More teenagers listen to music on YouTube than on any other source. They buy more music than anyone else. Billboard now counts YouTube hits when compiling its weekly US charts. The site has become more important than radio in finding, breaking and selling musical acts.
YouTube is reshaping the musical landscape. The song is just one component; the visuals now really matter. You only have to look at some of the most recent big break-through singles to see that the music directors are going for narrative-driven storylines, comic ideas, novelty dance moves and a type of sexual titillation that Benny Hill would have found tacky.
Hit the “gone viral” jackpot with your YouTube music video and you don’t need to bother with a big marketing spend in the traditional media. It’s arguable whether Harlem Shake, Gangnam Style, Blurred Lines or Thrift Shop (above) would have sold in their gazillions without their visual accompaniment.