Why are Music Videos so important?
"Television exposure is much sought after by companies and artists as a means of enhancing audience awareness and hence sales" - Studying the Media: 3rd Edition
How and Why?
So why do artists/bands have music videos?
The main benefit of having a music video is to make money and promote the artist/band.
Other positive outcomes from having a music video is that it gives the song meaning. This will also entertain the audience by telling a story. A successful music video usually is memorable and becomes iconic.
Music has a very large impact on popular culture. Artists like Madonna are an icon for using many different styles and influencing the new directions of pop culture as many of her videos have cult status.
Music has a very large impact on popular culture. Artists like Madonna are an icon for using many different styles and influencing the new directions of pop culture as many of her videos have cult status.
The popular T.V show dedicated an episode to Madonna's music and different styles that influence pop culture today such as bangles, hair in up-do's and leg warmers.
(From left to right Madonna's styles in the 80's, 90's and 00's)
Band Image:
Image is an important feature of a band or artist in raising popularity and determines their success.
The audience wants a style that they can identify with and in some cases copy. A lot of effort goes into the styling of the band/artist. If the band/artist appeals to it's target audience then they are more likely to become very popular and maximize profitability. Artists/bands want to make it obvious on how they want to be perceived by the public domain as some artists, e.g. Marilyn Manson purposefully creates a dark and gothic image to gain popularity through controversy as he is someone the fans who aren't mainstream can relate to.
However, as the artist himself explains in an interview in the documentary, Bowling for Columbine, he explains that people very often misunderstand his image. However, the controversy raises his popularity yet decreases it also as people think he is the cause of youth violence.
An example of Popular culture in music at the moment is:
Pop Rock Bands: All Time Low and Paramore
Both these bands are pop rock/pop punk bands which have influenced the come back of skinny jeans. As popular culture goes in cycles. At the current time, fashion and music seems to be back in the 80's inspired style.
Where Can You Watch Music Videos?
There are many outlets in which audiences can view music videos. The main ways in which people can access them is music channels such as; MTV, the box, Kiss etc. and the internet on sites such as; youtube and mtv.com.
Itunes also has the option to download music videos to an ipod or another portable apple device. Another way of viewing music videos is to sell the music video as an easter egg on a CD or as a direct DVD. Availability impacts the fan base in the fact the more exclusive the artist/band is, the more chance they have at raising their popularity.
What is Synergy?
"Synergy - the concept that extra value could emerge from using the effort put into one product in the production and promotion of another. For example, a media conglomerate working with an author in a publishing division might also consider film, television and game adaptations in other division of the same company (or commercial partner company)...
Both industries [Film and Music] were also influenced by the rise of quite specific new media form, the music video." - Media Student's Book: 5th Edition.
Synergy is when 2 or more products are been advertised by another i.e. Film Soundtracks. A great example of a video that uses synergy is Sum 41's 'What We're All About':
The video promoted the band and the 2002 film Spiderman. The video was also released on the DVD as an extra and on youtube. By promoting the popular film which gross was £28,591,639 (UK) (6 October 2002) the music video has over a million views on youtube.
Bands/artists also produce lots of money through selling merchandise on their websites and stock other websites that sell alternative clothing i.e.
www.grindstore.com
www.mamstore.co.uk/sum41
Bands/artists also produce lots of money through selling merchandise on their websites and stock other websites that sell alternative clothing i.e.
www.grindstore.com
www.mamstore.co.uk/sum41
Styles of Music Videos
There are many different styles in which a music videos can be shot and edited. Some music video use one or more of these techniques.
As-Live is when a music video is made to look like a live performance or is a recording of one. This is effective as it shows the bands/artists stage and performance skills. For example, The Blackout's video "Ambition is critical" shows the bands energy in concerts.
Animation can be stop start or digital. This is useful as it means the boundaries of what a producer can and can't do is much greater. An example of this is Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing."
Interprative will take the lyrics and give them physical meaning. This helps reinforce a message of a song and make the song memorable as each line makes you remember the video and vice versa. A fine example is Theory of a Deadman's "I hate my life."
Narrative is when the music video tells a story which is sometimes seperate from the actual song. For example, Green Day's "Wake me up, when september ends" video tells the story of a young couple and how the man goes to war and the woman is left alone missing him.
Surrealist is exactly what it says: dream-like and very unreal. The video for Spandau Ballet's "Musclebound" for it's crazy and un-real style.
Pastiche is a type of parody that doesn't concentrate on one text as it parodizes many. This is an example of intertextuality in which by means of another person's work we can understand theirs.
An example of this would be Michael Jackson's thriller which spoofs the 80's style of horror films.
There are many different styles in which a music videos can be shot and edited. Some music video use one or more of these techniques.
As-Live is when a music video is made to look like a live performance or is a recording of one. This is effective as it shows the bands/artists stage and performance skills. For example, The Blackout's video "Ambition is critical" shows the bands energy in concerts.
Animation can be stop start or digital. This is useful as it means the boundaries of what a producer can and can't do is much greater. An example of this is Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing."
Interprative will take the lyrics and give them physical meaning. This helps reinforce a message of a song and make the song memorable as each line makes you remember the video and vice versa. A fine example is Theory of a Deadman's "I hate my life."
Narrative is when the music video tells a story which is sometimes seperate from the actual song. For example, Green Day's "Wake me up, when september ends" video tells the story of a young couple and how the man goes to war and the woman is left alone missing him.
Surrealist is exactly what it says: dream-like and very unreal. The video for Spandau Ballet's "Musclebound" for it's crazy and un-real style.
Pastiche is a type of parody that doesn't concentrate on one text as it parodizes many. This is an example of intertextuality in which by means of another person's work we can understand theirs.
An example of this would be Michael Jackson's thriller which spoofs the 80's style of horror films.
Homage is when an artist/band pays tribute to admire someone else's work. This is very useful as a fan of what they are paying homage to may become a fan of them. For example, "Stacy's Mom" pays homage to the classic 80's teen comedy, "Fast Times At Ridgemont High".
Banned Music Videos
As with all media some content is explicit and therefore is sometimes banned. The company which is responsible for deciding whether a video is allowed to be shown before the watershed is Ofcom. Other companies such as the BBFC. Sometimes censored versions of the video are allowed before the watershed (or safe harbour) of after 9pm.
However, some artists/bands relish in controversy as they gain popularity through becoming increasingly talked about for been too innapropriate for TV.
You will need an account and have to be over 18 to watch the video on youtube:
One example of a banned music video is Duran, Duran's, "Girls on film," as it's risqué style and nudity needed mass editing before an acceptable one could be aired as it was considered offensive. The video originally was expected to be played at night clubs yet became popular in the mainstream which was unexpected by the band.
Production Values
The more money put into producing a product, the more likely the product shall be successful and will make more money. Speculate to accumulate.
Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson's, 'Scream' is the music video that used the highest budget to make it as it cost over 7 million dollars in production but has 21,000,000 views on youtube alone.
Sometimes, a lower budget music video such as Ok Go's 'Here it goes again' (with nearly 10 million views on youtube) becomes incredibly popular for it's originality. However, most often than not low budget videos are generally not as popular unless it is an original idea.
Conclusion
So, what makes a successful music video that achieves a goal of promoting the band/artist and making lots of money?
- Something original that fits to the bands/artists style and image.
- Using synergy if it is possible to recieve more views by promoting several things at once.
- Using some of the music styles in a creative way.
- Paying out what you can to make the video (have as high a budget as you can).
- Do something controversial if it fits the style you are in.
- And most importantly by having a band/artist image that is relatable to the target audience.
Music videos are a powerful tool in getting a band/artist noticed and to raise their popularity and income.
