The influence of music video

The influence of music video can be seen in a wide range of media products, as well as the language used to describe the style of moving image media preferred by young people - now known as the 'MTV generation' (although this usually means anyone under the age of 30). Since the early 1980s, there has been evidence of the music video form's influence on TV programmes, such as Miami Vice, in film trailers, and in the use of revived and re-released pop songs.

The camera and editing style of the work of many film directors, from Guy Ritchie to David Fincher, clearly draws upon music video. The synergy of music and film industries have become apparent due to the production of promo clips, which are strongly similar to film trailers (and vice versa). An example of this is Men in Black where the mise en scene of the film is used in the music video, with Will Smith, the lead actor, singing the title track.

More common is the soundtrack album featuring a number of current popular acts, from which a number of music videos can be drawn, with images from the film. For example, Girls Aloud's Jump (2003) is drawn from the film in which it features, Love Actually (Richard Curtis, 2003), and is constructed so that the girls in the group appear to be in the next room to the characters in the film. All of Richard Curtis/Working Title films of the past ten years have used this kind of synergy to increase the profile of their films.


Music video becomes 'big'

Music videos represent an important part of the music industry. Artists can sell themselves not only by how they sound but how they look. Thirty years ago, music video used to be less important than it is nowadays. MTV (Music Television) was the phenomenon that gave so much power to the music video. Music video became main stream when MTV started broadcasting in 1981 in the USA, marking the beginning of the music video’s ruling over the music industry. As MTV was broadcasting 24-hour-a-day music, music videos needed to be produced urgently.

The first video ever played on MTV was ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’ by The Buggles. In 1983, arguably the most successful and influential music video of all time was released — the nearly 14-minute-long video for Michael Jackson's song "Thriller".

MTV has been highly controversial: some saw as the beginning of an amazing, new, fresh era in music, others considered it to mark the end of true musical talent, as artists have been become more appreciated for their looks instead of their vocal abilities.