The Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star

What this video is

Released on 7 September 1979 as The Buggles' debut single on Island Records, 'Video Killed the Radio Star' arrived at a precise inflection point in Western media culture: punk's energy was dissipating into post-punk and synth-pop, the Walkman had just launched, and television's grip on popular culture was tightening. Written in part inspired by J.G. Ballard's 'The Sound-Sweep,' the song thematized anxieties about…

Why it matters

Foundational document of British synth-pop and new wave as commercially viable chart forms. The track reached number one on 16 national charts. Its music video established a template for high-concept, theatrically staged promotional clips that would define the MTV era's visual aesthetic throughout…

The director

Born 23 June 1953 in Melbourne, Australia. Mulcahy began his career directing music videos in Australia before relocating to the UK, where he joined Jon Roseman Productions International. He directed landmark clips for XTC, The Vapors, Culture Club, The…