Purposes of music videos
In the year 1941,
‘The Panoram Soundie’ was invented and distributed in the USA, this was a jukebox
type system that played short video clips along with the music. This invention
became a hit in clubs and bars across the country. Since then music videos have
developed into something entirely new and become an outstanding part of video
media, being shown on a number of different platforms such as MTV, YouTube, and
other streaming websites. In this essay we will be discussing the multiple
purposes of music videos, such as promotion of the artist or the director,
synergy with another company, etc. As well as the different techniques used in
the production of the music videos and how it affects the product itself.
Promotion
Some artists and bands use music videos to promote
themselves, or other directors or producers involved. In music videos focused
on promoting the band or artist themselves, the video usually consists of them
either just playing or delivering a narrative.
The video on the left is a song from the band 'Vampire Weekend' and the video solely consists of the band playing; focusing on the band in the video gives the viewer no distractions and allows them to focus on the band themselves. The video on the right is a song by the artist 'Childish Gambino' and, while the video doesn't solely focus on him and nothing else, he is center spotlight throughout the whole thing and still promotes him primarily.
Music videos designed to promote the directors/producers focus on their implemented style or narrative rather than the band or artist.
This video was directed by famous TV celebrity Richard Ayoade, Ayoade has a lot of work in feature length films, television series and also music videos. He has directed videos for A-list bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian. In Ayoade's videos there is a unique style of cinematography and narrative and this is how he is promoted.
Producers' Strategies
Mainstream artists In this industry, different types and genres of artists will be marketed in different ways depending on their scene; mainstream artists will have a lot of publicity behind them and need to maintain a clean, respectable image, this will be reflected in their music videos. In mainstream artists' videos such as Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber you will notice a higher budget production, choreographed dancing, provocative aesthetic, etc. This is also reflected through the platforms the video is aired on; higher budget videos will be on TV, as well as numerous sites on the internet such as YouTube, Spotify, ITunes etc.
For example, in this video we can plainly see the higher budget production value through the whole set, mise-en-scene, choreography, etc.
Independent Artists Whereas, independent artists' don't have the financial ability to back such a large production and their music videos are paid for by their independent record labels. This limits their options in comparison to bigger artists. Also, they're more limited to where their videos are played.
An example of a larger independent artist is Childish Gambino, he is signed to a much smaller record label and therefore has a smaller budget; you can tell by the mise-en-scene and everything in the video. Childish Gambino, while being an independent artist has been quite successful and his music is shown across many platforms.
Self-Produced Artists There are also artists who produce and distribute their music themselves, this is commonly seen on the internet, as there are many cheap and popular websites such as YouTube and social media sites where you can upload videos for free. Being self-produced means that you have more control over what your product is and you don't have anyone censoring you, however it also means that you have much less funding and you are less likely to receive a lot of publicity.
For example, Tyler, The Creator is a self-produced artist, this is mainly due to the controversy around a lot of his tracks because of the explicit language and content in the videos he makes, this would repel record labels because they would rather represent more socially acceptable artists and music. Regardless of Tyler's controversy, Tyler is an exceedingly successful artist and has a huge fan-base.
Art Some artists produce videos with the aim of creating a visual art piece to accompany their music, rather than commercial reasons. This kind of video tends to not focus on the artist and the music being played but instead focus on an artistic statement.
This video for the song 'Feels Like We Only Go Backwards' by 'Tame Impala', a psychedelic rock band known for their unique, artistic music videos to accompany their equally mesmerizing music. The video was directed and produced by Joe Pelling & Becky Sloan, and is made entirely from Plasticine collage.
Extension of income
Every time an artist's music is played on the radio, that artist receives royalties or payment in exchange. Also, if an artist decides to then make a music video to accompany it, they will, again, receive royalties or payment in exchange. However, it is almost impossible to track the consumption of a singular music video, due to the large number of media outlets; meaning they won't receive all the money they're entitled to. The usual outcome is that mainstream artists tend to top the charts on a regular basis because their songs are often played on the radio all the time, where as underground or more alternative musicians rely on other 'media outlets' to get their record heard and their names recognized. The primary reason it's less common to hear alternative or non-mainstream artists on prime-time radio and on music TV channels is because it's a risk for the company to broadcast music their fan-base is less familiar with because they may not like it, which means the broadcast will get less viewership, this is why they stick the mainstream artists the general public are aware of. Also, it is more difficult for smaller artists to get their music aired because they may not necessarily have the funds to pay for that kind of promotion, meaning they have to stick to the cheaper, less popular media outlets to gain publicity. A lot of artists, famous in today's culture started through YouTube, this is a free video publishing website where you can upload videos for free and it has billions of users. YouTube is probably one of the best media outlets to begin releasing your work because its free and has the potential to give you a lot of publicity.
For example, this is a music video from comedy/music group 'The Lonely Island', they began their career making videos on YouTube 11 years ago, their first viral song 'Jizz In My Pants' was one of the first ever viral videos on the site 8 years ago. Since then, they have become writers for SNL and other big companies. They have also had a plethora of other viral videos on the internet.
Extension of Outlets/Platforms
As previously mentioned, there are a huge number platforms where musicians can distribute their work. The most modern and popular platforms at present are social media sites on the internet such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, however there are also a number of digital streaming services that allow you to access music as well, these include Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Prime, Apple Music, Google Play Music and more. There are also a number of channels on television specifically dedicated to broadcasting music videos, such as MTV, Kerrang, Scuzz, etc. Finally, the oldest yet equally popular outlet is the Radio, where channels broadcast music live.
Synergy
Synergy, in this context, refers to a company promoting their primary product through the release of subsidiary products via licensing deals. The idea of synergy began in the 1930's when he granted other companies and firms the rights to use Mickey Mouse in various products and advertisements. It is now a common to see Disney related products wherever you go , this promotes Disney while also giving that subsidiary product more attention and promotion.
An example I have found is Alex Turner's single 'Stuck on A Puzzle'. This song was written for and featured in the feature film 'Submarine', the film was written, produced and directed by Richard Ayoade. This song promotes the film as well as vice versa. This example shows the collaboration between two different parties in two different areas of media, promoting each-other through linking each-other's products.
Conclusion
Music videos are, in my opinion, an interesting form of visual media and digital art. Music by itself is a pillar in all cultures in existence, and the addition of visual entertainment immerses you even further into this art. The variety of purposes music videos serve prove its worth in the industry. Songs on the radio tend to have a short lifespan and inevitably get replaced and forgotten about after a time, however, music videos on sites such as YouTube are there forever and will be accessible for the foreseeable future.
The video on the left is a song from the band 'Vampire Weekend' and the video solely consists of the band playing; focusing on the band in the video gives the viewer no distractions and allows them to focus on the band themselves. The video on the right is a song by the artist 'Childish Gambino' and, while the video doesn't solely focus on him and nothing else, he is center spotlight throughout the whole thing and still promotes him primarily.
Music videos designed to promote the directors/producers focus on their implemented style or narrative rather than the band or artist.
This video was directed by famous TV celebrity Richard Ayoade, Ayoade has a lot of work in feature length films, television series and also music videos. He has directed videos for A-list bands such as Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian. In Ayoade's videos there is a unique style of cinematography and narrative and this is how he is promoted.
Producers' Strategies
Mainstream artists In this industry, different types and genres of artists will be marketed in different ways depending on their scene; mainstream artists will have a lot of publicity behind them and need to maintain a clean, respectable image, this will be reflected in their music videos. In mainstream artists' videos such as Nicki Minaj and Justin Bieber you will notice a higher budget production, choreographed dancing, provocative aesthetic, etc. This is also reflected through the platforms the video is aired on; higher budget videos will be on TV, as well as numerous sites on the internet such as YouTube, Spotify, ITunes etc.
For example, in this video we can plainly see the higher budget production value through the whole set, mise-en-scene, choreography, etc.
Independent Artists Whereas, independent artists' don't have the financial ability to back such a large production and their music videos are paid for by their independent record labels. This limits their options in comparison to bigger artists. Also, they're more limited to where their videos are played.
An example of a larger independent artist is Childish Gambino, he is signed to a much smaller record label and therefore has a smaller budget; you can tell by the mise-en-scene and everything in the video. Childish Gambino, while being an independent artist has been quite successful and his music is shown across many platforms.
Self-Produced Artists There are also artists who produce and distribute their music themselves, this is commonly seen on the internet, as there are many cheap and popular websites such as YouTube and social media sites where you can upload videos for free. Being self-produced means that you have more control over what your product is and you don't have anyone censoring you, however it also means that you have much less funding and you are less likely to receive a lot of publicity.
For example, Tyler, The Creator is a self-produced artist, this is mainly due to the controversy around a lot of his tracks because of the explicit language and content in the videos he makes, this would repel record labels because they would rather represent more socially acceptable artists and music. Regardless of Tyler's controversy, Tyler is an exceedingly successful artist and has a huge fan-base.
Art Some artists produce videos with the aim of creating a visual art piece to accompany their music, rather than commercial reasons. This kind of video tends to not focus on the artist and the music being played but instead focus on an artistic statement.
This video for the song 'Feels Like We Only Go Backwards' by 'Tame Impala', a psychedelic rock band known for their unique, artistic music videos to accompany their equally mesmerizing music. The video was directed and produced by Joe Pelling & Becky Sloan, and is made entirely from Plasticine collage.
Extension of income
Every time an artist's music is played on the radio, that artist receives royalties or payment in exchange. Also, if an artist decides to then make a music video to accompany it, they will, again, receive royalties or payment in exchange. However, it is almost impossible to track the consumption of a singular music video, due to the large number of media outlets; meaning they won't receive all the money they're entitled to. The usual outcome is that mainstream artists tend to top the charts on a regular basis because their songs are often played on the radio all the time, where as underground or more alternative musicians rely on other 'media outlets' to get their record heard and their names recognized. The primary reason it's less common to hear alternative or non-mainstream artists on prime-time radio and on music TV channels is because it's a risk for the company to broadcast music their fan-base is less familiar with because they may not like it, which means the broadcast will get less viewership, this is why they stick the mainstream artists the general public are aware of. Also, it is more difficult for smaller artists to get their music aired because they may not necessarily have the funds to pay for that kind of promotion, meaning they have to stick to the cheaper, less popular media outlets to gain publicity. A lot of artists, famous in today's culture started through YouTube, this is a free video publishing website where you can upload videos for free and it has billions of users. YouTube is probably one of the best media outlets to begin releasing your work because its free and has the potential to give you a lot of publicity.
For example, this is a music video from comedy/music group 'The Lonely Island', they began their career making videos on YouTube 11 years ago, their first viral song 'Jizz In My Pants' was one of the first ever viral videos on the site 8 years ago. Since then, they have become writers for SNL and other big companies. They have also had a plethora of other viral videos on the internet.
Extension of Outlets/Platforms
As previously mentioned, there are a huge number platforms where musicians can distribute their work. The most modern and popular platforms at present are social media sites on the internet such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, however there are also a number of digital streaming services that allow you to access music as well, these include Spotify, iTunes, Amazon Prime, Apple Music, Google Play Music and more. There are also a number of channels on television specifically dedicated to broadcasting music videos, such as MTV, Kerrang, Scuzz, etc. Finally, the oldest yet equally popular outlet is the Radio, where channels broadcast music live.
Synergy
Synergy, in this context, refers to a company promoting their primary product through the release of subsidiary products via licensing deals. The idea of synergy began in the 1930's when he granted other companies and firms the rights to use Mickey Mouse in various products and advertisements. It is now a common to see Disney related products wherever you go , this promotes Disney while also giving that subsidiary product more attention and promotion.
An example I have found is Alex Turner's single 'Stuck on A Puzzle'. This song was written for and featured in the feature film 'Submarine', the film was written, produced and directed by Richard Ayoade. This song promotes the film as well as vice versa. This example shows the collaboration between two different parties in two different areas of media, promoting each-other through linking each-other's products.Conclusion
Music videos are, in my opinion, an interesting form of visual media and digital art. Music by itself is a pillar in all cultures in existence, and the addition of visual entertainment immerses you even further into this art. The variety of purposes music videos serve prove its worth in the industry. Songs on the radio tend to have a short lifespan and inevitably get replaced and forgotten about after a time, however, music videos on sites such as YouTube are there forever and will be accessible for the foreseeable future.
