For as long as I can remember I've had a serious obsession with music videos. As a kid raised in a house without cable, sleep-overs with friends weren't just an excuse to stay up past my bedtime, they were an opportunity to offer my delicate developing young psyche to the gods of MTV and VH1. I happily did so, from the moment I would arrive until the sun came up the next morning. Though my parents were inevitably pissed I would be returned to them without a wink of sleep, I was giddily happy about whatever new song, artist, or dance move I had discovered the night before.
Things have seriously changed since then. Does MTV actually show videos anymore? Does VH1 still exist? In today's ever-connected internet age, my guess is that most folks catch music videos online passed on by friends on Facebook or Twitter or some such thing. I've heard many of my friends say they don't even watch music videos anymore. To me, this is a tragic statement. Yes, music on its own is still powerful. But there is something special that can be added to this experience through visuals.
So, if you are one of those people who are hatin' on videos, here are 5 reasons to change your mind.
1. INNOVATION
We have come a long way since "Video Killed the Radio Star". Some particularly thoughtful artists have started to get creative, and explore how to make the video medium fresh and exciting. Here are two great examples.
"We Used to Wait" - Arcade Fire
If you only click on one link in this post, you should click on this. This experimental video allows you to interactively participate with the song's theme of childhood revisited. You can plug in your own childhood address, and then images of that location are incorporated into the video. You are asked to write a letter to your former self, and then that is put into the video. Its kinda amazing, and definitely a bit creepy.
"House of Cards" - Radiohead
This video uses 0 cameras or lights. Instead, the video is the result of visualizations of data collected from 64 rotating lasers that basically use 3D plotting technologies to gather information about shapes and relative distances between objects. Another example of Radiohead being light-years ahead of pretty much everyone else.
2. NOT JUST FOR PROFESSIONALS ANYMORE
Famous artists and big budgets are great and all, but one of the greatest things about music videos these days is that almost anyone with a camera and a clever idea can get in on the fun. Here are 4 of my favorites in one playlist.
(1) Dancing in the Rain- Turf Feinz
Oakland-born TURF dancing (Taking Up Room on the Floor)is a form of street dancing that intends to tell as story through movements inspired by everything from popping, to breaking, to ballet and jazz. This video went viral last year, due to the jaw-dropping moves, but what is more powerful to me is the story behind it. Apparently D-Real (white t-shirt) had recently lost his brother in a car accident. In a tribute to his brother, this crew of East Oakland youth went out in the rain to the scene of the death to dance in honor of their lost friend. The results below have now spread world-wide.
(2) "Home" - Jorge & Alexa Narvaez
A father, a daughter, a guitar, a camera and a great song. This one gets me every time.
(3-4) Daft Hands/Daft Bodies
So clever.
3. STORY TELLING
It is not easy to have a cohesive beginning, middle, and end in a <8 minute piece. It can be done, however, and one of my favorite examples of a great song presented through a great story is LCD Soundsytems "Home". I have never seen a robot I wanted to hug more.
4. DANCING
Sometimes the greatest thing about a video isn't the song itself, but the sick-ass dancing that accompanies it. Some of the best videos I have seen lately have introduced me to new dance styles, exhibited moves and coreography I could never possibly master (We've all seen "Single Ladies", right?), or given me a step-by-step how-to about how I too could learn how to "Dougie" like John Wall. Check out a few of my favorites below.
5. VISUAL BEAUTY
HD technology and no longer being limited to a 4+ minute T.V. time-slot (thanks internet!) have freed up artists to think differently about how to visual present their work. Kanye recently took this to another level with his 34 minute "Runaway" mini-movie. Yes, the dude be crazy. Yes, its over the top. But I dare you to watch this and tell me it isn't beautiful and mesmerizing. If you have the time, I suggest watching this full screen.
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