Can MTV Return to the Glory Days of Music Videos?

Vulture reported that MTV has taken on a new series where they'll finance music videos to turn them into epic dramas -- in other words, really expensive, cool-looking music videos with good directors. The series is called 'Supervideo,' and it officially started with a new video for LCD Soundsystem's 'Pow Wow,' featuring Oscar-nominee Anna Kendrick of 'Twilight' and 'Up in the Air' fame.

Can this series revitalize the cultural relevance of music videos once again, or is it just a pet project to please MTV's older fans? Simple answer: MTV gave birth to the music video, it killed the music video, and it still won't resurrect the music video -- at least not to what it once was.

The effort is led by publisher of Mean Magazine, Kashy Kahledi, an old music video geek, who feels premium value is returning to the art form after Lady Gaga and Kanye West's successes. "It says that there's a certain nostalgia, that there's a sort of excitement for the music video again," Kahledi said.

MTV nabbed 'Training Day' writer David Ayer to run the first 'supervideo,' and it certainly looked pretty, but for music videos to rise back to the influential medium they once were, it's going to take a whole lot more than fancy cameras and MTV money. The main idea that made music videos so powerful back in the '80s and '90s was that MTV was built around them; they had a whole network vying for different ways to promote them. Sometimes it was the music video that made the artist, but today the clips' roles are more similar to album covers -- decorative art to promote digital tracks on iTunes. Videos play second fiddle.

'Supervideo' isn't going to change MTV's relationship with music videos because MTV worked too hard to leave them in the past, and while a lot of people moved on, new viewers have tuned in for Snooki and 'The Burial Life' instead.

The irony is that even if MTV wanted to ditch reality TV and bring back the music video, it wouldn't matter because the state of the music industry has flipped upside down. When music videos were in their prime, Napster didn't exist and YouTube was years away. Music videos haven't lost all relevance, but they've adapted to today's viral environment where everything is on Vevo/YouTube, and people only buy music because they don't know how to use Google correctly. Times have changed, and today's music video doesn't fit into the end-all be-all role it once had, because our attention spans have been divided by four -- there's too much information on the internet coming at us from all ends for us to value it as much anymore.

Although the role of the music video has changed dramatically, that doesn't mean we don't love them when they're good. Lady Gaga's 'Bad Romance' and Kanye West's 'Runaway' made music videos an artform once again, and their traffic on YouTube alone proves people still love them, but conversely, our behaviors have changed. MTV can't make money off music videos anymore because people only need a laptop, no more TV, to get what they want. People have the control. MTV can invest in high-quality music videos, and people will watch them, but this isn't by any means a return to the 1990s and they won't change the role of the video because our culture changed without them a long time ago.

MTV will never come back. Might as well just change the name of the channel.

So they are having one more reality show (this time about making videos) so what? MTV is not coming back because it lost its place for good and anyway it is not needed now, we got youtube and the average act can't finance expensive videos. I am wondering does MTV still have good ratings? I'd rather see it close down than becoming this shadow of itself

jiorjios said:

So they are having one more reality show (this time about making videos) so what? MTV is not coming back because it lost its place for good and anyway it is not needed now, we got youtube and the average act can't finance expensive videos. I am wondering does MTV still have good ratings? I'd rather see it close down than becoming this shadow of itself

Too late it's already that.

People watch music videos on youtube these days. MTV is irrelevant (to me at least).

Nick715 said:

People watch music videos on youtube these days. MTV is irrelevant (to me at least).

And "Bad Romance" has something like 300 million views on Youtube. No MTV could keep up with that demand, even if MTV had the format of the glory years.

OK heres the deal and not too sound to harsh.......

But Videos as a way of promotion are useless now, you will see them dwindle away like the Cassette tape because they cost way too much, and unless there is some sort of payback for it then its not useful to the artist or more important, the label or whomever is footing the bill. This is where huge costs come from, now it also works other ways, some have to pay themselves to make the videos, say from their advances to make a record, those costs come out of the artists pockets, that depends on your deal or status in the industry. Example, Beyonce has the label foot the bill and budgets, Amerie pays the costs out of her pocket.

Now dont get me wrong, i like a new video just as the next person, you are talking to someone who use to stay up on Friday nights to all hours with the vcr ready to tape new videos on Friday Night Videos or Hot Tracks, this was all good till The Cosby Kids started hosting the show, and then the show got cut down just like MTV is now. But MTV, VH1 and BET are all shells of what they were. Mainly because this generation really doesnt care about the video... that was for us kids of the 80's when this shit was being born, when VJ's were non existent and you got videos 24/7 from whatever show you got. But that is over, and its not MTV"s vault, this is the way it all went, a combo, of the labels, the artists (doing repitive videos) and the public, they just dont care about it anymore.

Now all this said, i think, and many others agree, that you can VIA YouTube, make something happen, and its happening, so now you go find your artist and their video(s). There just isnt going to ever be that COLLECTIVE channel that gives you it all the way it did, MTV is dead, why its still called that i have no idea, VH1 is nothing more than MTV's child, and BET well we dont need to go there.

In a word... 'NO'. In 2 words... 'Hell No'!!!

MTV outlived its usefullness a long time ago, hell I also wouldn't mind a name change for the station.

LOL.

It doesn't make any difference to me. I quit listening to the radio and watching MTV around 1990 or 91. I have no interest in modern music. The few newer acts I do listen to aren't likely to be shown on MTV and BET anyway, even if they did show videos.

MickyDolenz said:

It doesn't make any difference to me. I quit listening to the radio and watching MTV around 1990 or 91. I have no interest in modern music. The few newer acts I do listen to aren't likely to be shown on MTV and BET anyway, even if they did show videos.

Cosign...

RIP MTV

I love music videos, but like lastdecember said. the music video has outlived its usefulness. In the early days of MTV, music videos were the only way for many artists to get initial exposure to the charts, and the more outrageous the video, the more exposure that artist got. The music video was also the laboratory for a lot of young directors who hoped to become big time filmmakers as well. But with the collapse of the record companies and the rise of YouTube, its actually cost prohibitive for most artists to invest in an expensive music video when they can film one of their own for cheap and post it on their band website or on YouTube. In fact, Justin Bieber got his initial exposure off of YouTube, and while he may have had some really expensive, high production music video put out on his behalf, I have yet to see it.

As long as ViaCON still owns MTV, hell no!

THE DEATH OF MTV

Michael Jackson made MTV not vice versa. They wouldnt even play, him, Prince or hip hop until it dawned on them how much money was involved. Of course it fell off, it never had any soul from the gate.

MTV, BET & VH-1 can all get flushed down the toilet.

The funny thing is, when the media finally dispose them and bring something that gets people attention, they're gonna run the new thing into the ground and we'll end up wishing for the days of MTV

Nick715 said:

People watch music videos on youtube these days. MTV is irrelevant (to me at least).

Exactly.Youtube has become the new MTV.I think it's even better than MTV because it puts the viewer in control of what they wanna see.

Glory Days financially they may've been, but the days of MTV brought underground rock/hiphop acts into the mainstream cutting their goolies off in the process.

EmbattledWarrior said:

MickyDolenz said:

It doesn't make any difference to me. I quit listening to the radio and watching MTV around 1990 or 91. I have no interest in modern music. The few newer acts I do listen to aren't likely to be shown on MTV and BET anyway, even if they did show videos.

Cosign...

Double co-sign.

The key statement in that article is that "the value has been lost to the public" thats it right there, being saying this for years and years now, MUSIC is barely the "fries" with your meal now, it used to be your meal now its a side-dish. So u can imagine the value of the music video. Everything is happening so fast, because we have NO attention spans at all, think of how the labels and media treat us, a label doesnt feel we can handle more than one new release at a time so it spaces them out resulting in NO COMPETITION just a bunch of artists who are mirror images of themselves. As for MEDIA well, look at a story like the "bubble boy" and think how that fucking stupid kid and family had the airwaves and channels tied up for days.

Instead of trying to bring back MTV, someone should start a channel that plays old promo clips from the 60's & 70's like Paperback Writer by The Beatles and uncut music programs like American Bandstand, Soul Train, Shindig!, SOUL!, The Dolly Parton/Porter Wagoner show, Ed Sullivan, Hallejuah Train, The Beat, Top Of The Pops, Solid Gold, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Midnight Special, the James Brown disco show from the late 1970's, etc. They can also show concerts and concert films like Woodstock, Save The Children, Gimmie Shelter, Wattstax, the T.A.M.I. Show and movies starring singers like Elvis and musicals. Even the variety shows like The Jacksons, Donny & Marie, Hee Haw, and Captain & Tennille or performances from old award shows like the Grammys. Now I'd watch that.

MickyDolenz said:

Instead of trying to bring back MTV, someone should start a channel that plays old promo clips from the 60's & 70's like Paperback Writer by The Beatles and uncut music programs like American Bandstand, Soul Train, Shindig!, SOUL!, The Dolly Parton/Porter Wagoner show, Ed Sullivan, Hallejuah Train, The Beat, Top Of The Pops, Solid Gold, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Midnight Special, the James Brown disco show from the late 1970's, etc. They can also show concerts and concert films like Woodstock, Save The Children, Gimmie Shelter, Wattstax, the T.A.M.I. Show and movies starring singers like Elvis and musicals. Even the variety shows like The Jacksons, Donny & Marie, Hee Haw, and Captain & Tennille or performances from old award shows like the Grammys. Now I'd watch that.

EXACTLY! i mean im not saying live in the past 24/7 with everything, BUT you have to have a space for "looking back " and just freaking tradition and respect, that is HOW you preserve an art form. NOT by trying to re-create a feeling or an album or specific moment, but airing it, showing it, what would be so wrong to say one day SHOW Live Aid on TV and say look new generation this is when we all did something for nothing, no soundchecks no egos, just went on and played.

MickyDolenz said:

Instead of trying to bring back MTV, someone should start a channel that plays old promo clips from the 60's & 70's like Paperback Writer by The Beatles and uncut music programs like American Bandstand, Soul Train, Shindig!, SOUL!, The Dolly Parton/Porter Wagoner show, Ed Sullivan, Hallejuah Train, The Beat, Top Of The Pops, Solid Gold, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Midnight Special, the James Brown disco show from the late 1970's, etc. They can also show concerts and concert films like Woodstock, Save The Children, Gimmie Shelter, Wattstax, the T.A.M.I. Show and movies starring singers like Elvis and musicals. Even the variety shows like The Jacksons, Donny & Marie, Hee Haw, and Captain & Tennille or performances from old award shows like the Grammys. Now I'd watch that.

I'll love to see that too.

lastdecember said:

MickyDolenz said:

Instead of trying to bring back MTV, someone should start a channel that plays old promo clips from the 60's & 70's like Paperback Writer by The Beatles and uncut music programs like American Bandstand, Soul Train, Shindig!, SOUL!, The Dolly Parton/Porter Wagoner show, Ed Sullivan, Hallejuah Train, The Beat, Top Of The Pops, Solid Gold, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Midnight Special, the James Brown disco show from the late 1970's, etc. They can also show concerts and concert films like Woodstock, Save The Children, Gimmie Shelter, Wattstax, the T.A.M.I. Show and movies starring singers like Elvis and musicals. Even the variety shows like The Jacksons, Donny & Marie, Hee Haw, and Captain & Tennille or performances from old award shows like the Grammys. Now I'd watch that.

EXACTLY! i mean im not saying live in the past 24/7 with everything, BUT you have to have a space for "looking back " and just freaking tradition and respect, that is HOW you preserve an art form. NOT by trying to re-create a feeling or an album or specific moment, but airing it, showing it, what would be so wrong to say one day SHOW Live Aid on TV and say look new generation this is when we all did something for nothing, no soundchecks no egos, just went on and played.

No one is doing anything with a lot of that old footage anyway. It's just deteriorating in a warehouse somewhere. There's a lot of stuff I've seen on Youtube that I had no idea existed. Like I didn't know there was a music video for Frankie Smith's Double Dutch Bus, although the person who uploaded it didn't have the entire video and it cut off in the middle of the song. A lot of the videos there are bad 10th generation copies, lol. At least some of the original film/videotapes have to exist in a televison studio archives.

MickyDolenz said:

lastdecember said:

EXACTLY! i mean im not saying live in the past 24/7 with everything, BUT you have to have a space for "looking back " and just freaking tradition and respect, that is HOW you preserve an art form. NOT by trying to re-create a feeling or an album or specific moment, but airing it, showing it, what would be so wrong to say one day SHOW Live Aid on TV and say look new generation this is when we all did something for nothing, no soundchecks no egos, just went on and played.

No one is doing anything with a lot of that old footage anyway. It's just deteriorating in a warehouse somewhere. There's a lot of stuff I've seen on Youtube that I had no idea existed. Like I didn't know there was a music video for Frankie Smith's Double Dutch Bus, although the person who uploaded it didn't have the entire video and it cut off in the middle of the song. A lot of the videos there are bad 10th generation copies, lol. At least some of the original film/videotapes have to exist in a televison studio archives.

Someone should be the advocate of bringing that stuff out into the open! Either that or someone will find a way to bring them to the public! It just has to! A lot of R&B footage from the '60s from the Motown artists, Philly artists on down have never been released again to the public. Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Otis Redding and a lot of the Motown acts have a lot of performances from the '60s that have never been seen but it's locked away and left to rotten. Sad.

When did MTV show music videos? I thought that was VH1

DesireeNevermind said:

When did MTV show music videos? I thought that was VH1

1981-1991

The first three years of MTV was nothing but veejays and videos by British acts. Hardly no American acts no matter what color. And the first black artists were from England (Musical Youth). Tina's video for "Ball of Confusion" was on MTV and it was filmed in Europe. Joan Armatrading (sp?) and Eddy Grant were also overseas acts that got played on MTV.

After Michael, more black and American acts were on the channel longer than some of the Brit artists they were "promoting".

[Edited 11/8/10 15:32pm]

Timmy84 said:

DesireeNevermind said:

When did MTV show music videos? I thought that was VH1

1981-1991

The first three years of MTV was nothing but veejays and videos by British acts. Hardly no American acts no matter what color. And the first black artists were from England (Musical Youth). Tina's video for "Ball of Confusion" was on MTV and it was filmed in Europe. Joan Armatrading (sp?) and Eddy Grant were also overseas acts that got played on MTV.

After Michael, more black and American acts were on the channel longer than some of the Brit artists they were "promoting".

[Edited 11/8/10 15:32pm]

Wow. all this time I thought the first black artist played on mtv was michael jackson. never watched much mtv. I either watched vh1 or something called video jukebox (the box?). there were videos played on BET too...back when they were about music.

DesireeNevermind said:

Timmy84 said:

1981-1991

The first three years of MTV was nothing but veejays and videos by British acts. Hardly no American acts no matter what color. And the first black artists were from England (Musical Youth). Tina's video for "Ball of Confusion" was on MTV and it was filmed in Europe. Joan Armatrading (sp?) and Eddy Grant were also overseas acts that got played on MTV.

After Michael, more black and American acts were on the channel longer than some of the Brit artists they were "promoting".

[Edited 11/8/10 15:32pm]

Wow. all this time I thought the first black artist played on mtv was michael jackson. never watched much mtv. I either watched vh1 or something called video jukebox (the box?). there were videos played on BET too...back when they were about music.

VH-1 came out in 1985 (I think the same with Video Jukebox/The Box).