MTV single handedly created stars, who may never have gotten the chance without the advent of music video. A prime example of this is Madonna. I dare not infer Madonna is not talented, however it is her image more than her voice that sells albums. Throughout the years we have seen Madonna in all different stages. She constantly re-invents herself. From the material girl to the material mom, Madonna has perfected the use of music video and marketing. Without MTV she may never have attained the success she enjoys.
It became apparent that making a music video could be a profitable venture. Every artist had a music video for his or her hit single. Making a video has proven to be the best way, especially if you are a new artist, to allow fans to see your face. This allows the public to become more intimate with the band and its members. This held true for new as well as older more establish acts such as Michael Jackson. He did not need to sell his image however it did help him.
He wanted to be an innovator not only in music, but in video as well. He accomplished this when he produced his classic video epic Thriller. The million-dollar video paid for itself when Thriller became the top selling album of its time. From then on, it was safe to assume that videos will make a large impact on the music industry for years to come. As the 80s rocked on, MTV matured and grew to be the total essence of pop culture. When you think of pop culture, you think of MTV. MTV is a multifaceted network.
The network covers all forms of music from pop and hip-hop to hard rock. MTV has the power to expose all facets of society to various forms of music. It allows ideas from all over the world to become part to the American youth culture. For example: MTV took hip-hop from the streets of New York City and put it right in the home of suburban America. MTV then followed its musical line up with groundbreaking special programming such as The Real World, Beavis and Butthead and Unplugged to name a few.