Introduction to music videos

1) What are the key conventions of music video?
feature movement – often fast paced either in terms of actors, camerawork or editing.

2) What is intertextuality?

intertextuality is when one media text references another media text – through genre, conventions, mise-en-scene or specific cultural references.

3) When did music videos first become a major part of the music industry?
MTV was launched in 1981 as a platform for music videos and the first music channel on television.

4) What launched in 1981 and why were music videos an important part of the music industry in the 1980s and 1990s?

In the 1980s and 1990s big budgets were spent on producing innovative and creative music videos such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller that had a film narrative, a well known director and featured intertextuality

5) How are music videos distributed and watched in the digital age?
In 2005 the launch of Youtube changed the way that consumers access and enjoy music video. Now self-promotion is more common.

6) Why was piracy (illegal downloading on the internet) a problem for the music industry?
Piracy became a huge problem for the music industry as they could not keep up with illegal downloading and streaming services where fans shared content for free.

7) What digital services did the music industry set up to combat the threat of piracy and illegal downloading?

 Eventually, the 2000s saw the rise of streaming services with subscriptions such as Spotify, Apple Music, Beats Music and (most recently) Youtube Music. This has allowed the music industry to start making money again from audiences buying (access to) music. 

8) What is digital convergence?

is the priming of underlying digital technology components and features such as voice, texts, video, pictures, broadcasts, presentation, streaming media, global connectivity and personalized services