11.24.2006

Killing radio stars

I was watching Video Killed the Radio Star, and everyone knows it was the first video shown on MTV. I didn't have cable until a couple of years ago, but I remember seeing that video back then on my grandparents' TV. I wonder if it was during that debut year--or maybe I saw the video on non-cable TV, announcing the launch of the new station.

Well, I'm not the first person to come to this conclusion, but when I saw the video and heard lyrics such as this:

Pictures came and broke your heart.
Oh-a-a-a oh
And now we meet in an abandoned studio.
We hear the playback and it seems so long ago.
And you remember the jingles used to go...

and this:

In my mind and in my car,
We can't rewind we've gone too far,
Pictures came and broke your heart,
so put all the blame on VTR
You are a radio star
You are a radio star
Video killed the radio star

I thought, "iPod and internet killed the radio star." I've said this before, but when people can get internet capability in their cars, then they'll be able to access a lot of interesting online stations, which will mean more splintering of the audience. And it's a lot more fulfilling to find out about good music from a friend than to listen through commercials and bad music to find some gems. But I still find out about music that way, though radio stars are now few and far between.

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