Picking up where we left off on Friday, it’s still the eighties, but now we’re at home watching MTV. The era of music television has begun, for better or worse. (Spoiler: it’s worse). Ironically (ruthlessly?), the very first music video aired on MTV was “Video Killed The Radio Star”, by The Buggles. These selections below, representing new wave, synth-pop, dance-rock, art rock, pop rock, and punk genres were chosen primarily because this is what I think of when I (extraordinarily rarely) think of MTV. (To be clear, I do like some of this music, regardless of how I feel about the videos made to promote the songs). Whether you like the music or not, these videos provide a sense of time and place, a slice of history. They’re sure to take you back in time to the eighties.
1979/1981 (released/MTV premiere)
“The Buggles – Video Killed The Radio Star (Official Music Video)”
1982 “Steve Miller Band – Abracadabra”
1982 “Thomas Dolby – She Blinded Me With Science”
1982/1983 (released/charted)
“After The Fire – Der Kommissar”
1982 “A Flock Of Seagulls – I Ran (So Far Away) (Video)”
1982 “The Clash – Rock the Casbah (Official Video)”
1982 “The Clash – Should I Stay or Should I Go (Official Video)”
1983 “The Fixx – One Thing Leads To Another (Official Video)”
1983/1989 (released/re-released) Australian
“Real Life – Send Me An Angel [HQ/1080p]”
1984/1985 (released/charted)
“a-ha – Take On Me (Official Video) [Remastered in 4K]”
1985 “Dire Straits – Money For Nothing”
1986 “Robert Palmer – Addicted To Love (Official Music Video)”
1986 “Peter Gabriel – Sledgehammer (HD version)
1986/1987 (album/single)
“Peter Gabriel – Big Time”
1988 – “Fine Young Cannibals – She Drives Me Crazy (Official Video)”
Question Of The Night: Have eighties music videos aged well?
