Thoughts On Music Videos

R

RJMJ87

New member
Just trying to get a general feel for how you guys view music videos today, in the past, and in regards to the overall package of an artist. Are music videos important to you? Would you like an artist if they didn't make them? Would you feel like something is lacking without that visual element? Even if the songs are spectacular? Do you connect to the films and think they add to the song and give it something extra? Do you usually find new artists and get interested in them through their videos? Would you be disappointed if your favorite artists didn't make them?
I'm asking because I'm currently setting up a lot of stuff for films and it's a ton of money and most importantly time. I personally have connected with very few music videos and think most of them are egotistical (all the duck faces at the camera, haha), abstract, and plain out boring (except for Michael Jackson's; his are the only ones I love). I think it's nice to have a more visual element to the brand, and am sure I'd do a way better job than what's out there currently, but sometimes it's simpler to just focus on the music. I wonder if it's worth the hassle; I guess deep down I'm believing they still are, but still think it'd be interesting to get your input as the consumer. Thank ya!
 
I really like music videos and would love to make some for my band.

However, I don't think they're a dealbreaker for anyone anymore. I listen to tons of bands that don't have any videos.

From what I'm told though, it's important for serious musicians to have their songs on YouTube in some format. The music-buying population (i.e. teenagers) pretty much all preview music on YouTube before buying it. So a lot of labels are having their artists put up videos that just have the song with lyrics for the video to abet that process. (I can't recall my source.)
 
I think that the late 80s early 90s (I'm thinking early MTV and pop-up video on VH1 here) were the music video's golden years.

I tend to agree that most modern music videos (especially with 'popular' music) are just egotistical, base, and inartistic.

Check out my car, it bounces, just like that girls butt, let me throw some money in the air and 'sing' about how awesome I am.

But, there are some really cool videos that have been done in the recent past. A few come to mind, like Tool, they always have amazing music videos to reinforce their amazing music.

Actually, here is a link to one of my favorite videos, somewhat recent - with Kool Keith and Tom Waits
N.A.S.A. "Spacious Thoughts" (feat. Tom Waits & Kool Keith) - YouTube

Also, here is a band that I probably never would have listened to if it weren't for their weird videos -
Die Antwoord - Zef Side. - YouTube

I think the visual element of a band is just as important as the music, and in some cases (bad musicians), even more important.
 
These days music videos just aren't the same as they used to be. It seems like half of the videos don't even have anything to do with the song, or they're just plain stupid. That's just my opinion. There are a few good ones out there though.
 
With the cost of bandwith coming down and YouTube on every device, I thought videos were going to be the future, and maybe for the pro's it is. But for the home recording crowd, making a video is hard work and requires a lot of planning and creativity outside the realm of the normal musician.

We started this little video forum to inspire people to work on videos and a place to exchange ideas related strictly to music videos, but because of the amount of effort it takes to get one simple video done, this place doesn't have much activity. Too bad because you don't see too many sites on the internet that deal directly with music videos.
 
The problem as I see it with videos is like Chili said, it's a time-consuming nightmare, and video sites like youtube are literally flooded with billions of videos. So great, you write a kickass song and make a kickass video......no one's ever gonna hear or see it. The same problems everyone has with straight audio is the same with video - promotion. There's just too much out there.
 
Greg_L said:
The problem as I see it with videos is like Chili said, it's a time-consuming nightmare, and video sites like youtube are literally flooded with billions of videos. So great, you write a kickass song and make a kickass video......no one's ever gonna hear or see it. The same problems everyone has with straight audio is the same with video - promotion. There's just too much out there.
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I hear ya, but before I started doing my crappy vids no one ever listened to my stuff, at all, ever.
 
Greg_L said:
So how many extra listens to do you think you get just because of the video, and how are you promoting it?
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I don't really promote anything. People find the cover videos I do because of youtube search. Then when the vid ends it shows a bunch of my other vids as suggested vids. Sometimes people click through to my site. But anyway - my average is only about 200 plays a month that people actually watch all the way through - LOL . But seriously I was getting NO plays whatsoever on bandcamp or soundcloud anymore, and the people who do come to my site or FB page aftwards didn't do it because they were already my friends or I begged them to. They are total strangers :-)
 
Greg_L said:
OK well that's cool. I'm gonna try a video one day.....when I can find someone else to make it.
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Exactly! Working with video is a whole 'nother skill set that I haven't been working on because I'm too busy with this audio nonsense.

Anyway, I figured it was time for somebody to post this:
 
I agree that they help get random fans. Lil B bangs out music videos however his songs are complete nonsense and of little artistic value: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m5CIcbytfM he has thrived exclusively through internet promotion. I think even a really simple video is better than nothing just because youtube is a great site for promo. Hoping to make at least 2 music videos in the upcoming months.
 
I would definately say to keep making videos.. and records.. and whatever you can think of that sparks your imagination. The less work an artist has put in his/hers artistry, the less interesting they are. I love it when I find artists who are just putting a borderline amount of creativity/work into something that just _might_ be seen or heard by someone.
 
Videos are a lot of work if you don't have any outside help. I've been putting a some together for my own music and just filming them is difficult to do solo if you can't rope in any of your friends or relatives to do something as simple as push a button on a camera, or let you film from the back of their car for 30 minutes! It's all so damn difficult for them to help you out...

Not that I'm trying to complain about my friends of course! :-)

I put this together mostly by myself using a laptop to help me focus the shots, but it took a lot of work and reshoots to get it close to right.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXl_UC4EflQ

But, I agree with one of the other posters said about there being little artistry in current videos, but then, some of the videos by people like Florence and the Machine are works of artistic brilliance that really inspire you...

David
 
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I really like the idea of music videos. Not so much the large production ones, but more the ones people do on low budgets. I think it feels better with the new way people are producing their music. Both bands I'm in are full on DIY and we are looking forward to putting stuff out that we have done. And luckily even though both bands are completely different in styles (punk rock and a bluegrass band) we are both big on cross promoting each other. I would love to see what some of the people on here are doing for music videos.
 
Funny I came across this thread today....my new music partner and I are planning to do some videos to go with our new originals. Her and I feel that these days, people want visual candy more than ever.....even if MTV no longer plays videos. :)
The other cool thing is that she's heavily into the whole social media promotion thing, which I don't bother with...and I'm heavily into the recording/mixing side, which she's not....and we both have some video background....so together we can cover all requirements.

Yes, there's a TON of video crap on the Internet, but even though the competition for audiences to hear & see your stuff is much greater....there's still more chance you will get a greater number of people to listen your music if there's a dumb video to go along with it. :D

Anyway, we're planning to do basic stuff that goes with the music...and of course, it will be low budget, but we've already discussed some of the possible scenes we can include, and it won't be real costly to do, though yeah, doing decent videos is a lot of work. I did my share when I was working in a TV production department for a couple of years...and it's even harder than tracking/mixing a song.
 
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