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The First Video
In 1894 the first projected images were introduced so Joe Stern used this new found technology to promote there song "The Little Lost Child". They used a magic lantern and a series of projected images whilst they played the song simultaneously. This was the start of a new way of interprating and promoting music. -
Screen Songs
With the arrival of "talkies" and sound films a new way of presenting music arrived with Screen Songs. This is similar to the modern day karaoke where the audience sings along to the animation that they see. Disney lead this new movement with there new interprations of classical songs and implementation of modern artists. An example of this would be Disney's Fantasia which has a lot of songs involved. -
The First Music Video
Toby Bennet claimed in his autobiography that he created the first music video with one of his songs. There's not much proof but it's said that it was shots of him walking through Hyde Park in London. It was given to UK and US television stations and aired during shows. -
The Beatles
In 1964 The Beatles starred in there first feature film called "A Hard Days Night" which was a comedy and involved musical tones. Shot in black and white and presented as a mock-documentary. The Beatles international success makes this film very significant when considering the history of music videos. -
The Beatles Part 2
There second film is called "Help" and is considered a template for a lot of modern day music videos. Shot in colour and through the use of abstract camera angles and a mixture of cross cuts. This film marks history as another significant release for The Beatles and the world. -
The Rolling Stones
In 1967 they directed a shot colour promo clip for there new single "We Love You". It consisted of sped-up clips of them in the recording studio compiled together. They would then go on to do more promo clips with as much attention as the first. These promo clips when aired provide a new way of marketing and interprating music. -
Countdown and Sounds
These shows aired in 1974 and provided a significance in popularizing Australia with music videos. They featured established acts videos and rising acts to the audience. "Sounds" was mostly teen orientated and aired weekly to supply the emerging generation of the popular music. -
MTV
MTV was aired on this date a subsequently the show "Video Killed The Rockstar". This was the first to air music videos 24/7 which could be accessed by anyone with the right technology. This is groundbreaking as there was now a service which could be accessed anytime and provided you with the latest music videos. -
Technology Evolving
At this time, technology was reaching a new era in terms of how music videos would be recorded. A major development was camera's which became affordable and easy to use. Other area's like sound and editing became a lot easier and new composition/special affect methods became a lot more noticable and significant. Production teams were keen on the 35mm cameras for its attributes and it became a prefered medium. -
Thriller
This music video is probably the most influential of all time with it's iconic 14 minute length, short film style. John Landis would direct the film for Michael Jackson, the most famous pop star of are age. Through the mix of iconic dance routines and creepy atmosphere, this music video goes down in history as one of the best. -
The Charts
This marks when "The Chart Show" on Channel Four was first aired. This program consisted entirely of music videos popular at the time and ranked into a top 40. There was no presenters and was simply linked by computer graphics and modern technology. It's significant because it showed the audience the popular trends of the time and was frequently updated. -
One
This legendary song by Metallica has a joint music video which has a very symbolic feel. It is said by a lot that it is the best Metallica song which can be recognised by it's melodic intro and gritty feel. The music video also reflects this style with a mixture of stock footage and historical clips. You cant help but think that there is a lot of meaning to it. This is why it is one of the best videos in history. -
Rise of the Directors
In this period a lot of music video directors emerged who specialised in this medium. Some of the most expensive videos in history happened at this time. Michael and Janet Jackson's "Scream" allegedly cost $7million to produce. Music videos were now a medium in themselves and were as important as the song itself. Pop culture had evolved into the state of mind where people couldn't wait for the next Prodigy or Britney Spears video. Directors had a new known status in culture. -
The Internet
The invention of the internet was ground breaking in terms of the spread of music. The world now had joint access to every type of music. But it also lead to the creation of Napster and piracy websites which slightly hindered the music industry. But YouTube allows you to access any music video on demand which is a service not available before. -
The Modern Video
Music videos are primarily used in the modern day for marketing and used to promote the aritst and there upcoming single or album. They provide the song in a visual medium which draws people in and helps overall sales. As technology has evolved, more opprtunities are available for artists who aren't signed to make a name for themselves. And it allows artists to make more abstract videos which use animation.
