Video Killed the Radio Star
What could be better to start with than the first music video to be aired on MTV? I can't think of a better one, so here's Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles.
The way that I want to do this, is to talk about the actual song first and then talk about the video. I couldn't find the original on Youtube, but some nice person put it on Dailymotion.
The way that I want to do this, is to talk about the actual song first and then talk about the video. I couldn't find the original on Youtube, but some nice person put it on Dailymotion.
The Song
The song is about a radio performer that lost their job because of the popularity of television. Overall, nothing too special. I do find it ironic that this was the first song to be aired on MTV, and it blatantly states that TV and synthetic music were really stupid ideas in the eyes of musicians and voice actors. This song, overall, gives the middle finger to the music video industry, but was at the same time was the inaugural song on the TV channel where they played music videos all the time.
I like the audio on this song, it's incredibly 80's (always a good thing), and I appreciate the effect they put on the lead voice that makes it sound like it's coming from a transistor radio. Very clever. It has a tone of simplicity that you don't really hear in modern music that much. The song doesn't assault you with sound, it lets you pay attention to the sound, which is something that has been forgotten by modern musicians (cough, cough, Skrillex, cough). I personally enjoy music that tries to sound interesting instead of trying to elicit an emotion. Especially with synthesized music because it always sounds scary when it tries to make you feel something.
The Video
This is a tough nut to crack. I really like the visuals in this, on the other hand, I don't know why these are the specific visuals they include. This song is loaded with obscure symbolism. The part that Wikipedia talks about is the part where the woman in silver gets lowered into the glass tube. I think this is symbolic of the radio star being isolated when no one remembers them, and then coming to acceptance as they are raised out of the public awareness.
Obviously, the little girl is a representation of the youth during the time, who are oblivious to this but simultaneously curious about the ways of the past. And of course a pile of TVs blocking view of a pile of radios. Other than that, I think the thought process was: "Why not? It looks cool."
I like how everything looks. Again, it's very 80's. But everything is stylized in one way or another, and fits nicely into the themes of the song. Overall, not bad for the time period.
8/10
The song is about a radio performer that lost their job because of the popularity of television. Overall, nothing too special. I do find it ironic that this was the first song to be aired on MTV, and it blatantly states that TV and synthetic music were really stupid ideas in the eyes of musicians and voice actors. This song, overall, gives the middle finger to the music video industry, but was at the same time was the inaugural song on the TV channel where they played music videos all the time.
I like the audio on this song, it's incredibly 80's (always a good thing), and I appreciate the effect they put on the lead voice that makes it sound like it's coming from a transistor radio. Very clever. It has a tone of simplicity that you don't really hear in modern music that much. The song doesn't assault you with sound, it lets you pay attention to the sound, which is something that has been forgotten by modern musicians (cough, cough, Skrillex, cough). I personally enjoy music that tries to sound interesting instead of trying to elicit an emotion. Especially with synthesized music because it always sounds scary when it tries to make you feel something.
The Video
This is a tough nut to crack. I really like the visuals in this, on the other hand, I don't know why these are the specific visuals they include. This song is loaded with obscure symbolism. The part that Wikipedia talks about is the part where the woman in silver gets lowered into the glass tube. I think this is symbolic of the radio star being isolated when no one remembers them, and then coming to acceptance as they are raised out of the public awareness.
Obviously, the little girl is a representation of the youth during the time, who are oblivious to this but simultaneously curious about the ways of the past. And of course a pile of TVs blocking view of a pile of radios. Other than that, I think the thought process was: "Why not? It looks cool."
I like how everything looks. Again, it's very 80's. But everything is stylized in one way or another, and fits nicely into the themes of the song. Overall, not bad for the time period.
8/10