How To Find Music Videos Online

music videos

Back in the 1980s, we were at the mercy of music television stations to see new music videos. We'd sit captive watching MTV or VH-1, hanging on the vee-jay's every word, waiting for him to say our favorite artist's new video was up next. We listened to Kurt Loder give us our music news and watched as "music television" became little more than a hodge-podge of reality tv, trashy sitcoms, top countdowns and shows like "Pimp My Ride." What we needed was a place on the internet for new music to debut. That place, which is largely still the reigning champion of free video, is YouTube.

Have you dreamt of being on American Idol? Do you write or perform your own music and wish to be discovered? Well, posting your original music videos on YouTube just might make you world-famous! Just ask Chris Crocker, whose rants about Britney Spears scored him a spot in Weezer's latest music video. Then there's Terra Naomi, whose YouTube music clips earned her a recording contract with Island Records. Similarly, unknown artist Esmee Denters toured with Justin Timberlake, following his viral video debut!

Other cool things to look out for on YouTube are the live music shows and amateur music videos. Anyone can catch the new Greenday video on a DVD or on television, but only the diligent internet "digger" can scout out their live performance in Amsterdam! With the rising popularity in mini-DV cameras, cell phone cameras and digital cameras (in combination with the improved quality), you can actually find some pretty unique and rare stuff from your favorite artists online!

Whether you're a musician or a fan, music videos have the power to enhance our lives through mood, imagery and sound. Perhaps you'll opt to post a funny music video on your friend's social networking page or you'll embed your favorite artist on your own page. The one drawback for online music videos is that you can't download them; you can only watch and share them. The danger is that your video links could die or your favorite video could be pulled for copyright infringement. Yet watching music clips online is still the best medium available and will undoubtedly enrich your life by offering instant gratification when you "just gotta" hear that song stuck in your head!