VH1 Classic

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VH1 Classic is a TV network started in May 2000. It is operated as part of MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom. It primarily features music videos and concert footage from the '70s through the mid-'90s. It formerly showcased '50s and '60s music, which has disappeared from the channel. On extremeley rare occasions, a video from the '60s is shown on the channel.

The network originally played only videos but is more frequently showing non-musical programming like movies, holiday specials and showing repeats of some VH1 shows like Behind the Music. The recent trend away from music videos mirrors the other channels in the MTV family.

Hosts of the network are Amy Scott, Eddie Trunk, Toni J., Andrea Mineo, and Lynn Hoffman.

1 List of VH1 Classic Shows
2 Past Shows
3 Annual shows and specials
4 International channels
5 External links

[edit] List of VH1 Classic Shows

Shows that play videos only.
- All Request Hour- Viewer Requests by email. The show debuted in 2002.
- The Alternative- Alternative block
- Class of...-Focuses on videos of a particular year
- Metal Mania- A block (1 hr Mon/Fri, 2 hrs Sat) playing all forms of Heavy Metal, hosted by Eddie Trunk. The show also includes news of upcoming tours & album releases and a rock trivia segment.
- Pop-Up Video
- Rock Fest- Classic rock.
- Tuesday Twoplay - weekly block featuring back to back songs from various artists
- The Vault - Similar to All Star Jams, but with rarely seen videos from either popular or obscure artists.
- VH1 Classic Current - an artist's well-known songs, paired with new releases
- We Are the Eighties- plays videos from the 1980s. Not genre-specific.
- You Can't Stop Hip Hop- hip hop videos from the eighties.

Shows that are not video-focused. Some of these programs may show videos but that is not the primary focus of the show. Some are reruns that were originally presented on VH-1.
- Classic Albums Tells the story behind the making of the greatest albums of all time through interviews the artist and producers. Artists include The Who, Phil Collins, Meat Loaf, Pink Floyd, Def Leppard, The Band, Judas Priest, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John, Bob Marley, Motörhead, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Nirvana, Cream.
- Rock and Roll Picture Show Originally part of VH1, films that are music oriented are presented.
- BBC Crown Jewels A BBC acquisition vintage concert series, shows include Sight and Sound in Concert, In Concert, The Old Grey Whistle Test, and Rock Goes To College. Artists include The Faces, The Police, The Kinks, Joni Mitchell, AC/DC, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty, Joe Jackson, Thin Lizzy.
- Classic Concert - classic artists' concerts presented in their entirety, although some are edited from commercial DVD releases these include Rush - R30: 30th Anniversary World Tour,Rush - Rush In Rio, KISS - Kissology (Live At the Summit 1977), Judas Priest Rising In the East, Queensryche Operation: LIVEcrime, Dream Theater Score, Pink Floyd P*U*L*S*E, Duran Duran Live from London, U2 Zoo TV: Live from Sydney, No Doubt Rock Steady - Live
- Classic Jukebox - A semi-annual show where celebrity guests are allowed to pick any video they want to see.
- Hangin' with Encore - a music act spends time in VH1 Classic Studios and performs.
- Headline Act - Features videos and interviews from a single artist. Usually a half hour in length, it has occasionally been expanded to an hour
- History of Rock and Roll- miniseries that documents the rise of rock and roll.
- Rock Docs
- Turn Tables - A segment where VH1 Classic veejays discuss a particular music topic.

[edit] Past Shows

All Star Jams- Well-known songs and artists.
The Sixties Generation - 60s block.
The Super Seventies - An hour long program which aired videos and performances from artists of the 1970s. The clips shown were not genre-specific. It was replaced in 2006 by 70s A to Z.
70s A to Z - 70s block. Replaced The Super Seventies in 2006.
VH1 Classic Soul - R&B from the 1960s through the 1990s.
Pop Show- Pop hits & stars.

[edit] Annual shows and specials

[edit] VH1 Classic Thanksgiving

Each year VH1 Classic honors its viewers by inviting their favorite classic artists to join the VH1 staff for a Thanksgiving dinner. There was also a similar show which was done for Passover.

[edit] All Roads Lead to Sturgis

An annual VH1 Classic show that spotlights the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally

[edit] Metal Month

In May of 2006, VH1 classic, with some help from VH1, focused on Heavy Metal. The month saw the premieres of the Top 40 metal songs, Heavy: The Story of Metal, and VH1 Rock Honors.

[edit] First day of MTV

On August 1, 2006, VH1 Classic re-created the first day of MTV in honor of the network's 25th anniversary. VH1 Classic showed the videos and short clips of other linking material from that day. They did not show the VJs.

Further information: First music videos aired on MTV

Some videos were aired on VH1 Classic's tribute that were not among those known to have been played on MTVs first day. Those videos included:

"All Night Long" by Rainbow
"Come What May" by Lani Hall
"Dangerous Type" by The Cars
"I Don't Want to Know" by Robin Lane and The Chartbusters
"I Hope I Never" by Split Enz
"I Wont Let You Down" by PhD
"Heart of Glass" by Blondie
"Holiday" by Nazareth
"In My Arms Again" by The Shoes
"Johnny and Mary" by Robert Palmer
"Kid" by The Pretenders
"Let's Go" by The Cars
"Living in the Plastic Age" by The Buggles
"Love Stinks" by J. Geils Band
"Message to You Rudy" by The Specials
"More Than I Can Say" by Leo Sayer
"Passing Strangers" by Ultravox
"Primetime" by The Tubes
"Rough Boys" by Pete Townshend
"So Long" by Fischer-Z
"Tattooed Love Boys" by The Pretenders
"Tomorrow Night" by The Shoes
"Turn It On Again" by Genesis
"Turning Japanese" by The Vapors
"Vienna" by Ultravox
"Waiting For The Weekend" by The Vapors
"(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace Love & Understanding" by Elvis Costello & the Attractions

[edit] Hall of Fame weekend block

During the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions in 2006, VH1 Classic dedicated the entire weekend to current Rockhall members. Artists included either true members like Eric Clapton or related non-members like Derek and the Dominos.

[edit] International channels

VH1 Classic UK is a British channel based on the same format as the US one, and has been on air since 1999.
VH1 Classic European is an English language station broadcasting to Germany, Bosnia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Norway, Danmark, Finland, Hungary, Israel, Romania, Bulgaria, Russia, Slovak Republic, Portugal.