what is the most famous music videos of all time?
Music videos provide musicians the chance to showcase not just their music, but also their creative flair. Music video production can be a lengthy and involved process, typically involving the use of a director to create some form of narrative to convey the artist’s message. There are a vast number of music videos available, but what is the most famous music video of all time?
A large number of critics and viewers agree that Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ music video claims the title of best and most famous music video of all time. The nearly 14-minute long video has won numerous prestigious awards, and boasts a rating of 8.7/10 on IMDb.
Read on to find out more about the most famous music videos of all time.
why THRILLER became so famous?
The ‘Thriller’ music video was first shown at a private screening in Los Angeles in 1983, with notable stars of the time such as Diana Ross, Eddie Murphy and Prince attending the show. Receiving a standing ovation, the mini-movie went on to win Best Video Album prize at the 1985 Grammy Awards, 5 MTV Video Music Awards in 1984, and Greatest Music Video Ever Made in 1999. It was also the most expensive music video ever made at the time, costing $500,000 to produce.
other famous music videos
Other notable mentions for the most famous music video of all time include ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen, ‘Life on Mars’ by David Bowie, ‘Take on Me’ by A-ha, and ‘When Doves Cry’ by Prince.
the first music video
Music video production wasn’t always such an expensive and involved endeavour. In 1894, Joseph Stern and Edward Mark set their song “The Little Lost Child” to a collection of images, and advertised the show as an “illustrated song”. Over 2 million copies of sheet music for the song were sold, as people at the time did not always have access to the facilities to play a recording of the song. ‘The Jazz Singer’ (1927) was the first film to synchronise image and audio, a big step towards the music videos that we watch today.
music videos on YOUTUBE
Needless to say, music videos have come a long way from ‘The Little Lost Child’ and ‘Thriller’. While ‘Thriller’ is still widely believed to be one of the most famous and popular music videos of all time, this does not always translate well onto streaming platforms such as YouTube. For example, as of November 2023, the most viewed music video on YouTube was ‘Baby Shark Dance’, with 13.66 billion views. Compare this to ‘Thriller’ that has 947 million views, and you might be left wondering what younger generations might consider to be the most famous music video of all time.
why make a YOUTUBE video?
While not every music will reach the fame of ‘Thriller’ or ‘Baby Shark Dance’, there are a number of advantages to producing a music video that means artists continue to make them. Advantages of making a music video include:
1. increase exposure
Music videos are a great chance for artists to show an image of themselves that they believe will appeal to a wider audience. While artists may produce music that people listen to, by producing a music video viewers are given the opportunity to see and engage with the artist in a more visual way.
2. develop an image
By working to deliver their desired message, artists use music video production to help mould their image. Music videos usually require a lengthy pre-production stage. This enables artists to develop a narrative and imagery so that they are able to tell the story that they desire.
3. grow revenue
Often, promoters that are looking to hire an artist for a show will be reviewing the artist’s digital footprint. This means that if a promoter sees that an artist is working hard to produce multimedia content such as a music video, they get a better understanding of the artist and their image. Furthermore, by publishing a music video on YouTube, the streams that a video receives directly translate to revenue.
DOT FILMS
If you are looking to produce a high-quality, professionally-produced music video with an expert team, contact Dot Films today. Take a look at some of our previous work to find the inspiration for your project.
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