Music videos have a history dating back to early sound films, where upcoming music was promoted. In the 1940s, short films called Soundies featuring jazz musicians were an early form of music videos. The first music videos made specifically for television were the Snader Telescriptions in the 1950s. In the 1960s, videos began being made to promote artists on music programs like Top of the Pops. The launch of MTV in 1981 marked the beginning of an era where music videos were widely shown on television to promote music and artists.