AARoads Forum

Non-Road Boards => Off-Topic => Topic started by: bandit957 on January 16, 2022, 10:48:42 PM

Title: 'Friday Night Video Fights' (MTV)
Post by: bandit957 on January 16, 2022, 10:48:42 PM
Anyone else remember this feature on MTV? This was around 1983-84.

Every Friday night, MTV would pit two music videos against each other. People would supposedly call in and vote for their favorite, and the winning video would move on to the next week. But it was not a toll-free number, so it cost money to vote.

Suspiciously, sometimes a video would be way ahead in the voting, but then at the last minute it would suddenly lose by 51-49%.
Title: Re: 'Friday Night Video Fights' (MTV)
Post by: golden eagle on January 17, 2022, 08:11:28 AM
I didn't have MTV until the mid-80s. Sounds like a TV version of top 40 radio stations that did the same thing.
Title: Re: 'Friday Night Video Fights' (MTV)
Post by: bandit957 on January 17, 2022, 09:59:16 AM
Quote from: golden eagle on January 17, 2022, 08:11:28 AM
I didn't have MTV until the mid-80s. Sounds like a TV version of top 40 radio stations that did the same thing.

I remember a couple top 40 stations where they would debut a new record and listeners would call in to vote yes or no on it. I don't think stations always paid heed to the results though.

WCLU occasionally had "Keep It Or Cram It." I remember one day they did "19" by Paul Hardcastle, which everyone voted overwhelmingly to keep. After that, they played "19" quite a bit.

WLAP-FM had "Like It Or Spike It" every night. I remember "The Dead Heart" by Midnight Oil getting a good reception. But I think people rejected "Orinoco Flow" by Enya (though the station did regularly play it not long after).
Title: Re: 'Friday Night Video Fights' (MTV)
Post by: triplemultiplex on January 17, 2022, 04:03:08 PM
"Trash it or stash it" is the version I've heard on rock stations in the 90's. 
Title: Re: 'Friday Night Video Fights' (MTV)
Post by: GCrites on January 18, 2022, 09:57:30 PM
Quote from: bandit957 on January 16, 2022, 10:48:42 PM
Anyone else remember this feature on MTV? This was around 1983-84.

Every Friday night, MTV would pit two music videos against each other. People would supposedly call in and vote for their favorite, and the winning video would move on to the next week. But it was not a toll-free number, so it cost money to vote.

Suspiciously, sometimes a video would be way ahead in the voting, but then at the last minute it would suddenly lose by 51-49%.

Not surprising considering TRL was revealed to be fake -- inadvertently by MTV's own Tom Green.
Title: Re: 'Friday Night Video Fights' (MTV)
Post by: golden eagle on January 19, 2022, 02:35:01 PM
Quote from: bandit957 on January 17, 2022, 09:59:16 AM
Quote from: golden eagle on January 17, 2022, 08:11:28 AM
I didn't have MTV until the mid-80s. Sounds like a TV version of top 40 radio stations that did the same thing.

I remember a couple top 40 stations where they would debut a new record and listeners would call in to vote yes or no on it. I don't think stations always paid heed to the results though.

WCLU occasionally had "Keep It Or Cram It." I remember one day they did "19" by Paul Hardcastle, which everyone voted overwhelmingly to keep. After that, they played "19" quite a bit.

WLAP-FM had "Like It Or Spike It" every night. I remember "The Dead Heart" by Midnight Oil getting a good reception. But I think people rejected "Orinoco Flow" by Enya (though the station did regularly play it not long after).

I remember a local radio station played "Mambo No. 5" and got a 100%. It was in rotation the next day.
Title: Re: 'Friday Night Video Fights' (MTV)
Post by: Max Rockatansky on January 19, 2022, 02:38:48 PM
MTV had too much brain rotting qualities to it during the 1980s for me to watch beyond doing so covertly.
Title: Re: 'Friday Night Video Fights' (MTV)
Post by: snowc on January 19, 2022, 03:54:05 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on January 19, 2022, 02:38:48 PM
MTV had too much brain rotting qualities to it during the 1980s for me to watch beyond doing so covertly.
Now its turned into the Teen Mom Network.  :-D
Title: Re: 'Friday Night Video Fights' (MTV)
Post by: golden eagle on January 19, 2022, 04:35:36 PM
I don't want my MTV.