A Brief Reflection on MTV and the VMAs.

One of the top stories on Billboard this week revolves around MTV's decision to have no host at the Video Music Awards (VMAs) this
year. Whether or not this was a "decision" or simply a "plan b" is not clear, but regardless it is somewhat puzzling.

For weeks around NY, I have seen cabs pass with ads depicting Lady Gaga (@ladygaga), Bruno Mars (@BrunoMars), and Beyonce , plugging the VMAs. In the past, I have highly anticipated the event and followed the Nominees religiously. However, in recent years, with MTV's increasingly non-musically oriented programming I have felt increasingly distanced from the network as a whole.

Frequently, my mother has romanticized the launch of MTV in 1981, when she was in college and Music Videos were something new, exciting and daring for youth. Following its premier with "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles, MTV aired videos from Pat Benatar, The Human League, Devo and others in its early days. Later, of course, MTV broke the "color barrier" by airing videos from Donna Summer, Rick James, and of course Michael Jackson.

Eventually, of course, music videos were not as new and exciting or successful as they once were. With the success of The Real World and Road Rules at the turn of the millennium, MTV increasingly turned to alternate programming, moving away from its original VJ model. Today, of course, there is an influx of non-music related programming that has basically taken over the station and completely changed its original mission.

In a way, it comes as no surprise that there isn't even a host for this year's awards. The past few shows have become more notorious for spectacle (meat dresses and Taylor-Kanye incidents) than musically enjoyable in their own right. Furthermore, the lack of host is perhaps a greater metaphor for the human and personal element of music that has faded from our culture as a whole. With computers and digital downloads serving most of our musical purpose today, why not have pre-recorded or even computer generated announcements to introduce artists?

I will be tuning in as always, hopeful for the Britney Spears Tribute and performances by Gaga, Beyonce, Young the Giant and others to make the evening enjoyable.