MTV's Second Wave of VJs

When MTV's original five music video hosts left, most viewers expected the channel to slot in a simple one-for-one replacement class of video jockeys. Instead, the network introduced a host of specialty hosts and show-linked talent in the late 1980s and early 1990s - altering the role of "VJ" from generalist to specialized, and breaking up a tight-knit on-air bench into more defined personalities.

Today, the second wave of MTV talent is a blur in the minds of many - even the most passionate music nostalgia mavens have trouble punctuating lists of late-80s MTV personalities with Adam Curry and Downtown Julie Brown.

Specialize the Position

MTV's most iconic VJs in the late 80s and early 90s wielded power in specific spots, not as a generalist rotation block. Adam Curry (1987–1994) was known for the hard rock point in the day, scowling through episodes of the Top 20 Video Countdown, and the heavy metal show Headbangers Ball. Alongside other contributors on the hosting roster - few of whom can be named, much less actually remembered - Curry cornered part of the day for a sound and vibe that presaged a tradition of longer MTV music shows.

Down in the dance-heavy timeslot, Downtown Julie Brown (1987–1992) was at the center of Club MTV, one of the earliest dance-pop shows from MTV. Her signature act of shaking rather than dancing became a big part of the show's aesthetic, linked as it was to music video choreography itself.

Meta-level music-reporting on special shows and around a "news-y" in-show series - not generalist full-day hosting - turned Kurt Loder (late 1980s–early 2000s) into perhaps the VJ with greatest longevity at the channel.

Talent Show Tie-Ins and Specialty Shows

MTV's actual show programming also segmented into specialty formats.

And placing new faces after the channel's heyday? Well, you'd need a memory and perhaps access to a message board or Wikipedia to name most of, any of, or even some of the mainstays on the network.