How Did MTV Change American Culture

Becoming the band of the decade or the trendsetter of the music industry was a goal that was not always reached in the lifespan of an artist or songwriter, however MTV (Music Television) created a whole new generation that would change American culture forever in just a day. The debut of the first ever music video, ironically titled “Video Killed the Radio Star”, only vaguely foreshadowed the volume of impact that this TV show would have on the world. “It turns out, video now makes the radio star.” With 24 hours of straight music aired worldwide every day, MTV became a medium to revive old stars and make overnight sensations.
Although MTV would soon become the heart of the music business, its initial audience was very limited since cable television
Dance moves and clothing styles became increasingly more important. With MTV’s power, anyone could become a star with the right video and the right look. Even those without major talent but with the correct visual appeal could easily gain popularity. For record companies, it became a valuable marketing tool and as for the artists, it opened opportunities to make a bigger name for themselves and have more creative expression. Early music videos started off with small budgets of a couple thousand dollars and amateur productions. The importance of videos increased along with their budgets. Madonna set the record in 1989 by spending one million dollars on a music video. However, many people hardly realize that we remember Madonna’s music videos as much as her actual songs. Madonna was only the beginning of the “MTV effect”, classic artists such as Michael and Janet Jackson have spent around seven million dollars on music videos. In fact, MTV helped integrate African Americans with popular music on television, Michael Jackson lead the frontline with videos such as “Thriller” and “Billie Jean”. Not only is Jackson praised for being a lyrical genius but also known for his iconic dance moves that have connected people around the world. Even after his death, his influence still remains strong today, as well as other past artists through their visual and lyrical
According to Alan Light, “What MTV did was for the first time give one big central outlet for music, and so rather than having to go radio station to radio station, there was one big hit that became the primary outlet for new music and new bands.” It completely changed the pace of the music industry. Indeed it has brought to light the significance of looks, style, and moves, but it also has endorsed appearance over substance. It became all about the image an artist represented in three minutes and seemed to turn the music business into a marketing