When you think of music videos, you probably think of flashy productions, elaborate sets, and artists dancing in front of the camera for their latest single.
But what if I told you The Beatles were doing it before it was even a thing — before MTV, before YouTube, before anyone even called them “music videos”?
And it all started because they were tired of doing TV appearances.
Too Famous for Television
By 1965, The Beatles were everywhere.
Every new song meant a whirlwind of TV shows, press events, and live performances.
But the problem? The band was growing tired — of the chaos, the travel, and especially the constant pressure to appear live on television every time they released a new single.
They were evolving as artists.
They wanted to spend more time creating music — not performing the same hits on loop under studio lights.
So they came up with a revolutionary idea:
“Let’s film ourselves performing the song once… and send the tape to TV stations instead.”
The Birth of the Modern Music Video
In 1965 and 1966, The Beatles began filming short performance films of their latest singles — like “Paperback Writer,” “Rain,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” and “Penny Lane.”
But these weren’t just stage clips. They were creative, cinematic, and visually experimental.
Take “Strawberry Fields Forever” for example:
It used reversed footage, slow motion, and surreal imagery — something that had never been done in music before.
These short films weren’t designed for fans to buy — they were for TV broadcast only, sent to programs around the world like Top of the Pops and The Ed Sullivan Show.
By doing this, The Beatles not only saved themselves from constant touring, they unknowingly laid the foundation for the entire music video industry.
MTV? Still Years Away
Remember — MTV didn’t launch until 1981.
That’s more than 15 years after The Beatles were already pioneering the concept.
When music videos became a major promotional tool in the ’80s, artists like Michael Jackson and Madonna took the format and turned it into an art form — but The Beatles were the original blueprint.
They turned songs into visual experiences, long before the industry caught up.
Why It Still Matters
The Beatles weren’t just great musicians.
They were creative problem-solvers who changed how the music world worked — not just what it sounded like.
They didn’t invent music videos on purpose.
They did it because they needed a break… and in doing so, they changed the game forever.
Today, we take music videos for granted — they’re on every phone, every platform.
But every time you watch a music video, remember:
The Beatles were doing it first.
Final Thought
Sometimes, the most innovative ideas don’t come from trying to be revolutionary.
Sometimes, they come from just trying to stay sane — and from four guys who wanted to make great music without getting on another plane.
