On what date did MTV begin broadcasting in the United States in 1981?

MTV began broadcasting in the United States on August 1, 1981.

The channel launched at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time from its original studio in New York City. Its first spoken words were, “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll,” delivered by co-founder John Lack. The opening sequence showed a computer-generated image of an astronaut planting MTV’s flag on the Moon.

MTV’s original concept was simple but unusual for American television: a channel devoted primarily to music videos, hosted by video jockeys, or VJs. The first video was The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star,” followed by Pat Benatar’s “You Better Run.”

The launch date is sometimes confused with MTV Europe’s debut, which occurred in 1987. MTV’s American launch also preceded the arrival of many later sister channels, including VH1, which started in 1985. The date is a landmark in music and television history because it helped make the music video a central part of popular culture.