VH1 Premiered 40 Years Ago Today — See the First Videos They Showed

Gerry Strauss January 1, 7:00 am

Musician Linda Ronstadt attends the VH-1's Fourth Annual Salute to the American Songwriter on December 3, 1988 at Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles, California. — Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

VH1 launched on Jan. 1, 1985 — though you may not have the same vivid memories of it that you do of the day MTV debuted. For many of us, MTV was the ultimate gateway to new music, new stars, and new pop culture trends. More than just a cable channel, it was part of a lifestyle. VH1 never quite developed into that kind of massive cultural juggernaut — but over the last 40 decades, the channel has carved out its own major cultural profile, as a place where softer rock songs could become hits, and older artists could remake their careers and reach new audiences.

Why Was VH1 Launched?

The parent organization behind MTV launched VH1 (which stood for “Video Hits One”) back on January 1st, 1985. Wanting to capture an older audience than MTV was pulling, they assembled an all-star cast of longtime radio favorites to serve as their “vee-jays” (on-camera hosts), including Don Imus, Scott Shannon, Frankie Crocker, and even Sha Na Na’s Jon “Bowzer” Bauman.

During VH1’s premiere broadcast, Imus promised viewers “music from the past, from the present, that you want to hear all day every day.” Indeed, the channel’s initial strategy over the next few years would be to focus on Adult Contemporary and Pop hits that 15-year-old MTV fans might scoff at. For example, here’s a look at the actual list of music videos played during VH1’s very first hour on the air:

1“The Star-Spangled Banner” by Marvin Gaye

2“Missing You” by Diana Ross

3“You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by Daryl Hall & John Oates

4“Nobody Told Me” by John Lennon

5 “Shaking You” by Olivia Newton-John

6 “After All” by Al Jarreau

7 “Steppin’ Out” by Joe Jackson

8 “I Just Called to Say I Love You” by Stevie Wonder

9“I Knew You When” by Linda Ronstadt

10 “Always Something There to Remind Me” by Naked Eyes

11 “Centipede” by Rebbie Jackson

12 “I’m Alright” by Kenny Loggins

13 “Joanna” by Kool & The Gang

During an era when edgier stars like Michael Jackson and Madonna had steamrolled their way into the hearts of teens on MTV, a network featuring tamer music and visuals from the likes of John Lennon and Linda Ronstadt was a breath of fresh air for viewers of a certain age, and VH1 quickly earned a sizeable daily audience all its own.

Of course, much like MTV, VH1 evolved away from focusing on music videos over the years. During the nineties, they found new life by showcasing original music-related programs such as Pop-Up Video and Vh1’s Behind the Music. Since the 2000’s, the channel has made an even more drastic shift, focusing largely on reality-based franchises like Basketball Wives and Love & Hip Hop.

Sure, the music videos of Rod Stewart and Gloria Estefan may be gone, but the memories live on. Happy 40th, VH1!