Innovations and Evolutions
In this blog, I will be analysing the innovations and evolutions surrounding the presentation and production of music videos.
Point A: Madonna- Vogue- 2019- New York City, New York
I chose this specific music video because from my recollection, it was the very first one I had ever watched. I have a vivid memory of watching this music video as a "throwback" segment on MTV. I had never seen anything like it, I remember being captivated. I was shocked by the use of different scenes and backgrounds. I was not familiar with Madonna upon watching this video, but simply, that did not matter. I was hooked, despite not having a connection with the artist. As explained by Purpose Studios, "Music videos gave up-and-coming artists a defining visual aesthetic that cemented their status as icons. Now music videos were more available and spread worldwide. It gave all artists a platform and all listeners a new gateway to be both immersed and inspired". At their creation, music videos were designed to draw in fanbases and establish a likeness for artist. The innovation of music videos was ground breaking for the music space, this was true for all parties. The artist, producers, and listeners all gained. The "og" iconic music videos, like this example of Vogue, set the precedent for future artist of adding visual attributes to an otherwise auditory art.
Point B: Sabrina Carpenter- Taste- 2024- Los Angeles, California
Sabrina Carpenter was a very easy pick for this analysis. I have been a fan since of her since the very beginning and have absolutely loved her music, in addition to her music videos. Music videos that have been released recently, Taste included, are all about storytelling. They are about bringing the song to life. With this video specifically, it highlights two girls who are seemingly fighting over a shared love-interest. This is a storyline which is insinuated within the lyrics. This point is driven-home by The Rabbit Room, "Today, we live in a much more visual world, and videos of all varieties (lyrics, live performances, visualizers, conceptual, reels, etc) are nearly symbiotic with the making and releasing of new music. One of the wonderful gifts that music videos give us is to experience music with more than just our ears". In present day, music videos are much less about gaining traction as an artist, but rather, a way to build a stronger fanbase by helping listeners connect to your songs on a deeper level. This is made possible through visual art offered through videos. This evolution is one that made music videos bigger than ever, with larger than life sets and budgets to go along with it.
In my view, recent music videos are much more about marketing the individual song as suppose to the artist as a whole. When analysed, this is a stark difference. For me personally, I am a very visual person. Often, even if I enjoy a song the lyrics can fly over my head. For this reason, I enjoy the story telling proponent that can be observed between newer music videos. It always leaves me with a greater respect and admiration for the underlying meaning and purpose. With this, I do recognise that this evolution or development would not have been possible without the innovation and creativity behind original music videos.
Citations!
Gulati, Shreya. “From the Beatles to BTS - the Evolution of Music Videos.” Purpose Studio, Purpose Studio, 21 June 2021, www.purposestudios.in/post/from-the-beatles-to-bts-the-evolution-of-music-videos.
Trout, Dave. “The Best Storytelling Music Videos of 2023.” The Rabbit Room, The Rabbit Room, 11 Jan. 2024, www.rabbitroom.com/post/the-best-storytelling-music-videos-of-2023.
Hi Ashley! I love how even though we might not be a huge fan of the artist we can love the art itself. Music videos really show the creative process for a lot of artist and its cool to see how they have changed over the years. Music videos promotes an artist music by creating an audience reaction that helps people remember and understand your song. Did you know that The first music video creat is a debated topic? Some say it was "The Little Lost Child" by Edward B. Marks and Joe Stern, created in 1894! We've come such a long way from then.
ReplyDeleteI still watch music videos from the 90's and 2000's because the creativity from those years is unmatched. I'm sure with the advancements in technology, the way music videos are recorded and edited has evolved along with the visuals of the videos we see today.
ReplyDeleteHey, I loved reading your post! I learned a lot! I agree with you recent music videos are more focused on the individual song as appose to the artist. I would've loved if you talked about how the music videos throughout the years such as the 80s, 90s, early 2000s and todays.
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