There have been few times in modern music history that an instant shift in how we listen to — and view — music has occurred. However, the launch of MTV on August 1, 1981, was certainly one such occurrence. Instantly, music fans were now “listening with their eyes” rather than relying solely on their ears. 'MTV Ruled the World: The Early Years of Music Video' is the first book to focus solely on the channel’s important building-block years, specifically from the channel’s launch to when MTV’s original group of VJs left the channel. Comprised of over 70 all-new interviews ("Weird Al" Yankovic, Daryl Hall, John Oates, Joe Elliott, Phil Collen, Rob Halford, Stewart Copeland, Rick Springfield, Jerry Casale, Geddy Lee, Ann Wilson, Chuck D, Alan Hunter, Nina Blackwood, etc.), the book is not only an eye-opening account of the early years of MTV, but also of the music industry, important music developments/events, and the “Big ‘80s” in general. "It's fun to read the first-person accounts of the people who were actually there and made it all happen. I thought it was an accurate and entertaining narrative of a singularly important era in pop culture history." --Weird Al Yankovic "'MTV Ruled the World: The Early Years of Music Video' takes us on a trip back to the time when the 'M' in MTV actually stood for music. Our tour guides are the performers, industry professionals, and creators of the phenomenon that had everyone clamoring, 'You'll never look at music the same way again'." --Nina Blackwood, MTV VJ " MTV Ruled the World covers the channel's formative years, when music videos evolved from something only a handful of companies even considered into a hugely profitable arm of the industry." --Ron Wynn, Option Magazine " MTV Ruled The World brought back some great memories. It's also a very interesting, entertaining and informative book that captures an important part of music history." --Chad Bowar, about site "Amazingly comprehensive oral history featuring over 70 interviews with both the talent from that era of MTV and a plethora of the A-list artists featured on the channel during the time period." --Matt Wardlaw, popdose "The book not only pulls the curtains back on the upstart video channel but reveals what was happening industrywide in the 1980s." --Steven Rosen, curledup "Greg has complied a wondrous microscopic view into MTV's formation and it's earliest and what some would deem as its most essential years." --Arasia Magnetc, thewellversed " MTV Ruled the World details the halcyon days of a television channel and its VJs that impacted pop culture in ways its creators couldn't possibly have ever imagined." --Peter Lindblad, Backstage Auctions Inc. " MTV Ruled the World covers a variety of subjects from the channel's humble beginnings to the controversy over their decision early on to avoid playing black artists. There is even one hilarious chapter dedicated to music videos that served as career killers. --David Medsker, bullz-eye "Similar to Prato's other books, MTV Ruled The World is written in the oral history format, as the story of the station is told from the interviewees' point of view." --Shon Troelstrup, Rockstar Weekly "MTV Ruled the World' will make you miss the original MTV, and make you say, 'I want my MTV!'" --Stone & Double T, WXRX, Rockford, IL "If you remember when MTV actually showed music videos, I suggest you add this book to your library. The author focuses on 1981 to 1985 and takes you back to the original concept for Music Television. The book is filled with interesting facts about the launch of the network, the VJs, the bands, and of course, the memorable music videos." --gerweckradio