Esta es una lista cronológica de los primeros 206 videoclips emitidos durante el primer día de la cadena MTV, el 1 de agosto de 1981:

1. "Video Killed the Radio Star", de The Buggles.
2. "You Better Run", de Pat Benatar.
3. "She Won't Dance with Me", de Rod Stewart.

Con los diversos videos de Rod Stewart al aire en las posiciones 15, 26, 37, 51, 66, 77, 97, 110, 122, 132, 150, 171, 181 y 191, Stewart se convirtió en el artista con más videos emitidos ese día.

4. "You Better You Bet", de The Who.

"You Better You Bet" fue el video 4 y el 54 que se emitió, convirtiéndose en el primer video que se muestra más de una vez.

5. "Little Suzi's on the Up", de PhD.
6. "We Don't Talk Anymore", de Cliff Richard.
7. "Brass in Pocket", de The Pretenders.
8. "Time Heals", de Todd Rundgren.
9. "Take It on the Run", de REO Speedwagon (el vídeo comienza, pero termina después de unos segundos debido a dificultades técnicas).
10. "Rockin' the Paradise", de Styx (banda).
11. "When Things Go Wrong", de Robin Lane and The Chartbusters.
12. "History Never Repeats", de Split Enz.
13. "Hold On Loosely", de .38 Special.
14. "Just Between You and Me", de April Wine.
15. "Sailing", de Rod Stewart.

El video de Stewart "She Won't Dance with Me" fue el primer video emitido. Con este video, Stewart se convirtió en el primer artista en tener dos videos emitidos.

16. "Iron Maiden", de Iron Maiden.
17. "Keep On Loving You" (En vivo), de REO Speedwagon.
18. "Bluer Than Blue", de Michael Johnson.
19. "Message of Love", de The Pretenders.
20. "Mr. Briefcase", de Lee Ritenour.
21. "Double Life", de The Cars.
22. "In the Air Tonight", de Phil Collins.
23. "Looking For Clues", de Robert Palmer.
24. "Too Late", de The Shoes.
25. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around", de Stevie Nicks y Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
26. "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy", de Rod Stewart (la pantalla está en blanco mientras el audio sigue, se detiene después de 15 segundos).
27. "Surface Tension", de Rupert Hine.
28. "One Step Ahead", de Split Enz.
29. "Baker Street", de Gerry Rafferty.
30. "I'm Gonna Follow You", de Pat Benatar.
31. "Savannah Nights", de Tom Johnston.
32. "Lucille", de Rockestra.
33. "The Best of Times", de Styx.
34. "Vengeance", de Carly Simon.
35. "Wrathchild", de Iron Maiden.
36. "I Wanna Be a Lifeguard", de Blotto.
37. "Passion", de Rod Stewart.
38. "Oliver's Army", de Elvis Costello.
39. "Remote Control/Ilegal", de The Silencers.
40. "Angel of the Morning", de Juice Newton.
41. "Little Sister", de Rockpile con Robert Plant.
42. "Hold On to the Night", de Bootcamp.
43. "Dreamin", de Cliff Richard.
44. "Is it You", de Lee Ritenour.
45. "Tusk", de Fleetwood Mac.
46. "He Can't Love You", de Michael Stanley Band.
47. "Tough Guys", de REO Speedwagon.
48. "Rapture", de Blondie.
49. "Don't Let Go the Coat", de The Who.
50. "Ain't Love a Bitch", de Rod Stewart.
51. "Talk of the Town", de The Pretenders.
52. "Can't Happen Here", de Rainbow.
53. "Thank You for Being a Friend", de Andrew Gold.
54. "You Better You Bet", de The Who.
55. "Bring It All Home", de Gerry Rafferty.
56. "Sign of the Gypsy Queen", de April Wine.
57. "The Man with the Child in His Eyes", de Kate Bush.
58. "Message of Love", de The Pretenders.
59. "All Night Long", de Rainbow.
60. "Boys Keep Swinging", de David Bowie.
61. "Rat Race", de The Specials.
62. "Just Between You and Me", de April Wine.
63. "Once in a Lifetime", de Talking Heads.
64. "Victim", de Bootcamp.
65. "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)", de Rod Stewart.
66. "Cruel to Be Kind", de Nick Lowe.
67. "A Little in Love", de Cliff Richard.
68. "Take It on the Run", de REO Speedwagon.
69. "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys", de .38 Special.
70. "Wuthering Heights", de Kate Bush.
71. "Celebrate the Bullet", de The Selecter.
72. "More Than I Can Say", de Leo Sayer.
73. "A Message to You, Rudy", de The Specials.
74. "In the Air Tonight", de Phil Collins.
75. "Heart of Glass", de Blondie.
76. "Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight", de Rod Stewart.
77. "Kid", de The Pretenders.
78. "Wrathchild", de Iron Maiden.
79. "Come What May", de Lani Hall con Herb Alpert.
80. "I Got You", de Split Enz.
81. "Sister Disco", de The Who.
82. "Fashion", de David Bowie.
83. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around", de Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.
84. "Love Stinks", de The J. Geils Band.
85. "Johnny & Mary", de Robert Palmer.
86. "Tomorrow Night", de Shoes.
87. "Lucille", de Rockestra.
88. "Rockin' the Paradise", de Styx.
89. "Prime Time", de The Tubes.
90. "One Step Ahead", de Split Enz.
91. "Hold on Loosely", de .38 Special.
92. "Cruel You", de Shoes.
93. "Little Sister", de Rockpile con Robert Plant.
94. "Calling All Girls", de Hilly Michaels.
95. "Keep on Loving You" (En vivo), de REO Speedwagon.
96. "I Was Only Joking", de Rod Stewart.
97. "You Better You Bet", de The Who.
98. "Time Heals", de Todd Rundgren.
99. "Let's Go", de The Cars.
100. "Fashion" de David Bowie
101. "I'm Gonna Follow You" de Pat Benatar
102. "Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio?" de Ramones
103. "Ridin' the Storm Out" de REO Speedwagon
104. "Looking for Clues" de Robert Palmer
105. "Little Suzi's on the Up" de Ph.D.
106. "Is It You" de Lee Ritenour
107. "You're In My Heart" de Rod Stewart
108. "Talk of the Town" de The Pretenders
109. "The Best of Times" de Styx
110. "So Long" de Fischer-Z
111. "In the Air Tonight" de Phil Collins
112. "I Don't Want To Know" de Robin Lane and the Chartbusters
113. "Don't Let Go the Coat" de The Who
114. "Go Back Home Again" de Andrew Gold
115. "Message of Love" de The Pretenders
116. "Remote Control / Too Illegal" de The Silencers
117. "Time for Me to Fly" de REO Speedwagon
118. "Wrathchild" de Iron Maiden
119. "She Won't Dance with Me" de Rod Stewart
120. "Rough Boys" de Pete Townshend
121. "History Never Repeats" de Split Enz
122. "Dangerous Type" de The Cars
123. "Turn It On Again" de Genesis
124. "Rapture" de Blondie
125. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" de Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
126. "Can't Happen Here" de Rainbow
127. "We're So Close" de Carly Simon
128. "Tough Guys" de REO Speedwagon
129. "Passion" de Rod Stewart
130. "Kid Blue" de Louise Goffin
131. "Little Sister" de Rockpile with Robert Plant
132. "Vienna" de Ultravox
133. "Sign of the Gypsy Queen" de April Wine
134. "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding" de Elvis Costello and the Attractions
135. "Don't Let Him Go (En Vivo)" de REO Speedwagon
136. "I Won't Let You Down" de Ph.D.
137. "Holiday" de Nazareth
138. "You Better You Bet" The Who
139. "All Night Long" de Rainbow
140. "Video Killed the Radio Star" de The Buggles
141. "You Better Run" de Pat Benatar
142. "Surface Tension" de Rupert Hine
143. "One Step Ahead" de Split Enz
144. "Wild-Eyed Southern Boys" de .38 Special
145. "In My Arms Again" de Shoes
146. "Is It You" de Lee Ritenour
147. "Oh God, I Wish I Was Home Tonight" de Rod Stewart
148. "Passing Strangers" de Ultravox
149. "Just Between You and Me" de April Wine
150. "Turning Japanese" de The Vapors
151. "Rockin' the Paradise" de Styx
152. "Bluer Than Blue" de Michael Johnson
153. "Message of Love" de The Pretenders
154. "Rat Race" de The Specials
155. "Roll with the Changes" de REO Speedwagon
156. "In the Air Tonight" Phil Collins
157. "Hold On to the Night" de Bootcamp
158. "Double Life" de The Cars
159. "Take It on the Run" de REO Speedwagon
160. "We Don't Talk Anymore" de Shoes
161. "Sister Disco" de The Who
162. "Celebrate the Bullet" de The Selecter
163. "More Than I Can Say" de Leo Sayer
164. "I Hope I Never" de Split Enz
165. "Talk of the Town" de The Pretenders
166. "Hold on Loosely" de .38 Special
167. "Blondes Have More Fun" de Rod Stewart
168. "Wrathchild" de Iron Maiden
169. "Savannah Nights" de Tom Johnston
170. "I'm Gonna Follow You" de Pat Benatar
171. "Don't Let Him Go (Live)" de REO Speedwagon
172. "Never Let Her Slip Away" de Andrew Gold
173. "Time Heals" de Todd Rundgren
174. "Brass in Pocket" de The Pretenders
175. "Little Sister" de Rockpile with Robert Plant
176. "A Little in Love" de Cliff Richard
177. "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy" de Rod Stewart
178. "Victim" de Bootcamp
179. "Baker Street" de Gerry Rafferty
180. "He Can't Love You" de Michael Stanley Band
181. "Looking for Clues" de Robert Palmer
182. "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" de Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
183. "Keep on Loving You" de REO Speedwagon
184. "When Things Go Wrong" de Robin Lane and the Chartbusters
185. "Little Suzi's on the Up" de Ph.D.
186. "The Best of Times" de Styx
187. "Sailing" de Rod Stewart
188. "You Better You Bet" de The Who
189. "Iron Maiden" de Iron Maiden
190. "Can't Happen Here" de Rainbow
191. "Oliver's Army" de Elvis Costello
192. "Just Between You and Me" de April Wine
193. "Come What May" de Lani Hall and Herb Alpert
194. "Tattooed Love Boys" de The Pretenders
195. "In the Air Tonight" de Phil Collins
196. "Peter Gunn Theme/Remote Control" de The Silencers
197. "Dreamin'" de Cliff Richard
198. "Lucille" de Rockestra
199. "Boys Keep Swinging" de David Bowie
200. "Johnny & Mary" de Robert Palmer
201. "Only the Strong Survive" de REO Speedwagon
202. "Waiting for the Weekend" de The Vapors
203. "You're Insane" de Rod Stewart
204. "Kiss on My List" de Hall & Oates
205. "Living in the Plastic Age" de The Buggles
206. "Lonely Boy" de Andrew Gold