I Want My MTV!, Part 1

Class Schedule: February 11, 18, 25, 2027 | 7:30 – 9:00 PM

On August 1, 1981, six words began a revolution: “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.”  That announcement kicked off not only the music video age but also a change in popular music.  The second British invasion, hair metal, and Michael Jackson: MTV ushered in a new crop of artists and genres whose music still resounds today.

Part one explores the beginnings of music videos, from Fats Waller’s 1940s “soundies” to the Beatles’ promotional films to the Monkees TV series.  By the 1970s, countries such as Australia and England aired TV shows featuring promotional film clips, with Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” illustrating the genre’s early creativity. Michael Nesmith saw the potential of these programs in the US, helping to create what became MTV.

Multimedia presentations and discussions will trace the journey from the earliest soundies to August 1, 1981: the beginning of a new musical revolution.