Today it can be argued that the role of the music video is no longer deemed as important as they previously were, with music so accessible to us in the digital age and with our attention spans growing less and less patient, we no longer feel the need to sit down and watch a music video. But, despite this, sometimes a music video will be so gripping and powerful that we simply can’t help ourselves but to sit down and watch it. Often it holds the potential to alter the way we feel about a song and change any preconceptions that we may have had with regards to it.
Only two months into 2018 there is already fierce competition ensuing to produce music videos that attract audiences, engage us and are so powerful that we can’t stop thinking about them all day. There are several music videos released quite recently in 2018 that have really caught my attention for being particularly compelling and energetic.
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All the Stars – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
This is an extremely powerful music video created for the highly acclaimed film, Black Panther, starring Kendrick Lamar and SZA. The music video encompasses many elements of African culture that are envisaged in the film through the fictional African country, Wakanda. The music video portrays utopian elements of this land, promoting a sense of community, beauty, vitality and power that leaves a person feeling like they have just witnessed something special after viewing it. The combination of this music video and the song itself infuse and complement each other, creating a truly sensational work of art.
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Gods Plan – Drake
In a video that has hailed Drake with the title of being the nicest guy in hip-hop we can’t help but see why. The video features Drake donating close to one million dollars to different communities, paying for groceries for an entire store full of people, paying students college tuition and generally donating money to random people. The reaction of those who Drake is donating to are genuine and the people were unaware that the footage of them would later feature in a music video, allowing for the video to create powerful images of joy and happiness that imprint on our minds after watching it. Asides from the music video being really well produced, the song is upbeat and one that everyone can sing along to.
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This Is Me – The Greatest Showman Soundtrack
If you are looking for a feel-good music video this is certainly one to watch. The music video celebrates people from all walks of life coming together in one euphoric moment where they celebrate themselves for who they are, with all flaws and inhibitions completely disregarded. The song celebrates the diversity of human nature and shows people who may have been regarded as misfits accepting and loving themselves. I think this music video is so powerful to watch and the message behind it is truly special and encourages everyone who watches it to simply love themselves.
Photo by Malte Wingen on Unsplash