music videos

Wouldn't it have been hysterical if on its first day MTV couldn't afford the rights to any songs, so the entire day was nothing but videos for public domain songs like "Happy Birthday" "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star?" I'm sure a few strobes and a fog machine would have added a whole new dimension to "Three Blind Mice," as performed by Alice Cooper: "She cut off their tails with a CARVING KNIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIFE!!!"

But no, MTV launched in 1981 with a bunch of videos of regular pop and rock musicians, starting off with The Buggles catchy "Video Killed the Radio Star," a hit song that was later followed by other great hits from the band such as "Country Music Molested A TV Personality" and "Ragtime Was Convicted of Aggravated Assault."

Thanks to whoever runs the blog IZ Reloaded, you can now watch YouTube clips of every video that aired when MTV first jumped out of your cable box. There's also some REO Speedwagon songs for people like me who mock the band when around friends but secretly sings "Keep On Loving You" in the shower. I've placed The Buggles' video after the jump, cause I love that song.

Our fearless editor Keith hepped us bloggers to a piece in Stuff Magazine listing the best videos Beavis and Butt-Head ever watched. I'm glad he did, because I sure as hell wouldn't have read Stuff voluntarily. The piece also has links to YouTube clips of Beavis and Butt-Head providing their running commentary for videos by Pantera, Suicidal Tendencies, Gwar and Crowbar, among others. What, no "Punk Rock Girl" by the Dead Milkmen? No "Push the Little Daisies" by Ween? No "Elvis is Everywhere" by Mojo Nixon? Well anyway, if you're bummed out by the fact that the DVD releases don't include these little music video gems, the piece is worth checking out. Though I must admit when I watched Beavis and Butt-Head in high school I always wanted them to hurry up and get through the videos and back to the main story. Some of their commentaries were funny, but mostly it just felt like filler.