1. Chapter 19 - MTV Wow, Dad, I like that song… I wonder what it looks like. A child listening to the radio McGraw-Hill/IrwinCopyright © 2011 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Cable TV Late-seventies growth in video technology Cable TV required cables to be installed under or about streets and physically connected directly to users homes or businesses Early video shows: Album Tracks Popclips MTV (Music Television), first aired 1981 Research showed that music supported by videos on MTV increased record sales of the songs on videos – more videos made to meet the market Annual MTV Video Music Awards started in 1985, recognize achievement in Music Video Early videos by: Duran The Stray Cats Men at Work Michael Jackson broke racial barrier with Thriller album and video (1982) MTV videos caused performers looks and dancing ability and to be as important as musicianship, in some cases 19-2

3. Michael Jackson (1958-2009) Motown Record Company child star with the Jackson Five at age 10 Group left Motown and recorded as the Jacksons Solo star with Off the Wall album (1979) and four top-10 hit singles Called the King of Pop Billie Jean on Thriller album (1983) Performance on Motowns 25 th Anniversary show in 1983 included the moon walk inspired by break dancers moves Success with further albums and performances Sister, Janet Jackson (born in 1966) also a success on MTV 19-3

4. Listening Guide Billie Jean by Michael Jackson (1983) Tempo: 118 beats per minute, 4 beats per bar Form: 14-bar instrumental introduction, then verses and choruses based on 8 bars, but sometime are extended to 12 bars with repetitions of sections of text Features: Strong backbeat in drums Even beat subdivisions Synthesized orchestral chords sometimes play on beats 1 and the half- beat after 2 Other orchestral background includes synthesized strings and horns Backup vocals support Jacksons lead vocals through repetitions of text Lyrics: The song is a cautionary tale about promiscuity, where the singer feels trapped by the allegation he has fathered a child, even though he does admit that the baby has his eyes Charts: Pop, #1 for seven weeks, R&B, #1 for nine weeks, British hits, #1 19-4

5. Prince (1958 - ) Son of a jazz musician and a singer, named Prince after Fathers stage name Grew up playing piano, guitar, and drums Style combines funk with rock with influences of new wave, disco, and rap Reputation for erotic lyrics with Dirty Mind album Little Red Corvette first to-10 single (from 1999) album (1982) Hired back up band the Revolution for Purple Rain (1984) Established Paisley Park Records (1985) Changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol/ The artist formerly known as Prince or The Artist in early nineties Name Prince back in use by early two-thousands 19-5

6. Listening Guide Little Red Corvette by Prince (1982) Tempo: 126 beats per minute, 4 beats per bar Form: 9-bar introduction, then mostly 8-bar sections Features: Even beat subdivisions, but vocals sometimes uneven Strong backbeat in drums through much of the recording Instrumental background is full and features an electronic organ Prince overdubbed all instrumental parts except the solo guitarist in instrumental section and Prince sings lead vocals with additional two backup singers The recording begins and ends at low volume level with crescendo and decrescendo in middle Lyrics: The singer analogizes a promiscuous girl to a red Corvette sports car. He advises the girl to find monogamy (a love that will last) before her body fails like a car that is driven too roughly. Charts: Pop, #6, R&B, #15, British hits, #34 19-6

7. Madonna (1958 - ) Born Madonna Louise Ciconne Madonnas experience as a modern dancer helped her image on MTV Performed Like a Virgin at the first MTV Music Video Awards (1985) Other performances at MTV Music Video Awards Vogue (1990) Bye Bye Baby (1993) Like a Virgin and Hollywood (2003) with Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Missy Elliott Image of an independent woman who did not care about past expectations of female performers Sex symbol image in some videos and movie roles Ranked by the Recording Industry Association of America as the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th century 19-7

8. Listening Guide Papa Dont Preach by Madonna (1986) Tempo: 126 beats per minute, 4 beats per bar Form: 16-bar introduction, followed by 8-bar sections, some of which are extended to 10 or 16 bars Features: Even beat subdivisions The recording features a synthesized string orchestra in the introduction and as background later Drums enter at the 9 th bar and play accent a strong backbeat In addition to drums, rock instruments include electric bass, keyboards, both acoustic and electric guitars, and other percussion Backup vocals support Madonnas lead vocals toward the end of the recording Lyrics: The singer tells her father that she is pregnant, in love with the babys father, and planning to marry him and keep the baby. She asks her father for advice, but does not seem to be prepared to accept it. Charts: Pop, #1 for two weeks, British hits, #1 19-8

9. Bruce Springsteen (1949- ) Career began in the seventies, but videos on MTV aided his worldwide fame during the eighties Springsteens music included: Rockabilly Rhythm & blues Dylanesque folk-rock Pop style of Phil Spectors wall of sound Protopunk sound of garage bands Songs often geared to American working class and supported causes to help Vietnam veterans and to support union workers on strike 19-9

10. Listening Guide Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen (1984) Tempo: 122 beats per minute, 4 beats per bar Form: Recording based on repetition of a 2-bar riff. Each 8-bar section includes the riff played four times. Features: Uneven beat subdivisions Strong backbeat in drums Springsteens powerful vocals support the sense of anger in the lyrics Lyrics: Sung from the point of view of a Vietnam veteran who returned to the U.S. having lost his brother in Vietnam, was turned down for a job, given no assistance from the V.A. Office, and ended up in prison. Charts: Pop, #9 19-10

11. MTVs Expanded Programming By the mid-eighties, MTV was criticized for too much pop programming Other programs added for MTV2: 120 Minutes featured alternative or underground videos (1986) Headbangers Ball with heavy-metal videos and news (1987) Yo! MTV Raps (1988) Early nineties, new channel, Dial MTV, for requests Later years, other channels broadcast rock videos and MTV expanded to reality shows, awards programs, movies, political programming, and animated cartoons 19-11

12. Discussion Questions Did MTV help provide a vehicle for personal expression, or was it a means of control? Did MTV expand diversity and artistic innovation or narrow them? 19-12