Buggles - Video Killed the Radio Star

Studio show from Buggles

[@TruthSurge]

One of the coolest bass sounds and a great tune.

[@GisherJohn24]

Fair to say the birth of techno?

[@ジューシーフルーツ]

👍😃

[@kevinchadwick9644]

Late reply , I agree one of the most influential songs that spurred the techno age

[@ratmanwhosaysnonono]

This is my favourite song in Flash FM in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

[@joylyn7800]

YES

[@jrexx2841]

Same

[@kityancypoloyapoy4012]

yeah..

[@RanetkiFan]

FIRST SONG EVER played on MTV! It all happened on August 1, 1981 , 12:01 am. MTV SUCKS now. Too bad its not like it used to be MUSIC TELEVISION,. now just a bunch of teen crapola reality show and worthless crap

[@740126]

MTV lost his soul through the years and when I Watch what's up on MTV I want to barf ! I miss show like "HeadBangers Ball with Simone Warwick ! I really miss early MTV !

[@sleslie23]

I was 12 years old when this came out and MTV was the most amazing thing. I can still remember every note of every song they played in the first year.

[@notebook116]

wow.. I was 6 then.. and yes allot of shit on tv anymore.. if I see anymore reality shows! I think if you have enough money you can make your own show! tv sucks! but love family guy!!!!

[@bryanjosephkelley9614]

sleslie23 I was 13. The best era for everything....80's. If we only had a time machine, right?

[@gojump7]

ALIZEE LILLY 34 years ago today!! Wow, time really does fly...

[@Apathesis0]

I love the retro sounds of his vocals... always have and always will. I still remember seeing this the first time when I was very young in the late 80's.

[@DIGITALSCREAMS]

Im 32 and like this music. I like the musicianship and the fact that groups/bands back then often contained people over the age of 18. Thanks.

[@faithislonely6684]

My nanna told me that she remembered watching this all her cousins and her were so amazed at the new technology of the era and she'll forever love this song.

[@sthlm1991]

how can people not like this song?? it's a great song

[@Welder_Zogy]

Agree!

[@PHill1960]

it's no The Spirit of Radio.

[@xuvi11]

am i the only one who absolutely loves how he steps up the mic at the exact moment he does and just goes?

[@PHill1960]

thats what ya do when miming.

[@Hossflex]

I am only 27, this song was released 3 years before my birth and it still amazes me how much this song and this band contributed to the music society. A real breakthrough and well ahead of their time

[@Maty-st3qo]

Time flies, doesn't it?

[@GOLVEL]

Hello, fellow 40-y.o.

[@GOLVEL]

​@@Maty-st3qo it's been a year for you... did it feel like it?

[@Maty-st3qo]

@@GOLVEL This whole situation reminds me of a quote from a book I read a couple of weeks ago. "Time is a cruel mistress, forever taunting us with memories we can never truly relive."

[@Maty-st3qo]

@@GOLVEL and yeah, time sure flies dude..

[@Jenura01]

I remember watching this on the first day of mtv. My sister and I were glued to the tv for 3 days straight. I was 16 and she was 14 and music videos were brand new and amazing.

[@Badwsky]

I love the way the singer's voice is reduced to AM radio broadcast bandwidth, about 4-6KHz, made to represent the days of the radio of yesteryear. Cool and very artistic.

[@pgardsbsocal5319]

internet killed the video star

[@traciepearce1888]

😂

[@Nervejam]

KZbin resurrected the Buggles star.

[@justinium77]

Streaming killed the internet star.

[@佐伯由佳-e3d]

素晴らしコメントです

[@drnickyp]

thank you Trevor for inventing the 80's :)

[@LeksMishka]

I'm 41 Now, and I still love this song, Ever since I heard it playing on a US Frequency near Alaska.

[@mrnarason]

OK boomer

[@miguelcalleruiz3036]

Esta hermosa canción fue primer puesto en mi país, Perú cuando solo tenia 13 añitos hoy tengo 58, y me hace recordar mi NIÑEZ como si fuera hoy, extraordinaria melodia.

[@davidedickjr]

I remember when this played on that new channel called MTV. The page turned ... and opened a new chapter in the history of entertainment. We knew the world would never be the same.

[@abigailneal9581]

Plz take me to the eighties! :-)

[@heyhey4101]

Right! Doc Brown needs to hook me up with the time machine already!

[@bullpentherapy]

+Abby Neal if we ever unlock time travel in quantum mechanics/physics,,,forget going back to the fifties which is proposed to be the golden age of this country,,,,,,send me to the eighties please,,,one way ticket please!!!!lol

[@abigailneal9581]

Lol XD

[@christiancamlin13]

+Abby Neal This was actually a 70's tune but it was 1979 so close enough.

[@abigailneal9581]

christian Camlin oh, okay, that's cool to know! Thanks for letting me know

[@patricemunger661]

Golden years of new age music... love it so much....

[@transonicbuoy1]

Astonishing song. Something deeply tragic about it, but you can never put your finger on it: genius.

[@totten2012able]

I had done a class activity on this song, students loved it. I brought up the communications history up to nowadays.

[@lukes7033]

It's about modern bands using classical music , changing tempo and adding effects to essentially make money from plagerism. Video killed the radio star is an apt title, considering this was the very first made for purpose music video clip. There was great tragedy. Trevor Horns wife was killed by her own son when an air rifle pellet accidentally hit her carotid artery causing brain damage and persistent coma. She did regain conciousness, but was left a vegetable. She died not long after from cancer. Truly tragic.

[@paulrees3861]

Totally agree. Was quite young when this first came out, I loved it, but it made me feel a little sad too. Great song.

[@lonnienoland2921]

Awesome song was one of my favorites when it came out and kind of funny my son who was at the time 14 yr asked me to listen to this song he liked from the the old days

[@Stormr69]

I was watching MTV when it came on the air and yes this WAS the first video.

[@happymike44]

I am proud of living in the 80's and remember my first real car was a Mustang used to drive down the coast in San Diego and I look back as one of the best times in my life.

[@NellieKAdaba]

My childhood (the 80s). I love it.

[@MON383]

still love this just as much as i did 30yrs ago

[@7northgate7]

First song played on MTV...love this tune!!

[@rileyrodriguez9770]

We will never have music like this again ;_;

[@RanetkiFan]

Its too bad, as the 80's , hands down, was THE best decade for music. Music Television brought many different and unique artists out of the woodwork. It was the best music ever, from New wave, to 80s rock and 80s dance, it was all good. There wasn't one bad song. Now look at what songs kids idolize now, like GAS PEDAL and they think thats good. saddddd

[@perryanderson5642]

Maybe not, but I'll always Play Music like this to remind people around me what Great Music is!!!

[@mrdisney1959]

The lead singer is a world class bass player.

[@angeiamme]

Brings back so many memories, love it...

[@itischelsea]

Why does this not have more views.

[@ovechkin100]

hi : )

[@borislavivanov6631]

ovechkin100 HI

[@winger27]

miss those days.. college was crazy back then!!!! take me back!! :0)

[@Libby874]

I love this song

[@MrRolex96]

This used to be my absolute favorite song when I was like 4 or 5 I would listen to it non stop haha!

[@leokimvideo]

iTunes killed the musical star, Steve Jobs came and broke our hearts, ohhh uh uh ah ohhh ohhh, ah uh ah ohhh ohhh

[@robotech8996]

You

[@The305skater]

i remember cruising around in gta vice city and this came on. it was a true classic

[@MugsyNJ2]

I love the way he starts filing his nails at the end when there's no more lyrics.

[@nillanatyr]

I absolutely love how the top left hand corner says nostalgia. Ah nostalgia...

[@RickeyRamone]

A very nice rendition of a fine New Wave tune that, in another video, made history when it was the very first video ever played on MTV- August 1,1981 , 12:01 am. But the song starts off with an immediate anachronism-Transistor radios were not available till late 1954. So there was no "wireless back in 52".

[@sharkheadism]

+RickeyRamone lol @ this guy

[@almostfm]

+RickeyRamone Sure there was. Radios had vacuum tubes (or "valves" as they were called in the UK). "Wireless" refers to the way the signal was received-not that it didn't have to be plugged into the wall for power.

[@mordomarty]

But the music was real right? Just the singing was lip sync?

[@almostfm]

Mordo Marty If anything, it was the other way around. Back in the day, either everything would be mimed, or the singing was live and the backing was recorded.

[@RickeyRamone]

***** Thank you for hat. If that's what that part of the song was referring to, I withdraw that part of my comment.

[@daigishh]

This song brings back so many memories from my this summer'12 camp :)

[@muiscnight]

its so ahead of its time of release its weird

[@GIA126]

I love this song...so cool...I miss the 80's...my big hair...OMG LOL

[@70sfred1]

This was the very first video played on M.T.V.

[@tank123103]

70sfred1 1979

[@TRJ2241987]

This was NOT the music video. The historic MTV video was the one with the little girl in the red overalls in it

[@tank123103]

TRJ2241987 yea the main singer was black and white to and the little girl was listening to an orange radio and sitting by the moon correct?

[@McJargle]

This is one of my favorite songs. Among many 80's popish songs. Im only 18. I feel so old. :[

[@jaelie8398]

SO HARD NOT TO DANCE TO THIS SONG!!!!!

[@andreashoppe1969]

So true!

[@perryanderson5642]

This Song makes you want to Dance ( I thought it was just me that felt that way!) .

[@bipblake]

Yea, your right about that one to.I may be old fashion, but to me, nothing beats going to the show and seeing it live.I have been so blessed to see a lot of the great ones in my day, and just to be in these big venues and to see all these people from all walks of life that are there for the same reason as you, makes the trip worth it.Well, that and seeing the act itself.

[@aqwkingchampion13]

That would be correct. I actually heard it from the 80's station of Sirius XM Satellite Radio, and Wikipedia agrees, this was the very first song ever played on MTV. I must admit, that's kinda funny.

[@blueguitarblue]

Beneath the glitz and bling of this "Video", this is profound! And prophetic.

[@joseangzv]

The Buggles in Spain for the presentation in the television channel Televisión Española

[@NellieKAdaba]

My generation, the 80s. I love the Buggles

[@vladpiranha]

Now we just need a song called Reality TV Killed The Video Star. Screw MTV.

[@perryanderson5642]

Totally Agree! Scew mtv. I mean Sh t television.

[@robertjahn1346]

I remember exactly where I was when this came out on MTV in August 1981. You must remember cable tv was very limited then so only few channels were popular. The population that watched this was in the millions because it was a new idea at the time. Yes there had been music videos before but not put on one channel. I miss the old MTV. I never watch it anymore and sad that it has become the way it is.

[@HorrorPixieMassacre]

"ohh ohh!" :D

[@gelubatir9794]

From Wikipedia, - Killed the Radio Star" is a song written by Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley in 1979. It was recorded concurrently by Bruce Woolley and the Camera Club (with Thomas Dolby on keyboards) for their album English Garden and by British new wave/synth-pop group the Buggles, which consisted of Horn and Downes (and initially Woolley). The Buggles' version of the track was recorded and mixed in 1979, released as their debut single on 7 September 1979 by Island Records, and included on their first album The Age of Plastic. The backing track was recorded at Virgin's Town House in West London, and mixing and vocal recording was done at Sarm East Studios. The song relates to concerns about, and mixed attitudes toward 20th-century inventions and machines for the media arts. Musically, the song performs like an extended jingle and the composition plays in the key of D-flat major in common time at a tempo of 132 beats per minute. The track has been positively received, with reviewers praising its unusual musical pop elements. Although the song includes several common pop characteristics and six basic chords are used in its structure, Downes and writer Timothy Warner described the piece as musically complicated, due to its use of suspended and minor ninth chords for enhancement that gave the song a "slightly different feel." On release, the single topped sixteen international music charts, including those in the UK, Australia, and Japan. It also peaked in the top 10 in Canada, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa, but only reached number 40 in the US. The accompanying music video was written, directed, and edited by Russell Mulcahy. It was the first music video shown on MTV in the US, airing at 12:01 a.m. on 1 August 1981, and the first video shown on MTV Classic in the UK on 1 March 2010. The song has received several critical accolades, such as being ranked number 40 on VH1's 100 Greatest One-Hit Wonders of the '80s. It has also been covered by many recording artists. Background and lyrics The Buggles, which formed in 1977, first consisted of Trevor Horn, Geoff Downes and Bruce Woolley. They recorded the first demo of "Video Killed the Radio Star" on a Revox A77 tape recorder, one afternoon in 1978, in Downes' apartment located above a monumental stonemason's in Wimbledon Park, London. The piece was built up from a chorus riff developed by Woolley.[6] It is one of the three Buggles songs that Woolley assisted in writing, the two others being "Clean, Clean" and "On TV".[4] A later, more detailed demo of the song, featuring Horn's then-girlfriend Tina Charles on vocals, was recorded at Camden's Soundsuite Studios, and engineered by studio owner Peter Rackham. This demo became the blueprint for the final record, and helped the group get signed to Island Records to record and release their debut album The Age of Plastic, as well as producing and writing for the label, after Downes' girlfriend, who worked for Island, managed to get it played to executives there. Woolley left during recording to form his own band, The Camera Club, which did their own version of "Video", as well as "Clean, Clean" for their album English Garden. Horn has said that J. G. Ballard's short story "The Sound-Sweep", in which the title character-a mute boy vacuuming up stray music in a world without it-comes upon an opera singer hiding in a sewer, provided inspiration for "Video", and he felt "an era was about to pass."[ Horn claimed that Kraftwerk was another influence of the song: "It was like you could see the future when you heard Kraftwerk, something new is coming, something different. Different rhythm section, different mentality. So we had all of that, myself and Bruce, and we wrote this song probably six months before we recorded it." In a 2018 interview Horn stated: "I'd read JG Ballard and had this vision of the future where record companies would have computers in the basement and manufacture artists. I'd heard Kraftwerk's The Man-Machine and video was coming. You could feel things changing" All the tracks of The Age of Plastic deal with positives and concerns of the impact of modern technology.[ The theme of "Video Killed the Radio Star" is thus nostalgia, with the lyrics referring to a period of technological change in the 1960s, the desire to remember the past and the disappointment that children of the current generation would not appreciate the past. The lyrics relate to concerns of the varied behaviours towards 20th-century technical inventions and machines used and changed in media arts such as photography, cinema, radio, television, audio recording and record production.According to Horn, the band initially struggled to come up with a line to follow the song's opening ("I heard you on the wireless back in '52"): he eventually came up with "Lying awake intent at tuning in on you", inspired by memories of listening to Radio Luxembourg at night as a child Woolley worried about the song's name, given the existence of a band with the name Radio Stars and a song titled "Video King" by singer Snips.

[@kinggreenzzzgreen8473]

ironic they had the first video on mtv they helped kill the radio star lol

[@paigemenzies9770]

love this song !!!!

[@95TurboSol]

1:47 Hans Zimmer! Not even joking

[@jordanhoward7394]

omg you're right

[@tafftich]

wrong, hes not in this hes on original video at 2.52 in black jacket playing keyboard

[@jagerhusene]

Wonderfull music - even 30 years after !

[@rickyvalentine4402]

Vice city!!!

[@ek27]

I loved this song when i was and i still love it and im now 35 makes me smile :)

[@musicman051189]

I Was Born In 89 Well.....Iam Already 26 Now

[@superstarpatrick]

no kidding right? I am soo old I remember the day mt aired and this was the very first video ever! memories....lol

[@Patrick7890]

I do not care what year it is this is still a great tune!!!!

[@antonioberrocalfrancia6586]

Awesome song!!!

[@Average_Joe87]

This is one of the best songs EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@vdwest4592]

This is true pop music with catchy lyrics. This would rule in karaoke if it already doesn't. It is just the right length to not get annoying.

[@JaydenPharmacys]

Ahaha, Soo Chill i Wishh i Livedd in the 80's... Too Complicatedd Now-A-Days..

[@jubalate]

how convenient is it that the first "video" of music on TV is titled "Video killed the Raidio star"? AWESOME!

[@fatelle1]

Unforgettable great song still today Nov 30 2021

[@superamusinggg]

Im only 15 but this song brings back somthing for me. I love it. Happy birthday on Aug. 1st MTV! 32 years now?

[@MILTFTRUE11]

I want to travel back in time to the 80's they had the life oh. . . did i mention i'm only 19!

[@demoniunpeter]

is one of the best songs of all time

[@keithyoong]

30 years on, Trevor Horn (lead singer of the Buggles) produced an album for Robbie Williams called "Reality killed the Video Star".

[@Realmasterorder]

Huge hit ingenious music making with such a unique style all together in a great tune !

[@chalalalalasss]

I'm 17... i cant get enough of this song

[@somebodysomething]

Great song, I remeber when i was young there was a crazy animed video 4 this song. [Buggles Rule !!!!!]

[@BASavage81]

The video tape recorder, VTR, used the 3/4 inch tape and was the first commercially available video player and sold for over $2,500 in the mid 1970's. The Video Cassette Recorder, VCR, 1/2 inch format, was availble in about 1977 to most people. Again it sold for over $3,000 when it first was introduced to the public. By 1979 the VCR was the format used. btw, Sony Beta Max was the first digital tape available in 1977 and used a 1/4 inch tape, but it didn't take.

[@halperinio]

so old but so good this is freakin awsome!

[@IdealX-fr4eg]

"We hear the playback and it seems so long ago" how true that still is..

[@AngelEmfrbl]

I kind of like the emotional strings this song pulls, it was a reflection of its time of release when new technology was pushing aside the technology of the past. The radio DJ star gives way to the star of the TV star and all that is left of that era was memories of how things USED to be. Yet somehow it applies to today where the youtubes star and the internet sweeps away the TV star, thus continuing the circle of passing time.

[@clanhollywoodhal0]

I remember grade 7 D: Me and my classmates would sing this all the time, along with more Groovy classics

[@rawrrunescape99]

i love this song! haha it's old but still good...

[@Kleefable]

All time favorite song.

[@jaynelouise1969]

My 3 year old Grandson loves this song, he always tries to sing along to it...

[@recuerdos89]

Greatest Song. SOOO AHEAD OF EVERYTHING. That is why 80s music is soo great!. It was ahead of its time. LOVE IT!. Ps= I know it says 79 but you can say it was an 80s song

[@mordomarty]

One of my Favorite songs from the 80s

[@diehardnygiantsfan6569]

It came out in 1979

[@mordomarty]

+DieHardNYGiantsFan 84 Close enough lol

[@CusterABQ]

My dad has me addicted I Luv U Buggles!!!!!

[@Ya_ne_dura---sam_durak]

Замечательная песня )

[@stoneroses13]

as time goes on beautiful music and videos are forgotten but YOU TUBE brings them back.. thank you YOU TUBE!

[@elizabethschafor61]

I love this song.

[@paulrees3861]

Its a fantastic song, but it makes me feel happy and sad at the same time. It's upbeat and melancholic at the same time.

[@roygalvanm]

Love your story man! This song is a whole story in your life! Keep it up

[@kimlibera663]

This song is great for singing & humming.

[@vetb882]

Awesome, I met my wife the night MTv first came on, changed my mind and went to a New Years Eve party at the last minute, turns our so did she. One close dance and I felt electricity jump between us, I KNEW she was the one right there. We married soon after and it lasted 13 years, we separated, divorced, dated other people but after 8 years, we got back together and that was 8 years ago, we are doing very well together now. Love last even when apart. Renewing vows later this year.

[@elizabethchupka2239]

play this all the time on just dance! ;)

[@RussBP1981]

I had a pair of glasses that weren't too much smaller than these. I thought they were the coolest thing EVER! Ah, the 80s.

[@ralphmoe8841]

the music video to this was the first shown on MTV in the US at 12:01am on 1 August 1981 and Thomas Dolby was on keyboard. just in case you were wondering! lol

[@serpnta1267]

This was the first video played on MTV and number 1 million!!!

[@SarahEA1]

Heard this song for the first time at a musical called Back to the 80's at Barn Lot Theatre in Edmonton Ky. It was great!

[@triciacarr5010]

I WANT MY MTV !!!!!!!! LONG LIVE THE 80'S!!! too bad today's kids missed out on the best years of music with video!!!

[@12343123]

2012... this song...

[@FernandoGarrido1977]

Vice City realmente nos fez resgatar algumas pérolas esquecidas dos anos 80! Obrigado Rockstar!