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1. The History of Music
Videos
1960-2016

2. 1960 music video
I’m a believer – The Monkees
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EqneoPcjwU
Features in this music video:
• Group singing on stage
• Not great audio quality
• Not great camera quality
• Group don’t need mic
• A range of different camera shots
•
In this music video it shows that music videos were in the early stages of using colour so the colours were not too
vibrant. I liked this music video because it shows the basic outline of what music videos in the 1960s were like and
how they were portrayed.

3. 1970s music video
Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ9rUzIMcZQ&list=PLhGxwqriFAqtWRmUrqV85rWNjQdPfcskf
Different Features in this music video
• Scene changes
• Lighting change
• Camera effects used
• Fade in shots used
• Shot reverse shots used
• Artificial lighting
•
In this music video you can see a lot of work has been put into it with the effects and editing. This music video
shows the development in technology from the 1960s as more visual effects have been used and the camera
quality has improved.

4. 1980s music video
Beat It – Michael Jackson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdxUFDoQe0&list=PL1GnTnnMiUb5_eIZqu9kNAJ6gcPUyOT7u&index=13
Karma Chameleon – Culture Club
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmcA9LIIXWw&list=PL1GnTnnMiUb5_eIZqu9kNAJ6gcPUyOT7u&index=4
Different features in the music video
• A lot of bright colours
• Synchronised dance routine
• Symbolic objects
• Links between the music video and the music
• Stereotyping
I have chosen both these videos as they show the development in music videos in different ways. For example ‘Beat It’ shows off
the use of synchronised dance routines and how they make the music video more effective. Also Michael wears a red jacket in the
video, which is a symbolic sign of him as he wears it in other music videos (e.g. Thriller). This also introduces the theory of Barthes
‘Signs and signifiers’. The music video also introduces stereotyping as the men are wearing black leather outfits and are street
fighting and they are represented as gangsters. Whereas ‘Karma Chameleon’ uses a range of different colours and uses unique
outfits to make the lead singer stand out.

5. 1990s music videos
Livin’ La Vida Loca – Ricky Martin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p47fEXGabaY&list=PL8wxeLTlTkgXBk4Iup8yufRhwHbHd90C1&index=53
Different features in the music video
• Disco themed
• Flashing lights
• Full on synchronised dance routine
• Improved audio
• Extravagant outfits
• Fast camera shots
• Male gaze introduced
•
This music video shows development as there are a lot more fast action shots to represent the fast pace of the song. Also
the theory of Mulvey is introduced ‘The Male Gaze’ when Ricky looked into camera. The outfits were very typical of the
disco era as they were very vibrant and jazzy like the music. In this music video there is a strong link between the dancing
and the lyrics throughout the music video. Also the music video has shown development as the audio quality and camera
quality has improved a lot.

6. 2000s music video
Toxic – Britney Spears
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOZuxwVk7TU&index=25&list=PL5C66A990384A9242
Different features in the music video
• Starting to use visual effects
• Bringing out female sexuality
• Winship’s theory introduced
• Technology skills improved
• Transitions used
•
This music video shows off Britney’s good looks and her youth, which appeals well to her TA. They have used the stereotypical
feature of having sexual airhostesses as they are stereotyped to all be good looking, young and sexy. She also creates direct address
a lot when she sharply turns her head towards the camera, which supports the theory of Winship ‘The Gaze’ where she makes
herself sexually appealing to a male audience. The use of transitions in the video shows how music videos have developed as the
video has been edited to make the shots change my the screen spiralling around. Also they have placed a different background
behind her in one of the shots to make it look like she is in Paris but it has been edited to make everything look red to work in
cohesion of her hair and clothing.

7. 2010-16 music video
Pillowtalk – Zayn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_3d6GntKbk
Bad blood – Taylor Swift
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcIy9NiNbmo
Scream and Shout – Will.i.am .feat Britney Spears
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYtGl1dX5qI
Different features in music video
• Dominated by effects
• A lot of transitions
• Extreme looks
• Great quality of sound and picture
• Sound effects used
• Vocals changed in songs

8. 2010-16
I have chosen these three videos as I feel they truly show how music videos have developed
over the years. I feel that in most music videos a lot of effects are used to either create
meaning and emotion or to make the video more eye catching. For example in Taylor Swifts
video there are loads of explosions along with other celebrities in the video which make it so
popular. In ‘Scream and Shout’ the technology is used to the extreme where in every shot
that Will.i.am is edited in some way, which I think is very typical of him and it is what he is
known for. I particularly like the shot where the camera captures and freeze frames his
movements to clone him, I feel this shows off how far technology has come. In the song
‘Pillowtalk’ I feel that the effects are used to create representations as there is a red light on
him which represents love and evil, which suggests that it could be a dark song about one of
his lovers. This video is dominated by transitions and effects to show off how different
modern day music videos actually are. I feel the key to the development of the music videos
is due to the technology used over the years and how it has improved.