In the modern age, music video are available from a variety of sources as a result of the development of technology over the years, such as YouTube, music channels, phone download and internet; sources that were not available to such high extent/quality in earlier years in comparison to today. Therefore, music videos have grown in popularity as they can be easily accessed by any individual through the mentioned sources above. Below is a timeline regarding the history of music videos, the development of technological and how this has influenced the success of current music videos today:
The Origin of Music Videos
Before the invention of what is now known as a music video, artists would play/perform their song which would be accompanied by short footage or pictures. Blues singer Bessie Smith appeared in a two-reel short film called St. Louis Blues (1929) featuring a dramatized performance of the hit song. Numerous other musicians appeared in short musical subjects during this period. Later, in the mid-1940s, musician Louis Jordan made short films for his songs, some of which were spliced together into a feature film Lookout Sister. These films were, according to music historian Donald Clarke, the "ancestors" of music video. Although the first recognised 'music video' was in the early 1930's, According to the Internet Accuracy Project, disk jockey-singer J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson was the first to coin the phrase "music video", in 1959 and therefore this shows the progression in which 'music videos' had during this time. The first one by Bessie Smith, consisted of a performance by the artist which was accompanied by a dramatized performance of the song, whereas music videos today are much more progressed because of the technology available today. Two key innovations in the development of the modern music video were the development of relatively inexpensive and easy-to-use video recording and editing equipment, and the development of visual effects created with techniques such as image compositing. The advent of high-quality colour videotape recorders and portable video cameras coincided with the DIY ethos of the New Wave era, enabling many pop acts to produce promotional videos quickly and cheaply, in comparison to the relatively high costs of using film. Music videos today have many purposes regarding their creation, whether it be marketing tool, displaying generic conventions etc. They are considered vitally important in portraying an artist's image because they are so easily accessed through the many distributors available i.e. internet or music channel and therefore the audience become more familiar with the artist and are able to engage with them. Technology such as green screen, editing software and better quality cameras mean that the average quality of a music video has increased since their origin and therefore more realistic in order for the audience to engage in them more.
When Was the First Music Channel Invented?
The first music channel to be invented was MTV, in 1981. The first music video shown on MTV was The Buggles 'Video Killed the Radio Star' in which this song was a reference to the context of the time. The increase in music videos meant that radio stations were becoming decreasingly popular amongst people, because they were now able to both listen and watch the artists they were interested in; it provided them with a connection to the artist, in which radio failed to do. It was this quality that encouraged the success of music videos because people's demand was finally being met, they were introduced to another form of distribution that provided them with a relationship with their idols. MTV is still a very popular music channel, typically associated with the younger generation from teens to young adults. However, MTV now own many channels in which the content is tailored to a specific genre. For example, they have MTV Dance in which they specifically play dance tracks in order for the target audience to know that their demand regarding them being able to listen to dance music will be fulfilled, and therefore they are more likely to watch the channel because they can ensure such thing from the name of the channel alone.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTV
What Impact has Music Channels has on the Music Videos?
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| A list of current music channels available |
Above is list of current music channels from around the world; and therefore, not only are music channels available in countries that are considered Western, or well developed, they are also available in other countries. The concept of a music channel is universal which conveys its importance as it provides people all over the world with a chance to relate and see their favourite artists and idols; and without such thing, would only be able to see them on the internet, a source in which not everyone has. Music channels have many different strategies in order to increase promotion of music videos, one being dedicating a programme to a specific artist. For example, a music channel such as MTV may dedicate 2 hours of air time showing only music videos by Rihanna and therefore, the target audience of the programme is clear; fans of Rihanna. This encourage a specific audience to watch the programme and therefore the channel's viewers will increase for they are sure they will like the content during this time period, rather than watching random music videos that may not appeal to them and therefore not watch the channel. Also, this allows the viewers to feel closer to Rihanna as they are able to build a relationship with her, in turn increasing her popularity. Therefore, the artist wants to continue being on the music channel as their association with it increases their popularity and therefore their success overall. Another method in which music channels chose to undertake in order to promote music videos, is to schedule a specific time in which the audience are aware of that will show a new and exclusive music video. By having the audience aware of the time regarding the premier of a new music video, encourages the audience to watch the music channel at that time in order to see the music video and therefore increases the viewers at this time, as well as the channels popularity amongst such viewers as they will associate new and exclusive with such channels. Not only does this promote the awareness of the music video, but also promotes the music channel as being dependable in previewing the latest music videos. From such methodology, it is clear to assume that music channels are as much dependent on music videos as music videos are dependent of music channels as they promote each other in order to remain popular amongst the target audience.
When Was the Internet Invented and How Has it Impacted Music Videos?
The internet was developed from the 1950's way into the 1970's, still being progressively worked on today. However, the advances of the technology has much developed from such time in comparison to today and therefore it is able to provide users with much more information. For this reason, the internet has had an influence on the success of music videos for many reasons; one being social networking sites such as Twitter. Twitter is a social networking site in which allows you to 'follow' celebrities and artists who can, and do provide their follows and fans with information as to what they are up to in order to maintain the interest their fans have with them. For example, Rihanna is a prime artist who frequently provides her fans with information in regards to what she is doing, including when she is making and releasing a new music video.
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| Rihanna personally tweeting a link to her new and exclusive music video. |
By personally providing her fans and followers with her new music video, this appeals to the audience as they feel they are exclusively watching the video, for Rihanna 'herself' has encouraged them to watch it through her twitter. Because sites like Twitter allow the target audience to engage with the artist themselves, they are more likely to maintain an interest in them because they can easily build a relationship as a result of twitter. Not only does this encourage the audience to maintain an interest in the artist, but also in their music videos, because these are an extension of their image. Therefore, the invention and progression of the internet has influenced the success of music videos because they allow the target audience to be closer to their desired artist and therefore their music videos too.
Furthermore, the internet allows people to openly share their opinion on the music video itself and therefore it is common for people to write blogs and articles online in terms of their own perception on the video.
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| http://www.celebuzz.com/2013-10-02/rihannas-pour-it-up-musicvideo-is-basically-a-trip-to-the-worlds-weirdest-strip-club/ |
Here, is an article referring to Rihanna's 'Pour it Up' music video. Because the internet allows such people to write their opinion on music videos, it also allows people to read it too. Therefore artists are always exposed to both compliments and criticism, however either way has exposure. This effect that the internet has, has influenced artists to push the boundaries and make more controversial videos so that the exposure they get in terms of critics increases, as they become a topic of conversation and therefore increases awareness of both the artist and the music video. Therefore, the internet has impacted music videos as it has influenced them into becoming controversial as this way increases awareness in the target audience.
When was YouTube Invented? and What Impact Has It Had On Music Videos?
YouTube was invented in 2005 and is still today one of the most popular websites on the internet. Since being invented, here are a few statistics of the site in terms of its popularity and usage amongst people:
- More than 1 billion unique users visit YouTube each month, that is 33,333,333 users everyday!
- Over 6 billion hours of video are watched each month on YouTube—that's almost an hour for every person on Earth, and 50% more than last year
- Millions of subscriptions happen each day, and the number of people subscribing has more than doubled since last year
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| Here an example of the competition state Vevo has created |
In relevancy to the 1st September 2013, Rihanna was the most viewed artist on YouTube with over 4 billions views, with Justin Bieber coming second. It is sites such as Twitter and Insatgram that encourage such competition too, because artists are personally asking their fans to watch their videos in order to have such title, which appeal to the audience as they feel they are helping their idol's success, creating a unified relationship between the two.
In conclusion to such point, YouTube is an easily accessed distributor in terms of music videos and therefore many choose to watch music videos on the site. However, Vevo is effective in encouraging the target audience to watch the music videos over and over, for this influences the success of each artist, for the more views they get, the more likely they are to hold a Vevo record, a title in which n audience feel a part of and therefore builds a relationship between the two. This causes the cycle to repeat itself.
YouTube also has other factors in which have encouraged the progression of music videos. Not only is the official music video provided for the target audience, but sometimes so is the behind the scenes making of it, in the form of a video on YouTube. This allows the target audience to know more of the music video and therefore feel more involved in it.
Here is an example of a behind the scenes video, taken from Jessie J in regards to her single 'Wild'. In the video, it depicts to process in which needs to be undertaken in order to make the video a success in terms of her own opinion and others. Therefore the audience are provided with an insight as to what Jessie J likes and how she creates her videos, giving them a short representation of the artist herself for them to feel as if they know her more. A behind the scenes video not only encourages the audience to watch the video after as they have now seen the making, but also allows them to feel closer to the artist as a result of them knowing more about them. In turn, an interest in the artist is either stimulated or maintained. Either way, this encourages the success and continuation of music videos because the target audience are now interested in the artist and therefore they are also interested in their music videos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XJAq9Ta3As
When Was The First Smart Phone Invented and How Have They Influenced The Success of Music Videos?
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| First smartphone to be invented, 1997 |
Ericsson was the first brand to actually coin the phrase “smartphone”, with the release of its GS88 in 1997. However, from the picture above in comparison to a smartphone today, it is fair to assume that the progression of technology differs in terms of what the smartphone is now capable of. In today's age, smartphones are vitally influential in the success of music videos as they are now capable of downloading. Being able to download a music video onto your phone epitomises how accessible they are to each individual. They become easy to share amongst friends and peers as they are only on your phone and therefore this increases the awareness of the original music video.
Also, smart phones now have what are identified as 'apps'; YouTube having one also.
Here is an example of what the YouTube App looks like on a smart phone. Similar to the online version, the App is just as easy to comprehend and use on your smartphone and therefore many choose to have it in order to watch music videos easily on their smartphones. In conclusion, smartphones are a portable source in which music videos can be easily streamed directly for the individual to watch and therefore emphasises the accessibility in which music videos are easily available.
The Influence Apple Has Had on Music Videos
Previous to this section, the impact that Vevo has had on music videos has been discussed in the YouTube section, in which the discussion of limitation of downloading music videos is evident. This effect has caused an increase in purchasing music videos on iTunes; an Apple device. iTunes allows individuals to but music, films, music videos etc and put them on other Apple devices such as an iPhone. iTunes is also available as an app and therefore it is also a portable source for music videos, just as easily accessed but costs money instead. Therefore, such route in not preferred amongst people however is still heavily used.
A comparison of Michael Jackson's 'Scream' video to Passenger's 'Let Her Go in order to identify how music videos have changed in terms of content over the years.
This video has been identified as the most expensive music video ever to have been created to date, costing $7,000,000. The video was originally made in 1995 and therefore is an example of an older music video as it was made around 18 years ago.In such period music videos were not constructed in order to display and conform to generic conventions, but rather a new way of directly connecting to their target audience in order to remain relevant and appealing. This video is an excellent example of such theory, for it's bizarre content does not conform to its typical genre conventions, however does relate to and display a representation on Michael Jackson in regards to what was going on in his life around about the same time as this video was made.
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| The artists constructed a spaceship |
The iconography used in the music video plays a particularly important role in the purpose of this video. The artists had a real spaceship built for the purpose of their music video, in which the majority of the overall cost for the video consisted of. Notably, their choice of such iconography is significant in representing their personal lives rather than being used to conform to the genre's conventions; "Scream" is cited primarily as an aggressive, retaliatory song directed at the tabloid media and their coverage of the child sexual abuse accusations made against Michael Jackson in 1993*, and therefore the music video provided the audience with a deeper understanding of the song, as they began to realise that the song itself was about the personal life of Michael Jackson. Going back on the previous point, the use of the spaceship is vitally key in this representation, as it isolates them away from the world, in which this is suggestive of their emotions. A combination of both fame and accusations of wrong-doings may have lead Michael Jackson in feeling alone and isolated in terms of the lack of fan admiration and family support. Therefore, the iconography is effective in giving the audience a short representation of the artist as they engage in his thoughts and emotions, a way to directly connect with the artist in order to build a relationship; an effect which is found appealing in maintaining an interest in artists.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scream/Childhood
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| The song featured Jackson's sister, Janet Jackson |
This particular scene in the music video is also significant in the building of the artist's representation, as it opposes the previous perception of the artist and therefore the audience are provided with more then one representation. This could be symbolic of the artist's real life, in that people will either chose to believe that he is isolated in that he has lost their support, or rather the artist still remains unified with his friends and family, shown in this shot above. The narrative shows both Michael and Janet playing a game together; a typical activity in which brothers and sisters engage in together conveying their close relationship. This representation conforms the Richard Dyer's theory, in which he proposed that artist's must appear both ordinary and extraordinary in order to be found appealing. The activity in which the artists are engaging in, is deemed ordinary as their target audience are familiar with such, as they have possibly engaged in a similar situation, giving the artists a quality in which the audience can relate to. However, the artists have also spent $7,000,000 on a music video that consists of a real spaceship, appearing extraordinary to the audience as it is unlikely that they have done such thing too; this gives them a quality in which the audience are unfamiliar with and therefore find interesting as it is something new. Holistically, this gives the target audience a combination of representations and therefore encourages them to identify which they find more plausible as the artist becomes a topic of conversation. This scene also conforms to Goodwin's theory, as there is a clear visual relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. The lyrics in this scene are: 'You Keep changin' the rules
While I keep playin' the game' in which this refers to both the visual, as they are evidently playing a game, or may be referring to their on social lives being game in which they cannot win; in which such referral represents the artist as unified with his family or fighting a losing game.
Colour is significant in any context when building a artist representation, for their connotations are suggestive of the mood and personality of the artist themselves. This video is entirely black and white, a typical convention found in thrillers as it creates an eerie atmosphere; an atmosphere present in moments of the video. With the song being called 'Scream', the artist conforms to the expectancy in that there is evidence on screaming; a method in which typically conveys distress or being scared. The video starts and ends with the artists screaming, which shows the continuous emotion of distress in his life, relevant to the accusations he was facing at the time. This therefore represents the artists as distressed and eerie to the target audience, found appealing as they know more about the artist through the short representation of him. As a result, they know more of him and therefore can build a relationship with him to maintain their interest. Furthermore, the colours black and white reinforce the eerie atmosphere throughout the entire video and therefore emphasises the artists' emotions such as distress, scared, isolation etc.
the progression in music has influenced new genres as well as the conventions of pre-exsiting genres.
i.e pop is mainstream, indie is a reaction to this
they oppose in conventions to suit target auidience demand etc etc
Things to consider:
- Youtube (Most watch
video)
- Budgets
- Technology/special
effects
- Target audience and
the number of views a music video/channel receives
- How have music genres
developed over the years?
This post demonstrates a good understanding of how music videos have changed and developed. You have considered a variety of points and examples, to demonstrate your understanding.
ReplyDeleteAim to focus on the audience and consider the role of the audience and how they have changed the industry. Finally, aim to include a summary, to explain how your research will assist you with planning your own music video.