A brief look at some great music videos in London
London attracts everything, tourists, businesses, film and television productions, so it’s not a surprise that some great musicians have used the city for their music videos. I thought we’d take a look at some of these music videos in London, and how they capture the city and its culture, how some of them even give us a glimpse of London from 50 years ago.
Plan B – Stay too long
Plan B grew up in London, and this tends to show in his work. For example, the album Ill Manners and the film with the same title, were honest and ‘grim’ depictions of life in London council estates. So it’s not surprising that he also has some well made music videos in London.
The video for ‘Stay too long’ really captures an alcohol fuelled night out in London, starting out with class, and elegance but staying too long and experiencing the mess, the fun and the violence one can find in this city at night.
The Beatles – Paperback Writer
This may not seem like a very exciting music video production, but sometimes minimal videos can be better, allowing us to focus on the song. And this is indeed a very simple video for a legendary band. Despite the simplicity, they still chose a great location resulting in a beautiful background. I couldn’t resist mentioning this one as it was filmed at Chiswick House, just a short walk away from Nostairway‘s office in Chiswick, London.
Pulp – Disco 2000
This is a less minimal, more creative and stylistic music video. Pulp had a very recognisable sound and style which this video aesthetically captured. It contains a storyline that’s easy to follow without being distracted from the music. The unique 1:1 aspect ratio, centred framing, bright colours and a combination of real people and black and white cardboard cutouts, make it a memorable video, and the shot of the London Underground make it an obvious London production.
The Who – The kids are alright
Another very simple, minimal music video, for a great band. This is one of the most iconic music videos in London because it is filmed in the very visible and recognisable Hyde Park. Despite being released so many years ago, it remains a classic local music video for us Londoners. ‘The kids are alright’ also went on to be the title of the documentary about The Who in 1979.
Bob Dylan – Subterranean Homesick Blues
Filmed at Savoy Steps, Strand, Bob Dylan made another one of the iconic music videos in London. You’ve probably noticed by now that I have a love for minimalism in music video production, and this is a great example of that. This video looks like it’s been filmed in a gritty area, but was surprisingly shot right behind a luxury London hotel. You can read more about this video in this article, written in 2015, as it marked 50 years since the production of this music video.
If you would like to check out some more examples of great music videos in London, you can read this article or this one, both repeat some of the ones I mentioned above, but also include further examples you might enjoy.
If you’re a musician or you manage musicians, you’ll understand the importance of a good music video. A great music video can help reach a wider, often new, audience, especially now when anyone can watch videos on any device whenever they want. So contact Nostairway today and let’s have a chat about making your music videos in London to help you impress your listeners.
As a video production company in London, we often get asked how much it would cost to produce a video ourselves. The truth is, with the right equipment and some know-how, you can save a lot of money by creating your own videos. Of course, there is an initial investment involved in purchasing the necessary equipment.
However, once you have your own set-up, the sky is the limit in terms of what you can create. And if you’re willing to put in the time to learn the ropes, you can start producing high-quality videos that will save you money in the long run. So if you’re looking to create video content on a budget, don’t be afraid to go DIY. With a little effort, you can create professional-grade videos that will help you save money and reach your target audience.
Recent Comments