What happened to the music video?
I remember being young and excited to get home and turn on B.E.T.’s 106 & Park. Seeing AJ & Free, then Terrance and Roxy, announce the number one video or the premiere of a new song was always something pleasureful. I used to imagine being older and hoping that one day I could be either in front of the camera or behind it, I was more so concerned with just being a part of the experience versus what role I played in the experience. I looked forward to what way artists would depict their music through visuals. Sometimes we got exactly what we expected from the song and artist, but other times it was a complete shock.
As I got older and technology got better and people “abandoned” their traditional television sets for more technological advanced replacements, the music video just kind of disappeared. Shows like TRL and 106 & Park faded into the background and eventually ended. I think that even if those particular shows and ones similar disappeared off television, they could have followed suit and gone digital. I think the music video disappearing was the death of a lot of good creativity that helped artists flow. We know that technology changes often lead to the death of an industry, see The Buggles ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’, however now most radio stations are accessible through internet streaming and the birth and boom of podcasts has bought back the radio aspect. But music videos have not been able to make that same comeback.
In the age of streaming, I think music videos would be much needed. As of right now very few artists are doing visual projects anymore and some artists will go full albums without any visuals for the songs. Right now I enjoy the visuals Solange provide, but she is only one artist and I think she is a good example of a visual artist because she has provided visuals for her last two albums. More-so, I miss music videos. I miss the anticipation and excitement around video premieres. I miss discussing the parts that I really liked and even the parts that I didn’t. Sometimes I sit back and think what really happened to the music video?!
