What is music video

1. Music Videos
What I know and what I have learned

2. First Music video Broadcast
• Video Killed the Radio Star – The Buggles
• The video was broadcasted on MTV’s first day, which was, August 1, 1981. Their first day on the
air was rebroadcast onVH1 Classic in 2006 and uploaded onto YouTube in 2010.
•
•
•
•
•
•
••
The video use was very simplistic but used many props and costumes to attract the viewers

3. Most Watched
I learned that two of the most watched videos on YouTube, this year are:
• Pharrell Williams – Happy
• Jennifer Lopez – On the floor ft. Pitbull
These videos are different, in relation to content and what we can visually see
but are both deserving of being watched the most. Happy illustrated what the
lyrics are saying by having many different people in the street at different
times, looking ‘happy’, which attracts viewers. On the floor s based in a club
and shows us a party, but with a camera constantly moving in many different
ways and interesting colours, in relation to costume and setting. So the videos
are similar in the was that they are attractive, which promotes the song and
therefore the artist as a whole.

4. What
• A music video is visual format to a song. It is a short film that connects a song
to imagery.
• Music videos can tell a story or they can have no connection to the lyrics,
but be visually appealing to the viewers.
• Music videos need to include varied camera work and editing techniques
eg. special effects and no static camera shots.
• They need to be genre specific so it is recognisable to the existing fans of
that genre.

5. Why
Music video can be for artistic purposes or promotional purposes.
• It can be purely to entertain
• To give the viewers a clearer understanding to the song
• To attract the audience so more songs can be sold
• Create memorable and outstanding visuals for the song, so it can increase
sales of CDs and DVDs
• Marketing to expose the artists profile
Promotion is the main purpose for music videos as it is most likely to generate
sales of the artist songs or other products.

6. Example
Nicki Minaj
Nicki Minaj’s video, which attracts
the viewers with insightful setting,
props and colours.
This promotes the CD of the same
song, and her fragrance; Pink Friday
Deluxe Edition, with the repetition of
the same hair style, making it
recognisable at related to her.

7. A Music Video I like
I like this music video because it
includes things I learned about
music videos. The video, Jhene
Aiko – 3:16 is creative in the shots
used and interesting editing, like
special effects and blurred lenses.
This music video lead me to listen
to more and more of her music
and download them too. Also, I
followed her on Instagram, it
expanded her profile. Now her
new album is out, I a, starting to
listen to her new song too, so this
video was a good promotion
device.