What happened to the art of the music video?
In 1979, video killed the radio star. Just over four decades later, the internet appears to have already killed off the music video.
The 1980s provided the music video with its heyday. In 1981, MTV, quite literally, launched with footage of Apollo 11 accompanied by the words, “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll”. Fittingly, the first video they aired was the Buggles’ ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’. This set into motion the era of the music video, as the decade saw the rise of big-budget, epic visual accompaniments to singles.
Michael Jackson’s ode to horror with ‘Thriller’ had a budget of $500,000, while Madonna caused a stir with the controversial video for ‘Like a Prayer’. Music videos became an integral part of the artistry and promotion of the release cycle, aiming to gain the attention of music fans in such a way that they would go out of their way to purchase a physical copy of the release.
The 1990s only furthered the dominance of MTV and the extravagance of the music video. Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson’s collaborative effort on the music video for ‘Scream’ became the most expensive music video ever made, with a budget of $7million. But with the dawn of a new century, things were about to take a turn.
Increasing technological innovation made music videos all the more accessible, both to view and to produce. YouTube was founded in 2005, and Vevo arrived just a year later to boost the platform’s music video streaming capacity. Suddenly, music fans had unlimited access to their favourite artists. Though it might negate the importance and influence of music video channels, this platform, seemingly, would boost the music video further into the cultural conversation.
Alongside increased access for viewers, musicians benefitted from developments in the 2000s too. As phones, cameras, and internet access improved, upcoming artists, who once would have needed a label on their side for music video funding, could do it all themselves. This even became part of the appeal to viewers.
As internet culture developed, low-budget music videos thrived, from OK Go to Arctic Monkeys. The latter was one of the first bands to find major success via the internet but, true to their sound, their music videos were low-budget and low effort – ‘I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor’, their debut single and first UK number one, was accompanied by a simple live recording of the track. Meme culture also emerged, pushing the likes of Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ and Ylvis’ ‘The Fox (What Does the Fox Say?)’ into the limelight.
YouTube made music videos available to anyone and everyone at the click of a button. Still, since the beginning of the 2010s, the art of the music video seems to have declined in value.
The rise of social media has entirely changed the landscape of the music industry. While YouTube provided a place for music videos that was faster and more convenient than MTV, other platforms were looking to move even quicker. Vine and Tiktok streamlined video content into an addictive, endless stream of content. Spotify has incorporated canvases, short, cyclical videos to accompany the music. Even YouTube has added YouTube Shorts.
Attention spans are shorter, so the focus is on making promotional content as short and snappy as possible. Many internet users are unlikely to even watch a Tiktok to its conclusion, never mind sit and watch a full music video for four minutes. The art of the music video is being lost because of its slipping power over audiences. Only the most devoted music fans are likely to appreciate the additional artistry of a music video; otherwise, they go unnoticed.
Videos have also lost their potency due to the relieved pressure to funnel audiences into physical purchases. Instead, artists only need to endear themselves to audiences long enough to direct them towards streaming sites. To achieve this, a more concise social media platform like Instagram or Tiktok does the job quicker and more effectively.
Modern music videos, rather than capturing new fans and encouraging them to support artists monetarily, seem to take a different focus. Instead, they are tailored to current fans, who are already guaranteed to laud their favourite artist’s every move on social media and aim to boost a release in its aftermath. With this purpose, artistry and impact take a backseat.
Some modern artists have produced thoughtful, artful visuals to elevate their musical output, including Childish Gambino’s powerful political statement with ‘This Is America’ and Charli XCX’s ode to the 1990s with ‘1999’, but they’re few and far between.
Music videos seem redundant in the modern age, which is so focused on the speed and virality of the arts. Rather than taking this pessimistic approach, however, the access the internet provides to both musicians and viewers should increase the creativity and success of the art form rather than derail it.
The ongoing influence of the music video lies entirely in its potential to go viral, but this shouldn’t be the focus. Instead, accompanying music videos should be an opportunity for an artist to collaborate with other creatives and elevate the artistry surrounding their output. The opportunity to make iconic and unique visuals is more accessible than ever; audiences and artists just need to refocus.
