"Hey, they made a little movie for this song - how novel!"

[Eric the .5b]

Personally, I'm startled to run into music videos for songs anymore, even five-year-old ones (like the Creature Feature one I posted on the Earworms thread). I'd gotten the impression that MTV has successfully disappeared and secretly executed the art form, at least in terms of mass exposure. But then there's still actual news coverage of controversial music videos.

So, are music videos still a going art form/promotional tool/etc? Or is it a dying form that journos who grew up in the 80s mistakenly think the kids watch?

[dbcooper]

I generally find that watching a video inhibits my engagement with the music, so I don't like to watch them. There are exceptions though. VHS dreamz has provided some of those.

[Warren]

I generally find that watching a video inhibits my engagement with the music, so I don't like to watch them. There are exceptions though. VHS dreamz has provided some of those.

I've pretty much always hated music videos on account of the turn away from prog rock and into total shit that they ushered in.

From the title I was thinking of songs that were made into movies, like Coal Miners Daughter, and The Gambler. I remember when they made Ode To Billy Joe into a movie and after we watched it, my father said "I'd have rather never found out the deep dark secret that drove him to his death".

Sayyyyyyy now that I think about it... Take This Job And Shove It, Convoy, Harper Valley PTA, seems like the only songs worth making into movies are country songs.

[dhex]

Red fang has some good ones. Chris cunningham makes event shitty breakbeats like leftfield look awesome. The form has potential but can be misused. It makes me hate grimes even more than i would have, for example.

[Eric the .5b]

They definitely often suck, but Sturgeon's Law applies to many things, I think. I've always just imagined very visual stories to lots of songs, so music videos always appealed to me.

[Shem]

So, are music videos still a going art form/promotional tool/etc? Or is it a dying form that journos who grew up in the 80s mistakenly think the kids watch?

I recall reading somewhere that they get decent viewership online on places like youtube, and that a lot of bands and even some smaller labels will spring for a shoestring budget to make a video in order to try and drive views and generate popularity online in order to catch the attention of larger labels in order to make promotion deals. No solid support for the argument, but it does seem like most of the growth in the art form is in people who are using a music video as a resume rather than as something to be consumed by end users.

[Eric the .5b]

I've wondered about that angle, Shem. I have no useful comment there, but I've wondered about it.

[Highway]

Even without a 'central' clearinghouse for music videos, like MTV was initially, there is still a HUGE value in music videos for songs from the artists and distributor's perspectives. It's easier to see video now than any time in the past, and there's a huge place to put it, for free or almost free, on YouTube. You can use them to drive traffic to your own site. You can use them to chop up and send out as clips to TV stations for promos.

Generally, they're much more important for acts that want to be huge mass market acts. And that might be what a lot of folks around here rebel against, given that most folks on this board only have minor intersections with liking Top 40 style music. But like it or not, idols and idol groups are huge business, and idols and idol groups don't get huge just on their music. They get huge on the whole package: looks, music, dancing, lifestyle. And videos are a big part of that.

[dhex]

they're still a viable promotional piece, regardless of your audience. i bought red fang's last album after seeing this video:

[Kolohe]

From the title I was thinking of songs that were made into movies, like Coal Miners Daughter, and The Gambler. I remember when they made Ode To Billy Joe into a movie and after we watched it, my father said "I'd have rather never found out the deep dark secret that drove him to his death".

Sayyyyyyy now that I think about it... Take This Job And Shove It, Convoy, Harper Valley PTA, seems like the only songs worth making into movies are country songs.

and 9 to 5

[dbcooper]

they're still a viable promotional piece, regardless of your audience. i bought red fang's last album after seeing this video:

Nice.

[Stevo Darkly]

Have I posted this here yet? I recently found this music video and I like it a lot:

[youtube]mpaPBCBjSVc[/youtube]

[Number 6]

Even without a 'central' clearinghouse for music videos, like MTV was initially, there is still a HUGE value in music videos for songs from the artists and distributor's perspectives. It's easier to see video now than any time in the past, and there's a huge place to put it, for free or almost free, on YouTube. You can use them to drive traffic to your own site. You can use them to chop up and send out as clips to TV stations for promos.

Generally, they're much more important for acts that want to be huge mass market acts. And that might be what a lot of folks around here rebel against, given that most folks on this board only have minor intersections with liking Top 40 style music. But like it or not, idols and idol groups are huge business, and idols and idol groups don't get huge just on their music. They get huge on the whole package: looks, music, dancing, lifestyle. And videos are a big part of that.

I think Justin Beiber got his start doing YouTube videos. I know the comedian Bo Burnham did.

[Number 6]

Have I posted this here yet? I recently found this music video and I like it a lot:

[youtube]mpaPBCBjSVc[/youtube]

I found the music just ok (a bit simple and repetitive for my admittedly weird tastes), but the video was amusing.

[Jadagul]

Yeah, music videos are definitely still a going thing. What else would you put on your youtube channel?

[Eric the .5b]

they're still a viable promotional piece, regardless of your audience. i bought red fang's last album after seeing this video:

I like that one.

[mediageek]

Are music videos better, or worse, now that they're free from the constraints of MTV's Standards and Practices people?

Dunno, you be the judge.

[youtube]XKMoVAObbhE[/youtube]

[Eric the .5b]

I'll have to wait til I get home to see that one, but I laughed quite a bit at Rammstein's video for "Pussy" (?). At least, when I wasn't yelping in horror.

[JasonL]

Rammstein + Visual Format = Horror, Absolute Horror

[dbcooper]

[youtube]nOGM1V6lCgM[/youtube]

[GinSlinger]

Here's my man card.

I love Fiona Apple.

[youtube]u09s0uz0tEU[/youtube]

[Hugh Akston]

There is nothing immasculine (it's a word now suckers!) about liking Fiona Apple. She has really clever lyrics and plays the piano pretty well.

[Kolohe]

I saw Ms. Apple once in Hawaii. The problem with the Hawaii leg of a national or world tour is that it's either at the beginning before they've worked all the kinks out, or it's at the end, where their worn out and even the talented singers have tired voices. (The concert I saw was the latter case)

[GinSlinger]

There is nothing immasculine (it's a word now suckers!) about liking Fiona Apple. She has really clever lyrics and plays the piano pretty well.

I tend to like female songwriters who write about having been wronged, and are angry about it (Fiona, PJ Harvey, Courtney Love, Bjork, etc.), but not all of them (Alanis Morrisette, Tori Amos [though a lot of that seems to be about rape], etc.).

Yeah, Girlzzzzz Rock, and I love it.

(See also: Kittie)

[Hugh Akston]

There is nothing immasculine (it's a word now suckers!) about liking Fiona Apple. She has really clever lyrics and plays the piano pretty well.

I tend to like female songwriters who write about having been wronged, and are angry about it (Fiona, PJ Harvey, Courtney Love, Bjork, etc.), but not all of them (Alanis Morrisette, Tori Amos [though a lot of that seems to be about rape], etc.).

Yeah, Girlzzzzz Rock, and I love it.

(See also: Kittie)

+ Mirah, Regina Spektor, Neko Case