Open Thread

Open Thread: I STILL Want My MTV…and our Fave Music Videos

By Virge Sunday, January 18, 2026 11 Comments Share This:

At first I thought it was a joke, but it’s not. No more MTV Music Television.

Video didn’t kill the radio star – streaming did. The last vestiges of music video, worldwide, now gone.

MTV was must-see TV for decades. No house party was complete without it in the background. How many of us first encountered favorite music or grew to love a band because their music videos were so cool? And how many established stars reached new height and culture fame because of their videos? Michael Jackson’s Thriller video. (In fact any Michael Jackson video. I still get angry and sad that he’s gone.) Even Rick Astley, for heaven’s sake….people are still being Rickrolled.

TOP LISTS?

There are lots of lists about the top music videos of all time, like this one. It’s a fun walk – or dance – through time. There are a few videos that made me like the song so much that I couldn’t enjoy the song without the video – I literally can’t listen to the song without the video, like Weapon of Choice by Fatboy Slim, danced by Christopher Walken, at 58, the Coolest Guy ever.

Or the warm optimism and whimsy of Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel.

Other videos turbocharged an already great song, like Panama by Van Halen or Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper.

Of course there are plenty of other more somber music videos – Johnny Cash’s cover of Hurt by Nine Inch Nails swapped Trent Reznor’s nihilism for a profound and moving reflection on time, aging, and choices. Even Trent said “It’s not my song anymore.” The sheer poetry of the video of REM”s Losing my Religion makes it more than a song about losing a lover. And even after all this time, I don’t like Mondays by the Boomtown Rats sends chills down my spine.

YOUR TURN

But that’s me. Which music videos do you miss? Which ones would you watch over and over? Share your faves in the comments!

Virge Randall is Senior Planet’s Managing Editor. She is also a freelance culture reporter who seeks out hidden gems and unsung (or undersung) treasures for Straus Newspapers; she writes frequently on Old School New York City and performs at open mic readings throughout New York City. Send Open Thread suggestions to editor@seniorplanet.org.

Photo: monticellllo – stock.adobe.com

COMMENTS

11 responses to “Open Thread: I STILL Want My MTV…and our Fave Music Videos”

Daniel J Garvin:

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 6:30pm

Money For Nothing – Dire Straits

Reply to Daniel J Garvin
Susanne:

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 12:24pm

Michael Jackson’s “Remember the Time” featuring Eddie Murphy, Iman (dazzlingly beautiful!!), & Magic Johnson. Set in ancient Egypt, complete with costumes and scenery. Great music & choreography from Michael, as usual!

Reply to Susanne
Fredrick Ramsden:

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 10:54am

Skateaway by Dire Straits

Reply to Fredrick Ramsden
Shari:

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 8:37am

Carlos Santana & Rob Thomas: Smooth

Reply to Shari
Abbie:

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 12:25am

George Micheal’s Freedom video featuring the original Super Models, not the young actress’ that magazines are pushing on us.
Naomi Campbell dancing in puddles with little more than black biker boots, Christy Turlington crawling along the floor & Linda Evangelista in that amazing camera shot of her singing from inside her sweater, as they all perfectly lip sync to Freedom…..definitely one of my favorite videos.

Reply to Abbie
Theresa Krakauskas:

Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 12:01am

“Thriller” is definitely in my top 5, partly because of the memories attached to it. I was at Danceteria in NYC when it premiered, and they had it on a big screen. I have nostalgia over “Video Killed the Radio Star, ” since practically no one I knew had cable back then except for one guy. We would all cram into his tiny apartment and watch the same few videos that MTV had over and over. In more recent times, anything Lady Gaga has done is amazing, but my favorite is “Telephone.”

Reply to Theresa Krakauskas
Grace:

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 9:05pm

Michael Jackson : Thriller, Billie Jean and Smooth Criminal

Reply to Grace
Barb:

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 8:50pm

Take on Me – a-ha

Reply to Barb
Thomas Fick:

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 8:47pm

Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Extended the length and definition of a music video, but cannot beat (“Beat It”, but that’s another) the ending and Vincent Price’s voiceover.

Reply to Thomas Fick
Pat Johnson:

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 8:27pm

“Don’t Stop Believing” by Steve Perry and Journey. My all time favorite.

Reply to Pat Johnson
Carole:

Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 7:35pm

The 1st one, “Video Killed the Radio Star”, by the Buggles.

Reply to Carole

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