The Beatles' First Appearance on 'The Ed Sullivan Show' Tops the List of All-Time Memorable Music Events On TV; Hosted By 'NYPD Blue' Star Rick Schroeder, Music-Filled Special Features Vintage Performances, Archival Clips, Commentary from the Editors of Entertainment Weekly and New Interviews.
NEW YORK, July 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Marking a watershed event in the lives of the first generation raised on rock & roll, the Beatles' first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in 1964 has been chosen as the greatest rock moment on TV.
The Fab Four's American TV debut tops the list of VH1's "100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV," a music-filled special that counts down the most memorable times when rock and the tube combined to make entertainment history. Spanning five decades in five hours over five nights, the "100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV" premieres Monday, July 31, to Friday, August 4, from 10:00-11:00 p.m. (ET/PT) each night. "NYPD Blue" star Rick Schroeder is host.
Second on the all-time "100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV" list is "Elvis" (the King's 1968 comeback special on NBC), followed by the launch of MTV at #3, the premiere of "Saturday Night Live" at #4 and the Emmy-winning "Motown 25" special at #5.
Following in the tradition of VH1's "100 Greatest" specials, "100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV" features archival clips and vintage performances, and original interviews with the history-makers themselves, celebrating the fusion of rock music and TV, and examining its irreversible impact on American popular culture.
Chosen by VH1 with input from the editors of Entertainment Weekly Magazine, the "100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV" spotlights those instances that changed rock history: stunning live performances, television firsts, the rise of music videos, and some of the medium's strangest and most unpredictable events, including The Who's explosive appearance on "The Smothers Brothers Show," John and Yoko co-hosting "The Mike Douglas Show," censorship of Elvis, The Doors and the Rolling Stones on "The Ed Sullivan Show," the Beatles' pioneering global TV special, and Elton John singing at Princess Diana's funeral, plus:
-- James Brown recalls the day after Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination in April 1968, when his scheduled Boston concert was aired live on TV so that "The Hardest Working Man in Show Business" could help cool off a tense city about to erupt in riots. "At that time, I was getting respect from everybody," says Brown. "And I was able to send a message."
-- Micky Dolenz looks at the debut of "The Monkees" TV show in September 1966 as a singular event of media synergy: "'The Monkees' was the first time that TV, the radio and the record industries had created this magical kind of thing... The kids really were connecting with us as people, not as actors playing parts."
-- President Bill Clinton (who also made the list for being the first president to actually play rock riffs, during his 1992 appearance on "The Arsenio Hall Show") remembers an eye-opening rock moment from his own youth: "When Elvis Presley went on 'The Ed Sullivan Show,' they could only show him from the waist up... They thought he was too lewd for the times."
-- Dick Clark explains why "American Bandstand" was a teen favorite for decades after its 1952 debut: "'American Bandstand' was a window on a world -- it was kids dancing, it was bands performing, fashions changing, language changing... "
-- Ringo Starr notes that before the Beatles' first appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show" in February 1964 -- when history's largest-ever television audience helped turn a musical craze into a cultural moment -- "It was our first time in America, so we didn't really understand that Ed Sullivan was huge... Everybody knows where it went from there."
"100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV" airs as a five-hour, five-night special debuting Monday, July 31, to Friday, August 4, from 10:00-11:00 p.m. (ET/PT) each night. (On Tuesday-Friday, each new premiere installment will be immediately preceded by a repeat airing of the previous episodes.) The entire special will be repeated on Saturday, August 5 from 2:00-7:00 p.m. (ET/PT), and Sunday, August 6 at 4:00-9:00 p.m. (ET/PT).
The complete schedule for "100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV":
Monday, 7/31 10:00 p.m. # 100-81 (premiere)
Tuesday, 8/1 9:00 p.m. # 100-81
10:00 p.m. # 80-61 (premiere)
Wednesday, 8/2 9:00 p.m. # 80-61
10:00 p.m. # 60-41 (premiere)
Thursday, 8/3 7:00 p.m. # 100-81
8:00 p.m. # 80-61
9:00 p.m. # 60-41
10:00 p.m. # 40-21 (premiere)
Friday, 8/4 6:00 p.m. # 100-81
7:00 p.m. # 80-61
8:00 p.m. # 60-41
9:00 p.m. # 40-21
10:00 p.m. # 20-1 (premiere)
Saturday, 8/5 2:00-7:00 p.m. #100-1
Sunday, 8/6 4:00-9:00 p.m. #100-1
"100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV" is a production of VH1. Executive Producers, Bill Brand and Lauren Zalaznick; Director of Series and Specials for VH1, Elyse Zaccaro; Executive in Charge of Production, Shelly Tatro; Producer, Meredith Ross. A complete list of the "100 Greatest Rock & Roll Moments on TV" is attached.
VH1 produces and programs a wide variety of music-based series, specials, live events and acquisition-based programming that keep viewers in touch with the music they love. VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom Inc. MTV Networks owns and operates the cable television programming services MTV: Music Television, MTV 2: Music Television, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite, TV Land and VH1 as well as The Suite from MTV Networks, a package of ten digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks also has joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide.
1 THE BEATLES perform on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW -- first televised U.S. live performance. An estimated 73 million viewers tune-in.
2 ELVIS stages his famous comeback special called ELVIS on NBC.
3 MTV launches -- THE BUGGLES "Video Killed the Radio Star" is the first video played.
4 SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE premieres -- Weekly live rock performances by every established and breaking musical performers of the past 25 years.
5 MOTOWN 25 -- an Emmy-award winning special on NBC. DIANA ROSS reunites with THE SUPREMES. MICHAEL JACKSON MOONWALKS for the first time.
6 AMERICAN BANDSTAND premieres -- Seminal rock music series hosted by DICK CLARK.
7 ABC and MTV air LIVE AID -- QUEEN is highlight of show.
8 THE MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS launch; MADONNA rolls on stage singing "Like A Virgin."
9 ELVIS is shot from the waist up on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW.
10 THE WHO perform on THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS -- Keith Moon sets twice as much flash powder in the drums. The resulting explosion singes Pete Townshend's hair and cuts Moon's leg. The explosion has since been blamed for Townshend's hearing loss.
11 MICHAEL JACKSON'S "Thriller" video world premieres on MTV. It is the first video ever to be scheduled at a specific time and date.
12 ELTON JOHN performs his remake of "Candle in the Wind" at Princess Diana's funeral.
13 "THE MONKEES" TV series premieres -- later musical guests included FRANK ZAPPA and TIM BUCKLEY.
14 JOHN LENNON and YOKO ONO co-host a week of THE MIKE DOUGLAS SHOW.
15 THE T.A.M.I. SHOW -- an amazing high energy concert originally produced for ABC, (later released theatrically). Diverse line up included THE BEACH BOYS, ROLLING STONES, CHUCK BERRY and JAMES BROWN.
16 THE DOORS rebel against CBS censors on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW by singing the line "girl we couldn't get much higher" when specifically asked not to.
17 While BOB DYLAN performs on THE GRAMMY AWARDS, a dancer with "Soy Bomb" written on his chest crashes Dylan's performance.
18 NIRVANA'S "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video debuts on MTV -- The video ushers in alternative rock as a commercial and pop culture force. NIRVANA perform their last TV appearance on MTV UNPLUGGED.
19 WE ARE THE WORLD is taped as an HBO special and MTV video immediately after the American Music Awards.
20 After Martin Luther King's assassination, JAMES BROWN appears live on National TV from the Boston Garden (where he's performing). Brown appeals to rioters to exercise restraint.HOUR 4
21 SOUL TRAIN debuts -- It is the first black produced television series syndicated nationwide.
22 THE ROLLING STONES on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW -- the band changes the lyrics of "Let's Spend the Night Together" to "Let's Spend Some Time Together" to be less suggestive.
23 THE BEATLES perform "All You Need Is Love." It is the first global television link-up.
24 THE JACKSON FIVE, led by brother Michael, make their national TV debut on HOLLYWOOD PALACE. DIANA ROSS is the host and The Jackson Five sing "I Want You Back."
25 SHINDIG premieres with THE ROLLING STONES, THE KINKS, THE BYRDS and THE EVERLY BROTHERS.
26 THE SEX PISTOLS anger BILL GRUNDY on British Thames Television's TODAY SHOW. GRUNDY ends up swearing on live television and is disciplined.
27 MADONNA'S premiere of "Justify My Love" video -- MTV bans the racy video filmed at the Royal Monceau Hotel in Paris. Madonna later defends the video on NIGHTLINE.
28 THE JOHNNY CASH SHOW premieres -- BOB DYLAN'S first network television performance. 29 MARVIN GAYE performs "Sexual Healing" on THE GRAMMY AWARDS.
30 BILL CLINTON plays the saxophone on THE ARSENIO HALL SHOW.
31 THE SIMPSONS -- Cutting edge bands are animated in the series including SONIC YOUTH, THE SMASHING PUMPKINS and others in the "Homerpalooza" episode.
32 LORNE MICHAELS offers THE BEATLES $3,000 to reunite on SNL. Weeks later, George Harrison appears on-air to accept the check.
33 JANIS JOPLIN performs on THE DICK CAVETT SHOW right before Woodstock.
34 SINEAD O'CONNOR rips up the Pope's photo on SNL.
35 JIMI HENDRIX on LULU SHOW -- Hendrix cuts short his performance of "Hey Joe" to play CREAM'S "White Room."
36 THE BEATLES at Shea Stadium airs on ABC.
37 THE JOHNNY CASH SHOW, ON CAMPUS episode -- NEIL YOUNG performs "Needle And The Damage Done" and CASH debuts the single "Man In Black."
38 THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY premieres on ABC -- DAVID CASSIDY immediately becomes a teen singing sensation.
39 RICKY NELSON performs for the first time on his family's sitcom THE OZZIE AND HARRIET SHOW. He sings FATS DOMINO'S "I'm Walkin'."
40 MICHAEL JACKSON and LISA MARIE PRESLEY appear on PRIMETIME LIVE with Diane Sawyer where they discuss their sex life. MICHAEL JACKSON'S teary statement to the press after he was accused of child molestation is carried live on network and cable TV.
HOUR 3
41 SONNY AND CHER reunite for the last time on LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN. CHER eulogizes SONNY BONO. It airs live in its entirety on CNN.
42 DIANA IN CENTRAL PARK -- A Diana Ross concert airs on Showtime.
43 DAVID BOWIE sings with BING CROSBY on BING CROSBY'S MERRIE OLDE CHRISTMAS. The two sing "Little Drummer Boy" together. This is Bing's last performance, he dies a month later.
44 MADONNA'S PEPSI COMMERCIAL airs only once due to the controversial scene where she kisses a black saint.
45 SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK debuts with "Multiplication Rock" on ABC's Saturday morning schedule.
46 BOB MARLEY AND THE WAILERS are the first reggae group to perform on network television, on the CBS premiere of THE MANHATTAN TRANSFER, an evening musical variety series.
47 MICHAEL JACKSON'S "Black & White" video premieres simultaneously on 3 networks: FOX, MTV, BET. The video is withdrawn and re-edited after its first showing, amid controversy over violent content.
48 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN is the surprise final music guest as LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN leaves NBC after thirteen years.
49 BO DIDDLEY on THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW -- one of the first black guests on The Ed Sullivan Show.
50 JERRY LEE LEWIS performs "Whole Lotta Shakin'" on THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW amid controversy surrounding the song's lyrics. THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW -- Allen makes ELVIS sing "Hound Dog" to an actual hound dog.
51 PRINCE appears at the AMA's with "Slave" printed on his face protesting Warner Bros. recording contract. During a group performance of "We Are The World" he stands silently sucking a lollipop.
52 DANCE FEVER premieres -- Disco dancing competition hosted by Deney Terrio, Saturday Night Fever's choreographer.
53 ALL YOU NEED IS CASH is broadcast on NBC, the first made-for-television mockumentary. The film satirizes the complete career of THE BEATLES.
54 JETHRO TULL wins BEST HARD ROCK/METAL PERFORMANCE GRAMMY -- beating out METALLICA and AC/DC.
55 THE BLUES BROTHERS are introduced on SNL.
56 BETTE MIDLER performs on the second to last episode of JOHNNY CARSON'S TONIGHT SHOW.
57 DON KIRSHNER'S ROCK CONCERT -- The rock concert is packaged by Kirshner, the man behind The Archies and The Monkees. 58 MARVIN GAYE sings The National Anthem at the NBA All-star game at the Forum in Inglewood, California.
59 WHITNEY HOUSTON sings The National Anthem at SUPERBOWL XXV during the Gulf War. The version is released as a single and becomes Arista's highest selling single.
60 ROSEANNE sings The National Anthem and grabs her crotch before San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds double header.HOUR 2
61 ABC airs THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY, an epic six hour documentary which debuts two new songs "Free As A Bird" and "Real Love."
62 SNL'S WAYNE'S WORLD sketch debuts, an homage to heavy metal headbangers. MADONNA guest stars on SNL'S WAYNE'S WORLD.
63 MICHAEL JACKSON'S PEPSI COMMERCIAL -- Pyrotechnic mishap causes Jackson's hair to ignite and sends him to the hospital with severe burns.
64 THE SUPREMES MEET THE TEMPTATIONS ON BROADWAY -- an NBC special. It's The Supremes only televised concert of the decade.
65 THE NAT KING COLE SHOW premieres. One of the first black performers to host a variety show.
66 SUN CITY protests and video.
67 THE SMOTHERS BROTHERS' COMEDY HOUR premieres on CBS. The series is constantly at odds with network censors who object to the show's socially conscious acts, such as the blacklisted Pete Seeger.
68 BONO gives a lifetime tribute to FRANK SINATRA on THE GRAMMY AWARDS.
Controversy follows when Sinatra is cut off while giving his speech. 69 MADONNA offends America swearing repeatedly on LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN.
70 BUDDY HOLLY performs "Peggy Sue" on AMERICAN BANDSTAND. It is his last TV appearance.
71 WILLIE NELSON and his pals launch FARM AID.
72 ERIC CLAPTON performs "Tears in Heaven" on MTV UNPLUGGED ten months after the death of his son.
73 THE MIDNIGHT SPECIAL -- premieres shortly after ABC IN CONCERT. HELEN REDDY is a regular guest host; WOLFMAN JACK is the announcer.
74 ARETHA FRANKLIN sings the aria "Nesson Durma" on THE GRAMMYS. She is a last minute replacement for Luciano Pavarotti. Aretha was given just eight minutes of rehearsal time.
75 WELCOME HOME ELVIS airs on ABC welcoming Elvis back from the army. Hosted by FRANK SINATRA, it features Frank and The King singing together.
76 THIS IS GARTH BROOKS -- a highly rated concert on NBC.
77 JOHNNY CASH makes his TV debut on THE JACKIE GLEASON SHOW. Cash sings "I Walk The Line."
78 ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION on VH1 -- BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN reunites with THE E STREET BAND.
79 BAND AID special airs on MTV documenting the recording of "Do They Know It's Christmas?"
80 WOODSTOCK '99 riots and looting.HOUR 1
81 MILLI VANILLI sing on THE ARSENIO HALL SHOW after their BEST NEW ARTIST GRAMMY is revoked.
82 KISS is unmasked on MTV.
83 SOLID GOLD premieres -- An 80's countdown series. Hosts include DIONNE WARWICK, MARILYN MCCOO, REX SMITH and ANDY GIBB. 84 U2 make their American TV debut on THE TOM SNYDER SHOW.
85 FRIDAY NIGHT VIDEOS is launched by NBC
86 PETULA CLARK and HARRY BELAFONTE sing a duet on THE HARRY BELAFONTE SHOW. Their hand holding causes an uproar.
87 GRACE SLICK, CROSBY, STILLS & NASH, JONI MITCHELL and others fresh from Woodstock appear on THE DICK CAVETT SHOW.
88 VAN HALEN appear with DAVID LEE ROTH at The VMA's for the first time since their split years earlier. Within days Roth is kicked out of the band again.
89 MIAMI VICE -- Cop drama with slick music video imagery. Guest stars include PHIL COLLINS, TED NUGENT, GLEN FREY, LEONARD COHEN, MILES DAVIS and SHEENA EASTON.
90 RICKY MARTIN performs a showstopper on THE GRAMMY AWARDS.
91 THE CARPENTERS special airs on ABC with an extremely thin Karen Carpenter.
92 ELVIS ALOHA FROM HAWAII -- 1 billion viewers tune-in.
93 SIMON AND GARFUNKEL perform THE CONCERT IN THE PARK on HBO. 600,000 people attended.
94 THE GRATEFUL DEAD perform on PLAYBOY AFTER DARK
95 JON BON JOVI and RICHIE SAMBORA perform an acoustic version of "Wanted Dead or Alive" at The VMA's which is the inspiration for MTV UNPLUGGED.
96 HULLABALOO premieres with Beatles manager BRIAN EPSTEIN as guest host.
97 PEARL JAM perform on SNL the day after fellow Seattle grunge icon KURT COBAIN commits suicide; EDDIE VEDDER symbolically salutes his rival.
98 DIVAS LIVE -- A live VH1 concert special. ARETHA FRANKLIN brings down the house during the finale with SHANIA TWAIN, CELINE DION, MARIAH CAREY, GLORIA ESTEFAN AND CAROLE KING.
99 THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL AIR premieres -- Will Smith is the first rap star to get his own series, based in part on his successful music videos.
100 SONNY & CHER COMEDY HOUR -- The couple introduces their daughter Chastity to a national audience.