"HAVE YOU SEEN (insert artist's name here) NEW VIDEO?"
For those who love music, that should be a fundamentally bothersome question. That's because music is first and foremost an auditory experience. This medium's basics involve sounds produced by singers and musicians who use their voices and instruments to produce pleasurable listening. I contend that since MTV and its offspring were thrust upon us back in 1981, the quality of popular music in general has been in steady decline.
I absolutely understand that music needs to be marketed and the music video is a powerful tool in that effort but at this point in time, the look of the artist and this marketing tool have completely overtaken the importance of song craftsmanship.
Once again, readers, those of you who are a bit younger than me will say that this is a rant of a geezer who can't move past the era of music he grew up with. I choose to say...BS! More and more, artists make their mark through casting calls where the "look" above the talent is the key. It is more and more rare that the artist hones his/her chops through constant touring, playing live to all manner of audience until they create their own unique style. And...even if they do, the record companies will force a change because each act must be sloted into a particular catagory or genre to maximize sales through downloads or CD sales.
Today, no one takes a chance on talent because the business trumps the talent. What we get is Britney Spears and the gaggle of the "next teen pop stars" dressed, drilled and cloned to take each other's place. The former ages beyond the target demographic so the next one has to be ready to emerge to replace (Miley Cyrus). We get boy bands put together through casting calls, one to sound like the other because that's what sells. We get county bands that are more pop than country and bear little in common with those that paved the way in that genre. And...this is all brought to us first by videos.
As I said, I understand marketing must be done. The most influential band of all time (Beatles) was heavily marketed. Keep in mind, there was substance to the talent before the marketing began. Hey, there was even a video...possibly the the most influential video of all time...A Hard Day's Night. Once again...look at the substance of this work.
My love of music really started with and remains based on the talent of the songwriter first. People like Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, James Taylor and of course Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richard were early favorites. As my tastes expanded and I listened to more music, I added Brian Wilson, Neil Young, Elton John/Bernie Taupin, Neil Diamond, Tom Petty, George Harrison, Ray Davies (Kinks), Bruce Springsteen, Henley/Frey, Jackson Browne, Warren Zevon, and Peter Townshend. This is a small list of some of the best of the era. What should stand out to you is that these people are responsible for writing, performing, and often have a major hand in what goes down in the studio that is eventually the final product. Who are the songwriters of today who's songs will continue to be played 20, 30, 40, 50 years from now?
The music produced by those I've named and so many of their contemporaries was first brought to the public on the radio, in record stores, or in through records/tapes/CD's played at your friend's house. It was heard first not seen. The test was...how did it sound, not how did it look. The next time someone asks you to watch the latest video by artist X, Y, or Z, close your eyes and just listen. Don't let the the dance moves, sexy video girls, special effects etc, fool you. Those thing can't make bad music good. Make the music stand alone. So much of it today does not.
