R&B music has its roots in the blending of African and American musical traditions. Enslaved Africans brought rhythmic drumming traditions that influenced the development of dances and group musical styles in America. R&B pioneers like The Chi-Lites and The Impressions helped establish the genre and spread its sounds worldwide. Music videos emerged in the 1980s to promote artists and their signature styles through short films that use techniques like animation, lighting, and conceptual themes to market music to broader audiences.

1. History of R&B music videos

2. History of R&B
Rhythm and Blues are a uniquely American sound found nowhere else in
the world. Even now, after mass media has spread the sounds of R&B all
over the world there's still nothing quite like it. The peculiar qualities
come from the uncomfortable blending of two cultures which are African
and American.
The Africans already had a sense of rhythm. Drum beats had been a part
of their communications, their celebrations and their lives dating back to
antiquity. Tribal dances had many purposes but their group gyrations bore
the seeds of modern dances.

3. Pioneers in the field
R&B Pioneers Honored at Annual Awards, The Rhythm & Blues
Foundations 11th annual Pioneer Awards were held in New York's
Hammerstein Ballroom. The Foundation, which supports seminal R&B
artists with cash grants, some honored BMI writers The Chi-Lites, The
Impressions, Huey "Piano" Smith, Sylvia Robinson and Ahmet Ertegun.
Queen of Soul,
Aretha Franklin
not only
presented one of
the awards, she
pledged $50,000
into the
organization.

4. What is the purpose of a music video?
A music video is a short film or video that
accompanies an artist’s piece of music. These
videos are used as tools for marketing to
promote their signature style of music. Music
videos really took off during the 1980’s due to
MTV despite beginning much sooner. MTV is
the mutual network known for bringing music
videos together and making them popular.
Music videos tend to use a variety of film
techniques such as, animations lighting and
incorporating certain concepts to reach a wider
audience and potentially establish a fan base in
the process. Not many music videos tend to
follow Goodwin’s theory about the song always
having to be literal in accordance with the lyrics
and the visuals shown in video, not in the
modern videos produced today anyway.