First music videos aired on MTV

This is a list of the first music videos broadcast on MTV's first day, August 1, 1981. MTV's first day on the air was uploaded onto YouTube in 2010.

List

1. "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles
2. "You Better Run" by Pat Benatar
3. "She Won't Dance with Me" by Rod Stewart

With further Rod Stewart videos airing at positions #15, #26, #37, #51, #66, #77, #97, #110, #122, #132, #150, #171, #181, #191, and #208, Stewart became the artist with the most videos played that day.

4. "You Better You Bet" by The Who

"You Better You Bet" was both the 4th and 55th video to be aired on MTV, making it the first video to be shown more than once.

5. "Little Suzi's on the Up" by Ph.D.
6. "We Don't Talk Anymore" by Cliff Richard
7. "Brass in Pocket" by The Pretenders
8. "Time Heals" by Todd Rundgren
9. "Take It on the Run" by REO Speedwagon (the video begins but ends after a few seconds due to technical difficulties.)
10. "Rockin' the Paradise" by Styx
11. "When Things Go Wrong" by Robin Lane and the Chartbusters
12. "History Never Repeats" by Split Enz
13. "Hold on Loosely" by 38 Special
14. "Just Between You and Me" by April Wine

"Just Between You and Me" was the first music video by a Canadian musical artist ever played on MTV.

15. "Sailing" by Rod Stewart

Stewart's "She Won't Dance with Me" was the 3rd video played; with this video, Stewart became the first artist to have two different videos played on MTV.

16. "Iron Maiden" by Iron Maiden
17. "Keep on Loving You (Live)" by REO Speedwagon

"Keep On Loving You" was the first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit song to be played on MTV.

18. "Bluer Than Blue" by Michael Johnson
19. "Message of Love" by The Pretenders
20. "Mr. Briefcase" by Lee Ritenour
21. "Double Life" by The Cars
22. "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
23. "Looking for Clues" by Robert Palmer
24. "Too Late" by Shoes
25. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
26. "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" by Rod Stewart (screen is blank while the audio still plays, stops after 15 seconds.)
27. "Surface Tension" by Rupert Hine
28. "One Step Ahead" by Split Enz
29. "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty
30. "I'm Gonna Follow You" by Pat Benatar
31. "Savannah Nights" by Tom Johnston
32. "Lucille" by Rockestra
33. "The Best of Times" by Styx
34. "Vengeance" by Carly Simon
35. "Wrathchild" by Iron Maiden
36. "I Wanna Be a Lifeguard" by Blotto
37. "Passion" by Rod Stewart
38. "Oliver's Army" by Elvis Costello
39. "Don't Let Him Go (Live)" by REO Speedwagon
40. "Remote Control/Illegal" by The Silencers
41. "Angel of the Morning" by Juice Newton
42. "Little Sister" by Rockpile with Robert Plant
43. "Hold On to the Night" by Bootcamp
44. "Dreamin'" by Cliff Richard
45. "Is It You" by Lee Ritenour
46. "Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac
47. "He Can't Love You" by Michael Stanley Band
48. "Tough Guys" by REO Speedwagon
49. "Rapture" by Blondie

"Rapture" was the first rap music video ever played on MTV.

50. "Don't Let Go the Coat" by The Who
51. "Ain't Love a Bitch" by Rod Stewart
52. "Talk of the Town" by The Pretenders
53. "Can't Happen Here" by Rainbow
54. "Thank You for Being a Friend" by Andrew Gold
55. "You Better You Bet" by The Who
56. "Bring It All Home" by Gerry Rafferty
57. "Sign of the Gypsy Queen" by April Wine
58. "The Man with the Child in His Eyes" by Kate Bush
59. "Message of Love" by The Pretenders
60. "All Night Long" by Rainbow
61. "Boys Keep Swinging" by David Bowie
62. "Rat Race" by The Specials

Neville Staple and Lynval Golding were the first non-white musicians and vocalists to appear on MTV.

63. "Just Between You and Me" by April Wine
64. "Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads
65. "Victim" by Bootcamp
66. "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)" by Rod Stewart
67. "Cruel to Be Kind" by Nick Lowe
68. "A Little in Love" by Cliff Richard
69. "Take It on the Run" by REO Speedwagon
70. "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" by 38 Special
71. "Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush
72. "Celebrate the Bullet" by The Selecter
73. "More Than I Can Say" by Leo Sayer
74. "A Message to You, Rudy" by The Specials
75. "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
76. "Heart of Glass" by Blondie
77. "Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight" by Rod Stewart
78. "Kid" by The Pretenders
79. "Wrathchild" by Iron Maiden
80. "Come What May" by Lani Hall and Herb Alpert
81. "I Got You" by Split Enz
82. "Sister Disco" by The Who
83. "Fashion" by David Bowie
84. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
85. "Love Stinks" by The J. Geils Band
86. "Johnny & Mary" by Robert Palmer
87. "Tomorrow Night" by Shoes
88. "Lucille" by Rockestra
89. "Rockin' the Paradise" by Styx
90. "Prime Time" by The Tubes
91. "One Step Ahead" by Split Enz
92. "Hold on Loosely" by 38 Special
93. "Cruel You" by Shoes
94. "Little Sister" by Rockpile with Robert Plant
95. "Calling All Girls" by Hilly Michaels
96. "Keep on Loving You (Live)" by REO Speedwagon
97. "I Was Only Joking" by Rod Stewart
98. "You Better You Bet" by The Who
99. "Time Heals" by Todd Rundgren
100. "Let's Go" by The Cars
101. "Just Between You and Me" by April Wine
102. "Mr. Briefcase" by Lee Ritenour
103. "Fashion" by David Bowie
104. "I'm Gonna Follow You" by Pat Benatar
105. "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" by The Ramones
106. "Ridin' the Storm Out" by REO Speedwagon
107. "Looking for Clues" by Robert Palmer
108. "Little Suzi's on the Up" by Ph.D.
109. "Is It You" by Lee Ritenour
110. "You're In My Heart" by Rod Stewart
111. "Talk of the Town" by The Pretenders
112. "The Best of Times" by Styx
113. "So Long" by Fischer-Z
114. "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
115. "I Don't Want To Know" by Robin Lane and the Chartbusters
116. "Don't Let Go the Coat" by The Who
117. "Go Back Home Again" by Andrew Gold
118. "Message of Love" by The Pretenders
119. "Peter Gunn Theme/Remote Control" by The Silencers
120. "Time for Me to Fly" by REO Speedwagon
121. "Wrathchild" by Iron Maiden
122. "She Won't Dance with Me" by Rod Stewart
123. "Rough Boys" by Pete Townshend
124. "History Never Repeats" by Split Enz
125. "Dangerous Type" by The Cars
126. "Turn It On Again" by Genesis
127. "Rapture" by Blondie
128. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
129. "Can't Happen Here" by Rainbow
130. "We're So Close" by Carly Simon
131. "Tough Guys" by REO Speedwagon
132. "Passion" by Rod Stewart
133. "Kid Blue" by Louise Goffin
134. "Little Sister" by Rockpile with Robert Plant
135. "Vienna" by Ultravox
136. "Sign of the Gypsy Queen" by April Wine
137. "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" by Elvis Costello and the Attractions
138. "Don't Let Him Go (Live)" by REO Speedwagon
139. "I Won't Let You Down" by Ph.D.
140. "Holiday" by Nazareth
141. "You Better You Bet" by The Who
142. "All Night Long" by Rainbow
143. "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles
144. "You Better Run" by Pat Benatar
145. "Surface Tension" by Rupert Hine
146. "One Step Ahead" by Split Enz
147. "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" by 38 Special
148. "In My Arms Again" by Shoes
149. "Is It You" by Lee Ritenour
150. "Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight" by Rod Stewart
151. "Passing Strangers" by Ultravox
152. "Just Between You and Me" by April Wine
153. "Turning Japanese" by The Vapors
154. "Rockin' the Paradise" by Styx
155. "Bluer Than Blue" by Michael Johnson
156. "Message of Love" by The Pretenders
157. "Rat Race" by The Specials
158. "Roll with the Changes" by REO Speedwagon
159. "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
160. "Hold On to the Night" by Bootcamp
161. "Double Life" by The Cars
162. "Take It on the Run" by REO Speedwagon
163. "We Don't Talk Anymore" by Cliff Richard
164. "Too Late" by Shoes
165. "Sister Disco" by The Who
166. "Celebrate the Bullet" by The Selecter
167. "More Than I Can Say" by Leo Sayer
168. "I Hope I Never" by Split Enz
169. "Talk of the Town" by The Pretenders
170. "Hold on Loosely" by 38 Special
171. "Blondes Have More Fun" by Rod Stewart
172. "Wrathchild" by Iron Maiden
173. "Savannah Nights" by Tom Johnston
174. "I'm Gonna Follow You" by Pat Benatar
175. "Don't Let Him Go (Live)" by REO Speedwagon
176. "Never Let Her Slip Away" by Andrew Gold
177. "Time Heals" by Todd Rundgren
178. "Brass in Pocket" by The Pretenders
179. "Little Sister" by Rockpile with Robert Plant
180. "A Little in Love" by Cliff Richard
181. "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" by Rod Stewart
182. "Victim" by Bootcamp
183. "Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty
184. "He Can't Love You" by Michael Stanley Band
185. "Looking for Clues" by Robert Palmer
186. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
187. "Keep on Loving You" by REO Speedwagon
188. "When Things Go Wrong" by Robin Lane and the Chartbusters
189. "Little Suzi's on the Up" by Ph.D.
190. "The Best of Times" by Styx
191. "Sailing" by Rod Stewart
192. "You Better You Bet" by The Who
193. "Iron Maiden" by Iron Maiden
194. "Can't Happen Here" by Rainbow
195. "Oliver's Army" by Elvis Costello
196. "Just Between You and Me" by April Wine
197. "Come What May" by Lani Hall and Herb Alpert
198. "Tattooed Love Boys" by The Pretenders
199. "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins
200. "Peter Gunn Theme/Remote Control" by The Silencers
201. "Dreamin'" by Cliff Richard
202. "Lucille" by Rockestra
203. "Boys Keep Swinging" by David Bowie
204. "Johnny & Mary" by Robert Palmer
205. "Only the Strong Survive" by REO Speedwagon
206. "Back On the Road Again" by REO Speedwagon
207. "Waiting for the Weekend" by The Vapors
208. "You're Insane" by Rod Stewart
209. "Kiss on My List" by Hall & Oates
210. "Living in the Plastic Age" by The Buggles
211. "Lonely Boy" by Andrew Gold

References

• Hoye, Jacob. MTV Uncensored. Pocket Books, 2001. ISBN 0-7434-2682-7.

External links

• MTV Yearbook: 1981 from the MTV website

Video links

• MTV airing of "Video Killed the Radio Star"
• MTV airing of "You Better Run"
• MTV airing of "She Won't Dance with Me"
• MTV airing of "You Better You Bet"
• MTV airing of "Little Suzi's on the Up"
• MTV airing of "We Don't Talk Anymore"
• MTV airing of "Brass in Pocket"
• MTV airing of "Time Heals"
• MTV airing of "Take It on the Run"
• MTV airing of "Rockin' the Paradise"
• MTV airing of "When Things Go Wrong"
• MTV airing of "History Never Repeats"
• MTV airing of "Hold on Loosely"
• MTV airing of "Just Between You and Me"
• MTV airing of "Sailing"
• MTV airing of "Iron Maiden"
• MTV airing of "Keep on Loving You (Live)"
• MTV airing of "Message of Love"
• MTV airing of "Mr. Briefcase"
• MTV airing of "Double Life"
• MTV airing of "In the Air Tonight"
• MTV airing of "Looking for Clues"
• MTV airing of "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around"
• MTV airing of "Baker Street"
• MTV airing of "I'm Gonna Follow You"
• MTV airing of "The Best of Times"
• MTV airing of "Passion"
• MTV airing of "Oliver's Army"
• MTV airing of "Tusk"
• MTV airing of "Rapture"
• MTV airing of "Don't Let Go the Coat"
• MTV airing of "Talk of the Town"
• MTV airing of "Thank You for Being a Friend"
• MTV airing of "The Man with the Child in His Eyes"
• MTV airing of "Once in a Lifetime"
• MTV airing of "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)"
• MTV airing of "Cruel to Be Kind"