The History of Music Video featuring a plethora of past and present artists. The Beatles, Bessie Smith, Pharrell Williams.

1. The History of the
Music Video
1929 - 2013

2. Throughout this presentation I will cover the key events and
most significant moments within the music video history from
Bessie Smith to the pinnacle of music video, Pharell Williams’
Happy, obviously.

3. Bessie Smith / St. Louis Blues
(1929)
• Kenneth W. Adams and W.C. Handy wrote a short film to
accompany Handy's own song names St. Louis Blues and let
Bessie Smith sing to it as she had sung it in 1925 that featured
Louis Armstrong on the cornet. This was one of the first Music
Videos that was ever created. It revolutionised the entire
music industry.

4. Fantasia (1940)
Fantasia was a 1940 Disney film that
was intended by Walt Disney to
become more interested in classical
music. Fantasia was an animated Music
Video that was one of the first music
videos that wasn't of a live
performance, it was definitely the first
animated music video.

5. Leonard Bernstein’s West Side
Story (1961)
• Leonard Bernstein wrote the musical West Side Story, the
music video is of the TV showing of West Side Story. Within
the musical, it represents the Zeitgeist of the birth of Rock and
Roll and the youthful revolt.

6. The Beatles / A Hard Day’s
Night (1964)
• The Beatles's Music Video of A Hard Day's Night was directed
by Richard Lester, Lester was awarded by MTV as 'The Father
of The Music Video' and was dubbed as the man that
'Invented the Music Video', it still influences the contemporary
music videos as it set the standards so high.

7. Australia paves the way with
'Countdown' and 'Sounds‘
(1974)
• In 1974 Australia released two weekly teen-orientated music
programs. This was 3 years before MTV was created and was
followed by a devoted set of teens.
(not this countdown)

8. The Buggles / Video Killed The
Radio Star (1979)
• As blatantly as the name states, metaphorically denoting that
music videos caused the death of radio as they revolutionised
music media. This was also, the first music video ever shown
on MTV, truly killing radio.

9. Michael Jackson / Thriller
(1982)
• Michael Jackson's thriller truly changed the conventions of
Music Video as it was one of the first videos that took forward
more of a narrative state opposed to the live performance or
abstract Music Videos. It cost half a million dollars to create
but opened the gateway for African-American musicians. This
was also a statement: John Landis, the director was getting
experimental and therefore others followed.

10. MTV Music Awards (1984)
• In 1984 MTV launched their Music Awards (latterly VMA's)
This is a huge milestone in the music industry as it gave awards
for the music videos too truly highlighting the importance of
good music videos. This is one of the first critical reception they
received to this extent.

11. Pharrell Williams / Happy
(2013)
• Williams' song Happy was a global sensation. Happy was
featured in Despicable Me 2 and won "Academy Award for
Best Original Song" Happy was also marketed as 'We Are
Happy From...' and people took part from all over the world
dancing to the catchy song.