Alan Cross analyses the impact of MTV, MuchMusic, The Box, and other channels and outlets that created video stars and telegenic performers whose fame was driven by not only how they sounded, but also by how they looked.
The list is near endless: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Duran Duran, Prince, Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, Nirvana.
A funny thing happened, though. Radio refused to roll over and die. While it had to share space with video channels, it learned to adapt. It continued to adapt in the era of the internet, through the rise of satellite radio, and now through the age of streaming.