Music videos through the ages!

Although music videos were developed to some extent far before the 1980's, from then onwards was when the real rise in interest and large development predominantly by the MTV corporation. The promotion of music videos by MTV was so large that in China music videos where known simply as 'MTV's'.

Techniques often used include;

-Animation
-live action
-documentaries
-Abstract film

The long running TV show Top of the Pops began playing music videos on the show in the late 70's to promote the artists on the show and increase sales. the fact that the BBC placed strict guidelines and limits on the number of videos top of the pops could play shows that at the time, attitudes and values where much different to today.

Music videos appear to have gone mainstream when in 1981 MTV launched and played the well known track, ' video killed the radio star'. It was clear at this point that by the end of the decade music videos where to play a large part in selling records all over the world.

Large landmarks in the industry such as Micheal Jackson's 'Thriller', released in 1983 lasted 14 minutes and cost more than half a million U.S Dollars.


Modern day allows for a much broader scale of distribution to the market. For example, any individual with access to the Internet can watch almost any music related product such as videos etc. through websites such as YouTube.com. The increase in consumer options will have certainly effected the TV industry as consumers now have the resources to not view the TV at all if chosen as all information can be found online!