The document outlines the evolution of musical films and music videos from the 1920s to the 2000s, highlighting significant innovations such as the introduction of 'talkies' and the creation of the first music videos. Key developments include the incorporation of live performances in cartoons, the influence of television on music video promotion, and the launch of MTV in 1981 which revolutionized music video broadcasting. By the early 2000s, the shift towards reality TV led to a decline in music video airtime on platforms like MTV.

1. 1926 – ‘Talkies’ allowed many
musical short films to be
produced. A Vitaphone, also
known as a sound film system was
produced and Warner Bros
started to use it for Vitaphone
shorts, which featured many
bands, singers, vocalists and on
someoccasion’s dancers. Max
Fleischer was an animation artist
who created a series of cartoons
that had songs in the back ground.
This was known as Screen Songs,
which allowed the audience to
sing along, this is now known as a
karaoke machine.
1930 – Cartoons featured popular
musicians performing their current
hit songs on camera in live action
segments throughout the cartoons.
Walt Disney used this, in Fantasia,
it featured several interpretations
of classical pieces, which were built
around the music. The Warner
Bros cartoons were shaped around
specific songs from their musical
films.Live action musical shorts,
who featured popular
performances, were also
distributed to local theatres. Such
performers as Bessie Smith a blues
singer and Cab Calloway along
with numerous other musicians
appeared in the short musical
events during this time.
1940-1947 - In the mid-
1940s, musician Louis
Jordan made short films
for his songs, someof
these short films for his
songs would feature in
somefilms such as
‘Lookout Sister’.
Soundies were produced
and released into
musical films that would
most likely include a
dance routine.
1950- Musicals from the early
1950s led to the creation of
music videos. Tony Bennett
claims to have created "...the
first music video". His music
video included someone filming
him walking along the
Serpentine in Hyde Park,
London in 1956, this video was
then put on top of the
soundtrack of his song
"Stranger in Paradise". The
clip was sent to UK and US
television stations and aired on
shows.
Late 1950s- A visual jukebox
was invented in france and
short films were shown on this
by French artists. When the
word spread many other
countries created similar
machines. Italy made the
Cinebox, USA made the Color-
Sonic.
1965 –
Promotional
clips were used
by such artists
like the Beatles,
to help with the
distribution
and broadcast.
1966 - Nancy Sinatra
filmed a music video
for her song These
Boots Are Made for
Walkin'. In June 1968,
Elvis Presley recorded
music videos again, in
recording studios, in
order to promote their
new albums, making
videos where famous
stars If I Can Dream
and Trouble/Guitar
Man.
1974 – The Australian
TV was created to
show the significance
in popularizing the
music video genre in
countries.
1970s – Top Of The
Pops. BBC placed strict
limits on the number of
music videos and the
music videos that were
played on Top Of The
Pops.
1981 – USA MTV channel
was launched. The first
video they launched was
‘Video Killed the Radio
Star’. This was the
beginning of a 24 hour
daily music channel.
1992 – MTV started listing directors
with the artist and song credits. The
directors that were first listed were
people like; Chris Cunningham,
Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze and
many more.
1997- iFlim
hosted short
videos,
including music
videos. This
enabled users
to share video
files, for
example music
videos.
2000 – MTV and many
other channels stop
showing music videos
and started showing
reality TV shoes which
became more popular
with MTVs audience.
Therefore MTV realised
that showing reality to
the public was more
entertaining than music
videos.