What Is a Purpose of the Music Video?

What is a purpose of a music video?

Audience now a day expect to see a video accompanying a song. But only when MTV launched a 24hr music video channel in 1981 have people realised what music videos are capable of. There are different types of videos:

    • Performance – this is when the artist appears in the video singing the song.
    • Animation – this is when the video contains CGI
    • Story – this are the music videos which show a story
    • Pastiche/Homage/Parody – these are basically music videos which take inspiration from arts, events or lifes in existence.
    • Concept – this is when the artist does not appear in the music video.

Promotional

In today’s world to promote yourself you must have a good music video as it can make the song even better. It also gives the chance for the artist to get their image across to the audience. This is all part of promotion, for example one of the early artists to use the music videos to their advantage was the likes of Madonna and Michael Jackson who created a “Sex Symbol” like image of themselves using music videos. This allowed them to become legendary boosting both music sales and merchandising.

Extension of Income

Music videos also give opportunities for the artist to make more money out of the song. The music video itself can be sold via VHS, DVD or as digital download. Sponsorships can also extend the income, for example 50 Cent wears Reebok sneakers in his videos which then the fans follow by going and buying Reebok’s for themselves. Rhianna struck a multi-million deal after her hit single “Umbrella” featured a video where she danced holding an umbrella, a company offered Rhianna her own umbrella range.

Extension of Outlets

Music channels pay the artist a fair amount of money to get the music video on air. This also fetches income and at the same time promotes it. Before MTV there was only one place to catch the latest songs which was radio but now with introduction of music...