Initially, yes, MTV played videos of BANDS playing MUSIC. But, it also killed the Rock Band as a music genre. Every no-talent hack with a video camera could get a music video on MTV. So every no-talent hack did exactly that and became a "recording artist." It was all about the diva singer, and not at all about the band as an entity. Talented MUSICIANS who could play instruments were relegated to session players, or back up for a particular concert tour. My proof:
Name the lineup of The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Moody Blues, Yes, the Doors, or Led Zeppelin.
Now, Name Madonna's bass player.
Name Mariah Carey's drummer.
Yes, there were and still are bands. But not like there used to be. But while I do not mourn in any way the death of MTV, the same syndrome lives on with "American Idol" and "The Voice." Singers, not musicians, and no bands.
Speaking of...I was out of the country for a few weeks, and only learned after returning that Chris Squire had passed away. That was a punch to the gut. One of my musical idols.
I have noted to myself that the members of YES, some of the most gifted musicians in rock music history, couldn’t get a second look these days, because their musical virtuosity would be discounted because they don’t look like some emasculated twit (Justin Bieber et al), or some hoochie trash female (Miley Cyrus et al).
Good point.
IMO, the “Diva” is the worst thing to happen to popular music. (Rap isn’t music.)
Yes, high school was full of discussions about who the better guitarist, drummer, etc. were.
Well said, I have always believed that MTV, The Diva phenomenon, etc, killed rock.
I don’t know if I can blame MTV for the demise of rock bands and rock music in general, but it has been apparent to me for several years that rock music is dying and rock bands as I understood them are becoming an endangered species. What we have now are rap and divas (e.g., Beyoncé, Ciara) and singer/celebrities (e.g., Justin Bieber), not rock bands or rock music.
There are newer bands like that, in which all of the musicians are accomplished on their own merits, such as New Pornographers.
But, it also killed the Rock Band as a music genre. Every no-talent hack with a video camera could get a music video on MTV.
Some of them were quite talented... But most of them sucked!