Enhances or Destroys?

I definitely want to do music videos as part of my 'dream' career and it was really interesting to read about part of the history of music videos- I never knew that it was the studio companies responsible for making music videos in the early stages.

I know I'd sit down watching music video after music video on YouTube and before I was allowed to access the internet whenever I pleased, 5pm every evening I was in front of the TV watching One Cubed. It was my version of MTV since my family doesn't have cable and I wasn't allowed to listen to anything but Christian music (not that I mind although some people might see that as a terrible 'sin' and deprivation).

I used to think music videos were the making of the song and always helped to enhance the music. One day I was talking about how much I loved music videos and my colleague told me stiffly that he never watches music videos because it destroys the song, and after seeing a music video when he listens to the song all he can think of is the music video. I stupidly never thought a music video could ruin a song.

Take a really boring song and a great music video. Even though the music might be dead you might still listen to the end of it because of the music video. Or a really good song that you always loved and the artist gets a music video done for it and you realise you interpreted the song wrongly, or the video was just plain stupid, it can ruin the song for you. Not only that but for sound enthusiasts who like to listen to a song and identify each instrument and hear how it harmonizes with the others, a music video makes it hard to focus solely on the sound. Your attention is directed to the visuals.

So really, what is the point of the music video? Except that they all look cool. I know in a few instances they really help to deepen your understanding of the message behind the song but sometimes the song is best left without visuals.