The 40th anniversary of MTV will be celebrated by Philadelphia public music radio station WXPN-FM with MTV Week special radio and digital programming from Monday, August 2 through Friday, August 6.
MTV (Music Television) revolutionized the music industry when the music video network was launched August 1, 1981, and its worldwide influence on pop culture and entertainment continues today.
“Like WXPN did two years ago with the 50th anniversary of Woodstock, MTV Week will celebrate the music and highlight the impact that music videos have had on pop culture and music since the ‘80s,” said Bruce Warren, WXPN Assistant General Manager for Programming. “On-air and online listeners can join us in celebrating MTV’s 40th anniversary by hearing music from some of the era’s most iconic videos and MTV programs – the one-hit wonders, Yo! MTV Raps, MTV Unplugged, 120 Minutes, and more.”
Highlights of WXPN’S MTV Week include:
Monday, August 2
9 am ET: The First 100 Music Videos on MTV
Tuesday, August 3
9 am ET: Top 100 Greatest Music Videos of All Time
5 pm ET: Salute to Yo! MTV Raps
Wednesday, August 4
MTV Unplugged Day: Sets of music from MTV Unplugged releases throughout the day
Thursday, August 5
All day: #TBT (Throwback Thursday) featuring music from 1981, the year MTV launched
8 pm – 10 pm ET: World Cafe with special guest Rob Tannenbaum, author of I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution
Friday, August 6
9 am ET: “Friday Morning Mixtape” with Matt Pinfield, former host of MTV’s alternative music program 120 Minutes
12 pm ET: “XPN Free At Noon” live concert broadcast with Philadelphia’s Pat Finnerty and the Full Band performing songs from MTV’s golden age
4 pm ET: “Funky Friday” features the funky soul and R&B music from MTV classics from the 80s and early 90s
7 pm ET: WXPN host Robert Drake spins a special 24-hour marathon of ‘80s music, complete with a “Rock of the ‘80s Cam” that will capture the marathon and show the WXPN on-air studio festooned with ‘80s images and exclusive designs by Nicole and Nicole of Philadelphia’s South Street Art Mart
The social media hashtag for MTV Week on WXPN is #XPNMTVWeek. Join and follow WXPN on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For more about “MTV Week” on WXPN, click here. For more about member-supported WXPN, visit https://xpn.org.