xfactor1

with MTV no longer playing videos and only playing BS television, other than online do videos for bands even matter anymore?

in the 80s and 90s they made or broke bands and it was a true art form (and a ton of money was spent)

i think seeing the artist is still important but not sure videos even matter to the release of music nowadays...

Ska Lagos Jew Sun Ra

They must. I mean, all these silly 20 minute minimovies for 3 minute songs have to be profitable somehow.

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Al Pacino = God

Necromancer

I don't think that music videos are as relevant these days than they were say, in the 80s.

To me, it seems like documentaries and live recording sessions are becoming more provident with cable TV and listeners as well. "That Metal Show" and the documented series "The Evolution Of Metal" are two of my current favorite reportorials.

"Guitar Sessions" for example, is starting to have even higher rated bands included to their repertoire.

I'm not trying to suggest that music videos are completely obsolete or anything like that, its just holding into consideration the relation of the Internets influence on today's modern music, as being another example for the decline and influence of music videos to promote bands and artist these days, in relation to the 80s for instance.

So many different genres of rock/metal styles have compiled in the last 30 years or so, that it seems like everybody is a self proclaimed music critic these days. Just a personal observation mind you, and not disclosing myself from the category.

Goofle

This.

Of course music videos are important. OFWGKTA wouldn't be anywhere near as popular without them.

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The Batlord

They were certainly important in the past, but they kind of annoy me. When I'm watching a video for a song I've never heard, the video actually tends to distract me from the music so that I'm not even entirely sure whether or not I even liked the song. All I can remember is the video itself.

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Goofle

They aren't important to me though, I don't think I have watched a music video of an artist I rate for years.

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Janszoon

Same here. Pretty much the only videos I ever see are the one people post on MB.

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A Night in the Life of the Invisible Man

Time & Place

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Rubato

I wouldn't say music videos don't matter anymore, just that people don't rely on MTV as much anymore now that most people have access to the internet.

starrynight

I don't know how important they are in promoting music nowadays, but like for other people here they aren't of great importance for me personally. The music is the main thing, the video is more like an added extra. Just like with a film on a DVD were the extras are not the main thing it's the same with this I think. People will judge a song on the music and not the video. But with the internet videos are probably more accessible to people than ever before, site like youtube make things widely available to a general audience. So this may have increased people's interest in video (but it's as much live performance as PVs?). People will generally look at videos for music they already like though.

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non-cliquey member of every music forum I participate on

Necromancer

There are some music videos that are classics almost in the same way as a particular song itself might be a classic. Especially a lot of the one hit wonders, 80s new wave, and the 90s have a lot of classic videos as well.

I'm actually thinking about doing away completely with cable TV, and getting high speed internet so I can watch Youtube videos on the big screen.