music videos

Music videos. An art form I feel like isn’t really discussed in recent times unless its something that causes controversy.

Music videos have the power to amplify an already goated song or make you believe a bad song is actually kind of good. The choice of album covers can push around almost the exact same weight but thats a topic for another day.

We’ve come a long way when it comes to production of music videos and what stories to tell through them. It used to be lets have you walking down the street or a beach singing straight into the camera, or lets put you in a weird warehouse with the brodies with synchronized dance moves.

Music videos started becoming common practice in the early to mid 80s. This is where you’ll find I think a lot of popular songs you know today but I feel like you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone from todays period that knows the music video too rather than just the song. You could say its just due to it being a different generation but there are plenty videos from that time the have stood the test of time.

examples being videos like 1985’s “Take On Me” by Aha

or 1983’s Thriller by Michael Jackson

The problem I think with a lot of videos of the time is the simplicity of them. This is due I think in fact to a technological point of what was possible to create back then. Another being the topic of music at the time. An average line from a Future song today I think is crazier than a rap song from the 80s. What was generally accepted back then in music isn’t necessarily the standard today. And if you got a push to do a music video in that time (which keep in mind wasn’t cheap at all) your music was seen as generally safer to reach a bigger audience therefore a music video would help you rather than empty the companies pockets.

But as time goes on what people seek out of entertainment in all forms changes. Technology advances, trends change, pop culture shifts like waves. Music videos no longer could be you driving on a open road singing or looking out of a rainy window dancing.

Fast forward to today and the music videos range high and wide. They no longer are tethered to the song but take on a new life of there own with there own stories. You’ll find today I think all kinds of songs from different genres with music videos that vary from serious, to goofy, to abstract and all of the above.

They’re way more accessible nowadays and much more high quality on a vastly lower budget which is great but probably has diluted the market a little too much. Like I said previously no one really talks about music videos anymore unless it’s something controversial which is kind of a sad reflection of our society sometimes.

But with there being so many music videos out there, there’s always little bits of golden nuggets out there in the gravel.

With that I though I thought I’d share some of my favorite music videos I’ve come across in no particular order.

(Isaiah Rashad “From The Garden”)

https://youtu.be/OG8LjpKAXt8?si=1yuIrnGGU6vQFrgO

[this is a weird almost dream like continuous one shot amongst a chaotic scene. It gives almost like a drunk or induced state with the visuals and camera movement. If anything a trippy watch]

(“Time” Maxo)

https://youtu.be/ovClC1IPfDc?si=9IbFwQFcDFsSagFh

[the song and lyrics give a heavy type of feel, like a broken nostalgia almost. The visuals help to bring you into that world with stylized shots of simple things indoors and outdoors but still close up shots and slow motion added to make it feel more intimate]

(Paris Texas “Everybody’s Safe Until…”)

https://youtu.be/13tZ3ut-kL4?si=ZMKgvl_Vq6ty127c

[this is another interesting watch that uses a lot of camera trickery to keep you engaged. A lot of simplicity going on but with the use of moving extras, moving sets and light flashes it brings its simple sets to life]

(Brittany Howard “Stay High”)

https://youtu.be/CfizQsGWOxI?si=kRn9cXJCHCeufexK

[this video puts you into the shoes of a regular working class man going throughout his day after his shift passing by his everyday life and the simple moments in it while singing to the beautiful tune of Brittany Howard that gives a hopeful feel. Another example of the feeling of a song blending and matching the visuals and story told]

(Childish Gambino “Sweatpants”)

https://youtu.be/ExVtrghW5Y4?si=JsIzd7RQsR_PUT2Z

[this is definitely an example of how far music videos have come when it comes to weird and visual concepts and what people are used to seeing. No words but an experience and feeling of what the f*** did I just watch]

(Chet Faker “Gold”)

https://youtu.be/hi4pzKvuEQM?si=K0mwkPCdGCf195hu

[a throwback to choreographed dancing but with a little twist with the women in the video dancing in roller skates. With the knowledge of the video being pretty much one shot and done in one night, it adds to the sense of love put into the video *note (can you see the power puff girls refrence?)]

seattle Art Museum

teach me (a short excerpt)