You could literally write books about the music video industry alone, and the history of the industry is already too vast to explore in a short article. Who started with music videos, and where did it all begin? Here we break down the history of music videos into significant periods that sent shockwaves through the industry.
1. Cinema Was A Struggling Industry (1920-1965)
A few significant events played off during these decades that would see tragic events like The Great Depression and The Second World War. Still, before these events, The Jazz Singer would be produced in 1927 and become the first of its kind to combine music and video entertainment.
It marked the first time that fans could see recordings of their favourite artists in a moving image. Up until the late 1920s, people had to look at pictures or be lucky enough to see them performing live on stage. Yet, it would take many decades for the wonder of music videos to spread worldwide.
2. Advances in Audio and Visual Technology (1965-1970)
Film technology advanced rapidly during this period, and televisions were widely distributed in homes across the US, Europe, and other first-world countries. Initially, music was blended with TV shows and movies that were made at the time.
During the early 1960s, broadcast television met pop culture, which meant that artists could explore new ways of promoting their music to the masses. The Sound of Music, produced in 1965, revolutionised the music industry. As more music producers learned how to create a music video, studios started producing hundreds of videos.
3. Combining Film With Live Music Concerts (1971-1974)
The 1970s saw the birth of music festivals, and film producers saw potential in recording these live shows. Renowned artists such as The Beatles and Pink Floyd recorded and sold their live performances.
Artists began experimenting with how music and film could work together. Legislation on music videos was relaxed, and producers were given more freedom to explore the industry, free from promotional constraints.
4. Music Videos Become Popular Worldwide (1974-1990)
Queen produced Bohemian Rhapsody in early 1974, becoming a global success. Many critics view the track as starting a new era in the music industry.
Seeing how profitable music videos can be, investors started pouring money into studios, significantly increasing the budget for producers. Everyone wanted to learn how to create a music video themselves.
MTV launched in 1981, opening with Video Killed The Radio Star by The Buggles. Music videos slowly became one of the major platforms for artists to share and promote their How To Create a Music Video music to the world. In 1983, Thriller by Michael Jackson once again blended the film narrative with music.
5. Music Directors and YouTube (1992-Present)
In the following years, the industry would see more contributions from professional directors, technical personnel, and others. Musicians gained professional agents that would help them to market their tracks to broadcasting agencies, and this era gave rise to a generation of talented music video directors.
Who Started with Music Videos?
So, music videos were first inspired by The Jazz Singer which was produced in 1927. During those times it was still a strange concept to combine music and video. Yet, times changed quickly, and today, almost everyone can learn how to create a music video themselves.
Music videos were already widely available on the Internet since the late 1990s, but when YouTube launched in 2005, it revolutionised video content creation.
The sheer volume of music videos being produced today far exceeds anyone’s expectations. Since YouTube, there has been no ground-breaking development in the music video industry.