Throwback Thursday Video Of The Week: The Buggles “Video Killed The Radio Star”
If you had cable TV in your home on August 1, 1981, and you happened to be awake at 12:01 AM, you may have seen this video on a new network called MTV. After a dramatic introduction, including astronaut Neil Armstrong walking on the moon, and greetings from the original VJ’s, the first video aired was “Video Killed the Radio Star” by British group The Buggles.
Originally released in 1979, the video had been criticized by some viewers for being too violent. By the time MTV had launched two years later, images of exploding televisions were more socially acceptable. And by today’s standards, it’s very tame.
The song was a much bigger hit in Europe than in the U.S., but it has endured over the years. On February 27, 2000, “Video Killed the Radio Star” was also the one-millionth video to air on MTV. It’s still a fun reminder of a significant moment in pop culture.
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