The video has to be visually memorable and have specific conventions to be effective to the audience.
The said to be the first music video was 'St Louis Blues - Bessie Smith' in 1929. This was shown in theatres until 1932.
Some people don't count this as the first 'Music Video' because it doesn't follow Andrew Goodwins Seven Conventions. The video is just her singing the song looking drunk.
In 1940, Walt Disney released fantasia. This was the first video/film which was made to fit with music. The animation was made around the music to portray the story the sound is making.
In the 1950-60's Disney and looney toons started to make cartoons to music. But the main thing was Cab Calloway who introduced live action videos with famous artists.
Also Scopitone Jukeboxes where introduced. These where jukeboxes that also showed the music video to the song on a screen. These where popular but rarely seen due to them being really expensive.
This is really simple due to its time, it doesn't have any narrative but it has relations between music and visuals and some to lyrics but not much.
In 1966 Bob Dylan released the video to 'Subteranean Homesick Blues' This is a simple lyric video.
You can tell this was don't with one continuous shot because of the mistakes made by the man holding the signs. This was a clever attempt of a unique video which has now been copied many times.
As time went on better quality videos and colour was introduced as well as 35mm castes.
In 1975 Queen Released Bohemian Rhapsody. This is considered the first proper music video.
You can tell this was purposely filmed to the music and to promote the song and band. They use a few of the conventions as well making this one of the first proper videos.
Top of the pops and the top 40s was then introduced making videos really important. But when top of the pops couldn't get a band or the video they had dancers which was filmed dancing to the songs. This attracted a male audience to something which would be classed as more of a female programme.
In 1981 MTV, the first 24hour music video channel, was introduced. This made having good videos really important to get airtime to promote themselves. There where more sophisticated effects and transitions added and videos got better stories and plots.
Buggles released Video Killed the Radio Star.
Which had more of a plot to the video even though its a little abstract and surreal.
Michael Jackson then introduced the first short film videos such as Beat it and Thriller. Thriller is the best example.
This cost $500,000 which at its time was expensive. This is classed as a short film because it had characteristics like a film such as: a voice over, a strong narrative, closing credits, quote at the beginning and the song was cut up with acting and speaking. This became an iconic video which was copied and reproduced many times.
In 1985 more music channels where introduced such as VH1 for softer music and the Chart show in 1986.
Dire Straits-Money for Nothing was the first computer animated video.
This compared to now obviously is really poor quality but it introduced something that many hadn’t thought of doing and is now used all the time.
In 1986 Peter Gabriels video Sledge Hammer, filmed with stop motion and special effects, got 9 MTV awards.
This was a really creative way of making a video which promoted them well.
Bands started to purposely produce controversial videos to gain more publicity this caused issues due to Top of the Pops being aired before the water shed.
Duran Duran's 'Girl on Film'
Frankie Goes To Hollywood 'Relax'
and Grandmaster Flash 'White Lines' where all band and over cleaner videos where created.
Martin Scorsese directed 'Bad' by Michael Jackson.
And Duran Duran's 'Wild Boys' cost 4 million due to them having to build the set.
In 1992 the directors of videos started to credited on MTV.
Michael Jacksons Video 'Scream' is still the most expensive video of all time. This cost 7 million to make and was directed by Romanek in 1995.
MTV started to go worldwide over the 90's and MTV2 came out in 1996.
in 2002 Madonna's song Die Another Day cost 6 million.
After 2005 Napster allowed you to show video files to people making music videos more accessible and MTV and other music channels stopped showing so many music videos.
YouTube also came along in 2005 and artists started to get fame through it. Ok Go for example with 'A Million Ways' in 2005 and then 'Here It Goes Again' in 2006.
In 2007 RIAA issued cease-and-desist loyalty and copy right came about on YouTube. This is why there are adverts at the beginning of music videos to pay record labels.
ITunes came about making CDs slowing stop being as important and being able to download music videos online.
MTV dropped their music TV tag line.
Top 3 music videos of 2012 according to MTV UK
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