REMY: MTV - The 1990's

Dire Straits - Money For Nothing

Info: Nostalgia must be one of the cruelest of human emotions, we're pre-programmed to harp on about how better things were 'before', or sit there with drool coming out the side of our mouths reminiscing on an imagined 'Golden Era', 'everything was better before today!'. But sometimes it was, we're not just living up to a stereotype of repeated human behaviour all of the time....see, I've done it already! In all seriousness though, I adored the era of music videos being played on demand on MTV, I was guaranteed that any time I turned on the television I could watch the latest, or most popular music videos.

I'd arrive home from school at 4pm, have a sandwich made for me like a spoiled brat by my darling mother, and away I'd go, until the news came on at 6pm, the telly was all mine. I would happily sit through three music videos I didn't care much for (in later life some of which I appreciated - below) in the knowledge I'd see something I loved at the end. It pains me to type it, but context is a must, this was an era of no mobile phones, and no internet, this was the 1990's, you took your music where you could get it, and thankfully at the time, MTV was all that mattered, to put it in perspective, even if I had had 900MB/s broadband back then, I'd still have been glued to MTV.

It was really and truly a perfect format, I've no idea why the decision was made to cease what was a hugely successful platform and convert it to a reality television channel, whilst retaining the title Music Television.

Alas! To cut to the chase, below is a selection of 20-odd videos brimming with 90's MTV nostalgia, songs I loved, songs I love, a mix of both, and some songs I don't really care much for but will always forever (here and far?) remember as landmarks attached to the golden age of the music video, plus Spotify playlist!

(1991) R.E.M. - 'Losing My Religion'

(1991) E.M.F. - 'Unbelievable'

(1992) Nirvana - 'Smells Like Teen Spirit'

1991 gig poster, before the release of Nevermind, Sir Henry's in Cork City

Kurt Cobain in Cork City before Nirvana supported Sonic Youth, 'Nevermind' had not been released yet but their set that night contained most of the songs from the album, 1991.

(1992) Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge

(1992) Pearl Jam - Evenflow

(1992) Metallica - Nothing Else Matters

(1992) U2 - Mysterious Ways

(1994) Beastie Boys - Sabotage

The ultimate MC, MCA, aka Adam Nathaniel Yauch, founding member of The Beastie Boys (1964-2012)

(1994) Warren G - Regulate

(1994) - Weezer

(1994) Beck - Loser

(1994) TLC - Creep

(1995) Coolio - Gangsta's Paradise

(1995) Blur - Country House

(1995) 2pac feat Dr.Dre - California Love

(1996) Fugees - Killing Me Softly

It would be remiss of me to not only acknowledge the original of this Fugees single, but also the genius of Roberta Flack, a soul singer I hold in the highest regard, her debut album, First Take, is a soul masterpiece, and I was lucky enough to pick it up for 0.99c in Greenwich Village 9 years ago, anyway, here's Roberta x 2, an interlude of sorts!