnecessary features in your mediocre car courtesy of Xzibit? Perhaps you’d rather watch spoilt rich kids crying to Daddy when Maroon-5 pull out of playing at your Super Sweet 16?
Why are those of us who hold the value of music over these terrible (yet ever so popular) replacements, subjected to such mind numbingly irrelevant television? Oh, that’s right, there will always be aspiring 14 year olds wishing to make next season’s 16 and pregnant lineup and who am I to deny kids of their dreams?
When “Video Killed the Radio Star” (The Buggles) became the first video to be played on MTV in 1981 it signified an eminent change in everything the music industry was at that stage. There were now low budget song length clips to put faces to voices and evaluate the way one dressed and a whole new element of competition, perhaps peaking when Michael Jackson came out with his music video epic, Thriller. Tv shows were dedicated to all different music genres such as Yo! MTV Raps, The Week in Music or even the live intimate Unplugged sessions, but alas, all these shows saw their fateful demise as MTV was becoming known for more than just its music. There have been correlations drawn between the music video’s demise and the internet where video clips are a few clicks and taps of the key board away. Why bother sitting around waiting and hoping your bands latest clip will come on when you can enter it on youtube and have not only the song of your choice, but an entire back catalogue ready for your viewing pleasure. Even if you were to request a song there is still a million other screaming fans in front of you (cue TRL with Carson Daly). Living in a capitalist world, one can understand that when MTV’s marketing chief expresses that the ‘music television’ aspect just isn’t a known aspect of this cultural phenomenon in todays world, so why bother trying to fool people? Rather, let’s brainwash them with tv shows about the musicians. Does Nelly really need another Escalade? How about some unnecessary features in your mediocre car courtesy of Xzibit? Perhaps you’d rather watch spoilt rich kids crying to Daddy when Maroon-5 pull out of playing at your Super Sweet 16?
Why are those of us who hold the value of music over these terrible (yet ever so popular) replacements, subjected to such mind numbingly irrelevant television? Oh, that’s right, there will always be aspiring 14 year olds wishing to make next season’s 16 and pregnant lineup and who am I to deny kids of their dreams?
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