This lecture will present an historical analysis of music videos from the pioneering works of The Kinks, The Who, The Rolling Stones and Pink Floyd in 1966 to the ‘golden era’ of 1999.

Using a new framework of genres and cycles specific to music videos, Caston will chart the changing production and distribution of music videos through the first and second ‘British Invasions of the USA’ in pop music, demonstrating that the art of the music video long predates the launch of MTV in 1981. Using excerpts from landmark music videos from the ‘Power to the People’ collection (Special Edition boxset on sale through Amazon), and anecdotes and evidence from interviews conducted with over fifty directors, producers, editors, recording artists, label managers and video commissioners, Caston will demonstrate that music videos are a quintessentially British cultural form through which “the people” have given their voice.