TikTok Killed the Video Star
The first music video ever aired on MTV was, ironically, 'Video Killed the Radio Star' by the Buggles. The lyrics to the upbeat early 80's synth-pop hit are surprisingly dower and almost haunting. The song speaks of an irreversible change in culture and fear of the generation growing up after them not appreciating it. The artist Trevour Horn described nights staying up listening to Radio Luxembourg as a child as an inspiration to many of the lyrics. Part of the inspiration also came from working in the industry there was a feeling that it was all about to change. The song also morns the loss of the technology used to produce the previous century's music, even using analogue tape recorders to create and forever memorialised the classic tape hiss which would be lost in coming years.
The song itself was memorized as the first music video on MTV, and in 2004 the band SR-17 (and later more famously Bowling for Soup) would memorialise MTV in their song 1985, singing: "And music still on MTV", another homage to time passing by and a cultural shift in how we were receiving content and music. It was a clear jab at the music broadcasting channel which had pulled back on playing music videos since 1993, opting for animations, game shows and reality TV, although did also show music at the tie.
The line may not have been not strictly true in 2004, but had a strangely prophetic quality about it as in February 2010 the channel dropped it's 'Music Channel' branding and very rarely shows music on its scheduled programming. Opting for Reality TV, game shows and preprogrammed shows and dramas.
It's clear that we are once again experiencing a new shift in culture. Now the content we consume is a far cry to the hours of pre-planned programming. The rise of Artificial Intelligence and algorithm learning means delivering of music directly tailored to our own already formed taste, or at least what it thinks is our taste. From the wireless radio, to four channels on TV; from the dial up internet and now the entire library in our pockets, we are absolutely spoilt for choice but it comes at the cost of having less control of what we consume.
Organic song discovery is now only found in the wilds of hipster coffee shops with Radio falling out of fashion with young people, opting instead for hyper specific Podcasts. Song discovery is left up to adverts injected into the never ending cycle or reels, and even those which are not paid adverts are just other forms of PR, taking the strongest ear worm clip and adding a viral visual trend or comment.
The rise of short form content driven by algorithms have truly taken over our video feed and our attention. From Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok and dozens of other social media sites, it is easier and easier to fall into the doom scrolling, procrastination spiral which many of us experience more often then most of us would like to admit. In order to capture any form of attention most famous artists chase virality and trending aspects of short form content, and this isn't just celebrities who are famous because of these platforms, but the celebrities who existed before are now adopting this new broadcasting platform.
Perhaps I am being pessimistic, I mean the analogue to digital age of music and broadcast media produced some of the best art made. Art has never been more accessible now, it costs nothing to broadcast your music or Videos on platforms such as YouTube and costs very little, if anything, to listen to or support artists virtually. I cannot lie and say all more advancements and accessibility is a bad thing, but I do worry about what we are both losing and gaining here.
There has never been a faster turnover with art and music, there are now 100,000 new songs uploaded to Spotify every day. In the world of digital marketing finding the viral clip and following the trend is the only way artists can make a name for themselves if they are up and coming, or stay relevant if they are already established. This is quickly becoming a fast food business model, the next song and dance coming out before the end of the last hype dies out, a constant flight for lasting relevance. It's sometimes difficult to see the line between genuine compelling art and short term gratification, almost as difficult to see the difference between enraptured audience and gluttonous consumer of art.
The most recent chapter in the life of 'Video killed the Radio Star' was a brief trend on TikTok used to accompany celebrity death conspiracy theories and Deep-Fakes, once again the irony being almost comical at this point. What is next for our Arts? It's difficult to say, but if The Buggles and SR-17 have taught us anything, someone right now will be singing about exactly what is to come.
“I heard you on the wireless back in ‘52
Lying awake, intently tuning in on you
If I was young, it didn’t stop you coming through
Oh-a oh-a
They took the credit for your second symphony
Rewritten by machine on new technology
And now I understand the problems you could see”
