History Of Music Videos

  • First Music Video Filmed At Thomas Edison's Studio

  • St. Louis Blues Sound Film Released

  • Fantasia 1940

    Animated film based off classical music by Disney
  • Top of the Pops Aired

    A British music chart programme
  • A Hard Day's Night Film Released

    Stars the Beatles and has lots of musical sequences that some argue laid down the foundations for modern music videos
  • Bohemian Rhapsody Released

    Only took five hours to edit and all the special effects were done in filming (e.g. camera filters) rather than in editing
  • Video Killed the Radio Star

    The first music video shown in the United States
  • MTV Launched

  • Michael Jackson's Thriller Released

    A 13 minute long horror themed music video
    Was MTV's first world premiere video
    Voted as the most influential pop music video of all time
  • Take On Me Released

    By band A-ha - inspired by science fiction film Tron
  • Fantasia 2000

    Sequel to Fantasia 1940
  • YouTube Launched

    This would soon become the primary way people consume music and music videos
  • Hands To Myself Released

    Music videos now use sex appeal etc to attract publicity
  • Stranger in Paradise - Tony Bennett

    Some claim this is the first music video
  • Girls on Film

    Duran Duran used controversy in this video to promote it as Top of the Pops wouldn't allow certain video content to be shown