Over the years music videos have changed dramatically, there were five main stages to the music video, each more controversial than the next. Music video's first started in the 1920's/30's with 'Soundies', these were three to five minute music sketches which could be seen in the cinema. An example of an early soundie can be seen below.
This fits in with the conventions of the time as Soundies usually showed a live band on the left hand side of the stage followed by dancers on the other side of the stage. The women are dressed appropriately, in a long elegant evening gown, in keeping with the conventions of the times.
Next came the Scopitones which were developed in France in the late 1950's, these were the early video jukeboxes and became the model for the music promo. After the end of the war in the 1940's there was a cultural explosion and views became a lot more liberal, such as more drinking, drugs and women dressed more provocatively. The quality of the song itself decreased as there was a lot more focus on the sexual exploits of the video.
This Scopitone meets the newer conventions as throughout the entire video it is focused on woman dancing in bikini's, and therefore has a very sexual theme throughout the video. As with many music videos of today it returns to one main woman again and again in this case the woman in the orange bikini. The sexual influence means the music video has no real meaning and is made as a way of attracting attention.
The 1960's introduced the music promo, many famous rock artists began to make music videos to promote their albums. As the 1960's brought the hippy movement a lot of music videos were heavily drug influenced. This is seen with artists such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd.
This meets conventions as it is clearly drug influenced by the bright colours and swirling patterns especially at 1:18 of the video when the blue pattern seems to come towards the viewer. The drug influence overrides any narrative or story line a normal music video may contain as there are no characters or settings.
The Glam Rock era arrived in the late 1960's/ early 70's, these music videos were made as a way of keeping fans entertained when away on tour. The main idea of the Glam rock era was to push the boundaries of the time, in this case the idea of sexuality. Some artists that pushed the limits include Queen, David Bowie and Adam Ant.
This video pushes the boundries of homosexuality as David Bowie is wearing heavy makeup during the entire video, he is also wearing tight clothes that would usually be worn by a woman and were ultra feminine at the time, this can be clearly seen 30seconds into the video. Not only is Bowie wearing make up and dressing feminine but so are all of his male band members completely eclipsing the usual perception of the 'straight male'. This new approach to music videos was meant to push the boundaries from the last era and therefore grab attention and gain popularity.
The Birth of M.T.V
M.T.V was created in 1979, on August 1st 1981 they played their first music video which was Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. Music videos now started to compete to be played and almost all artists were producing music videos.
In the 1990's the definition of Hip-hop began to change along with their videos. Music videos were now being given budgets the same as motion pictures. The Hip-hop artists began to embrace their gangster lifestyles and drug use was exploited.
Early hip-hop videos such as this were fairly tame as there is no exploitation of drugs or women, the raps themselves were quite innocent, as this song by the Sugar Hill Gang shows it is about rapping skills and having a good time. This video also shows old style rappers dress sense was very different from those of today, they're dressing up as red Indians as it matches the song. As time goes on we start to see music videos focus on drugs and partying as seen below.
This video is much more in keeping with the new Hip-hop genre as it involves parties with drink and drugs. there is a major reference to girls throughout the video and in the lyrics, we can see how women are treated in the "gangster" society at 2:25 in the video, they are seen as sexual objects. this is backed up by the lyrics "And before me dig out a bitch I have ta' find a contraceptive...Ain't no pussy good enough to get burnt while i'm up in it." The gangster lifestyle is now embraced by these new rap artists as this video demonstrates gangsters hanging aroung their hood enjoying life, 'Ain't nothin' but a G thing' means that this lifestyle of parties and drugs is casual and common to a gangster and not a big deal.
We can see from these different music videos how the music video has progressed over the years.
Aisleen Dunne
Next came the Scopitones which were developed in France in the late 1950's, these were the early video jukeboxes and became the model for the music promo. After the end of the war in the 1940's there was a cultural explosion and views became a lot more liberal, such as more drinking, drugs and women dressed more provocatively. The quality of the song itself decreased as there was a lot more focus on the sexual exploits of the video.
This Scopitone meets the newer conventions as throughout the entire video it is focused on woman dancing in bikini's, and therefore has a very sexual theme throughout the video. As with many music videos of today it returns to one main woman again and again in this case the woman in the orange bikini. The sexual influence means the music video has no real meaning and is made as a way of attracting attention.
The 1960's introduced the music promo, many famous rock artists began to make music videos to promote their albums. As the 1960's brought the hippy movement a lot of music videos were heavily drug influenced. This is seen with artists such as The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Pink Floyd.
This meets conventions as it is clearly drug influenced by the bright colours and swirling patterns especially at 1:18 of the video when the blue pattern seems to come towards the viewer. The drug influence overrides any narrative or story line a normal music video may contain as there are no characters or settings.
The Glam Rock era arrived in the late 1960's/ early 70's, these music videos were made as a way of keeping fans entertained when away on tour. The main idea of the Glam rock era was to push the boundaries of the time, in this case the idea of sexuality. Some artists that pushed the limits include Queen, David Bowie and Adam Ant.
This video pushes the boundries of homosexuality as David Bowie is wearing heavy makeup during the entire video, he is also wearing tight clothes that would usually be worn by a woman and were ultra feminine at the time, this can be clearly seen 30seconds into the video. Not only is Bowie wearing make up and dressing feminine but so are all of his male band members completely eclipsing the usual perception of the 'straight male'. This new approach to music videos was meant to push the boundaries from the last era and therefore grab attention and gain popularity.
The Birth of M.T.V
M.T.V was created in 1979, on August 1st 1981 they played their first music video which was Video Killed the Radio Star by The Buggles. Music videos now started to compete to be played and almost all artists were producing music videos.
In the 1990's the definition of Hip-hop began to change along with their videos. Music videos were now being given budgets the same as motion pictures. The Hip-hop artists began to embrace their gangster lifestyles and drug use was exploited.
Early hip-hop videos such as this were fairly tame as there is no exploitation of drugs or women, the raps themselves were quite innocent, as this song by the Sugar Hill Gang shows it is about rapping skills and having a good time. This video also shows old style rappers dress sense was very different from those of today, they're dressing up as red Indians as it matches the song. As time goes on we start to see music videos focus on drugs and partying as seen below.
This video is much more in keeping with the new Hip-hop genre as it involves parties with drink and drugs. there is a major reference to girls throughout the video and in the lyrics, we can see how women are treated in the "gangster" society at 2:25 in the video, they are seen as sexual objects. this is backed up by the lyrics "And before me dig out a bitch I have ta' find a contraceptive...Ain't no pussy good enough to get burnt while i'm up in it." The gangster lifestyle is now embraced by these new rap artists as this video demonstrates gangsters hanging aroung their hood enjoying life, 'Ain't nothin' but a G thing' means that this lifestyle of parties and drugs is casual and common to a gangster and not a big deal.
We can see from these different music videos how the music video has progressed over the years.
Aisleen Dunne
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