#181. What can music videos teach us about visual storytelling?

Stories and messages are best remembered with visuals. We’ve used countless examples of iconic movies to demonstrate this concept. But what about music videos? After the VMAs (Video Music Awards) were held a few weeks ago, it got us thinking about classic arcs, story shapes and how they might show up in our favorite music videos. Songs already tell stories themselves but when paired with a memorable dance, schtick or cultural moment, it makes the message that much stickier.To tackle this episode, Molly brings in a few friends of the pod: filmmaker Asha Alaji-Sharif and Account Coordinator, Bridget Welch. From Madonna to Michael Jackson to Miley Cyrus—we dive into the most popular, most controversial and most memorable music videos of all time. Music videos do indeed carry their own kinds of story archetypes that we can learn from in the B2B world. This is an episode for: product marketers who like pop culture, music fans and anyone dealing with their nostalgia for MTV of the 80s & 90s. What’s in the Spice Cabinet?The “Best Of” lists we reference:Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Music VideosBusiness Insider: 60 of the Most Iconic Music Videos of All TimeA handful of the heavy-hitter music videos we get into detail Michael Jackson - ThrillerMadonna - Voguea-ha - Take on MeMiley Cyrus - Wrecking BallKendrick Lamar - AlrightOK Go - Here It Goes AgainBritney Spears - …Baby One More TimeHer iconic VMAs performance (2001)Beyonce - FormationWhere to study the “shapes” of story:Christopher Booker’s 7 Basic Plots: Why We Tell StoriesOur personal picks for fave music videoAsha: Beyoncé, Shakira - Beautiful LiarBridget: Taylor Swift - Love StoryMolly: Boygenius - True Blue