A revolution in music programming formats took over the TV screen about two decades ago. This revolutionary change was the MTV music channel. Music videos used to be played between certain shows or during television specials as shorts or fillers prior to the advent of MTV. However, the MTV programming format was an entirely different concept because it features continuous, 24/7 music videos.



Music lovers could now tune in and see as well as listen to a variety of bands and performers at their visually artistic best at every day and at any time of day or night. The otherwise unknown bands were given a chance at fame through the MTV music channel. This channel also gave the viewers new sounds and special-effects enhanced performances. Because of the unique music experienced it offered, the MTV channel was an instant hit with the public and in the music industry.

During its early years MTV broke its music segments up into several parts which were hosted by a different person. The host would be responsible for giving insights into a bands' influences, interviewing band members and even giving a short piece on fashions of the time. MTV was one long continuous string of bands of all genres in those early years. There was no distinction between musical genres in that period of music history. After several years, MTV eventually started to separate the videos into their appropriate areas.

The programming schedule evolved as MTV music evolved and the host's air time gradually expanded. A short one or two minute blurb also transformed into a 15 minute segment. This concept then evolved and eventually these small segments turned into a forum for the host that is similar to the standard talk show. Unfortunately, this change signaled the beginning of the decline of 24-hour MTV music.

In the present, only about half of MTV music airtime is devoted to music while the rest consists of reality or comedy shows, band exposes, band documentaries, and tours of musicians' houses. With the exception of Number One Countdowns and the Headbangers Ball, most of MTV's shows are about an hour long. MTV music had clearly resorted into a mass media dispensation of music trends with the emergence of these titles. Sadly, most of MTV music today consists of very little actual music content.