Why Should I Invest in a Music Video in 2020?
Do you ever watch a music video and wonder how much it cost? Or have an excellent idea for a music video of your own, but you aren't sure if it's a good investment?
I want to spend some time today, breaking down some common myths surrounding music videos and help you decide if that music video idea of yours is a good investment or not.
Artwork (eh) by Jake
Before diving into that discussion, though, I want to lay down basic ground rules you should consider before making any significant investment - whether that’s a music video, album artwork, or running a digital marketing campaign.
You should always work backward! Before spending a cent, think about what type of audience you are attempting to reach, what kind of message you want to convey & what a realistic budget is. The most effective way to achieve your goals is to make sure you outline your goals in detail before putting together an action plan. If your goal is to appeal towards alternative hip-hop fans, maybe it’s best to talk to someone at Trash or Astari (or people who have had videos posted on their channels before) to understand if you have all the components necessary to reach those fans.
Not all fans are worth the same! It may sound strange but bear with me here, but this is a common misconception among many industry people.
If you release a music video that cost $1000 that reached 1,000 fans, while a peer of yours releases a music video that cost $1000 and reached 10,000 fans - you may feel like your video ‘failed’ or ‘flopped.’
That is not the case. While your peer reached 9,000 additional fans, those could all be passive viewers who watched 1-2 minutes of the song and then moved on. Your 1,000 fans could all be engaged viewers who go on to stream the song on Spotify, Apple Music, etc., follow on social media; and even purchase tour merch or tickets.
Besides, within those 1,000 viewers, you might have reached a major label A&R, an independent record label, or your future manager. Stop worrying about the quantity of the views, and focus on the quality of your views. Ensure you’re reaching the correct audience for your brand, and your sound and success will follow.
Don’t feel rushed! Everyone will always tell you that it’s vital to release that song TOMORROW, or something along those lines. If you’re just getting started in the industry, that is NOT true. Don’t be afraid to take some time to make appropriate plans for your success. Ultimately, your output reflects primarily on yourself - so prioritize what benefits you in these situations.
Some Common Myths Surrounding Music Videos
Quantity over Quality is necessary for today's music landscape
FALSE. As I touched on above, quality over quantity is the key to success, including the content associated with your music. Putting out 1-2 GREAT music videos will be far more effective than pumping out ten unoriginal, rushed videos.
I need thousands of dollars to make a music video.
FALSE. It is entirely possible to run & gun and still create a quality music video. While having a large budget helps, consider the impact someone like YungLean had by being creative with a green screen. Or the success I saw filming a music video with a handheld camera on the side of the road in LA. Don’t force the video & it will come together naturally.
I need to pay a YouTube channel to host my music video.
FALSE. You’re better off trying to house the majority of your content on your own YouTube Channel. While getting 1-2 videos onto aggregators like Trash or Astari is an excellent idea to increase reach, you want your fans to be able to find your content easily in the long term. Not relying on an external tastemaker to determine what will/will not succeed will save you a lot of stress down the line.
I need Cole-Bennet-level production to make my music video a success.
FALSE. Like I said above, being creative is more important than having $50,000 to spend on a music video. Cole got his start doing the same thing!
I can just wing the music video & not worry about putting together a treatment.
FALSE. While you can technically do this, I recommend putting together some type of plan before going out to shoot. It’s often effortless to tell when something was rushed and not properly thought out.
Is a Music Video a Good Investment?
There are two legitimate reasons to make a music video. The first is to release a great piece of art that complements your music. The second is to pursue virality and expand your audience exponentially. There are positives & negatives to both.
Even if it doesn’t hit a million views or some other benchmark, having great content is still a good investment. As I said above, not every fan should be counted equally & the potential to impress somebody who stumbles on your music cannot be underestimated. If you are looking to make a career in music, the odds that this will lead to a deal or someone reaching out is substantial - it may just take a while.
On the other hand, going viral is a high-risk, instant gratification route. Those risks manifest in two ways.
Predicting trends is near-impossible. How many independent artists have gone viral artificially in the last decade? The overwhelming majority did not anticipate a trend - it happened organically. While major labels are able to use cultural moments like WAP to foster virality, it’s much more difficult for an artist with minimal resources.
Potential negative impact on your long-term career. Few artists that launched their careers on a viral track are still seeing major success today. Typically, the hype overshadows their future releases, and the gimmick or tool they relied on to go viral initially loses its impact on their audience over time.
Viral trends are difficult to predict!
That being said, it’s still a fair strategy to pursue if you have the appropriate plan in place. Just make sure you aren’t caught off guard when your plan to go viral actually works, and you have a limited window to sustain that success before your audience diminishes.
Content for the sake of content is bad content. Don't invest just to occupy space. You need content that either expands the number of people you're reaching exponentially or helps solidify your message & what you stand for or represent to your existing fans.
I recommend always putting some serious consideration into your releases. Whether it's the music or the music videos - these are your chances to create a narrative and show the world something exciting or new. Twenty-five years ago, a music video served to establish an artist within their genre. Whether it was Jay Z rapping on a yacht or The Strokes jamming in a studio - the videos were straightforward and fun. Nowadays, a video serves the opposite purpose. Think outside the box and let the video show people why you are unique!
