form, and a number of directors used them to boost
their careers in the quest to direct a feature or inde-
pendent film. Music videos grew in cost and com-
plexity and lost the campy quality of their early
1980’s form.
Impact The music video reshaped the way artists
promoted their music in the 1980’s. An artist no lon-
ger needed to take the traditional route of concert
tours to achieve stardom and could excel based on
the ability to create an impressive image, not neces-
sarily quality music. The music video, because of its
success in popular culture, helped to reanimate a le-
thargic music industry.
Further Reading
Austerlitz, Saul.Money for Nothing: A Histor y of the Mu-
sic Video from the Beatles to the White Stripes. New
York: Continuum, 2007. An overview of the art,
history, and impact of the music video from its ori-
gins to the present day.
Battino, David, and Kelli Richards, eds.The Art of Dig-
ital Music: Fifty-Six Visionar y Artists and Insiders Re-
veal Their Creative Secrets. San Francisco: Backbeat
Books, 2005. Interviews with industry insiders on
the art and creation of music videos.
Reiss, Steve, and Neil Feineman.Thirty Frames Per Sec-
ond: The Visionar y Art of the Music Video. New York:
Harry N. Abrams, 2000. Focuses on the music
video as an art form.
James J. HeineySee also Cable television; Compact discs (CDs);
Duran Duran; Heavy metal; Jackson, Michael; Lau-
per, Cyndi; Madonna; MTV; Music; New Wave mu-
sic; Pop music; Run-D.M.C.; Television; Women in
rock music.688 Music videos The Eighties in America