When we talk about him in the media, it’s often to announce his demise. Outdated, weakened by the disappearance of music television (RIP music programs on MTV) and competing with the explosion of short formats, the music video has become a relic of another era.
However, it’s hard to speak of disappearance when some images continue to leave a lasting impression. In recent months, several music videos have managed to establish themselves as true artistic propositions. The videos for Theodora, directed by Melchior Leroux, with a strong artistic direction. And the one by Angèle, directed by the collective (La) Horde, entirely shot on an iPhone in the streets of Marseille. In an era where TikTok sets the pace and budgets tighten, directors and artists are redefining the boundaries of a format in full transformation. But in the end, has the music video truly disappeared, or is it our way of looking at it that has changed?
A harsh reality: less budget, more constraints, less visibility.
In the field, the observation is clear: making a music video today is no longer obvious. According to Fred de Poncharra, the transformation is as much economic as it is cultural. “Now, everything is segmented,” notes the music video director of Damso, Feder, and Ofenbach.
“Many people don’t realize, but it’s a true human and mental investment,” explains the director Fragment440, who notably directed the video for “Beso” by Majeur Mineur and sean. “There is often not a lot of budget or time… sometimes both.”
Alex Haze, a director, shares a similar analysis, observing the evolving model. “Before, the music video was almost profitable before even being shot. Today, it doesn’t work like that anymore.” With the gradual disappearance of music channels and the shift of investments towards short formats, the music video has lost its centrality. It is no longer automatic or essential. And most importantly, it now has to exist in an image-saturated environment. “There is so much content that the music video is forced to evolve,” Alex Haze summarizes. “Anyone can create visuals, even with a phone.”
This accessibility profoundly changes the rules of the game. The music video becomes an option among others. The projects are often focused around a strong major scene, designed to circulate on social networks. In this context, the music video is no longer just seen as an artistic work. It must capture quickly, exist quickly, and make an impact quickly.
How to create music videos today?
“We have never been so refined. We went through a visual overconsumption a few years ago, with many images that mainly responded to a demand, sometimes at the expense of quality. This eventually tired people. Today, we have to make people want to watch music videos on YouTube again, stimulate curiosity, be original, and above all offer something strong to stand out,” analyzes Fragment440.
This necessity is shared by Alex Haze, for whom the music video can no longer be seen as an isolated format. “Today, there are so many distribution channels that the music video is inevitably going to evolve,” he explains. In an environment where “any artist can take their phone and produce visuals,” the music video is no longer an obvious entry point, but a proposal among others.
But this reality doesn’t stop some artists from continuing to invest in music videos, sometimes against the current. Despite tighter budgets and less clear return on investment, they still choose to make it a field of full expression. More ambitious projects like Tiakola’s with his 14 videos for the BDLM project. “It was a way to offer different images around a common project. The music video is no longer necessarily a unique object, it can be part of a whole,” explains Alex Haze.
Therefore, its value is no longer just in its production but in what it brings in addition. In its ability to offer a vision. A point emphasized by Fred de Poncharra, who refuses to reduce the music video to a logic of performance or visibility. “The music video is about trusting an artist and offering a vision,” he explains. And his vision as a director is striking. In “Kong” by MHD or “6G” by Booba, the artistic direction surpasses just accompanying the song: visuals that not only illustrate the music but also contribute to building something larger.
“The music video shapes artists: the construction of an artistic direction for artists”
For Fred de Poncharra, its role goes far beyond simple support: “The visuals you provide will position the artist,” he explains. An idea illustrated through the music video “Macarena” by Damso. On this project, some visual choices (black and white, no playback, streamlined staging) reposition the perception of the rapper. “We wanted to do something like Alain Delon. It sets him apart. People saw him as an outsider, it marked a real change. Then we did the video for ‘Mosaïque Solitaire,’ and there too, he was in a role of ‘killer in suits’,” summarizes the director. “From that, an entire mythology was created.”
The music video no longer just accompanies a song: it helps to establish a posture, create a distance, and impose an identity: “I like the idea of serving, not just promotion, but more the overall work,” he says.
A vision shared by Alex Haze, for whom the music video precisely allows to give coherence to a universe. Even in a fragmented landscape, it remains an anchor.
In a continuous stream of images, where anything can be produced and instantly broadcast, the music video still has an essential function: to make an artist exist beyond their music. The music videos contribute to pop culture. It’s important to have generational references,” concludes Fredéric de Poncharra.
