The internet is nothing if not persistent.
Back in May, members of the Internet Archive, a nonprofit online library, uploaded a massive amount of early MTV broadcasts from 1981 to 1991. It didn’t last long, as the content was taken down, likely for copyright reasons.
An anonymous Internet Archive user is giving it another try. The user recently uploaded remastered audio and video of the first four hours of MTV — which originally aired on Aug. 1, 1981. Users can stream the newly remastered content or download it in numerous file formats. To date, the content has been viewed 19,000 times.
“You will find the full DVD which includes menus, chapters, and two audio options, his remastered audio and the original VHS,” the anonymous uploader wrote. “Also included are the three video streams extracted from the DVD all of which contain the two audio streams. … More than 90% of the music videos are in full quality stereo sound. Live concert footage, or alternate takes not present on studio releases are in their VHS audio.”
Other copies of this inaugural MTV broadcast have remained online, but this new version is likely the highest-quality copy. According to the uploader’s description of the video, considerable effort was put into finding high-quality audio of the broadcast’s many music videos.
Will this new version remain online, or get taken down? Time will tell.