Two and a half years ago, we explored the early history of Cartoon Network... but it wasn't the only player in the youth television game. As a matter of fact, Fred Seibert -- the man responsible for the most inventive projects discussed in that post -- first stretched his creative legs at the network's truly venerable forerunner: Nickelodeon. Founded as Pinwheel, a six-hour block on Warner Cable's innovative QUBE system, this humble channel struggled for years before Seibert's innovative branding work transformed it into a national icon and capstone of a media empire. Much has changed since then, from the mascots and game shows to the versatile orange "splat." But starting tonight in response to popular demand, the network is looking back with a summer programming block dedicated to the greatest hits of the 1990s, including Hey Arnold!, Rocko's Modern Life, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Double Dare, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Legends of the Hidden Temple, and All That. To celebrate, look inside for the complete story of the early days of the network that incensed the religious right, brought doo-wop to television, and slimed a million fans -- the golden age of Nickelodeon. (warning: monster post inside) [more inside]
posted by Rhaomi on Jul 25, 2011 - 116 comments

An archive of (nearly) every 120 Minutes (and its successor Subterranean) playlist. The 120 Minutes archive includes playlists for 585 episodes of MTV's seminal alternative rock show and its successor, Subterranean, spanning 1986-2007. The archive includes links to video search for each track played, interviews with those behind the program, a history of its development and demise, and the full video of the series finale. Looking at some of the early episodes, should be enough to crush you under a wave of nostalgia and longing for the days when MTV was what it says on the tin.
posted by CharlesV42 on Apr 19, 2010 - 50 comments

Hey, what ever happened to Julie Brown? ( not that one) She was a hit in Earth Girls Are Easy with her number, Cause I'm a Blonde. She had another hit with the Dr. Demento staple The Homecoming Queens' Got a Gun! Then she faded into the cultural-artifact twilight ... [more inside]
posted by The Whelk on Dec 30, 2008 - 37 comments

Sifl & Olly are two sockpuppets that had a show on MTV from 1997 to 1999. In the time allotted to them, they would conduct interviews, take calls from the public, and shill for the Precious Roy Home Shopping Network. In between, they’d talk with their friend Chester, and ROCK!! Call now, and Precious Roy will throw in this extra large tube of S&O, that's four hours and thirty-seven minutes worth for ya kids, let's take some calls! [more inside]
posted by not_on_display on Dec 5, 2008 - 56 comments

MTVMusic Music to your eyes.
posted by ColdChef on Oct 27, 2008 - 84 comments

It's Friday afternoon. 1981 - 1982ish. I just got home from high school and I want some MTV. Back then, MTV played these things called "music videos". But they didn't have a large catalog of them yet, so they tended to play everything they had. You really got to see some lesser known classics. For Example: Jan Hammer/Neal Schon Lies. The Hitmen Bates Motel. Utopia Feet Don't Fail Me Now. Landscape My Name is Norman Bates. Chilliwack My Girl. Ultravox Vienna. Snakefinger Man in the Dark Sedan. [more inside]
posted by wittgenstein on Sep 23, 2007 - 128 comments

120 Minutes is a tumblr page put together by a fan of the long running MTV alt-rock show, with links to dozens (at least) of videos from the show's heyday. There's no search nor sort that I could find, but the site makes for fun browsing for fans of that particular musical era. [more inside]
posted by jonson on Sep 7, 2007 - 17 comments

The 120 Minute Archive -- an attempt to gather all of the playlists of MTV's now-defunct late-night alternative rock program which ran from 1986 to 2003. Along with the videos were loads of live performances. Sure, it went down in quality in its second half. But where else in the pre-Internet days of 1992 could small-town kids discover Tom Waits, Morrissey and Sonic Youth in a single sitting?
posted by Bookhouse on Feb 3, 2007 - 55 comments

I want my MTV. MTV is now mostly reality, titillation TV, rarely showing music videos anymore. YouTube fills the void somewhat, but sometimes you want to just sit back and let someone else take care of the programming. MusicPlusTV is sort of like the old MTV, but they stream to your computer instead of to your TV.
posted by caddis on Dec 15, 2006 - 23 comments

MTV turns 25 today. Music Television, otherwise known as MTV, was launched with its first broadcast on 1 August 1981, 25 years ago today. Famously, the first video broadcast was the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star." Ironically, MTV evidently isn't going to acknowledge its anniversary on-air in any way, with a spokeswoman saying that "We made the decision when MTV was founded to always stay young and evolve with our audience. To do that, it has been important to serve our audience at that moment, not our audience of yesterday." This is about par for the course, though, since when was the last time that MTV actually broadcast music videos? A broader question: does anybody who wasn't weaned on MTV (or anybody who was, for that matter) care anymore?
posted by blucevalo on Aug 1, 2006 - 121 comments

Youtubefilter: Gnarls Barkley performs "Crazy," unites Rebellion and Empire.
posted by bardic on Jun 15, 2006 - 50 comments

Gorillaz perform "Feel Good Inc" live at the MTV Europe Music Awards, using smoke and mirrors to neat effect. I wish the the band members weren't all smacked out in suitable rock fashion, though.
posted by elphTeq on Nov 15, 2005 - 64 comments

I LOVE YOU I WANNA LOVE YOU TENDER . You could be my only sweet surrender. I would never bring you any kind of sorrow. (38 Mb QT)
posted by Peter H on Jan 13, 2005 - 23 comments

Madonna's being sued for stealing images from Guy Boudin's photography and using them in her Hollywood video. Here are side by sides. When does imitation/homage become theft? And who gets to decide? Should she have been sued for using this image in her vogue video?
posted by archimago on Sep 30, 2003 - 86 comments

Even though it was tricky to rock around, he wore his Adidas proudly. RIP Jam Master J of groundbreaking rap group Run DMC was shot and killed today. Remember where you were when these forerunners of rap came on the scene?
posted by wolfgangnorton on Oct 30, 2002 - 60 comments

MTV bans Public Enemy 's video "Gotta Give the Peeps What They Need" because the video contains the lyric "Free Mumia and H Rap Brown". MTV are willing to air the video if the lyric is cut. Public Enemy front-man Chuck D is vocal in his response. Responsible action or censorship in its worst form?
posted by nthdegx on Sep 14, 2002 - 75 comments

Growing up in the MTV generation. Reading the earlier Eminem link just reminded me how much MTV has been part of my socialization as a child of the 80's. MTV is a business that has effected not only how i look at the world, but also how i view myself. I'm just curious if there's anyone else out there who have felt so strongly shaped by (through reaction to or following of) MTV.
posted by NGnerd on Aug 22, 2002 - 53 comments

Is "T.A.T.U." the next big thing in music? They're a Russian teen-pop duo with a twist -- lesbianism. They appear on stage in wet t-shirts and white panties. One of their videos shows them wearing schoolgirl outfits and kissing in the rain, while another shows them building a bomb and getting naked on a carousel.

There are reports that the girls aren't actually lesbians, and that it's all just a gimmick to make their Svengali-like producer rich (surprise, surprise). We all know that controversy can sell records. If T.A.T.U. manages to get the right people upset, could they become stars in the U.S.? MTV and MTV2 started playing the video last week...
posted by Reggie452 on Jul 17, 2002 - 66 comments

A soundtrack to MTV's The Osbournes is in the making starting with this...Ozzy Osbourne's youngest daughter, Kelly Osbourne, will sing Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach," with Incubus guitarist Mike Einzinger and drummer Jose Pasillas as her backing band.What other songs would you put on there?
posted by BarneyFifesBullet on Apr 4, 2002 - 16 comments

The new Chemical Brothers video by Michel Gondry is absolutely brilliant. At first sight, it appears to be a 4 minute clip of a train ride. On closer inspection though, you might notice the objects flying past are far from random.....
Sorry dial up MeFites, you'll almost certainly need a fast connection to see why this video is so amazing.
posted by davehat on Jan 22, 2002 - 36 comments

MTV Canada plays too many videos, says rival When is the last time you heard that MTV plays too many videos, if ever?OK, crappy videos, but still...
posted by BarneyFifesBullet on Jan 21, 2002 - 17 comments

Every Third Word Is A Bleep Hey, hey, it's The Osbournes.Yep, Ozzy has his own TV show now.I just thought America needed to see what a normal family was really like says Mrs. Osbourne.Ozzy won't be getting subtitles, though.
posted by BarneyFifesBullet on Jan 16, 2002 - 22 comments

I welcome everyone to the 2nd annual MeFi "Worst. MTV. Video. Music. Awards. EVER." thread. And yes, Britney even further cemented her reputation as a....
posted by aaron on Sep 6, 2001 - 71 comments

Record Company Manipulates Results of MTV's "Total Request Live" Not surprising, really. As much as I loath what MTV has become (there was a time when they played less commercial videos with some redeeming qualities), wouldn't it be interesting to spoof votes and get a video by a interesting group onto TRL.

Watching mindless teens scream for a video by, say, Dream Theater, Dismemberment Plan, or Shudder to Think?
posted by 4midori on Aug 28, 2001 - 53 comments

"Hello. I'm Christopher Walken. If my video, Weapon of Choice, featuring the Fat Boy Slims, does not take at least seven of the nine moon men, I will personally journey to each of the voters' homes and I will ask them to explain themselves. Then I will slice off extremities until they suffer as I will suffer if my dance moves are thus summarily dismissed." Pause. "I could really go for a hot dog."
posted by solistrato on Jul 24, 2001 - 21 comments

I want my MTV. There was a time when the only ads MTV showed were ads for the network itself. These are some of them. (from the U.K. so they might differ from the slate of ads run in the U.S.) Brings back many fond memories of the animated letters M, T, and V. (link courtesy of Saima)

Please proceed directly to "MTV used to show videos!" and then continue to more forced commiseration and remembrances of media conglomerate advertising as a substitute for a rich shared cultural heritage.
posted by anildash on Apr 5, 2001 - 10 comments

MTV Video Awards nominees have been announced ...and there's no "best alternative video" category anymore. What the hell! Granted, MTV has never been noted as a supporter of good music (remember 120 minutes? that got the boot a while ago), but seeing those early "alternative" bands rock out on screen was what initially got me into music as a kid - I cringe at the thought that there's a whole new batch of 11 year olds out there who see the guitar as nothing more than a prop in a choreography routine.

At least I can take solace in the fact that Weezer is finally touring the East Coast - all is not wrong with the world.
posted by NickBarat on Jul 25, 2000 - 11 comments