The 10 most important videos of the MTV era according to Far Out Magazine

On August 1, 1981, MTV was born, forever changing the relationship between music and images. What was initially just a small cable channel serving a handful of New Jersey households quickly turned into a cultural powerhouse capable of redefining the entire aesthetic of the 1980s. To mark the occasion, British magazine Far Out has published an in-depth look at the MTV era, ranking what it considers the videos that decisively shaped the channel's growth.
"Not just television, but film and advertising too started looking to MTV as a stylistic template," recalls Tom Phelan in the introduction. "Before the channel arrived, the music video was seen as little more than a promotional tool, often limited to simple concert footage or TV performances on shows like Top of the Pops. The UK was already far ahead in music video production, and it was that wealth of material that allowed MTV to fuel its programming, just as British new wave was conquering the American charts. As the channel took off, record labels began pouring increasingly large sums into video production. Image became just as crucial as music, and a new generation of artists emerged who were able to build their identity in front of the camera as well. Many became genuine MTV icons, while a good many of the old rock stars struggled to adapt to this new language."
Today, as MTV shuts down around the world, it's hard not to feel a pang of nostalgia for that golden era, marked by eccentric, creative music videos.

So here is the ranking of the 10 most important videos of the MTV era, according to Far Out Magazine (full feature here).

10. The Buggles – “Video Killed The Radio Star“

The video symbolizing MTV's birth was chosen as the very first one aired by the channel on August 1, 1981. Its message, depicting the shift from the radio era to the age of images, perfectly embodied the revolution MTV was about to set in motion.

9. Devo – "Whip It"
When it was made, the video seemed like a gamble to Warner, who funded the project with some skepticism. Constant rotation on MTV, however, turned it into a classic, proving just how much a music video could boost a song's success.

8. Prince – "1999"
With "1999", MTV found one of its first true superstars. The video also helped open up the channel's programming to Black artists, marking an important turning point in its history.

7. Duran Duran – "Rio"
Shot amid yachts, the sea and tropical scenery, "Rio" turned luxury and hedonism into an irresistible aesthetic. The video cemented Duran Duran as leading figures of the Second British Invasion and made MTV a reference point for fashion and style.

6. Michael Jackson – "Billie Jean"
MTV initially refused to air the video, but pressure from CBS forced the channel to change its stance. The broadcast of "Billie Jean" accelerated Jackson's transformation into the biggest pop star of the decade, helped also by the triumphant success of the album "Thriller", and it also changed the channel's editorial policy.

5. Frankie Goes to Hollywood – "Two Tribes"
The video turned the Cold War into a spectacular satire, imagining Ronald Reagan and Konstantin Chernenko as wrestlers in the ring. It proved that a music video could also serve as a piece of political commentary, not just a promotional tool.

4. Madonna – "Like A Virgin"
This was the video that definitively cemented Madonna's image, showcasing her charisma and stage presence. Together with her famous performance at the first MTV Video Music Awards, it propelled her to worldwide superstar status.

3. A-ha – "Take On Me"
The innovative combination of animation and live-action footage made the video one of the most iconic of all time. Its success pushed the song to the top of the charts and earned it six MTV Video Music Awards.

2. Dire Straits – "Money For Nothing"
Even while poking fun at MTV's glossy world alongside Sting, Mark Knopfler ended up gifting the channel one of its most iconic videos. The pioneering use of computer graphics helped drive the success of both the single and the album "Brothers In Arms".

1. Peter Gabriel – "Sledgehammer"
Thanks to its spectacular combination of pixilation, claymation and animation created with Aardman Animations, "Sledgehammer" – the lead single from the album "So" – redefined the standards of the music video. The clip proved that a video could have artistic value in its own right, not just serve as promotion for a single.

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