MTV came into existence in the 80s and thoroughly changed the music landscape for decades by popularizing music videos in a hip, cool, new way. Some music videos from that early era of the network are more iconic than others. And the following three songs and videos are some of the most memorable from that era. If you were a kid who was glued to MTV as a kid, you’ve definitely seen these iconic MVs about a million times each.
“Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper (1983)
Is there a bubblegum pop song more uplifting, more fun, and more colorful than “Girls Just Want To Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper? I really can’t think of a single one. This 1983 hit from the queen of MTV was a smash hit when it first dropped. It peaked at No. 2 in both the US and UK. The song’s popularity was bolstered by its super fun and surprisingly low-budget music video, which features Lauper and other women going about their lives before congregating in a choreographed dance.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel (1986)
This one’s a personal favorite that I couldn’t leave off our list of iconic 80s music videos that got a lot of play on MTV. “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel remains one of the former Genesis frontman’s most famous songs from one of his most famous albums, So. The dance-rock and funky energy of the song was enough to catapult him to the top of the charts. “Sledgehammer” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and scored several Grammys. But it was the accompanying music video that really sealed the deal. It’s an artistic piece of work that features a mix of stop motion, claymation, and pixilation. Words can’t describe just how ahead-of-its-time this MV was; you just need to watch it for yourself.
“Take On Me” by a-ha (1984)
Well, this one was a shoo-in. When one thinks of early MTV, one tends to think of the surreal, upbeat, live-action pencil-sketch animation scene from the music video for “Take On Me” by a-ha. This new wave classic was an absolute smash hit across the board, peaking at No. 1 on the Hot 100. Few music videos are as insanely memorable as this one.
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