Search for the most viewed video of
all time in Youtube and who it is will shock you. It is the music video of
Justin Bieber’s debut single, Baby. With more than 7 billion views, it is no
surprise that a phrase (Bieber Mania) was concocted simply for his popularity,
and unsurprisingly his stardom is a result of digital media convergence. However,
would Justin be as renowned if he started his career during the 80s and/or 90s,
when MTV was the key distributor music videos? Would he be as renowned without
social networking websites and Youtube? This paper will look at the phenomenon
of digital media convergence in relation music videos online. It will briefly
explore the predecessor of music videos; Talkies then continue to examine
“convergent artists” (Giuffre, 2012) such as Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson.
It will also examine music video specialist in Australia such as GTK and Rage,
corporations that help develop the careers of some of the most popular artists
today (i.e. ACDC). Then proceed to discuss the effects of the Internet, Youtube
and social networking on music videos and contemporary artists.
Before MTV, Rage and Youtube,
industries during early 20th century were attempting to merge sound
and film. Hence, films showcased during 1900 till 1926 were silent, audiences seeking
music were forced to do so separately via radio. Careers were also detached,
artists must choose between music and film. The Jazz Singer was “first talking picture” (Allen, 1997) and is undoubtedly
the ancestor of music videos. This film is the first example of two industries
and devices converging together, and is a pioneer of digital media convergence.
As a result, a genre and an iconic approach to narration also materialized,
Musicals. A flamboyant and colourful way of storytelling, and as a consequence
new artists also emerged. Perhaps the most legendary is Elvis Presley, a paradigm
of what many considered as “harmonic convergence” (Schultz, 2011). By being a
musician and an actor, audiences were able to listen to his music and watch his
films; occasionally pertaining both in his films. Another benchmark of this
type of artistry is Michael Jackson, though he may have not acted, both he and
his music are samples of cultural convergence. He not only combined both
dancing and singing into his music, but the originality of his music captivated
several ethnicity. He was able to
eradicate the walls of racism, specifically during an era of strict racist
barriers, whence both white and black individuals listened to different music.
Television
has also revolutionized music videos, once audiences were required to visit
their local theatres to watch sound films. TV has also allowed industries to
launch TV shows that specialized solely on music videos. ABC’s GTK and Rage are
examples of such music shows, not only did they broadcast music videos, but
also they provided new talents the opportunity to be scouted by airing
performances. Molly Meldrum was Countdown talent manager, and he has helped to
universalize one of today’s juggernaut group, AC/DC. Kimball (undated) states “it has to
be said that Molly Meldrum and Countdown
unstintingly championed AC/DC from the outset, and this played a hugely
important role in their Australian success”. Contrary to Rage and Countdown, MTV was a channel
especially dedicated to music videos. The music videos aired on MTV however,
were films featuring already established artists, artists whom have had been
scouted and were simply promoting their songs.
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The
Internet and the introduction of Youtube was the foundation of music videos
online. It diversified online and TV viewership whilst providing the
opportunity for viewers to make feedback. Sheehan and Morrison (2009) state, “As Internet connectivity and digital
capabilities continue to expand…online users are expressing their thoughts, … and
creativity online”. Many entrepreneurs sought out this opportunity, which
led to expansion of social media, which according to Meikle and Young (2012) is
“blend of personal communication and
public media”. Online users were
sharing personal videos and experiences to the public, however it is not only
personal clips that were being uploaded but recorded music videos as well. It
was easy for audience to watch their favourite artists online, rather than
waiting in front of the TV for their favourite films. “ The specific moments a viewer wants to see can now be searched and
accessed without the hassles of watching live broadcasts…” (Hilderbrand,
2007).
The
Internet therefore became an interactive media hub, where consumers watch and
make comments. Of course, this convenience allowed striving artists to share
personal performances. The interactivity of online viewers created a viral
word-of-mouth advertisement, allowing talent managers to see who is gaining
popularity. Justin Bieber is an example of this; his homemade videos were
immensely popular that it caught the interest of talents agencies.
Of
course, there are some established artists who have decided to create music
videos specifically for online use. They found that not only were they able to
reach a wide range of demographic, but also saw a chance to rapidly gain
popularity. Artists today however, are broadcasting their videos online and on
TV. Naturally, social networking such as Facebook, help define what is to be
shown TV, the more popular it is, the higher the chances of it being shown on
television. Undoubtedly because of the demand for mobility, industries such as
Rage and Billboard have had to develop websites and apps to allow consumers to
watch films and make feedback. The introduction of iTunes has further influence
music video consumption. Music videos can now be purchase via iTunes; thereby
fans were able to watch their idols almost anywhere.
To
conclude digital media convergence has shaped the way society views music
videos, gone are the days of waiting and watching TV and the inability to
comment. In regards to the question
stated in the introduction relating to Justin, perhaps, his stardom though has been boosted by Youtube and social networking. Nevertheless, the term Bieber Mania is a product of digital media convergence, and baby-faced enthusiasts.
Reference
Allen,
B., 1997, “Newsletter Autumn 1997; Bob
Allen asks…Why the Jazz Singer?... puts forward a personal theory”
[online]. AMPS, London, UK
Available:
http://www.amps.net/
Accessed:
23/08/2012
Giuffre,
L., 2012, “Music Video” [Lecture],
Macquarie University, 15-August-2012, North Ryde, AUS.
Herrera,
M., 2010, “Justin Bieber – The Billboard
Cover Story” [online]. Billboard, NY, USA.
Accessed:
24/08/2012
Hilderbrand, L., 2007, “Youtube: Where Cultural Memory and
Copyright Converge”, Film
Quarterly, Vol 61, pp 48-57
Kimball, D., undated, “MILESAGO – Group & Solo Artists – AC/DC”
[online]. MILESAGO.com
Available: http://www.milesago.com/artists/acdc.htm
Accessed: 24/08/2012
Miekle,
G., and Young, S., 2012, “Media
Convergence: Networked Digital Media in Everyday Life; From Broadcast to Social
Media”. Palgrave, Basingstoke, pp59-78.
Schultz,
B., 2011, “Finding Elvis Presley, the
‘Reluctant Rebel’” [online]. Express Milwaukee, USA.
Available:
http://www.expressmilwaukee.com/article-15686-finding-elvis-presley-the-reluctant-rebel.html
Accessed:
25/08/12
Sheehan,
K. B., and Morrison, D. K., 2009, “Beyond
convergence: Confluence culture and the role of advertising agency in a
changing world” [online]. First Monday, Volume 14, Number 3-2 March 2009.
Accessed:
24/08/12
Images & Videos
Celebritysentry.com, undated, "Elvis Presley's Graceland opens in Denmark" [online].
Available: http://www.celebritysentry.com/post/bbc-news-elvis-presleys-graceland-opens-in-denmark/
Accessed: 30/08/12
Liz, 2012, "40 years of Michael Jackson on Rage" [online blog]
Available :http://blogs.abc.net.au/abc_tv/rage/
Accessed: 30/08/12
JustinBieberVEVO, 2010, "Justin Bieber - Baby ft. Ludacris" [video]
Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kffacxfA7G4
Accessed: 30/08/12
Twaezer, 2007, "The Star of Stanford Canada - Justin Bieber (before he was famous)" [online]
Available: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28VmUxTDU5Q
Accessed: 30/08/12
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