Too Much 4 Much

Over in America our counterparts have a new television network that is said to be the new version of what the old version of MTV was about. A network that lovers of music can watch to see the latest developments in the entertainment world. A place where it is possible for the underground and mainstream artist to co-exist. This got me to thinking about our Canadian Music station that got launced less than five years after MTV in America, MuchMusic Television.

It was no secret that MuchMusic was created after seeing the success of MTV in America. The station that helped catapult both failing and successful careers was seen as something that would work very well in Canada. MuchMusic was launched on August 31, 1984 as one of the first Canadian cable specialty channels. John Martin and Moses Znaimer are the founders of the station and decided to play as the first video "an early music-to-film synchronization short from the 1920s which featured Eubie Blake performing Snappy Songs." The first video made specifically for television air play was Rush's "The Enemy Within".[2]

Although not officially a partner of MTV, MuchMusic would work with MTV in bringing that station’s special programming such as its award shows, series, and live concert events. MTV was not permitted into Canada due to Canadian regulations set forth by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) restrictions on format protection.

MuchMusic however had no restrictions of this nature in America and tried to compete with MuchUSA which has now become the unaffiliated Fuse TV.

MuchMusic became a huge success and ended up having several spinoff channels that have been launched within Canada and around the world, including:

• M3: Originally MuchMoreMusic (and later MuchMore), this channel's music programming primarily focuses on adult contemporary, classic rock and generally lighter music, though it has also gradually added more pop music. Currently marketed mainly as an entertainment-focused "superstation" featuring younger-skewing drama series.

• MuchMoreRetro: Focuses on music videos from the 1980s to 1990s.

• MuchLoud: Focuses on rock, modern rock, alternative, punk and metal.

• MuchVibe: Focuses on urban music such as rap, hip hop, R&B and reggae.

• MusiquePlus: The first spinoff channel of MuchMusic. Launched in 1986, it was developed as a Canadian French language version of MuchMusic. In September 2008, new owner Astral Media dropped the MuchMusic style branding and separated itself from the network.

• MuchMusic also formerly operated PunchMuch, an all-request music video service consisting of music videos from various genres within the scope of MuchMusic itself until November 17, 2011, when PunchMuch was replaced by a new music video channel aimed at pre-teens, known as Juicebox

MuchUSA: Launched in 1994. License to use MuchMusic name and content revoked, and renamed Fuse TV in 2003.

For the urban scene in Canada, MuchMusic was an outlet where our early talents such as Maestro Fresh Wes, Michie Mee, Mr. Metro, and HDV gave inspiration for others in the city to enter into the music scene. We had our own version of RapCity that was originally hosted by VJ Michael Williams which later was hosted by Oliver and Stacy then Master T., and later Namugenyi Kiwanuka, who left MuchMusic in 2003. RapCity is the Canadian version which should not be confused American TV show of the same name, Rap City. The departure of Kiwanuka left the show without a host and the station would let different hip hop artists host the program. The show was reborn as a live, one-hour program on January 13, 2011 with a new host, Tyrone "T-RexXx" Edwards.

5 time Freestyle Champion Charron was the first ever retired Champion on RapCity in March 2011. As many of you will know Charron went on to make headlines on BET’s version of Freestyle competition where he became champion, but was snubbed his rightly deserved spot on the last BET HIP HOP Awards Show.

Originally RapCity aired once a week then expanded to five half hours a week and eventually became a weekly show in the fall of 2007, airing on Saturday nights at 11:00PM Eastern Standard Time. The latest version of RapCity aired live on Thursdays at 10:00PM Eastern Standard Time.

RapCity was not the only outlet for urban music on MuchMusic back in the day. There used to be shows called Soul In The City and X-Tend-A-Mix which ended up being just Da Mix. These venues saw artists from both Canada and America displaying their talents through interviews and live performances. MuchMusic even once had its own version of Soul Train which was called Electric Circus where artists would interact with live audiences every week.

So, as P. Diddy prepares to enter this field with his new Revolt station I had to look back on our rich history of televised music entertainment which many people may not know about across the world. The question begs to be asked is there anyone out there that can create a Canadian version of BET or Revolt? This is one lane which hasn’t been addressed and will it ever happen? Give it time and may very well happen if not the near future, but the distant one.

Linda Johnson is the Toronto Life/Music writer at www.worldwideentertainmenttv.com

#toomuch4much #mtv