Music Video Distribution

Social Networking Sites

Social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook are an easy way to access music videos, particularly new releases. If someone were to follow an artist they would be notified when a new song was released which means they wouldn't miss it. Another good feature of social networking sites is that it is easy to share a link with others meaning the video should get more publicity and views. These sites are particularly effective for artists with a smaller fan base or new artists as it allows them to share their music with their friends and family and then they can share with their friends etc, its also free which makes the process a lot easier. The only downside to it is that it's more a way of advertising and sharing the music rather than downloading it, meaning it can't be listened to/watched on the go without internet however it can share the details to allow people to download it.
An example of the success of this is the music video "Fivers" by Indigo Palace, this is a song by a new musical collective in 2016 that was shared on all forms of social networking and due to the shares and popularity it allowed them to get over a thousand views on YouTube.

YouTube


YouTube is one of the most popular websites today, and is a huge source for finding both new and old music videos from a variety of artists and genres. Just like social media websites, if someone was to subscribe to an artists channel they are able to get notified when a new video is uploaded, meaning they won't miss out on new content, and again it is easy for them to then share the video with friends by copying the link. Another advantage, of YouTube is that its completely free to subscribe to artists and to watch videos. However just like social media, this is predominately just a way to watch and share but not to enjoy on the go, meaning it can't be downloading and can only be used with wifi or mobile data so perhaps making it less accessible than a website that allows the purchase of music videos.
The most well known example of music videos on YouTube is "Gangnam Style" by Psy, This video currently has over 2 billion views, showing the power YouTube has on reaching a mass audience.

Music video channels

Music video channels such as MTV and 4Music are an easy way to listen to music and watch the videos for the songs on TV. Its one of the more traditional ways of accessing music videos, MTV dates back to 1981 when the first video was aired. Although this is a good way to access new videos that have been released, airing programs such as the current charts. However a main disadvantage of music video channels is that you're unable to choose which song it is you're wanting to listen to and are unable to pause the song or rewind it or listen to it again. It also isn't a portable way of consuming music and cannot be downloaded or enjoyed whilst travelling, only at home which could make it difficult. On the other hand it can be enjoyed by a wide range of people as there are different channels and programmes within the channels that cater to people with different music interests, including 4Music's The A-List Playlist which focuses on the top music videos currently, compared to 4Music's Trending Live which not only plays new videos but also discusses celebrity news and gossip.

iTunes

Created in 2001, iTunes has continued to be a popular form of music distribution. Although originally  iTunes focused on song and album download, videos are also available including music videos, TV programmes and also movies. The app available on Apple products allows consumers to pay for music videos which then download automatically to their iTunes library, making it easy to access this product on all forms of Apple devices including iPhones, iPods and Mac computers. The main advantage of this is the variety of accessibility, although it isn't free it's easy to pay once and listen anywhere for free without Wifi. A disadvantaged of this app is that it's only available on Apple products and there isn't anything that's particularly similar for other devices. Another good thing about iTunes is that it is very up to date with current charts and trending songs which means it is one of the first music distribution methods to release songs, making them available to download straight away.


Official artists websites

Artists websites is a good way of consuming the new releases from particular artists, the websites can be accessed on most devices easily and are usually free to be able to watch online. On some websites like Beyonce's there is an option to watch her videos online and also an option to buy the video to be able to watch without internet. A positive about this technique is that the artist will upload the videos pretty soon after release meaning they're up to date with new music. However a negative about official websites is that at times a certain software would need to be downloaded to watch the video which may not be available for some people, additionally it can be a risk at times knowing whether the website is official and if it isn't it could lead to virus' or money being taken by choosing to buy a video that isn't legit.