Playlist From MTV's First Day On The Air

[Masked Terror #1]

This is a list of all the videos played on MTV's first day, August 1, 1981:

"Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles
"You Better Run" by Pat Benatar
"She Won't Dance" by Rod Stewart
"You Better You Bet" by The Who
"Little Susie's on the Up" by Ph.D.
"We Don't Talk Anymore" by Cliff Richard
"Brass in Pocket" by The Pretenders
"Time Heals" by Todd Rundgren
"Take It on the Run" by REO Speedwagon
"Rockin' the Paradise" by Styx
"When Things Go Wrong" by Robin Lane and The Chartbusters
"History Never Repeats" by Split Enz
"Hold On Loosely" by 38 Special
"Just Between You and Me" by April Wine
"Sailing" by Rod Stewart
"Iron Maiden" by Iron Maiden
"Keep On Loving You" by REO Speedwagon
"Message of Love" by The Pretenders
"Mr. Briefcase" by Lee Ritenour
"Double Life" by The Cars
"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
"Looking For Clues" by Robert Palmer
"Too Late" by The Shoes
"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
"Surface Tension" by Rupert Hine
"One Step Ahead" by Split Enz
"Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty
"I'm Gonna Follow You" by Pat Benatar
"Savannah Nights" by Tom Johnston
"Lucille" by Rockestra
"The Best of Times" by Styx
"Vengeance" by Carly Simon
"Wrathchild" by Iron Maiden
"I Wanna Be a Lifeguard" by Blotto
"Passion" by Rod Stewart
"Oliver's Army" by Elvis Costello
"Don't Let Him Go" by REO Speedwagon
"Remote Control/Illegal" by The Silencers
"Angel of the Morning" by Juice Newton
"Little Sister" by Rockpile with Robert Plant
"Hold On to the Night" by Bootcamp
"Dreaming" by Cliff Richard
"Is it You?" by Lee Ritenour
"Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac
"He Can't Love You" by Michael Stanley Band
"Tough Guys" by REO Speedwagon
"Rapture" by Blondie
"Don't Let Go the Coat" by The Who
"Ain't Love a Bitch" by Rod Stewart
"Talk of the Town" by The Pretenders
"Can't Happen Here" by Rainbow
"Thank You for Being a Friend" by Andrew Gold
"Bring It All Home" by Gerry Rafferty
"Sign of the Gypsy Queen" by April Wine
"The Man with the Child in His Eyes" by Kate Bush
"Ashes to Ashes" by David Bowie
"Just Between You and Me" by April Wine
"Rat Race" by The Specials
"Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads
"Victim" by Bootcamp
"Tonight's the Night" by Rod Stewart
"Cruel to Be Kind" by Nick Lowe

Nice to see Maiden on there twice

[ALASKA]

"Hold On to the Night" by Bootcamp

bootcamp click too

[theaggravatedjew]

Im assuming this was the order in which they aired right?

[Masked Terror #1]

Yup.

[Jennie C]

I think so, I know VKTRS was the first to ever air.

[Rachel Hobozal]

I think so, I know VKTRS was the first to ever air.

Though the song was/is true, they should've takin it a step further and named it 'Video Killed the Music'.

[Smooth Lou]

A girl I used to work with when I wrote obituaries for a living was the lead singer of a band called... fuck, i can't remember anymore, but she says that her band's video played on MTV in MTV's first week on the air.

Classic story though, promoters and publishers stole all her band's money and now she still writes obituaries at the 3rd largest newspaper in Chicago.

I think the song was called "Born to Runner-Up".



Love,

Smooth Lou

[intuition]

little trivia for you guys: what was the first video MTV2 aired?

[Zeed Stun]

^ beastie boys?

[Career Over Like Mike(NJJ)]

^ I think it was something by Beck. "Devil's haircut" maybe?

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins

[intuition]

^ I think it was something by Beck. "Devil's haircut" maybe?

this is close.

it was "where it's at."

i happened to be watching tv that night and i always remembered this hoping it will one day be a final jeopardy question.