Music videos haven’t always existed. The purpose of a music video is to promote the artist and the album through the video using either narrative, performance, animation or abstract.
In the fifties they didn’t have music videos artist made films to promote their music. In 1956 Elvis Presley brought out two films ‘Rock around the clock’ and ‘The girl can’t help it’. Elvis didn’t like to tour so the easiest way to promote his music was through a film, a musical so his song could be heard. All other rock and roll artists were seen as a threat. This is because Elvis was seen as king of rock and roll but he was worldwide and had lots of expenditure to spend on films. Elvis went into the army but kept his exposure alive as his films were still being released.
By the early sixties there was a new generation of teenagers who were challenging the values of their parents and wanted to lead their own path in life and questioned others views. This brought out a new attitude towards music. 1964 The Beatles brought out the film ‘Hard day’s night’ directed by Dick Lester. They sold over 1 billion records. They created their own unique image of how they wanted to be perceived. It was a narrative as it was a film although there was a lot of performance involved as that is what the audience wanted to see. They used close-ups to promote the stars. The year after the Beatles brought out their second film ‘Help!’ There were a lot more group shots, it created and image as the Beatles became iconic and people saw them as idols. In the same year Bob Dylan brought out a film ‘Don’t look back’ it was a documentary on English tour directed by D.A Pennabaker. Bob Dylan was one of the first to write his own songs. 1967 on boxing day the beatles brought out a new film ‘i am the walrus’. They interperate the song lyrics within the video for example they are dressed up as walruses. The really challenge the establishment in this video and show their rebellious side as they are singing ‘uppa lumpa stick it up your jumper everybody smoke pot’ it shows that they are going against the norm of society. In 1972 david bowey brought out a film space oddity what was very much a performance video with elements of abstract. It is very futuristic as he was trying to promote his own image, and losts of close ups of him looking into the camera was used. It was the first video to be filmed in a studio and their was a lot of use of red lighting for effect.
In 1973 the first 2 inch video tape came out and in 1975 Queen made a video – Bohemian Rhapsody. It was ver much glam rock and good performance. There was costume changes, different lighting and part were filmed at a low angle to give the impression of dominance. The colours of the lighting on the video also determined the mood of the song. This was number one for 9 weeks and cost £5000 to make the video. This was very expensive at the time. Progressing with the use of props and costume Peter Gabriall brought out sledge hammer in the early 80s. It was very surreal and had a variety of animation.
Then came along Michel Jackson – Thriller in 1984 this became the second biggest selling album it included a long narrative and performance. It was presented like a short film and had lots of the typical horror film conventions. This includes the graveyard, night time, eery music deep voice and the innocent girl. This is intertexual as it is referring to other media texts such as a horror film. Shortly after in the late 80s beautiful south brought out – the song for whoever. They used a narrative and also had elements of performance. They used humour but also made a point of that within the music industry you don’t have to be able to sing to be a star. Fat boy slim then brought out a video in the 90s – right here what told the story of evolution throughout the video that also introduced humour into it. He changed music videos drastically as he didn’t star in his own video and most of the video was computerised.
George Michael also used humour as in his video – outside he was playing on his own media image of what the media had be saying about him. It had reference to the toilet and the police and also his arrest and how he feels about it. It also had gay references within the video.
R.E.M at the beginning of the 90s brought out losing my religion. The lyrics of this song were about the belief system in religion being shattered, as they were building their own wings in the video. The glass smashed on the floor to represent the shattering of religion. This is because at the time people were challenging beliefs and religion. There was a good interpretation of lyrics in visual form.
Radio Head in the late 90s - street spirit. It was abstract and verys much into art throughout the video. His other video – no surprise also followed this theme of being abstract but in a different way as the man was drowning and the lyrics were backwards.
Wezer brought out a music video – buddy holly. They were a 90’s band although they have a lot of intertextual references to the TV program happy days from the 70s what is suppose to be set into the 50s. They copies buddy holly by his dress sense as it gave the video humour as it shows how so much has changed.
Oasis also did the same thing in the video – importance of being idol as it was a black and white narrative and it was very 60s style. It referred to the British social realism and showed the working class like that wasn’t focused on at all up until the 60s. Only upper and middle class was focused on the TV and the lower class were to be perceived as stupid. Lots of props were used in the video and it had an intertexual reference to Saturday night Sunday morning what was made in the 1960s and also coronation street. This was just before The Beatles were their was two different generations and believe that the older generation have a lot more morels.
Coming up to date blink 182 – all the small things was parodying all forms of music videos for humour. They were under minding the music industry and the audience found this humerous.
Nirvana – in bloom also has references to the 60s and The Beatles. It shows the fans screaming after them what was the same in The Beatles first film. They also used black and white to make it look like the 60s. The only thing that made it different was the genre of music and what they sing about. This is because we are influenced from things that are around us so the text producer will have a difference perception on things then what The Beatles did.
Music videos have changed drastically as things have improved through technology greatly and this has made it more accessible to be able to make a music video and also people views on things has made different genres in the music industry and people are singing about different things.
