2. Background What is the purpose of a music video and when did they become popular? A music video is essentially a short film or video that accompanies a song or piece of music. Music videos became more popular in the 1980s with the introduction of MTV (Music Television) in 1981.However,modern music videos are generally used as a marketing device to help promote the artist and the music recording sales. The term ‘music video’ was also only brought about in the 1980s, previously there had been many terms for it, such as “filmed insert” and “promo film”. Music videos have used a wide range of film techniques, including animation, documentary, non-narrative approaches such as abstract, and live action filming; many blending more than one of these techniques. Some music videos do not relate the visuals with the lyrics; making the video less literal.
3. History The first ever recorded music video was in 1894 when two sheet music publishers, Edward B. Marks and Joe Stern, hired an electrician and some performers to promote the sales of their song. It was done by projecting a series of still images onto a screen alongside a live performance. This became popular entertainment, known as the ‘illustrated song’. This technique is still used today in contemporary television and some music videos. Edward B. Marks and Joe W. Stern
4. Development Musical films were an important precursor to the development of music videos, many well-known music videos have been inspired by Hollywood musicals from the 1930s and 50s. Madonna’s 1985 video for ‘Material Girl’, which was directed by Mary Lambert, was inspired by and modelled on Jack Cole’s staging of “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” from the film ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’. Madonna in ‘Material Girl’ “Diamonds Are a Girls Best Friend” from ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’
5. Development Many of Michael Jackson’s show the influence of dance sequences in Hollywood musicals, such as John Landis’ clip for “Thriller” (which was, in 1982, the most expensive video ever made), and the Martin Scorsese-directed “Bad” which were influenced by the dance ‘fights’ in the film musical ‘West Side Story’. The development of music videos in the past was very much under the control of the music video directors, such as Martin Scorsese and Mary Lambert, who would have had most say in the content and style of the video. However, modern music videos are more controlled by the record companies and artists themselves. Artists nowadays have more say in what they want the video to be about and the content and style of them.
6. Technology From ‘Paranoid Android’ by Radiohead In the beginning of music video history, the technology available was much more limited than it is nowadays. Technology is becoming evermore important in music videos, artists who use banal music videos are not as likely to stand out amongst the competition. More recently music videos rely on animation of some kind, such as in Radiohead’s 1997 video for ‘Paranoid Android’, and 2008 video for ‘House of Cards’. The benefits of the use of technology in music videos, is that it may increase the competitiveness of the industry as there is a desire to outshine other artists. It may also change what audiences expect from future music videos. As a result of technology, music videos have become more of an ‘art’ form than they ever were.
7. Technology The effect technology has had on the music video industry is that any idea an artist conceptualises for their video, can most probably be executed by the directing and editing team. Therefore, all the artist has to come up with is the idea for their music video. Sites such as Youtube.com have also allowed many artists exposure and promotion to audiences, as well as allowing amateurs to create their own music videos in the field. This is an example of how technology like the internet has allowed for more promotion and exposure of music videos to a worldwide audience.
