For many years of my young life, I knew nothing of pop music. I didn't have any older siblings to share their tapes and CDs with me, so I only ever listened to the country and oldies songs my parents preferred. When I finally discovered the world of modern music, it wasn't because of friends or a favorite radio station. I owe my matured music tastes almost entirely to music videos.

I never paid much attention to MTV when I was young, partly because it just wasn't music I listened to, but largely because my parents has let me know that they thought it was inappropriate. I don't think they ever actually watched the channel, but they heard about its sometimes racy content and became concerned. Surprisingly, I didn't become more interested in watching it just because my parents forbade it, and I just didn't think about it much for several years.

But then one day in high school, I was flipping through the channels and the bright colors and dancing of a music video lured me in. I was instantly hooked. I've enjoyed music videos and by extension the songs that they present ever since. In fact, I have music videos on in the background as I write this.

The best music videos tell a story. A classic example of this is Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video. The song was always catchy, but it became iconic once the director added a zombie story to it. Guns'n'Roses' "November Rain" is another epic video, but this one focuses on a love story rather than a tale of horror. In fact a well-made video can be a mini-movie that transcends the music.

Other videos can catch your interest through synchronized dance routines. Janet Jackson and boy bands like N'Sync were always good for this style of video. I suppose it's due to my dance background, but I'm a sucker for good choreography. Other videos combine lush visuals for a more artistic feel. Many modern rock and alternative artists have taken this route.

I have to say that my least favorite type of video is the kind where they simply film the band performing the song and add nothing more than some special lighting. It seems a shame to create something so basic when a video can be a unique chance to let your artistic vision shine while adding depth and meaning to your song.

So if I've piqued your interest in music videos, where can you find them? The music video world has expanded since the early days of MTV. Now you can also watch videos on MTV2, Fuse, VH1, VH1 Classic, CMT, IMF (a new channel called the International Music Feed), BET and several other specialty channels. It's rare for music channels to only play videos, so your best bet for a solid block of videos is late at night or early in the morning. You're most likely to find countdown shows and specialty shows in the early evening and primetime. You'll just need to keep an eye on your programming listings to get a feel for when you're likely to find the most videos.