'Video Killed the Radio Star' by The Buggles was the first music video ever played on MTV when the channel launched on August 1, 1981. The song, released in 1979, reflects on how television was changing the way people consumed music. MTV revolutionized the music industry, making music videos an essential part of an artist's marketing and artistic expression.

The music video became a symbol of the 1980s and has remained iconic ever since. MTV's introduction of a visual component to music created new stars and influenced the direction of the music industry for decades. Artists began to use videos as a means to visually express their music, and it became a vital promotional tool for the industry.