In this content-heavy world, I fear we often lose sight of what true visual satisfaction feels like. We are overconsuming, constantly marketed to, and bombarded with visuals. This overload makes us somewhat mindless about what truly draws us in. I miss feeling awe and excitement, being visually satisfied in multiple ways at once.
This brings me to music videos. Music paired with moving images tells a visual story that goes beyond lyrics. In fact, lyrics are just a bonus. Growing up, music played a significant role in my self-satisfaction. But what does self-satisfaction really mean, and how do music videos contribute to it?
As I plan my wedding, we've decided to have a playlist of music videos instead of hiring a DJ. A montage of music videos playing in the background provides multisensory stimulation, which I love. However, finding videos for artists active in the 70s has been challenging. This made me reflect on the history of music videos and inspired me to explore it further.
P.S. If you hate musicals but you love music videos, make that make sense. đ
The Origin of Music Videos
Music has always been a part of all cultures, serving as one of our great unifiers. With the evolution of technology, musical expression has changed over time. It began with "illustrated songs," a series of painted and projected photographs used to promote sheet music in the 1890s.
With the rise of the silver screen, musical shorts were played before movies. Musicals became popular in the 1940s and 1950s (and later huge visual influences for music videos in the 1980s.)
Jukeboxes known as âsoundiesâ, the Scopitone (France) or Cinebox (Italy) showcased short films in restaurants and bars.
By the 1960s, artists like Elvis Presley and the Beatles make short promotional clips for their songs. The Monkees became a popular TV show where each episode contained multiple musical segments (now considered music videos.)
Did you know that BeyoncĂ© directly riffed on Gwen Verdonâs âSingle Ladiesâ from the Ed Sullivan Show in 1969? Another classic example of how something reclaimed and repurposed can be iconic.
The First Music Video
Itâs a battle between Bob Dylanâs âSubterranean Homesick Bluesâ (1965) and "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen (1975). What do you think? It all depends on how you define what a music video âshould beâ.
Music Television
MTV launched on August 1, 1981, marking the true beginning of the art of the music video. The first video played was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles, itâs iconic how literal that is. (How many times can I say the word iconic?)
At the time, MTV has 24/7 music video programming helping artists reach broader audiences. 1980s music videos hold significant power as they marked the beginning of a major shift in visual marketing. The visual representation of songs allowed for a deeper connection with audiences and became a critical component of an artist's brand and image. People could experiment with expression. Here are some highlights throughout the past 40+ years.
The 1980s
The 1980s is my favorite decade for music videos because everyone is so freaking silly.
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Donât Come Around Here No More
Cindy Lauper - Girls Just Want To Have Fun
Prince - Raspberry Beret
Madonna - Like a Prayer (Banned by the Vatican)
Talking Heads - Once In A Lifetime
Men Without Hats - Safety Dance
The 1990s
The 90s really learned into the sexy and rauncy.
SNAP! - Rhythm Is A Dancer
Haddaway - What Is Love
Spice Girls - Wannabe
Nine Inch Nails - Closer
Beastie Boys - Sabotage
The Prodigy - Smack My Bitch Up (Banned video with a surprise ending, recommend by Gabi!)
The Early 2000s
The early 2000s music videos return to the silly and playful. Besides Coldplay of course.
The Darkness - I Believe in a Thing Called Love
Electric Six - Danger High Voltage
Ok Go - Here It Goes Again
Fatboy Slim - Praise You and * Weapon of Choice
Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity
Coldplay - Yellow
The 2010s
Thereâs a lot of meaningful storytelling and commentary in the 2010s.
tUnE-yArDs - Bizness
Vince Staples - FUN!
Childish Gambino - This is America
Grimes - Oblivion
Kendrick Lamar - Humble
Rihanna - We Found Love
Today
I havenât made up my mind about what we are seeing today so I decided to include a brief list of some of my favorite but distinctively different music videos of the past 4 years.
Jungle - Back on 74â
Jayda G - Both of Us
Yves Tumor - Jackie
CARIBOU - You Can Do It
So, do music videos satisfy you? If so, which ones? Why do they satisfy you? I adore music videos because music is powerful, they tell stories, and are a method of expression. But are they really just a marketing tool?
I recently read an article by Adam Curtis discussing how self-expression is a product of capitalism and the West. And how self-expression isnât revolutionary or even a method of expressing originality. It is a trippy read that makes a lot of sense. This has me thinking about creativity differently and how it relates to branding, marketing, and trends.
Naturally, with the evolution of technology comes the evolution of marketing. Music videos are seen as a band's form of self-expression, which feeds into marketing and, in turn, capitalism. This perspective can feel a bit dirty, but should it?
I took Existentialism in college and is helpful in times like these. Does the fact that self-expression is a marketing ploy matter? We know the difference between consuming content we are told to like and content that actually makes us feel good. And if creating or consuming content that genuinely makes us feel good is a product of self-expression, who cares? Does it even matter if something is making you happy or feel a part of something larger (like a community.)
Cue CARIBOUâs âYou Can Do Itâ music video all about dogs and the purity and joy of self-expression.
The more you know,
đ Lizzy
A great tribute to the music video, such great info bring the past into the future! My favorites are still the ones set in a concert venue, they bring me up close and personal with my favorite musiciansâŠâŠthanks for including TPâ€ïž
There was a period of time in my late twenties, whenever I would get drunk I would exclusively play George Michael music videos for my friends. Just George. No one else. I still play George when Iâm buzzed and feeling a dance party but I have opened my horizons to other artists.