Posted by Raikus at cas02.mkethn01.fl.comcast.net on May 21, 2002 at 14:22:23:
In Reply to: Have music videos transcended being commercials? posted by Hibernian Psycho on May 21, 2002 at 14:13:47:
: Granted, in the case of MTV vids, they can most definitely be seen as commercials... they work at 'getting the name out' for the artist in question. Still, TRL fans will clamor to see the new Backstreet Boys video, and rock fans are the same with rock videos. Directors themselves have created some pretty artful four-minute shorts which could hardly be dismissed as commercials... has anyone any thoughts on the subject?
: (Sorry, I can be VERY inarticulate)
Their purpose is to solidify a fan base that will continue to buy the artist's music. They make no profits off of the video (unless it's sold like Madonna's "Erotica"), it is merely advertising for their album. However, in some cases, there are political and social messages mixed in with the "commercial". Pearl Jam does this as well as U2 (though not recently). There are extremely artful ones as well (my personal favorite being the Lego-esque White Stripes "Fell in Love with a Girl).
But the answer is still no. And, until videos are pay-per-view, it will remain so.