Do you remember the first music video that you saw?

[Vibroluxer]

I just heard Video Killed the Radio Star and it got me thinking about the 1st video I saw. That was an easy one

My folks had just gotten cable. There was a cool, very cool station called USA. They played Star Trek and other good shows during the day and excellent movies at night.

This particular Friday they were advertising music videos from midnight to 1am. Being a struggling guitar player, I couldn't wait until 12am. It arrived and the 1st video they played was:



I'm certain that I helped Meatloaf record sales That song was all I talked about the entire symmer. How about you? Sure, seeing the Beatles on the tube counts.

Edited to add: I didn't find out until many moons later that the guitar work is all done by Todd Rungren. During the break, when you hear the motorcycle starting, well that was done with a Les Paul played by Todd. According to Meatloaf, that who motorcycle and following lead were done in one take.

 

[David Barnett]

Kraftwerk:

 

[brookdalebill]

I saw the Buggles’ Video Killed The Radio Star when MTV debuted.
Me and 50 zillion others.

 

[Vibroluxer]

Kraftwerk:

That might have scared me!! 1st Kraftwerk tune I heard was Autobahn and I was hooked.

 

[8bit]

Not sure if it's actually the first one but it's definitely the earliest one I can recall. Was very young but can remember seeing it pretty vividly. My dad loved Dire Straits and we both thought the video was so cool lol.

 

[kuch]

In our day it was called the Ed Sullivan show.... every Sunday night

 

[bgmacaw]

For videos that presented a short film linked to a song and weren't necessarily a part of a larger TV show, it was probably this video George Harrison did in 1976 and was shown on SNL that year.

 

[David Barnett]

In December 1965 the Ed Sullivan Show had advertised a "special appearance" by The Beatles. When their time slot came up, instead of The Beatles appearing on stage, they showed a pre-recorded film of them miming to their current single "Day Tripper":



In the second half of the show they had another pre-recorded, mimed performance of "We Can Work It Out":



As a nine year old I thought it was a ripoff. But these would have to be some of the earliest music videos, submitted to a TV show in lieu of a live performance.

 

[bgmacaw]

In our day it was called the Ed Sullivan show.... every Sunday night

I thought of Ed Sullivan, along with other variety shows like Hee Haw, Glen Campbell, Johnny Cash and more as well as shows like the Monkees. But, after some thought, I decided they were a different genre, although close.

 

[The Angle]

I saw plenty of onscreen performances before MTV came along but I don't really think of those as "videos." This probably isn't the first one I saw on MTV, but it's the first one I specifically remember watching. It's a real attention grabber.

 

[douellette]

I think it was this one.

 

[Gardo]

I saw a friends TV and asked what he was watching. He said MTV. I didn’t have a TV at that time so I said “what’s that?”

 

[Rustbucket]

We didn’t have cable, so I didn’t see MTV or a music video until I went to a friend’s house for a sleepover birthday party when I was around 6-7 years old. The video that stuck with me was “Don’t Come Around Here No More” by Tom Petty. That video scared the crap out of me so much that I could hardly sleep that night!

 

[Killing Floor]

Music video that was produced, not just a live appearance on TV, this one I think.
The Restraints. Maybe this explains a lot

 

[andy__d]

For me it was “Hanging on the telephone” by Blondie (on Top of the Pops - which used to play videos long before MTV - especially for Non UK bands).

 

[mr natural]

The earliest 1 I recall was Dust in the Wind by Kansas on Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert.

 

[Honga Man]

No, but I remember when Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video was new. MTV would say when they'd play it next and people would gather 'round the TV to see it again. It was that different.

 

[Doomguy]

Music videos weren't a thing for me as a kid, I was born in 2000. I stumbled across Chop Suey by System of a Down on Youtube first, a song I already knew and loved. The first music video that introduced me to a whole new song was either One Step Closer by Linkin Park or My Own Summer by Deftones, once again on Youtube.

 

[Marc Morfei]

I did not see that very very first video, but I was dead center in MTV's original target demographic, so I saw every single video they played for a few years. I had it on every chance possible. If I had to take a guess at the very earliest videos, it would include the Greg Kihn Band (remember him? Kihnspiracy! Kihntinued! Next of Kihn!), Rick Springfield, and Phil Collins. What I remember most about those early days is how terrible and cheesy the videos were. Eventually when the market exploded they got more slick. Too slick, even. But before MTV, you rarely got to see rock bands on TV, so as a teenager you were grateful for every glimpse.

 

[24 track]

I think this was the first song played on MTV or the Candian equivelant out of Toronto at least it was the first that one I saw and I turned on the station as soon as it started up