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MTV did not stop playing music videos on a specific date. Instead, the cable channel's shift away from video broadcasting was a gradual process. To understand this transition, let's look at…

Betamax's early lead in picture quality was not enough to overcome VHS's true strength: longer recording times and better market access. VHS won the video format war by supplying what…

The 1980s are known for their signature sound: bright, bell-like textures, punchy basslines, and lush pads. But where did this sonic palette come from? The most widely documented culprit is…

When exploring the bumper crop of post-punk bands from the late 70s and 80s, you'll see "new wave" and "synth-pop" often given as genre labels. But what's the difference between the two?

Most 1980s vinyl records are not automatically valuable, but understanding an LP's exact pressing and condition is the key to identifying a collectible.

On August 1, 1981, MTV launched and revolutionized television by introducing "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles to a live feed. This groundbreaking moment was hosted by the…

When a cassette deck chews up the tape, the immediate suspicion is always the cassette itself. The tape might be old, or on the cheap side. But it turns out the transport hardware often…

Have you ever wondered why some music industry packaging includes a "Parental Advisory: Explicit Content" label? The black-and-white sticker is now a familiar feature on albums and movies…

The sound is a one-of-a-kind combination of powerful reverb and a noise gate that abruptly cuts off the reverb tail, creating a unique, chopped drum hit with a distinct tail.

The short answer? No. Forget what you hear about Disney Black Diamond tapes hitting for four figures; on eBay, opened copies of these titles routinely sell for $5 to $25.

The bugbear of "Video Killed the Radio Star" for most casual listeners is its title and chorus. Is this a real deprivation of radio? A celebration of the rising tide of video? A warning…

The three types of audio cassettes — Type 1 (normal), Type 2 (chrome) and Type 4 (metal) — are aimed at optimized playback for different characteristics. Their names refer to the tape's…

Rock fans are often confused about the different labels for hard rock and metal that emerged in the 1970s and 80s: "hair metal", "glam metal", and "heavy metal". Are these just three…

The runout groove or dead-wax area of a record contains matrix numbers and other coded inscriptions stamped or etched into the vinyl after the last groove spirals out. These markings can…

MTV owed something to fans of metal, alternative rock, and hip-hop. The upstart channel had emerged in the early 1980s as the force driving a pop-music video wave. For a time, MTV did seem…

The Sony Walkman, an iconic device from the 1980s, didn't start as a cheap gadget. When the original TPS-L2 model launched in 1979, it cost $200—the equivalent of $800 in today's dollars.…

A 12-inch single is a record format, while "extended mix," "dub mix," and "remix" are version labels that tell you how a track was changed for club play.

When playing or digitizing a cassette tape, it is crucial to set the Dolby switch to match the noise reduction system used when the tape was originally recorded. This ensures the best…

Are you unclear whether you are a Gen Xer or Xennial born around 1980? You might identify as both. The answer depends on which birth-year range you use—with Gen X commonly defined as…

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…

Alan C. Hunter was one of the original five video jockeys (VJs) on MTV from 1981 to 1987 (along with Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Martha Quinn, and J.J.…

Martha Quinn is best known as one of the original video jockeys on MTV (along with Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, and J.J. Jackson). Martha Quinn…

Mark Goodman is a radio DJ, TV personality, and actor. He is best known as one of the original five VJs on MTV, from 1981-1987. He was supposed to be the first…

Nina Blackwood is an American disc jockey and music journalist, who was the first of the original five MTV VJs. She has also been an actress and model.…

Jeb Wright sat down with Nina Blackwood to discuss the 30th Anniversary of MTV. Classic Rock Revisited met up with one of the original five MTV VJs, Nina…

Jeb Wright sat down with Nina Blackwood to discuss the 30th Anniversary of MTV. Classic Rock Revisited met up with one of the original five MTV VJs, Nina…

Alan Hunter and Martha Quinn have launched Facebook contests in honor of MTV’s 30th Anniversary. Each contest asks Facebook fans to help recruit fellow 80s…

John Lack, MTV’s first Chief Operating Officer and the man who uttered, “Ladies and Gentlemen…Rock’n'roll” on the first broadcast, speaks to the BBC about the…

From the 25th Anniversary, MTV VJ, Martha Quinn reads a letter to the original MTV staff and thanks each of them.

Articles Rolling Stone: MTV Turns 30, Original VJ Mark Goodman recalls networks first days: “I think we only had 300 videos” MTV: 30th Anniversary Timeline…

We’ve dug through boxes, called on old friends and scoured the Internet to find some behind the scenes photos of the early years of MTV. Mark Goodman, Sting…

August 1 marks the 30th Anniversary of MTV. MTV revolutionized the way we looked at music and the VJs were a big part of shaping that vision. We want to know…