The first song ever played on MTV was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles.
The Dawn of Music Television
On August 1, 1981, a pivotal moment in media history occurred with the launch of MTV (Music Television). This new channel revolutionized entertainment by blending music with the visual medium, fundamentally transforming how audiences discovered and consumed music. It signaled a new era where the visual presentation of a song became as important as its sound.
The Inaugural Broadcast
The very first music video to air on MTV, immediately following the channel's launch countdown, was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the British new wave duo, The Buggles. This choice was highly symbolic and perfectly encapsulated MTV's groundbreaking concept. The song's title itself, released in 1979, seemed to foreshadow the very revolution MTV was about to ignite: the ascendancy of video over traditional radio in shaping musical culture.
Following this iconic opener, a brief message was broadcast, emphasizing the new synergy between music and television. This short interlude was then immediately followed by the second music video to grace the MTV airwaves: "You Better Run" by American rock singer Pat Benatar.
Early MTV Broadcast Sequence
The initial sequence of videos on MTV's launch day set the tone for the network's future programming.
| Order | Song Title | Artist | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | "Video Killed the Radio Star" | The Buggles | Marked the official start of MTV and its core concept. |
| 2nd | "You Better Run" | Pat Benatar | Solidified the channel's programming with a dynamic rock video. |
