In 1981, a new channel burst onto the rising spectrum of cable TV offerings. It became a touchstone for young people and a new format for musicians and filmmakers to show off their talents.

The formation of a music channel shaped modern pop culture. On August 1, 1981, the life of a whole generation of Americans changed forever - on this day MTV began its broadcasting day, making VJ a new teen hero and creating a canon of music video as a vivid artistic statement.