1. HISTORY OF MUSIC
VIDEOS
By Rag’e Ali

2. What is a music video?
 A commercial videotape featuring a performance
of a popular song, often through a stylized dramat
ization by the performers with lip-
synching and special effects.
This helps set the theme of the
music video – from dance
routines to bands performing.
Most music videos do not
attempt to give an accurate
representation of life through
their narrative – but an
attempt to set their video in a
world in which the audience
can escape into (backed up
the Uses and Gratifications
Theory)
Over the time period of music
videos, the technology and
software has become more
advanced, thus allowing
producers to produce music
video that are more captivating
The aim of a music video
is to help make a record
sell

3. Examples
 Early examples of music videos:
 Elvis Presley – Suspicious Minds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q04_ClDxRs
k
 Cliff Richard – Hey Mister Dream Maker:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpjSKk-
Vkyk

4. Notable music videos
 It’s important to note that the creation of a
music video is often treated in the manner that
a that a film would be treated. For example,
Michael Jackson’s music video for his song
“Do You Remember The Time” was directed by
Stephen Spielberg. I also think that the music
video’s made by artists such as Michael
Jackson sparked this movement to compel
and narrate a story within a music video – a
trend which is still evident today.

5. Budget for music videos
 Most expensive video of all time : “Scream” –
Michael and Janet Jackson:
 Budget: $7 million
 Was it effective?
 I think it was effective because it’s one of the most
memorable and technologically advanced video
for it’s time – in terms of the mise-en-scene ,
where the Jackson siblings seem to be playing
squash with a levitating ball or the all leather outfit
that has impacted on the current leather fashion
trend that is currently present.

6. Timeline for music videos
 1930s – the era where music videos started. Filmed in black
and white. Genre of music was jazz and the music video was
heavily performance based.
 1940s – where music videos were linked with a musical
 1956 – often stated by many that the Beatles were the start of
product placement, often finding their songs in current film
scores
 1965 – the year where music videos were shown on TV
 1983 – “Thriller” by Michael Jackson – one of the longest
music videos in history, lasting 14 minutes – shows the turn
where music videos began to invoke a piece of narrative into
their music videos.
 1985 – “Scream” : Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson
 2005 – the release of iTunes and Youtube
 2010 – Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber reach a Billion views on
Youtube

7. Future for music videos
 There has been an increase to advertise
products in music videos. An example of a
product that is heavily marketed in pop videos
today is “Beats By Dr Dre”. I think that the
driving force behind the sales is the fact that if
people see that their artist is fond of a
particular product, the consumer will go buy
the product in order to relate to their artist
more (backed up the Uses and Gratifications
Theory”

8. Examples
 Miley Cyrus – We Can’t Stop
 Lady GaGa – Poker face
 Beyonce – Party