In 2006 VH1 ran a fundraiser for Hurricane Katrina where viewers who made donations were able to choose which music videos the station would play. One viewer donated $35,000 and requested continuous play of “99 Luftballons” and “99 Red Ballons” for an hour.

99 Luftballons

The promotional video, which was originally made for the Dutch music programme TopPop and broadcast on 13 March 1983, was shot in a Dutch military training camp, the band performing the song on a stage in front of a backdrop of fires and explosions provided by the Dutch Army. Towards the end of the video, the band are seen taking cover and abandoning the stage, which was unplanned and genuine since they believed the explosive blasts were getting out of control.

VH1 Classic, an American cable television station, ran a charity event for Hurricane Katrina relief in 2006. Viewers who made donations were allowed to choose which music videos the station would play. One viewer donated $35,000 for the right to program an entire hour and re… Continue Reading (2 minute read)