When I first heard that there was going to be a channel that showed only music videos, my first reaction was "What the hell are music videos?" (OK, I was ten at the time... I probably didn't say the word "music"). I think that's what most people thought on August 1, 1981, when the image of the Apollo moon rocket taking off flashed across cable customers' screens, the video for the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star" played, and MTV was born. Little did any of us know how big and influential this quirky little channel was going to get.

MTV has decided to downplay tomorrow's silver anniversary celebration; according to this AP article chronicling the channel's seminal moments, they won't even mention it. I guess it's fitting, considering they stopped showing music videos when most of its current audience were in diapers. To them, the MTV of Martha Quinn, J.J. Jackson, Mark Goodman, and Nina Blackwood is a completely different channel than the one that currently is relying on Laguna Beach marathons. I'm sure sister channel VH1 will have something for their Gen X audience to satisfy their nostalgia jones, but I'm sure they'll stretch it into a five-part talking head show with Mo Rocca.