When Don McLean starts singing “Bye Bye miss American Pie” and ends that passage with “the day the music died” he wasn’t thinking about August 1, 1981. But in a very real sense, that is the day the old music industry died.

30 years ago today, MTV launched a revolution on cable. In those early days it was sort of a novelty. But by the next year when I got to college, it was on in dorms and frat houses 24/7. Suddenly, every song was a stylized mini concert.

MTV took Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” into the stratosphere and made the “moon walk” a worldwide step. Those who knew how to use the new medium had a huge edge. Madonna pushed the envelope and became an icon.

MTV was a new way for artists to connect with their audiences. Much in the same way that Twitter has become…only more immediate. In today’s narcissistic culture, it’s not enough just to be a fan…we need to feel like we’re a friend. And MTV started it all. It began the personalized social connection that continues today.