Cyndi Lauper attends the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 11, 2024 in Elmont, New York.
(Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for MTV)For those who grew up watching music videos on MTV, there were a few moments with familiar faces at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards. Yes, as out of pop culture as I am at this age, there were about a dozen artists even this old fart recognized! And it made me feel less old for a few seconds.
"But MTV doesn't play music videos anymore"
People my age make the same comment on social media every year... when's the last time MTV actually played a music video? Quite frankly, it's gotten old. MTV stopped playing music videos because there was more money to be made airing dumb reality TV shows. MTV doesn't target the 50 somethings like us who watched the channel's early days. They target the same demographic they always have... like when you and I were young... teens and 20 somethings.
And that's really it, isn't it? Most of us didn't watch the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards because they'll just make us feel old. We know Stevie B... not Cardi B.
Why music videos left MTV... it's actually all our fault
There's a big reason music videos were flushed down the toilet on MTV. You stopped buying music. Yes. You. You discovered Napster and Limewire in the 90s and all those other nooks and crannies of the internet. You could fire up AOL with your modem and steal all those songs for free and burn 'em to a CD.
It wasn't a big secret... music videos were just 4 minute ads to get you to buy an album. When you stopped paying for music, it didn't make sense to make the ads, sorry, music videos anymore.
The familiar faces at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards
Yes, 40 years later, MTV is still presenting the VMAs. And even though the show was dominated by today's big artists...as it should, the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards did have a few moments where us old farts like me could rejoice, point at the screen and say "Hey I know that one!"
Here were the dozen or so musicians, actors and ... a statue that took me back to the days when David Lee Roth, Madonna, Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Michael Jackson and Prince dominated MTV. Back when MTV stood for music television.
Carson Daly
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTVHe's a morning TV guy now but back in the day, Carson was the face of TRL on MTV, playing all those boyband songs. Who would be the #1 most requested song today... the Backstreet Boys or NSync? It was the 90s version of Team Pepsi vs Team Coke. Carson attended with his son... who now would be old enough to host TRL.
Cyndi Lauper
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTVCyndi is on her farewell tour but dropped into the VMAs to present a performance by Sabrina Carpenter. I saw this part as I was channel surfing. Cyndi mentioned she won a VMA at the FIRST MTV Video Music Awards... back sometime around 1948. I kid I kid. Cyndi's awesome. A strong supporter of human rights and so many charities... you've gotta love her.
LL Cool J
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTVMy earliest MTV memories are of LL's music videos for songs like "I'm That Type of Guy" and "Mama Said Knock You Out." I also loved "Around the Way Girl" but I don't remember it getting much airplay on MTV in the 90s... but by the point, MTV realized there was more money to be made with shows like Remote Control (loved that show) and The Real World. Here's LL Cool J performing on stage. I didn't see the performance, but I'm sure he killed it.
Stevie B
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTVThat sly dog didn't even mention this to me when I saw him last month. I hosted a Freestyle Explosion concert with Stevie this summer and either he didn't know about this or kept it hush, but he was part of a collab with Fat Joe and DJ Khaled.
Eminem
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for MTVWould the real Slim Shady please stand up, please stand up, please stand up? Quite an interesting look Em's got goin' there.
Lenny Kravitz
Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTVHe still drives the women wild showing off the buff bod. He still gets us guys amp'd when he does his magic with that guitar. "Are You Gonna Go My Way" is still one of my favorite 90s jams.
Public Enemy
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTVWas so cool to see Chuck D and Flavor Flav. Yeah boyyyyy!
Orlando Bloom
Noam Galai/Getty Images for MTVOrlando was at the VMAs to present the MTV Video Vanguard award to his wife Katy Perry.
Katy Perry
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty ImagesShe kissed a girl and she liked it. Yep, Katy busted that classic out as well as "Dark Horse," "Teenage Dream" and "Firework." She received the Video Vanguard Award.
Insane Clown Posse
Catherine Powell/Getty Images for MTVTo be honest, I couldn't tell you a single song they sing. I just remember them always being on TV in the 90s during the Jackass era.
Taylor Swift
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTVEveryone knows about Taylor Swift, even if you can't name a single song she sings, you know who she is. If you're a political junkie, you either love her or hate her because of her endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris. If you're a parent, you probably love the example she sets for your daughter, but hate how much you had to shovel out when she was in town for a concert.
The Moon Man
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for MTVA lot has changed over the years. But the moon man has been left untouched since the days Michael Jackson, Bon Jovi, Van Halen, and Madonna dominated MTV.
