Cannonball with Wesley Morris The V.M.A.s Are This Weekend. Does Anybody Care?
Sep 4, 2025
Niela Orr, a culture critic, joins to dissect what truly makes a music video unforgettable. They discuss the evolution of music videos from MTV to YouTube, highlighting the cultural shifts and enduring significance of the VMAs. Orr and the host share insights on effective storytelling, the impact of feminist themes in visuals, and the nostalgia versus innovation in iconic music videos. They also critique this year’s nominees, evaluating who deserves to take home the coveted moon men.
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Streaming Undoing The Old Video Economy
- Wesley Morris explains that videos were once industry-funded promos for albums, but streaming removed that ecosystem and MTV's power.
- Without that centralized outlet, labels and artists changed how and why they make videos.
1999 VMA Shock Moment
- Niela remembers the 1999 VMAs moment when Lil' Kim arrived in a revealing purple outfit and shocked the audience.
- She recalls Diana Ross presenting and Lil' Kim provocatively interacting with her on stage.
YouTube Made Video Popularity Visible
- Since 2006 fans vote for VMAs and YouTube makes video popularity quantifiable, view counts now influence chart positions.
- Videos have massive measurable reach even as cultural centrality has shifted.