I Want My MTV | Across The Border

Forty years ago, MTV launched on August 1, 1981.

The original VJs look back, 40 years later: 'The first 24 hours of MTV were held together by duct tape'

Martha: But so many of the more established artists… I remember Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen saying, “No, we don’t need to make videos.” I am pretty sure that I am responsible for launching the second phase of Bruce’s career — the career that got launched with the Born in the USA album — because I ran into Bruce in a restaurant when he was recording that album, and he said to me, “Hey, aren’t you the girl I see on MTV?” And I said, thinking very quickly on my feet, “That’s more than I can say for you! When are you going to make some videos?” And sure enough, he made videos. So, I really think Bruce should be thanking me!