When it appeared on the television scene August 1, 1981, MTV was something no one saw coming. A station that only played music videos? Who would watch that? Now it's a global phenomena minus the 24/7 music.

MTV started by playing the apropos "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles, followed by Pat Benatar's "You'd Better Run" and went on from there. Yesterday, VH1 Classic paid tribute to the first 24-hours of MTV by having a marathon featuring the videos of the day, MTV campaigns like "I Want My MTV" and interviews with the original MTV VJs -- Nina Blackwood, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter, Martha Quinn and J.J. Jackson.

The list of songs and their artists from back in the day include:

"Brass in Pocket" by the Pretenders
"Heart of Glass" by Blondie
"Hold on Loosely" by 38 Special
"I Want to Be A Lifeguard" by Blotto
"Kiss On My List" by Hall and Oates
"Oliver's Army" by Elvis Costello
"Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" by Rod Stewart
"Take It On The Run" by REO Speedwagon
"Too Late" by Shoes
"You Better Run" by Pat Benatar
"You Better You Bet" by The Who

Well, as time went on, the network introduced regular programming and the nonstop music videos went away. Cartoons like "Beavis and Butthead" and "Daria" also made their way to the MTV viewing public. Now it's TRL, "Laguna Beach," a bevy of dating shows and hidden camera shows. The longest running reality television show "Real World" -- which started up in 1992 -- also finds the network still its home.

Viewers still want music videos, so here came MTV2 and MTVU, other stations showing primarily videos and shows not for the mainstream MTV crowds.

In a USA Today article, MTV music group chief Van Toffler said that the channel itself won't be reflective because most of MTV's current viewers, including myself, weren't around for the launch. But the stations is introducing more and more interactive items like MTV Overdrive via the internet and special features for cell phones.

MTV's history is bedecked with memorable moments, in most recent years it was the Britney/ Madonna/Christina kiss at the MTV VMAs and in the past it was Michael Jackson's videos or MTV Spring Break or Madonna, once again, singing "Like a Virgin."

The network has shaped the way people look at pop culture and music. Bands and singers are scrambling to get their videos shown to the MTV audience. If you make it onto MTV, you usually can make it anywhere.

Interested in reliving MTV's humble beginnings? VH1 Classic will be re-airing its marathon 9 a.m. Saturday.

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