Music videos: Love 'em or hate 'em?

[killerdwarf]

In keeping with the developing threads around here, I thought I'd throw this one out . With very few exceptions, I think music videos suck, and are counterproductive to my enjoyment of music. I'd much rather develop my own images in response to a song than have some cheesy video impose them on me. A couple notable exceptions to this...Michael Jackson's "Thriller" and Nirvanna's "Smells Like Teen Spirit". These two captured the essence of the songs they represented. There may be some others out there, but for the life of me I can't think of them right now. For the most part, I try to avoid music videos like the plague. I don't mind straight performance videos, where a camera catches the live performance. I really dislike contrived vanity projects that try to force someone else's idea of what the song is about onto me. what do you think? Are there some videos that got it right, in your opinion? Do they all suck?

 

[Edmund Blackadder]

I gotta agree, in most cases the music video is just a vehicle to show us hoiw pretty these boy/girl bands are.
However for every 50 crap 'BackStreetzone' or 'Spice Doll' videos there is genuinely a work of genius mixed in....infact i might up that to 100 crap there is 1.
For instance, Hurt by Johnny Cash, its one of the greatest videos that works to lift the song to extraordinary levels....and because of that, i'm willing to forgive the worst because when the best is shown, those few minutes are just a reminder what is there.

 

[Schillaci]

Radiohead - Street Spirit

Never has a video fit music more perfectly.

Oh, and any video with Shakira shaking her ass gets a thumbs up from me.

 

[BillieHunter]

Music videos generally do suck...although there are a few exceptions...none of which i can think of right now...however i do know i have come across a few in the past that i thought were good...they are few and far between but they are there...

 

[Frenchy Faith]

Hmmmm depends a lot... take Mylene Farmer for instance (French singer)... ever since she started making music videos.... most of them are like mini movie and trully good as in REALLY REALLY good... they go along with the lyrics and they have like a professionalism in it... my favorite L'Ame Stram Gram is just ... i donno... it's artistic imo

But I agree that in many case they are.... gah.... lol.... n/c ... I guess it depends a lot on who makes it too... and like what the singer want to get out of it... if it's just commercial or if they want to put more in it?

 

[Old Master 3.0]

I've never really had anything against music vids. They do entertain, so long as they have something to do with the song. That's the only time I take issue with it, when the video makes no sense at all.

Case in point, the band Tool's videos. They are visually freaky and make no friggin' sense at all, much less have anything to do with the lyrics.

 

[buffetofsporks]

I don't have a problem with them. They're fun. I don't really see the need for them to make a major impact on the public, because they're just a tool that's used to sell records. It's business, so they really shouldn't NEED to appeal on some deeper level. Sex and booty-shaking sell. 🙂

 

[Spirit_Of_Fred]

music videos are ok. i like watching them when im bored, but i dont have a strong opinion either way. i think there are some really good/creative and really pretty ones out there, but i also think for some they are just more ways to exploit the looks of the bands/band members. however, i am a big fan of the internet vids where they take show clips and put them to music. some of them can be really sweet, or just cool. i watch them a lot; they rock! 😀 especially buffy ones. they bring back so many memories...