MTV 20 - Pop DVD

There's a fair amount of 1980's stuff on the MTV 20 Pop compilation, and... no, wait, come back! Because not unlike the Now series of albums, this kind of item is valuable not only for the way in which it reminds us of what was any good during a given pop period, but for the way in which it consigns much of the dross to well-earned oblivion by the simple act of passing it by. So it is, then, that this video is packed full of pop classics, compiled with a loving 20/20 hindsight. Highlights are Gary Numan's original (1982) version of "Cars", preceded by some suitably... snotty interview footage, Elvis Costello's inevitable "Every Day I Write the Book" and a wonderfully clunky juxtaposition of U2 and Lionel Ritchie. The inclusion of Chumbawamba's excellent "Tubthumping" presumably means that the band decided to restrain their anti-capitalist convictions in order to communicate with a wider audience (ie: sell out)? There are a few also-rans as well--The Fixx, anyone?--and inevitable instances of US-centricity (Smashmouth?), but the best bit has to be the legendary Tears for Fears video for "Shout", reminding us all that Roland Orzabal was in fact a pop genius. The house ads ("MTV--no longer only for deviants!") are a hoot.--Roger Thomas [show more]

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