MTV launched in 1981 and became the first television channel dedicated entirely to showing music videos. However, music videos had existed for many years before MTV began broadcasting, with artists creating promotional films to accompany and advertise their music. Early examples can be traced back to the 1960s, when artists such as The Beatles experimented with combining popular music with creative visual imagery. During the 1970s, artists such as David Bowie, ABBA and Queen helped develop the music video into a more sophisticated form of promotion and artistic expression. MTV did not invent the music video, but it transformed the way audiences consumed them and helped make the music video an essential part of the music industry.
The Beatles - Paperback Writer - YouTube
> Performance: Direct Mode of Address is a familiar convention of most performance based music videos. The artists are also seen playing musical instruments (though miming).
> Shot Type and Editing: There is some dynamism in the use of shot type and editing, but it is certainly not as dynamic as we are used to in more modern music videos. Very little camera movement.
> Fashion and Style: The Beatles were fashion icons, but they don't appear to be heavily styled, other than the clothing and styling that was part of their general appearance.
> Purpose: The purpose is perhaps the most generic element, as this was produced to allow TV stations to broadcast performances by the artist who could not be there to perform live.
David Bowie - Life On Mars? (Official Video)
> Performance: Again, direct mode of address is a familiar convention of most performance based music videos. Bowie's performance is more passionate and dynamic than The Beatles.
> Shot Type and Editing: There is some more dynamism in the use of camera, including freeze frames etc. And the lighting is clearly manipulated to make Bowie's costume and makeup appear more lurid. Camera movement is limited, but the editing is a little more closely matched to the music/lyrics.
> Fashion and Style: Bowie's image is iconic and close ups on his eyes and face reveal makeup and hair that challenges gender norms. His suit is also lurid and pink adding to this countercultural portrayal of his identity.
> Purpose: The purpose of this music video is not unlike Paperback Writer, in that it would have been broadcast on dedicated music programmes when Bowie was not able to appear himself. However, it goes a stage further, also promoting Bowie as an identifiable figure and possibly as an aspirational icon, though only within a countercultural youth audience.
ABBA - Mamma Mia (Official Music Video) - YouTube
> Performance: Again, direct mode of address is a familiar convention of most performance based music videos. Benny and Bjorn are presented using the convention of playing their instruments. While there is nothing elaborate, there is clearly some attempt made to choreograph Anni and Agnetha.
> Shot Type and Editing: There is even more dynamism in the use of camera, including close up shots on the piano strings and guitar being played. The musicality of the editing is far more apparent. Camera movement is still fairly limited, but elements like rack focus demonstrate more attention to production values.
> Fashion and Style: ABBA's costumes were iconic in their way. They were clearly unconventional compared to the day to day fashions of the 1970s, but the disco style would have clearly appeared to a youth audience. Unlike Bowie, their style was more about having fun than challenging cultural norms around gender.
> Purpose: The purpose of this music video is also promotional. However, what is interesting about Mamma Mia is that this short promotional film was part of a package of four such music videos released to be shown to an international market (especially Australia). The promotional film (notice I am not yet calling it a music video) to Mamma Mia was so popular with Australian audiences that it encouraged the record label to release the song as a single in Australia. It went on to spend 10 weeks at number one.
> Performance: The promotional video for Bohemian Rhapsody simulates concert performance. The artists are clearly performing in a passionate way, playing their instruments and appear to be performing live (though there is no footage of the audience - indicating that this is not truly live).
> Shot Type and Editing: There is even more dynamism in the use of camera than in any of the previous videos. Cross fading and super imposition layer the performance. The mise en scene is combined with a low angle shot to simulate concert performance. The editing is dynamic and matched to the musicality of the song. Video feedback loops and multi-camera techniques are artistic, unusual and demonstrate high production values.
> Fashion and Style: Queen sit somewhere between Bowie and ABBA in terms of their youth cultural significance. Their costuming at this time is clearly glam rock. Mercury, though iconic in so many ways, is ironically much safer than Bowie and the emphasis is on musicianship and performance more than breaking boundaries of taste and cultural normativity.
> Purpose: The purpose of this promo video is, like all the others, promotional. However, what is perhaps more interesting here is the strategic nature of the promo video. Bohemian Rhapsody is a genuinely complex song to perform, featuring anthemic rock elements and periods that resemble opera. As such, Queen created the promo in order to avoid the need to perform it live, using the promo to fix its iconic nature in the modern musical consciousness.
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