Watching Music

It’s been said many times, but MTV killed the music video. MTV had been the home of the “video star,” which according to the first music on MTV, killed the "radio star." In conclustion, MTV killed both the radio star and the video star. MTV is now based more in Reality Shows. Programs like Road Rules, The Real World, My Super Sweet 16, MTV Cribs, Pimp My Ride, The Hills, Laguna Beach, A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila, Jackass, True Life, Made, and Date My Mom (the list goes on.)

Moving on from that hyperlink festival, I'd like to look at VH1. As I was growing up, I considered VH1 to be the adult/middle-aged version of MTV. It had boring stuff and music on it that did not interest most children. The women on it were dressed in a less provocative manner, and the videos in general were smarter. I think the first music video I watched, in its entirety, on VH1 was "By The Way" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I was on a business trip/vacation with my Dad in Las Vegas. Weird how I just remembered that. Anyway, that video showed me alternative ways to enjoy music. At the time, I didn't drive, so I was always listening to my Dads' conservative talk radio shows. I had already tired of MTV (I only had a six month affair with TRL). VH1, in the long run, was more visually conservative while being more thought provoking. VH1 has become popular with a somewhat younger audience with the I Love The... programing. And by all means, VH1 is not perfect (I point to example A: Flavor of Love and example B: Hogan Knows Best) just that is a step up from MTV.

There is a third music channel, that I can't say I have ever really watched. I never really cared for this genre of music, I always considered it redneck, or involving missing love, prison, and truck driving (That is a quote from a comedian, but I can't recall who, and Google didn't find anything. I am just not that creative). Sorry, the channel is CMT: Country Music Television. I don't know anything about it that would not come from the Wikipedia article, so I will summarize: Owned by Viacom (same parent company as MTV), CMT is "an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, and reality programs." There are reality shows similar to the ones found on MTV. Trick My Truck seems to the CMT solution to Pimp My Ride. There are other reality shows that put musicians in improbable situations. "CMT's current programming features country music-oriented shows (i.e. country music videos, taped concerts, etc.), country lifestyle-oriented shows, and old shows and movies that prominently feature country or Southern-rock music."

In my new apartment, I wanted to enjoy my living space. I ordered HDTV from Comcast. Well, in addition to HBO, Showtime, and Starz, I found some new HD programming. One of these was MHD - Music High Definition. This station is the freak love child of MTV, VH1, and CMT (and a distant cousin to MTV2). But wow, it seems to only have the good traits. It has a diverse range of programming (pop, alternative/adult, and indifferent country). The reality programming is music based. There are music videos, concerts, Story Tellers from VH1, MTV Uplugged and various music-related award shows (Not Grammy, more like MTV Music Awards). I wanted to sing the praise of a relatively new (Jan 2006) Network. The programming may not be original, but this is a fresh concept of re-mixing networks to bring a new idea (and new ad revenue.)

What other new programs, HD or otherwise have you recently discovered that made a change in your life? Any inspiring concepts? Does the Shawshank Redemption really do it for you?




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Okay, my affair with TRL may have been a bit longer than six months.