1. The History of Music Videos
Joshua Smith

2. • A filmed or videotaped rendition of a recorded song, often portraying
musicians performing the song or including visual images interpreting the
lyrics.
WHAT DEFINES A MUSIC VIDEO?

3. WHERE IT ALL STARTED
In 1894, sheet music publishers Edward B. Marks and Joe Stern hired electrician
George Thomas and various performers to promote sales of their song "The Little Lost
Child" Using a magic lantern, Thomas projected a series of still images on a screen
immediate to live performances. This would become a popular form of entertainment
known as the illustrated song, the first step towards music videos.

4. PROGRESSION
Because of the arrival of „talkies‟ in 1926 many musical short
films produced featuring bands, vocalist and dancers.
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or
sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent
film.
In 1930‟s it was a real progressive year in the music video business
with musical films, Ancestor of the music video and “screen
songs” introduced.
“screen songs” was a series of cartoon films which encouraged
audiences to sing along by "following the bouncing ball.“
Ancestor of the music video lasted 10 years between the year of
1930-1940 this allowed many artists to feature in dramatized
performances of hit songs.
Musical Films lasted between 1930 – 1959 and the musical film
was a film genre in which several songs were interwoven into the
film.

5. In 1940 we were welcomed by the arrival of promotion clips, these were short
films of many famous jazz artists and their bands on a movie-set bandstand.
In 1956 the rise of popular music was tied with the rise of television as the
format exposed new stars.
In 1964 The Beatles done their first ever feature film “A Hard Day‟s Night”.
One year later in 1965 The Beatles filmed 10 films which are used to promote
album releases. This is the start of video promotion.
PROGRESSION

6. In 1981 it was the launch of American TV show MTV which aired “Video
Killed the Radio Star” this was the start of a new era as music from that
moment was being played 24-hour-a-day. Due to this new material the music
video would by the mid-1980‟s grow to play a central role in the music
marketing. Many important acts of this time, such as; Madonna and Duran
Duran owed a great deal of success to their videos.
MTV

7. In 1992, MTV began listing directors with the artist and song credits,
reflecting the fact that music videos had increasingly become an auteur's
medium. Directors such as; Chris Cunningham, Michel Gondry, Spike
Jonze, Stéphane Sednaoui, Mark Romanek and Hype Williams all got their
start around this time; all brought a unique vision and style to the videos they
directed.
RISE OF DIRECTORS

8. In 2005 YouTube and iTunes were both created. YouTube was created so
people could watch videos/music videos online this allows the music artist to
see how popular they or their songs are.
iTunes allows the audience to buy and download music video‟s, it received
1,000,000 downloads in its first 20 days.
INTERNET

9. Music videos arent that new, in fact they‟ve been around since before films
could have sound. Some performances would project images onto a screen as
they played live, these images would then reflect the themes and emotions of
the music played.
Spooney Melodies by Warner Bros, Showcases popular tunes of the time
Musicals were dominated as they would perform songs at the Grammy‟s
60‟s > TV main sound of media, this is when the artist started to experiment.
Pans people dance to Bucket T ---
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL2_71UvADg
ADDITIONS NOTES FROM CLASS

10. First music video ever was Bob Dylan Subterranean Home Sick Blues in 1965
The Beatles made the film “A Hard‟s Day Night” with the director Richard
Lester – when you couldn‟t get to an event
Early 1970‟s – MV became serious because of film makers coming from art
schools – David Bowie - Life On Mars
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v--IqqusnNQ
Top of the pops was sometimes more exciting than live performances.
Madonna – Material Girl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNSUOFgj97M
^Narrative become important as seen above^
Intertexual reference > Gentlemen prefer blondes
ADDITIONS NOTES FROM CLASS

11. Michael Jackson music video “Thriller” – was a big budget $7,000,000. It was
the first big-budget music video
Duran Duran “Rio” and George Michael‟s “Freedom” > they had
supermodels
Lily Allen had her career started through the internet as its now taken over
Cheap technology means people can make music videos on any budget.
Ok Go – A Million Ways – cost only £30
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1_CLW-NNwc
ADDITIONS NOTES FROM CLASS

12. Three Types of music videos
• Performance – singing in concert to widely enthusiastic fans. This then
convenys a sense on in-concert experience
• Narrative – presents a sequence of events that tell a story, with romance
being the most popular
• Conceptual – realises on poetic form, primarily a metaphor. These do not
tell a story in linear fashion. Bjork Cocoon the meaning is the interpreted
by the audience
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVHpBCjUu8M
ADDITIONS NOTES FROM CLASS

13. The role of a music video is to dominant and transform a three minute single
A single can exist a video but not the reverse
Therefore the song has to priority – the music video is just a form of
advertising
MTV brought radio and TV
At first it only produced concert specials and occasional programmes such as
interviews
Then in 1983 it moved from pop to rock and heavy metal
It then had a wider variety of rock, pop and even rap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2EDkv_dyeI
^Queen – Body Language was the first ever music video to be banned by
MTV because of the lack of clothing and the amount of sweat
ADDITIONS NOTES FROM CLASS

14. 1990‟s – MTV banned a dance sequence by MJ because of inappropriate
touching. Also they don‟t care about us > BBC, MTV and VH1
“Like A Virgin” by Madonna > Highly sexual connotations
“Smack My Bitch” and “Fire Starter” were also banned.
2000s - Robbie Williams “ Rock DJ” > Nude body and he takes of his skin
and shows his flesh
t.A.T.u > Lesbian kiss – all the things she said was bad and Richard and Judy
Campaigned to get it banned because they thought it would attract
paedophiles.
ADDITIONS NOTES FROM CLASS