History

Early Beginnings of Music Videos

The concept of music videos dates back to the 1920s with short musical films, often called Soundies.
In the 1950s and 1960s, Scopitones – a type of visual jukebox – grew in popularity, playing three-minute films that showcased dance sequences set to music.
The term ‘music video’ emerged during the 1970s to denote short promotional clips or films made by and for musicians.
The Beatles pioneering efforts in creating promotional films for their songs in the 1960s is often considered a precursor to the modern music videos.

The launch of MTV (Music Television) in 1981 marked a significant milestone in the history of music videos.
MTV regularly broadcasted these promotional clips, which in turn helped musicians reach a wider audience and sparked the trend of using music videos as marketing tools.
The phrase “Video Killed the Radio Star”, the first video aired on MTV, epitomised the shift from radio to music videos.
The television era led to an increase in the production values, complexity, and relevance of music videos, opening up opportunities for narrative storytelling, innovative filmmaking and audience engagement techniques.

The advent of the World Wide Web brought new platforms for music videos and reshaped their importance and role in the music industry.
The launch of YouTube in 2005 propelled this forward, with the platform becoming the primary hub for music video releases and consumption.
The video for “Gangnam Style” by Psy became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views in 2012, illustrating the platform’s enormous reach and potential for worldwide exposure.
The ability to easily share videos on social media also significantly increased the audience for music videos.

Today, music videos are often released simultaneously with singles and are considered a crucial part of an artist’s marketing strategy.
They are viewed as artworks in their own right, and the best examples incorporate cinematic techniques, visual effects, and innovative storytelling.
Music videos contribute to defining the artist’s image, they have the capacity to create online viral sensations, and they can effectively bridge the gap between an artist and their audience.
The rise in popularity of lyric videos and live performance videos showcases an ongoing evolution and diversification in the concept of music videos.
Traditionally lean-back experiences, music videos are now becoming more interactive with the rise of virtual reality and 360-degree videos.
The cultural influence of music videos remains significant, with their capacity to produce and reproduce cultural trends and norms.