Video, Vintage Video — November 6, 2012 at 9:46 am

Watch 12 vintage MTV ‘Rock the Vote’ promos with R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers, Madonna

For a generation raised by MTV — particularly in the late ’80s and early ’90s — they were ubiquitous: those 30-second “Rock the Vote” promos featuring stars ranging from R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe to Anthony Keidis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers to Madonna imploring viewers to register to vote, cast their ballot or support the “Motor-Voter Bill.”

Since it is Election Day here in the United States, we thought we’d dredge up a dozen of those vintage “Rock the Vote” spots, featuring — in the spirit of true musical bipartisanship — not just the more alternative acts we normally cover such as R.E.M., Lush and Jellyfish, but also the likes of Slaughter, Deee-Lite, Ozzy Osbourne, Megadeth, Dennis DeYoung and even Donny Osmond.

So check ’em out. And then go vote.

R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe