Record sales, which had been slumping since their 1978 disco-era high, rebounded. Hawkers of pimple cream , orange soda , and boom boxes flocked to the station. MTV also pioneered a new visual world, as record labels poured more money into videos, and as MTV's own producers became more adept at art-directing for their demo. Quick, almost strobelike cuts. Rich, exaggerated colors.
Extreme camera angles.
In short, sensory overload. As early as 1984, it was clear that MTV style was becoming mainstream. Miami Vice premiered that year, with a shiny, stylized look and long breaks in the action for moody rock reflections. You actually have to watch old newscasts, old commercials, to understand how much things have changed visually, because we're all so used to it. MTV also popularized what might be called a montage sensibility.