Since it’s debut in 1984, MTV has continued to lead pop-culture media as well as maintain a strong hold over the young adult demographic. Although it has since moved away from the music-related content that it began with, the channel still boasts a wide array of shows including game shows, reality television, and award shows such as the VMA’s and MTV Movie Awards. So whether you are somebody who watched the music videos as a kid, or someone who only tunes in to catch the newest episode of Teen Wolf, here are 25 Fun Facts You May Not Know About MTV And Its History .

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The footage of the original MTV opening sequence was taken from the first launch of the space shuttle Columbia and the Apollo 11 moon mission. This footage was used until early 1986, when it was scrapped following the failed Challenger launch that resulted in the deaths of seven astronauts.
While music videos have been around since the invention of film, there is no doubting that MTV helped to mold the medium into what we know today. MTV made music videos accessible and popular to a mainstream demographic, ensuring their place in our 21st century media.
Everybody loves to talk about the VMA's; however, over the years MTV has been quite successful with their Movie Awards as well. With winners being awarded a "golden popcorn," the most successful contender has been Jim Carrey, who has received 10 awards to date and always manages to make a show in his appearances.
One of the most successful music videos featured at the VMA's has been Peter Gabriel's Sledgehammer; this stop-motion pioneering video took home a record-breaking nine awards, has been called the #1 music video played at the VMA's, and remains the most played music video in the history of MTV.
MTV reaches over 387 million households across the whole world, and it is the #1 media brand on planet Earth. It is also the most recognizable network among young adults ages 12 to 34, which makes up its primary demographic.
The generation of children growing up in the 1980's and 90's, generally called Generation Y, has often been referred to as the MTV Generation due to the profound and lasting effect of the television network.
Originally, MTV's station tag was going to be Neil Armstrong's famous, "One small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind" quote; however, problems obtaining the rights to the quote arose, and they ended up scrapping the plan in favor of the popular slogan, "Ladies and gentleman, rock and roll!"
The music score backing the original opening for MTV was written by Jonathan Elias, the same man who composed the Columbia Pictures logo theme and the infamous Yahoo yodel.
The MTV-produced 2004 Super Bowl halftime show was one that would go down in infamy. At the end of Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's performance of Rock Your Body, a "wardrobe malfunction" briefly exposed Jackson's right breast on live television. The event created a national craze and even resulted in CBS being sued for $550,000 by the FCC.
People who grew up in the 90's love to complain about how MTV doesn't deserve its name, seeing as it barely, if ever, plays music. However, the M in MTV doesn't actually stand for music at all. Although it started as an initialism for music television, the program officially dropped the full title in 2010.
If you watched MTV for the music videos, you may enjoy our list on 25 Most Expensive Music Videos In History.