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Subject: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Marty McFly on 01/12/07 at 9:31 am

Maybe it's me, but it seems they don't put as much effort into them anymore.

They've been around for so long and people are used to them now, so I understand this. I don't expect them to be conversation pieces like they were in, say 1983. They still have an audience, but people have the attitude of: oh, a video. Whatever, it's cool I guess.

Nowadays, it's like they're just "there".

Sure, there's still some good ones which have made me get into songs I otherwise might not have. But what I miss about the old-school, classic 1980s videos were the little modifications thrown in. Like when they were interspersed with dialogue, or featured extra scenes before and after the song. Or, the audio might be remixed, or shortened/lengthened to fit the filming time. Of course, there were also lots of storytelling/acting ones.

Huey Lewis, Tom Petty, Phil Collins, and (of course) Michael Jackson did lots of these, for instance.

Aside from lacking that variety, I'd describe modern videos as being just plain and ordinary. Like, you'd get the idea watching them that you were just hanging out with people in the various aspects of their everyday life. Others are just the bands performing in a certain setting.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Dominic L. on 01/12/07 at 11:15 am

Well, now they're all either just the band performing in one place, or while aimlessly walking down the road. Either that, or it's a rap video which shows a rapper rapping in a bathtub with his hos... w00tz.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Marty McFly on 01/12/07 at 11:38 am


Well, now they're all either just the band performing in one place, or while aimlessly walking down the road. Either that, or it's a rap video which shows a rapper rapping in a bathtub with his hos... w00tz.


Yeah it's mostly about bling bling now.

It's funny, but the really early ones (pre-Thriller) tended to be just the band performing in one place or in a room. I guess they've come full circle in a way. ;)
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Dominic L. on 01/12/07 at 11:47 am


Yeah it's mostly about bling bling now.

It's funny, but the really early ones (pre-Thriller) tended to be just the band performing in one place or in a room. I guess they've come full circle in a way. ;)


Yeah, I was just thinking that, but at least then it was reasonable-like. I mean... Come on, Bon Jovi, nobody plays music in the middle of a house being constructed!
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: quirky_cat_girl on 01/12/07 at 12:36 pm

I can honestly say that I haven't seen a music video in YEARS! I can't even remember the last time I watched one. :o
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Marty McFly on 01/12/07 at 12:44 pm

^ My "on the VCR/DVD player" channel is usually set to VH1, so whenver I turn the TV on, that's what's playing. I don't usually intend to watch videos, but I'll get sucked in from seeing a clip or will watch just out of curiousity.

Of course there's exceptions, but there haven't been too many noticeable videos since, like 2001, so you're not missing much, lol.


Yeah, I was just thinking that, but at least then it was reasonable-like. I mean... Come on, Bon Jovi, nobody plays music in the middle of a house being constructed!


So many '80s videos were exaggerated and stupidly cheesy, but that was their charm. ;)
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Sister Morphine on 01/12/07 at 1:58 pm

The novelty wore off on music videos a long time ago. 
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: ultraviolet52 on 01/12/07 at 5:08 pm

I enjoy music videos today, but I don't feel the same anticipation for them to watch on MTV/VH1 as I did lets say, 10 years ago.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: nally on 01/12/07 at 5:10 pm

I don't enjoy them a great deal (since they seem to contain a lot of weird images), but sometimes I turn them on in the morning when I have nothing better to watch.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: gemini on 01/12/07 at 6:30 pm


I can honestly say that I haven't seen a music video in YEARS! I can't even remember the last time I watched one. :o

I was thinking exactly that! I don't know when the last time was I saw one. Usually when I'm flipping channels I see a reality show or top 20 80s videos or something like that, but no new videos.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Dominic L. on 01/12/07 at 7:00 pm


So many '80s videos were exaggerated and stupidly cheesy, but that was their charm. ;)


Well, I was thinking of their latest video, which I think came out in 2006?
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Sister Morphine on 01/12/07 at 11:47 pm


I don't enjoy them a great deal (since they seem to contain a lot of weird images), but sometimes I turn them on in the morning when I have nothing better to watch.



What do you mean "weird images"?
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Marty McFly on 01/13/07 at 1:16 am


I enjoy music videos today, but I don't feel the same anticipation for them to watch on MTV/VH1 as I did lets say, 10 years ago.


Yeah, same here. I watch them if they're on, but don't make a point of doing so like I used to.

Did you ever watch VH1 in the 1990 to '93 period (when it had the large, clear-faced logo onscreen and slogans like The Greatest Hits of Music Video, 24 Hours a Day)? ;)

That was my favorite. '80s videos were still in constant rotation with the new stuff. They had other cool programs too, like standup comedy and documentaries. In fact, I watched it so much that I got OD'd on it for a few years (that's when I got into Unsolved Mysteries and sitcoms in the mid '90s, lol).

What was your favorite MTV stuff in those days? As weird as that sounds from me, I rarely watched it at all, outside of the occasional Beavis and Butthead episode or something.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: woops on 01/13/07 at 3:58 am

There's been commercials on Disney Channel about a debut of Vanessa Hudgen's music video that aired after their new tv movie and they air videos inbetween shows and many of their fanbase are into them.


(BTW, I only watch one show on that network and don't care about their brand of pop acts)
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: nally on 01/13/07 at 4:55 pm



What do you mean "weird images"?

Weird things being depicted. I dunno how else to describe it.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Sister Morphine on 01/13/07 at 5:18 pm


Weird things being depicted. I dunno how else to describe it.



What are you seeing so much that you think is "weird"?  Half-naked women?
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: nally on 01/13/07 at 5:20 pm

No.

Why do you even care anyways?
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Sister Morphine on 01/13/07 at 5:24 pm


No.

Why do you even care anyways?




Ummmm, "curiosity".  I watch plenty of music videos, albeit online, but I haven't seen any "weird" images being depicted.  Weird to me would be things like blood, gore, extreme sexual situations, really out-there animations.....that would be weird in a music video.  That's why I was asking.  I wanted to know what YOU were seeing that you thought was weird....like what video it was or what artist it was.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: nally on 01/13/07 at 5:27 pm




Ummmm, "curiosity".  I watch plenty of music videos, albeit online, but I haven't seen any "weird" images being depicted.  Weird to me would be things like blood, gore, extreme sexual situations, really out-there animations.....that would be weird in a music video.  That's why I was asking.  I wanted to know what YOU were seeing that you thought was weird....like what video it was or what artist it was.


Oh. Well, there have been a number of odd-lookin' things/objects/etc. in certain videos I've seen over the years...and if I could remember one or two particular videos off the top of my head, I'd gladly mention them. :)
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Marty McFly on 01/16/07 at 2:25 am


Oh. Well, there have been a number of odd-lookin' things/objects/etc. in certain videos I've seen over the years...and if I could remember one or two particular videos off the top of my head, I'd gladly mention them. :)


I would think "odd" things would be more characteristic of '80s or (to a lesser extent) '90s videos - i.e. horror-type clips. They don't make really any big budget movie-like ones anymore.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: woops on 01/17/07 at 4:40 am

Ever seen Green Day's teen soap opera "Wake Me Up When September Ends" or  the equally cheesy video for "Jesus Of Suburbuia"... both that's the only two examples of "movie like" music videos  ::) :P
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Philip Eno on 01/17/07 at 4:42 am

I preferred the music videos back when they were called Pop Promos
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Dominic L. on 01/17/07 at 11:09 am


I would think "odd" things would be more characteristic of '80s or (to a lesser extent) '90s videos - i.e. horror-type clips. They don't make really any big budget movie-like ones anymore.


Well... Rap videos usually have HUUUUUUUGE budgets, undeservably so. They're just rapping in bathtubs...
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: nally on 01/17/07 at 4:32 pm


I would think "odd" things would be more characteristic of '80s or (to a lesser extent) '90s videos - i.e. horror-type clips. They don't make really any big budget movie-like ones anymore.

Well, what's "odd" to one person may not be "odd" to some people, and vice-a-versa. Certain things in certain videos hardly make any sense to me in one way or another.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Marty McFly on 01/18/07 at 7:31 pm


Well, what's "odd" to one person may not be "odd" to some people, and vice-a-versa. Certain things in certain videos hardly make any sense to me in one way or another.


That's true, everyone's different.

But, what strikes you as odd in general? No biggie, just wondering.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: nally on 01/19/07 at 8:17 pm


That's true, everyone's different.

But, what strikes you as odd in general? No biggie, just wondering.

I dunno exacly how to describe it, but in some cases it's the actions done by the performers (or other people) in the vid. A couple years ago I was watching the Spanish music video channel (which at the time was 'MTV Espa
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Dominic L. on 01/19/07 at 8:58 pm


I dunno exacly how to describe it, but in some cases it's the actions done by the performers (or other people) in the vid. A couple years ago I was watching the Spanish music video channel (which at the time was 'MTV Espa
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: nally on 01/19/07 at 9:13 pm


Hmm... I don't think violence is really odd, but more unnecessary?

Maybe it's not "odd", per se, but there's other weird things IMO. Like the concept for certain vids.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: woops on 01/19/07 at 9:17 pm

I only enjoy music videos from the 1980' & 1990's and a very few from this decade.

They should bring back "Beavis & Butt-Head" since they'd have a field day trashing James Blunt, 50 Cent, Lindsay Lohan, etc.  :D

Even if it's just for a special.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: nally on 01/19/07 at 9:18 pm


They should bring back "Beavis & Butt-Head" since they'd have a field day trashing James Blunt, 50 Cent, Lindsay Lohan, etc.  :D

Even if it's just for a special.

Yeah, what ever happened to the reruns from that show? I think MTV2 was airing them for a while...


Not that I particularly cared for them anyways ::)
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Apricot on 01/19/07 at 10:27 pm


They should bring back "Beavis & Butt-Head" since they'd have a field day trashing James Blunt, 50 Cent, Lindsay Lohan, etc.  :D


I loved when they'd bust on music videos.. I almost pissed myself the first time I saw it.. I saw them mocking Nine-Inch Nails "March of the Pigs".

"I do shine my pants."
"You said "douche"."
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: tv on 02/11/07 at 6:18 pm

Music video's were cool in the 90's but now they're not as inventive as they were in the 90's. 80's music video's are kinda corny but that one Genesis video for "Land of Confusion" its cheesey but it has a cool factor to it though where you just have to laugh at it. Wasn;t Genesis mocking Ronald Reagen(the president of the US at that time in 1987) in that video a little bit?
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Marty McFly on 02/12/07 at 10:03 pm


Music video's were cool in the 90's but now they're not as inventive as they were in the 90's. 80's music video's are kinda corny but that one Genesis video for "Land of Confusion" its cheesey but it has a cool factor to it though where you just have to laugh at it. Wasn;t Genesis mocking Ronald Reagen(the president of the US at that time in 1987) in that video a little bit?


Yeah, they were lampooning (in a goofy way) the Reagan Administration using puppets. It's sorta funny now, but when I was younger, I didn't quite grasp the political meaning behind it (although I obviously knew who Ronald Reagan was) or that they were puppets. I thought they were supposed to just be extremely old, lol.

I think the "storyline" videos were about 1983-1992. I didn't watch them that much in the '90s, but I think those were usually better than today's too. They were just more surreal and dark.
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: ultraviolet52 on 02/13/07 at 7:21 pm

^ I miss a lot of those videos that were REALLY creative and had some sort of plot. One reason I enjoy watching some videos today are for their "plots." The one for Christina Aguilera's "Hurt" has a decent enough plot where it begins to make you "feel" how she felt when she lost that man (I am not sure what kind of relation he was to her - guardian, father, uncle, some sort of outstanding figure that impressed her when young, etc.), but you know either he died (maybe committed suicide?) or maybe moved far away enough for her to feel pretty awful knowing he's gone and out of her life.

Well, anyway, a lot of videos I think are overdone, too. They're too glossed over. I could go on and on, I suppose...
Subject: Re: Are Music Videos less inspired now?
Written By: Sister Morphine on 02/13/07 at 10:36 pm

The song "Hurt" was written about Linda Perry's father, who died.  The plot of the video is Christina is this big star in the circus and her father comes to see her shows, but she never has time for him, and then she finds out he died and she looks back with regret, at how she never talked to him or saw him again.