Music videos (or a notable version of) that only aired once?

[Spider2024]

Or twice or only a few times, on actually aired television? (Or on a certain channel once or twice?)

I think back to 1997 which was a very eclectic year for music, where the gamut of music surfacing seemed to be all over the place. Including a bunch of past successful artists giving it one more go at major success. It worked for Will Smith and Elton John, not so much for Depeche Mode and INXS, and much less for at least 2 other artists.

MC Hammer released the album "A Family Affair" in '97, his first full length CD after filing for bankruptcy (as well as one I've never been able to find, in any record store or online). It's a sort of a hybrid rap/gospel album, based on the only song I've ever heard from it, "He Brought Me Out" which as far as I can tell, aired one time on MTV ever, as part of an experimental program called "12 Angry Viewers" where music fans would critique and rate videos on a scale from 1 to 5. I'm guessing that's the for real only one time that it aired on MTV, since the only version of the vid on YouTube is a VHS rip from that very episode.

Duran Duran's last chance for more US fame came also in '97 and also as part of 12 Angry Viewers, fancy that. I'm also guessing that "Electric Barbarella" was only aired that one time in the states, though I'm also also guessing it got more play in Europe, where Duran Duran has had more success in (as, you know, since they're European artists). Hence the fact that a good quality version of the video actually can be found on YT.

Also the infamous original version of "Hate Me Now" from Nas & Puff Daddy where they both are symbolically holding crucifixion crosses. Puffy asked at the last minute not to be shown in the video with the cross, so those clips were edited out, but somehow the pre-edited version was handed to MTV for the video's hyped, live World Premier. Puffy raged at Nas, and since then, only the edited version has been seen, with the original not resurfaced in any form since.

[Bob Schlapowitz]

The long version of Black or White that had Michael Jackson smashing a car only aired once, right?

[agent817]

I remember actually seeing a medley of two music videos. They were of Ice Cube songs. One was "It Was a Good Day" and the other was "Check Yo Self." I later found it on YouTube, but I actually remember watching those two videos in a medley on TV once.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Jul 27, 2019 19:18:34 GMT -5 Bob Schlapowitz said:

The long version of Black or White that had Michael Jackson smashing a car only aired once, right?

I believe after an episode of the Simpsons as well. Gave the Simpsons a huge ratings boost.

[Joe Neglia]

A video for the song "I Was Afraid to Love You" from Godzilla 1985 played on MTV either once or twice. At the time, MTV was pretty much playing anything that was submitted to them that wasn't offensive.

[Mozenrath]

Jul 28, 2019 0:37:11 GMT -5 Joe Neglia said:

A video for the song "I Was Afraid to Love You" from Godzilla 1985 played on MTV either once or twice. At the time, MTV was pretty much playing anything that was submitted to them that wasn't offensive.

Yeah, which helped some unlikely musical acts become hits, since they flourished getting play.

[G✇JI☈A]

In the 2002 Australian comedy/music/documentary series “John Safran’s Music Jamboree” .. John showed how easy it was to have a music video shown on the ABC late night music video show “Rage” (a show that airs on Friday and Saturday nights that go right into about dawn or later) .. so he got a the 2002 version of a go pro camera attached it to a Jack Russell and let it run around, then made the music with a piece of DJ software that came free on a hip hop album (which he didn’t name, cause he thought it was lame).. he made the video “Forrest Frolic by Forrest” and sent it to the ABC and it aired at 5am one unspecified weekend morning... would of have been a Friday night to Saturday morning edition since that’s the one that shows the new and recent videos. Saturday to Sunday editions are usually special themes and guest programmer nights,

Wanted to post the actual music vid. But could not find it .. but here is the bit from the doco series:

Language Warning

[dav]

Not sure if this counts, but I recall seeing a version of the video of Piano Man that has the crowd sing along with Billy Joel in it. All others just have his voice being heard.

[petef3]

I believe the Prodigy video for "Smack My Bitch Up" aired once on MTV, late at night, with an advance warning of both the content and the fact that this was the first and last time it would air on the channel. The video was sort of a figure of infamy before it aired anywhere, both for the title and its first-person portrayal of debauchery.

[chazraps]

Jul 28, 2019 1:35:32 GMT -5 petef3 said:

I believe the Prodigy video for "Smack My Bitch Up" aired once on MTV, late at night, with an advance warning of both the content and the fact that this was the first and last time it would air on the channel. The video was sort of a figure of infamy before it aired anywhere, both for the title and its first-person portrayal of debauchery.

It actually aired at the top of the hour from 2 am - 5 am each night for a week and was then banned.

[Cranjis McBasketball]

Not sure if it ever made air even. Guns N' Roses video for "It's So Easy". Apparently featured some BDSM elements, but according to certain sources, was destroyed because Axl was going through his domestic abuse charges with Erin Everly at the time and she played the girl in the video. A live version of the video exists and they did release an edited version and they did release a video last year to promote the AFD boxed set. MTV never aired whatever version of the video did get released because Guns hadn't hit in the US yet and it wasn't a single in the US.

So, in summary, a video exists, but perhaps not the original one.

[BJ Sturgeon]

There's an alternative version of Björk's Big Time Sensuality video, shot in the evening in one take.

[willywonka666]

Didn't MTV eventually air Justify My Love once?