MTV Always Knew What Time It Was

[musicradio77]

From the Daily News:

MTV Always Knew What Time It Was

After all the research we put into the Daily News' MTV Week, we had a great idea for a new college course: "Kurt Loder's World History 101." By filtering the last 23 years through the lens of pop stars and tacky dating shows, students will learn how world events were shaped by the rise of the nation's favorite music network. Feel free to take a sneak peek at the timeline we'll be including in our first textbook.

August 1981: MTV goes on air with the Buggles' "Video Killed the Radio Star"; the network reaches 2.1 millions homes.

March 1982: "I Want My MTV" ad campaign begins.

September 1982: NYC finally gets its MTV.

March 1983: Previously all-white MTV airs Michael Jackson's "Beat It."

September 1984: The first MTV Video Music Awards are hosted by Dan Aykroyd and, inexplicably, Bette Midler.

May 1985: "New" Coke debuts ... and fizzes out faster than Terence Trent D'Arby.

July 1985: MTV devotes 17 straight hours to the dual-continent "Live Aid" concert.

January 1986: Seven astronauts die when the Challenger explodes over Florida.

March 1986: MTV covers spring break live from Florida.

July 1986: Original veejays Nina Blackwood and J.J. Jackson depart; Downtown Julie Brown signs on.

1987: MTV reaches 30 million U.S. homes, begins its own programming with "Club MTV," launches MTV Europe.

October 1987: On Black Monday, the Dow crashes 508 points.

August 1988: "Yo! MTV Raps" debuts; millions of suburban kids suddenly claim to be from the Bronx.

June 1989: Cindy Crawford hosts "House of Style"; moles everywhere enjoy a Renaissance.

November 1989: The Berlin Wall falls, freeing millions of David Hasselhoff fans.

January 1990: Squeeze is the first band to go "Unplugged."

June 1991: Beavis (huh-huh) and Butt-Head (huh-huh) debut on "Liquid Television" (huh-huh).

May 1992: Seven strangers move into "The Real World" house in NYC; Jeff Probst's career develops a heartbeat.

August 1992: The world discovers that President Bill Clinton "usually" wears briefs; he soon wins the presidency.

May 1994: Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain commits suicide; MTV airs hours of vigils and special reports.

October 1995: O.J. Simpson is found not guilty of nearly severing his ex-wife's head.

September 1998: "Total Request Live" debuts; Carson Daly becomes an inescapable presence.

August 1998: Formerly scarce music videos find a new home on MTV2.

September 1998: A weird new Internet company names itself "Google."

January 1999: Now in 70 million households, MTV gives America the always tasteful "Tom Green Show."

October 2000: "Jackass" makes Johnny Knoxville and visits to the E.R. common suburban afflictions.

January 2001: After the death of Matthew Shepard, MTV dedicates 17 hours to the names of hate-crime victims.

March 2002: The U.S. invades Afghanistan, ousting the Taliban.

January 2004: The MTV-produced Super Bowl halftime show introduces America to the term "wardrobe malfunction."

February 2005: MTV base launches in Africa - its 100th channel worldwide.