America Never Looked at Music the Same Way Again

On August 1, 1981, 45 years ago, a new American cable television channel signed on with a bold proclamation: “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll.”

Moments later, MTV (originally the initials for “Music Television”) debuted with “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles, ushering in a new era of music and pop culture. For the first time, hit songs became cinematic experiences, turning musicians into visual storytellers and global icons.

MTV revolutionized not only how audiences discovered music, but also transformed everything from fashion to filmmaking, redefining how a generation experienced entertainment for decades to come as music became must-see TV.

CENTRAL ILLINOIS’ MTV LEGACY: REO SPEEDWAGON

Central Illinois was part of the MTV story from the very beginning.

Internationally renowned Central Illinois-based band REO Speedwagon played a key role in MTV’s launch on August 1, 1981, with “Take It on the Run” airing as the 9th music video that day, followed by “Keep On Loving You” at #20.

Just one week later, on August 8, 1981, MTV made history by broadcasting its first live full-length concert: REO Speedwagon’s performance from Denver, featuring songs from the band's blockbuster album Hi Infidelity. The groundbreaking broadcast, enhanced by a pioneering stereo simulcast, pushed the boundaries of live television.

Formed in Champaign, Illinois, by two University of Illinois students, REO Speedwagon became one of America’s most successful rock bands, helping usher in the music video era that would define popular culture throughout the 1980s.

The band’s enduring legacy was celebrated at the Peoria Riverfront Museum last spring when members of REO Speedwagon reunited for a special performance in conjunction with the museum’s A Peoria Plays Exhibition, RICHRATH (February 28, 2026 - April 4, 2026), honoring Peoria native and founding guitarist Gary Richrath, and was presented in partnership with his widow, Justine Richrath.

RICHRATH was sponsored by Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria, Todd and Laurie Baker, America 250 donors, Visionary Society, Friends of Performance.

DAN FOGELBERG

Another Peoria native also found new audiences during the MTV era. By the time MTV debuted, Dan Fogelberg had already become one of America’s most respected singer-songwriters. Music videos helped expand his audience by introducing his work to a new generation of viewers while his timeless songs continued to resonate with longtime fans.

Today, the Peoria Riverfront Museum is proud to honor his extraordinary career with A Peoria Plays Exhibition, FOGELBERG, celebrating the life, music, and enduring legacy of one of Central Illinois’ most beloved musicians, through October 4, 2026, presented in partnership with his widow, Jean Fogelberg.

FOGELBERG is sponsored by Fogelberg Foundation of Peoria, America 250 donors, Visionary Society, Friends of Performance.

GOLDEN VOICE

The Peoria Riverfront Museum continues to celebrate a rich American musical heritage through exhibitions and performances that connect national stories to our central Illinois community. Museum visitors can explore the Golden Voice exhibition, a wall of albums and objects from the South Pekin, Illinois-based Golden Voice Recording Studio owned by Mary Anne and Gerry Milam. Gary also owned a Peoria photography studio and took a young Richard Pryor’s first promotional photographs, also on display at the museum.

The Golden Voice exhibition celebrates central Illinois’ remarkable recording history and the musicians, producers, and recording innovations that helped shape America’s musical landscape. Among the artists who recorded at the legendary Golden Voice Recording Studio were Dan Fogelberg, along with fellow Illinois rock icons Styx and Head East, underscoring Illinois’ influence on American music. View their gold and platinum albums, and discover the stories behind the records.

Together with the A Peoria Plays Exhibitions, RICHRATH and FOGELBERG, these objects and recordings remind us that America’s story is preserved not only in founding documents, historic speeches, and treasured artifacts, but also in the songs that have inspired generations.