The 1980s were the boom period for music videos, and the level of interest in them was further boosted by a revolutionary television channel called MTV.
You may have heard of it, and the creations of the period were so groundbreaking and iconic that they are still much adored and studied to this day, but where do music videos play a part in 2022? Are they still relevant, or are they an outdated concept that no longer has real value?
The Way We Consume Music Has Changed
If we consider music prior to the internet age, the purpose of a video was more likely to be part of a campaign to push an existing mainstream act further into the public sphere. It would usually entail an expensive production, or some type of gimmicky element, to show off and promote an act and increase exposure for their efforts. The idea being, unsurprisingly, to sell their singles and albums and encourage fans to come and see them live.
Music now is more readily available, and physical music sales are a fraction of what they were previously. And a music video now might be more likely to be an attempt to get a new act off the ground. The video, in this instance, being a tool to boost the exposure of a relative unknown.
Indeed some unsigned acts, bands, singers, or performers may well shoot a video before they’ve even signed to a label or released any music, hoping that a great video would help show to prospective A&R men the marketability of a particular individual, group, or collective.
Interestingly, while the idea of a music video may seem a little dated after all, the likes of MTV and VH-1 are predominantly playing iconic videos of past eras; the fact is that people still like watching music videos. Most of the most popular YouTube content is music videos.
Music Videos Are Perfect for the Internet Age
If you are a new act and you want to get noticed, arguably making a music video is the best plan of action to take. A music video is ideal for sharing and promoting the virality needed to get your feet on the first step of the music industry ladder.
Any band, singer, rapper, or musician of any type would now start the process of making a name for themselves by opening relevant social media channels and then populating it with content. Up to this point, they may have made some income from making their musical output available as stock music, and now that this has whetted their appetite, it’s time to increase their exposure.
Small clips may be a good way to start, elements to show a growing audience of your talents, and then building up to a fully-fledged music video to show just what you are capable of.
Shooting a Great Music Video Has Never Been Easier or Less Expensive than Now!
So if we surmise that shooting a music video is still a worthwhile pastime, then it’s good to note that the costs involved with putting together a good production are lower than ever, and if you market it well, you can get yourself noticed relatively quickly and organically.
Filming a video now can be done exclusively via a smartphone with a stable tripod, and that coupled with a good idea and great video editing software may be the only things standing between relative obscurity and stardom.
Whereas music videos in the 90s and early 2000s were all about expense being lavish and showing just how much money you were investing in the video, that’s not so relevant anymore. Now, if you have a clever idea and a great song, your video could be passed on via social media channels and quickly gain a big audience.
When it comes to effectively shooting a music video on your smartphone, you need to be aware of its limitations. Clearly, the sound is an aspect to consider, but then it’s likely the sound playing on your video will be entirely the recorded track, so that covers you in terms of that issue.
Lighting on your phone is another thing to keep in mind; unless you have additional apparatus to help with this, you should look to film in daylight as filming at night time will present you with issues. If the video is filmed inside, that helps as interior lighting will offer you better quality. You can, of course, add elements to boost the production rather than trusting your phone’s capabilities.
Promoting Your Video
Once you’ve shot your video, you will need to promote it effectively, and we’d encourage you to avoid paid channels to do so. These can be very hit and miss and are no substitute for organic growth.
If you can get other channels to push your video, that can be a great help, especially if it’s from other performers who produce a similar style of music to yours. Name check all those involved in the production; this will help push your video to grow its reach.
Using the correct tagging and strong metadata, especially when it comes to YouTube and then it’s a good idea to manage expectations and don’t expect an instant hit. It may take time for your work to bed in and make an impact.
