Video Killed the Radio Star, But What Killed the Video? Diving Into What Happened With the Music Video

Music videos took pop culture by storm when MTV launched and The Buggles’ “Video Killed the Radio Star” debuted on that fateful day in August 1981. That video became symbolic, and it was a hallmark change in how music was consumed. Through MTV’s 24/7 music video channel, music videos became a pinnacle of an artist's aesthetics and visuals. Iconic music videos of the early MTV days like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” transformed the music video and showcased its storytelling potential. For a record label, a music video was essential to the marketing process. No matter the genre, the music video was a critical asset for an artist.

Collage of diverse musicians and performers against a vibrant gradient background, showcasing various styles and expressions.

Although there was a decline in MTV’s influence with the digital age, music videos only became more important. With access to YouTube and basic editing platforms, anyone could create and upload a music video. With the online video, you could go viral overnight, like with Psy’s “Gangnam Style” in 2012. In this digital age, you could watch music videos any time, any place, for as long as you’d like. They’d spring their own dance trends, inspire fashion trends, and transform slang terms. With social media, artists could use music videos to interact with their audience, promote future releases, and show exclusive behind-the-scenes moments, furthering the music video's importance as a marketing technique.

A shirtless man winks and poses, a woman in ornate glasses gestures. Dance scene with skeleton outfits and blue dots behind. LEGO figures to the right.

But what happened? Artists who’ve only gotten bigger over time have seen significant decreases in their music video views. “Espresso” by Sabrina Carpenter has over 2 billion streams on Spotify alone, but the music video hasn’t even reached 400 million views on YouTube. Some artists opt to not put out music videos at all; Beyonce, for example, opted to make visualizers for her latest album, “Cowboy Carter”. Even the artists who do put out music videos today lack the spark that they once had. Taylor Swift put out 6 music videos for her “1989” album - for “The Tortured Poets Department”, she put out 1. Across the board, music videos seem less inspired and less involved than ever before.

Four fashionably dressed people from music videos in individual panels; one with snacks, one holding a basketball, one in latex, and one delivering a speech.

Unfortunately, the streaming age has killed the art of the music video. No more are the days of the 15 minute “Thriller”-esque epics, where the gap between music and film are beautifully bridged. Now, artists walk through fields or dance in a soundstage, lip syncing to their songs. The ease of streaming has diminished, if not killed, the need for the music video as a promotional method for an artist. From a label’s perspective, why would you pour money into something that won’t generate you more money in return? Music is easy to upload to streaming services, and is as nowhere near as involved as making a music video. Artists weren’t even paid when their music videos played on MTV, but the channel became such a crucial marketing mechanism that it was worth the investment.

Vintage TVs display music video scenes, including a modern couple in bold suits, black-and-white portraits, and retro graphics.

Another blow to the art of the music video was the emergence of short form video apps like TikTok, and the shortened attention span that came along with it. Unfortunately, most can’t even watch a 60 second TikTok, let alone watch a 3 or 4 minute long music video. Today, only dedicated fans are willing to watch, and appreciate, the art of a music video. But since the decrease in popularity of videos hasn’t gone unnoticed, artists are pouring less and less into their music videos. So, even devoted fans who would go watch a music video are less likely to watch a mediocre music video. For labels, the music video seems redundant, and a waste of resources that can be put elsewhere, which is a shame.

A collage of various people from music videos, including someone in a suit, a bright-haired figure with wings, and several monochrome portraits, set amid glittery effects.

I think the music video is such a beautiful piece of art. Music videos have so much power in their message and storytelling. There are so many iconic moments in music videos in my head that I could list out here, and I’m sure you have many in your head too. They serve as markers of time, political statements, pop culture, and so much more. To all of the artists out there, please make music videos. You might receive more views from a simple TikTok video, but a 15 second TikTok will never have the impact that a music video can.

Written By Lauren DiGiovanni