Animated music video

Animated music video is a subgenre of music video that uses animation techniques to create visuals accompanying a piece of music. These videos can employ a wide range of animation styles and techniques, from traditional hand-drawn animation and stop-motion to computer-generated imagery (CGI) and rotoscoping. ^[1] They can feature original narratives, abstract visuals, representations of the performing artists, or visualizations synchronized with the song's lyrics and rhythm. ^{[2] [3]}

History

Early precursors

The concept of combining music with projected visuals predates the modern music video. Early forms included "Illustrated Songs" which used hand-colored photographic slides synchronized with live music. ^[4] The advent of sound film ("talkies") in the 1920s integrated music and visuals, and animated films often incorporated musical elements. Walt Disney's Silly Symphony series (starting 1929) and the feature film Fantasia (1940) were notable early examples of animation built entirely around musical pieces. ^[5] "Visual Jukeboxes" like the Scopitone in the 1940s and later presented short musical films, though often live-action. ^[6]

Pioneering efforts and the MTV era

While short animated promotional films for music existed earlier, the rise of MTV in the 1980s significantly boosted the prominence and production values of music videos, including animated ones.

Some key milestones include:

• Elvis Costello - "Accidents Will Happen" (1979): Considered one of the earliest fully animated music videos, released before MTV's launch. It primarily used traditional animation, but also featured a pioneering segment of computer-generated vector graphics of Costello singing, created by Annabel Jankel and Rocky Morton. ^{[7] [8]}
• Tom Waits - "Tom Waits for No One" (1979): A short animated film featuring Waits performing "The One That Got Away", noted for its use of rotoscoping. ^[9]
• Will Powers - "Smile" (1983): Featured visionary early computer animation by Rebecca Allen, using custom software to create polygonal characters and effects. ^[10]
• A-ha - "Take On Me" (1985): A highly influential and iconic video directed by Steve Barron, combining live-action with pencil-sketch style rotoscoping. Its massive success brought animated music videos into the mainstream. ^{[11] [12]}
• Peter Gabriel - "Sledgehammer" (1986): Directed by Stephen R. Johnson, this video won numerous awards for its innovative use of claymation, pixilation, and other stop-motion techniques. ^{[13] [14]}
• Dire Straits - "Money for Nothing" (1986): Groundbreaking for its early use of 3D computer-generated animated characters. ^{[15] [16]}
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - "Runnin' Down a Dream" (1989): Featured animation inspired by Winsor McCay's Little Nemo in Slumberland . ^[17]

Digital era and beyond

The advent of more accessible digital animation tools and the rise of the internet, particularly YouTube, further expanded the possibilities and reach of animated music videos.

• Pearl Jam - "Do the Evolution" (1998): Directed by Kevin Altieri and Todd McFarlane, this video used traditional animation to present a dark view of human history and earned a Grammy nomination. ^{[18] [19]}
• Daft Punk - "One More Time" (2000): Part of the anime film Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem , produced with Toei Animation under the supervision of Leiji Matsumoto. The entire album Discovery was visualized through this interconnected animated narrative. ^[20]
• Gorillaz (2001-present): A virtual band created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. Their existence is defined by animation, with numerous iconic videos like "Clint Eastwood" (2001) and "Feel Good Inc." (2005) blending 2D and 3D styles. ^{[21] [22]}

Today, animated music videos are common across genres, produced by major labels and independent artists alike, leveraging diverse techniques and often achieving viral success online. ^[23]

Techniques

Animated music videos utilize various techniques, often blending them:

• Traditional animation (cel animation): Hand-drawn frames, either physically or digitally. Examples: Parts of "Accidents Will Happen", "Do the Evolution".
• Stop motion animation: Manipulating physical objects frame-by-frame.
  • Claymation: Using clay figures. Example: "Sledgehammer".
  • Pixilation: Using live actors as stop-motion subjects. Example: "Sledgehammer".
    • Object animation: Animating inanimate objects.
  • Puppet animation: Using puppets.
• Computer animation:
  • 2D Computer Animation: Using digital tools to create traditional-style animation, vector animation, or motion graphics.
  • 3D Computer Animation (CGI): Creating characters and environments in 3D space. Examples: "Money for Nothing", parts of "Feel Good Inc.", Slander's "Love is Gone". ^[24]
• Rotoscoping: Tracing over live-action footage frame-by-frame. Examples: "Take On Me", "Tom Waits for No One", Howard Jones' "You Know I Love You... Don't You?". ^[25]
• Pixel art: Creating animation at the pixel level, often evoking retro video game aesthetics. Example: Architecture in Helsinki's "Do the Whirlwind". ^[26]
• Mixed media: Combining animation with live-action footage or multiple animation techniques. Example: "Take On Me".

The process often involves storyboarding, character and scene design, synchronizing visuals to the music's rhythm and lyrics, and post-production effects. ^[27]

Notable examples

Beyond the pioneering videos mentioned above, numerous animated music videos have gained critical acclaim or significant popularity:

• The White Stripes - "Fell in Love with a Girl" (2001) (Lego stop-motion)
• Radiohead - "Paranoid Android" (1997)
• Kanye West - "Heartless" (2008) (Rotoscoped)
• Gotye featuring Kimbra - "Somebody That I Used to Know" (2011) (Stop-motion body paint)
• Childish Gambino - "Feels Like Summer" (2018) ^[28]
• Billie Eilish - "My Future" (2020) ^[29]
• Dua Lipa - "Hallucinate" (2020)
• Mac Miller - "Good News" (2020) ^[30]
• The Weeknd - "Snowchild" (2020)
• Lil Dicky - "Earth" (2019) ^[31]

Impact and significance

Animated music videos offer unique advantages:

• Artistic Freedom: Animation allows for the creation of visuals unbound by the constraints of reality, enabling surreal landscapes, fantastical characters, and abstract concepts. ^[32]
• Storytelling Potential: Complex narratives and character arcs can be developed visually, enhancing the song's meaning or creating a separate, complementary story. ^[33]
• Distinctiveness: In a crowded media landscape, unique animation styles can help a video stand out and capture audience attention. ^[34]
• Branding and Identity: For artists like Gorillaz, animation is integral to their entire identity. Animation can also facilitate brand collaborations. ^[35]
• Longevity: Stylized animation can often age well, remaining visually appealing for decades compared to some live-action videos that might feel dated due to fashion or filming techniques. ^[36]

Animation has become a powerful tool for musicians and directors, pushing creative boundaries and leaving a significant mark on pop culture and the music industry. ^[37]

See also

• Animation portal
• Music portal

• Music video
• Animation
• History of animation
• List of animation techniques
• Anime music video (AMV) - Fan-made videos combining existing animation with music.
• Visual music
• Virtual band

References

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