Music Videos, The Death Of?

I came across this article the other day and it made me sad.

Who Killed the Music Video Star?

Basically attempts to explain why the music video has all but died out. Part of the explanation is simple and obvious; basically MTV doesn’t play music videos anymore. Boooo MTV!

However the second part of the article is a little more interesting. The author makes the assertion that music videos were never actually an extension of an artist’s creative energy, but rather it was always a marketing tool. It was always just a publicity ploy that was trying to get you to buy the album. Since no one actually buys albums anymore, there is significantly less money flying around in the music industry and so, essentially, music videos are no longer cost effective.

How sad that the music video may be becoming a lost art form?

Since I am getting all misty-eyed about music videos, I have posted a few of my favorites below.

Radiohead/UNKLE "Rabbit in Your Headlights"
This video is creepy, cool, and every time this poor bastard gets hit by a car you really feel it. Uuugh!



Prodigy “Smack My Bitch Up”
Probably one of the greatest music videos of all time. Filthy and all Id and simply sublime. WARNING: this is the dirty version and will probably be removed by Blogspot by the time the sun comes up.



Guns N’ Roses “November Rain”
The “Phantom of the Opera” of music videos. It is simply the biggest and most actually epic of them all.



Michael Jackson “Thriller”
Arguably one of the greatest music videos of all time.

Michael Jackson Misses You Too.

So if you are like me, you have been using this long Fourth of July weekend to reflect on the meaning of Michael Jackson.

No, just kidding.

But I actually saw that on a magazine. The cover was all just a giant picture of Michael Jackson and then it said: The Meaning of Michael.

What?

I don’t even know what that means.

I know that he was hugely important to the African-American community, given the status he achieved and the time when he achieved it, and I know he created some barrier breaking music, but come on, is that why he’s on the cover of TIME Magazine? I kinda think that his hugely bizarre and disappointing train-wreck life is why he remained on the radar screen at all.

And I don’t mean to be all raining on anybody’s parade, but I think that this is what our weird TV culture does and it is annoying. The day before he died, Michael Jackson was basically a punch line and the day after he died, he’s a musical genius. That’s the part that bothers me. It isn’t you Michael, it is us, that annoys me.

When I heard that he died, I immediately posted on Facebook that I would like to be the one to start the rumor that he faked his death. Other people were posting about: “We love you Mike, and we will miss you” or “Thank you Michael”. And I was all what the fuck?

Does the fact that he made some good music excuse all the other things that he did?

How does his dying transgress those things? And would we let it if he hadn’t invented moon-walking?

Maybe I just don’t get it.
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