You can’t throw the remote these days without hitting a TV show that revolves around music. American Idol recently crowned its young country king. The Voice has Cee Lo Green, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton coaching a new crop of talent. VH-1 is even bringing back pop-up videos. We thought we’d take a look back on that special relationship music has had with television to bring you the 9 Best Music Shows in the History of Television—y’know before TV itself becomes history.
6. Soundstage
1974-1985; 2003-present
PBS
At a time when most music shows were lip-synched, Chicago’s Soundstage focused on live performances and improv with performers as diverse as Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Muddy Waters, Dizzy Gillespie, Janis Ian and Al Green. The series was revived in 2003 with a performance from Lyle Lovett, Randy Newman and Mark Isham.
5. Soul Train
1971-2006
Soul Train started as a local dance program in Chicago, but began syndication in 1971 to a handful of other markets, eventually becoming a huge influencer of African-American music, dance and fashion in the 1970s and ‘80s and gave white Americans a window into black American culture. Season 1 alone featured such stars as Gladys Knight, The Staple Singers, Bill Withers, Al Green, B.B. King, Little Richard, Ike & Tina Turner and Curtis Mayfield. Its success even led Dick Clark to create a competing show Soul Unlimited for a brief time before agreeing to partner with Soul Train’s Don Cornelius to create network specials for bigger African-American artists. It also holds the record for the longest-running, first-run, nationally syndicated program in TV history.
4. MTV Unplugged
1989-2011
MTV
When Squeeze, Syd Straw and Elliot Easton played acoustically for MTV’s cameras in 1989, no one new the impact this whole “Unplugged” thing would have on music. But after acts like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Arrested Development and Björk had turned off the amps, audiences could see the quality of the songwriting at the core of their music. The show not only offered a peak behind the electric curtain, it led to Unplugged albums from Bob Dylan, Paul MacCartney, Neil Young, Page and Plant, and Jay-Z.
3. Later… with Jools Holland
1992-present
BBC2
The spiritual heir to The Late Show, Later has been hosted by Squeeze co-founder and pianist Jools Holland since 1992. The show has become known for helping introduce new bands to the U.K., and this season has already featured live performances from up-and-comers Anna Calvi, James Blake, Yuck, Wild Beasts and James Vincent McMorrow, as well as The Strokes, Fleet Foxes and Adele. Think of it as if you saved up all the best Fallon, Conan and Letterman music performances and aired them all back-to-back on a Friday night.
2. 120 Minutes
1986-2003
MTV
Without MTV’s late-night, left-of-center video show 120 Minutes, I wouldn’t have discovered half the bands I fell in love with in high school. There were few other places to find bands like The Replacements, XTC, They Might Be Giants, The Innocence Mission and The Ocean Blue. It was indie and alternative before those were buzzwords. Former 120 Minutes VJ Matt Pinfield will be returning when MTV2 relaunches the program later this year.
1. Austin City Limits
1976-present
PBS
Since 1976, Austin City Limits has been the place for live music on TV. In recent years, the show has moved beyond its classic roots and blues leanings, opting instead for an eclectic mix of artists that’s included Arcade Fire, Mos Def, The Flaming Lips, Sharon Jones and My Morning Jacket.
