A Brief History and Analysis of Music Promo's

A list of some of the most influential music videos ever made, what conventions they follow, how they follow them, and how they have developed over the years.

 

 

Bob Dylan (1965) – “Subterranean Homesick Blues”

• Single continuous shot
• No performance by a band, although Bob Dylan is present

 

The Beatles (1967) – “Strawberry Fields Forever”

• Filmed in colour
• Multiple shots (a range of different shots)
• Transitions (fades and such)
• Advanced editing (backwards shots)

 

 

The Monkees (1967) – “A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You”

• Comedy sketches
• Not very serious
• Lots of editing techniques have been used

 

 

Queen (1975) – “Bohemian Rhapsody”

• New was to edit promo’s
• Band are specifically composed
• Shows a live performance
• Good lighting

 

 

Duran Duran (1982) – “Rio”

• Much more advanced effects
• Wider variety of shots used
• There is an evident narrative to the promo
• Saturated colours

 

 

Michael Jackson (1983) – “Thriller”

• Short film style promo
• Dance routines (including many people)
• Cost a hell-of-a lot of money

 

 

A-ha (1984) – “Take on Me”

• Drawings mix in with real life
• Narrative is evident

 

 

Aerosmith ft. Run-D.M.C. (1986) – “Walk This Way”

• Performance and narrative
• First ‘Black Rap’ and ‘White Rock’ combo

 

 

Peter Gabriel (1986) – “Sledgehammer”

• Artistic and funky
• Stop-go animation with plasticine and other objects
• Lyrics and images link (amplification)
• Inspirational
• Montage effects

 

 

Nirvana (1991) – “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

• Live performance
• Stuff happening around the band
• Dark, orangey lighting effect
• Moshpit type gig
• Lots of quick-cuts
• Most attention on Kurt Cobain
• Some slow-mo effects

Nirvana (1992) – “In Bloom”

• Black and white
• 50’s style set
• Large audience in stands
• Very unconventional for that type of band
• Intertexturality/pastiche
• Live performance

Bjork (1993) – “Human Behavior”

• Very strange and unconventional
• Forest setting (night-time)
• Children’s fairy-tale type theme

The Verve (1997) – “Bittersweet Symphony”

•  Basic
• Rebellious and cocky

Fat Boy Slim (1999) – “Praise You”

• Different, unconventional
• Camerawork not very good
• Taking the mick out of pop videos, very simple

Eminem (2002) – “Without Me”

• Comic book style (super hero’s)
• Humorous
• References to real life (lyrics)

Weezer (2008) – “Pork and Beans”

• Funny and comedic
•  Live performance
•  Unconventional
• Based on popular viral things (peanut butter jelly time, numa numa man, charlie the unicorn, lightsabers...)