The year 1984 was a watershed moment for American pop music. The rise of MTV, the music video channel, helped to usher in a new era of visual spectacle and experimentation in pop music. Artists like Prince, Michael Jackson, Madonna, and Lionel Richie were all major beneficiaries of MTV's platform, and their music videos helped to define the look and sound of 1980s pop.
One of the most significant changes that MTV brought to pop music was its emphasis on image. In the pre-MTV era, music was primarily consumed through radio, and artists had less control over how their music was presented to the public. MTV gave artists a new way to express themselves visually, and they took full advantage of it. Prince's elaborate costumes and stage shows, Michael Jackson's groundbreaking dance moves, Madonna's provocative fashion, and Lionel Richie's suave charm were all perfectly suited for the MTV format.
MTV also helped to break down barriers between different genres of music. In the past, pop music had been largely dominated by white artists. However MTV initially was dedicated to maintaining those racial barriers against Black artists and it wasn’t until pressure from the popularity of Black artists like Prince and Michael Jackson that those barriers fell. This then brought a small selection of African-American music to a mainstream audience. MTV also helped to popularize genres like new wave and synth-pop, which had previously been seen as more niche.
The pop music scene of 1984 was also homophobic and MTV continued to present gay pop stars as if they were straight. In the case of Culture Club’s lead singer, Boy George, his flamboyant style and androgynous appearance was passed off as an outrageous but an acceptable rock persona who was not actually gay. At the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards the façade fell away when Boy George outed himself in an award acceptance speech. This made him a target of homophobia and his music was temporarily banned from radio stations.
The 1984 MTV Video Music Awards were a perfect showcase for the changes that were taking place in pop music. The show was hosted by Madonna, who performed her hit single "Like a Virgin" in a wedding dress while rolling on the stage floor and flashing her undergarments to the camera. The performance was controversial at the time, but it helped to cement Madonna's status as a cultural icon. Other memorable performances from the night included Prince's "When Doves Cry," Michael Jackson's "Beat It," and Lionel Richie's "All Night Long (All Night)."
Since 1984 the record industry stopped being about records or CD’s or even downloads. The music industry has splintered and pop music may not even be a relevant genre today given that tastes and access for music has become hyper personalized.
In his book, Michaelangelo Matos takes readers back in time to explore what made 1984 the last great year for pop.
Guests: Michaelangelo Matos, music journalist, regular contributor to Mix-mag and the New Yorker and author of "Can't Slow Down: How 1984 Became Pop's Blockbuster Year"
This show originally aired November 24, 2021.
