MTV20 - Rock
When it came to compiling videos to package together forMTV20, a  celebration of the music channel's first 20 years, they could have easily  settled for the obvious mega-platinum blockbusters or the videos that are as  familiar as TV commercials (which, of course, is essentially what music videos  are). But for the most part they didn't. Oh, there are some big names here, like  Aerosmith ("Livin' on the Edge") and the Red Hot Chili Peppers ("Higher  Ground"), and some of the videos will be plenty familiar, like Robert Palmer's  "Addicted to Love," with its array of deadpan fashion models. ButMTV20:  Rockalso includes relative oddities like Cake's "Never There," Monster  Magnet's "Space Lord," and Goldfinger's "Here in Your Bedroom." And since the  disc's 16 videos are collected chronologically (beginning with "Addicted to  Love" from 1986 and ending with Godsmack's "Voodoo" from '99), viewers can see  how music videos have evolved over the years, as computer animation, digital  technology, and other techniques have come together to create a significant art  form.The presentation is slick: Videos are separated by brief interviews, MTV logos,  or commercial bumpers; DVD bonus features include the "Fast Facts and Short  Stats" option that provides "Pop-Up Video"-style on-screen information, and  profiles and discographies for every artist. In the end, of course, one's  appreciation of this and the otherMTV20sets (there are also "Pop" and  "Jams," which can be purchased separately; the "Bonus Beats" DVD is available  only as part of the DVD boxed set) will depend on whether or not you like the  music. But MTV at least deserves credit for taking a walk on the slightly wild  side.--Sam Graham