MTV changed music forever. After the advent of the network, artists had to think about the visual aspect of their craft—something that seems to supersede all else these days. While we may have taken things too far, the early days of MTV were a coup for fans. The three ’80s music videos below made you want to rush home after school, for fear of missing even a second.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Thriller” (Michael Jackson)
We can’t talk about ’80s MTV without mentioning Michael Jackson‘s “Thriller.” It’s perhaps an obvious choice, but it wouldn’t feel right to leave it out. “Thriller” epitomized the music video generation. It expanded the bounds of what the, at the time, newfound medium could be. It read like a mini-movie, complete with impressive choreography and chilling characters. If there is any music video that could communicate the essence of MTV to a younger generation, it’s “Thriller.”
The high-production music videos we see today stem from Jackson‘s “Thriller.” No one really thought to make music videos such impressive endeavors until The King of Pop showed them the way. The visual below screams ’80s, but it has a timeless appeal that we don’t see going away any time soon.
“Hungry Like the Wolf” (Duran Duran)
Speaking of cinematic music videos, the next MTV music video we’ve chosen to highlight is Duran Duran’s “Hungry Like the Wolf.” MTV helped break Duran Duran in the U.S. with this video. The network took a chance on this band, though they had little airplay at the time. This visual was enough to overcome their perceived setbacks and launch them in the American music scene.
While this music video was iconic for its era, it’s taken very differently nowadays. The video sees the band scouring jungle-like settings for a woman, playing off of the song’s animalistic title. However, they included some atmosphere-building shots of other cultures, barely scratching the surface of them and focusing on stereotypes. It has been criticized in the decades since because of this. However, it remains a pivotal moment in MTV’s ’80s history.
“Girls Just Want to Have Fun” (Cyndi Lauper)
Cyndi Lauper’s visual for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” is unbridled joy. Lauper dances around the street, talks back to her parents, and parties with her friends. So basically every teenage girl’s dream—in any era.
Like Jackson, Lauper is a mainstay in the MTV sphere. She helped build up the network with her fanciful videos. Many subsequent artists have followed in her footsteps, creating their own energetic accompanying visuals.
(Photo by George De Sota/Redferns)
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