Save the Music

July 7, 2009 by A. Onesauce

MJ died and the networks have been playing his music videos over and over again. It’s a trip through childhood; a time when programming on television seemed to entertain as well as inform. Everything seemed to inspire and inform the possibilities of what could be; especially music videos. Although it’s no secret that music videos have sucked for quite some time, the proof is now undeniable. From the cinematography, to the choreography, to the models, cable videos takes the viewers on a mindless trip to nothingness . Blame can be placed on the lackluster quality of the music. We’ve been completely inundated with shitty ass music, and now we’re completely tuned out. When songs like the “Stanky Leg” or “Halle Berry” reach the top of the charts on the radio and on music video shows, there’s no wonder why notable music video directors of the past like Paul Hunter, Phillip Atwell, Francis Lawrence, Nzingah Stewart, Brian Barber, and Diane Martel are not on the scene anymore. Sure, Hunter directed Jeremih’s video for Birthday Sex, a song that is annoying at best on first listen, but because of Hunter’s involvement at least he makes the first 30 seconds tolerable.

Not so long ago music videos were something to anticipate. People would watch and talk about favorite segments the next day at school or work. Why? Because they were something to marvel. Choreography matched the plot – what a novel idea – of the video. Think about Michael Jackson’s video for Remember the Time — let along Thriller. Or, they were just captivating to watch, like Aaliyah’s video for Rock the Boat. They stretched boundaries and used innovation like Mark Romanek’s Fiona Apple work.

Now, all we get is a chick shaking her ass to the beat and dudes popping bottles of champagne on each other, which is an entirely different discussion. There is no doubt there is a void that needs to be filled quickly or the young ones who follow behind us will continue this lame trend of mediocrity. It’s almost as if this cycle of stupidity is beyond our control because they all go hand in hand. Look at the Drake video. Kanye directing the video doesn’t make it hot. The comedic value can only be appreciated by an eighth grade pubescent boy.

It’s time to return to a time of creativity in all of our art forms, including the art of the video. We don’t know about y’all, but we’re ready for a reason to be excited about music again, and is it too much to ask for some creative television. Our solution? Support quality artists who put out real music. Take out the time to encourage with not only your attendance, but your dollars.