Many people don't realize how talented this group was. Alot of people thought it was just a typical pop band, but a couple of the members were in classic bands. Both Trevor Horn and Geoff Downs were members of YES and Geoff Downs was also a member of the supergroup ASIA. This was more or less a side project that happened to get popular. The song was already a couple years old when it premiered on MTV. I first saw it on HBO in 1979 and thought is was great. HBO used to show videos in between movies back then and they played it many times. The video has been converted to film since then and has lost part of its quality. Another song that the Buggles released was "I AM A Camera" which Trevor Horn redid when he performed with YES and changed the title to "Into The Lens". In fact, he performed the song "Video Killed The Radio Star" live a few times during the 1980 Yes Drama tour.
As for the song itself, as many have said above, it is about how the new form of videos were changing the music scene. T the time of the song's release, 1979, videos were looked upon as just a fad. Many older performers refused to submit to the new format, Bruce Springstien being one, because they thought it would diminish their artistic integrity. I also think that the song reflects the changing technology that many people feared. Computer games were begining to be the rage and home computers were beginning to be household words. I think this song reflects all of that.
Many people don't realize how talented this group was. Alot of people thought it was just a typical pop band, but a couple of the members were in classic bands. Both Trevor Horn and Geoff Downs were members of YES and Geoff Downs was also a member of the supergroup ASIA. This was more or less a side project that happened to get popular. The song was already a couple years old when it premiered on MTV. I first saw it on HBO in 1979 and thought is was great. HBO used to show videos in between movies back then and they played it many times. The video has been converted to film since then and has lost part of its quality. Another song that the Buggles released was "I AM A Camera" which Trevor Horn redid when he performed with YES and changed the title to "Into The Lens". In fact, he performed the song "Video Killed The Radio Star" live a few times during the 1980 Yes Drama tour.
As for the song itself, as many have said above, it is about how the new form of videos were changing the music scene. T the time of the song's release, 1979, videos were looked upon as just a fad. Many older performers refused to submit to the new format, Bruce Springstien being one, because they thought it would diminish their artistic integrity. I also think that the song reflects the changing technology that many people feared. Computer games were begining to be the rage and home computers were beginning to be household words. I think this song reflects all of that.