"American Bandstand," which the late Dick Clark hosted from 1956 to 1989, introduced new musical acts to generations of Americans during its decades-long run. It changed formats over the years, shifed time slots, locations, lengths and sets, but during his tenure as host, viewers could always count on Clark's charming interviews with audience members and performing acts between songs.
In today's era of high-definition video and instantaneous social media, clips from "American Bandstand" might seem especially dated, or even hokey. But not only did the program bring popular music to hundreds of thousands of American teenagers, but it also influenced the direction of media.
Without "American Bandstand," there might not have been a "Soul Train" or an "Old Grey Whistle Test" (there most definitely would have not been a "Dance Party USA"). And think about early music videos: They were usually just bands lip-syncing their hits.
While it's impossible to capture every great moment in "American Bandstand" -- we couldn't get our hands on acceptable footage of Devo's, Run DMC's or Sugar Hill Gang's performances -- check out a few great ones below.
WATCH: Great Moments In "American Bandstand"
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