I would consider the main purpose of a music video is to make a profit. The music industry is, after all, a business and a business wouldn't make something if it wouldn't make them money.
2- What other purposes might there be of a music video?
Other purposes of a music video may be for the pure sake of entertainment i.e. Michael Jackson's Thriller as the video can be seen as it's own little short film due to the plot and narrative structure of the music video, with the actual music not appearing in it until four minutes and forty-five seconds in. This plus the dance routines and overall enjoyment factor that comes with the thirteen minute long video.
Another reason could be to extend the play-ability of the song so people will 'listen' to the song more and more, an example of this is OK Go's music video This Too Shall Pass as the song in itself is nothing special, but the video is fun and interesting enough that people would want to watch it over and over again.
Another purpose could be to illicit a response from the viewer so that the video can be talked about (for example, Miley Cyrus' Wrecking Ball or Madonna's Like A Virgin) as the controversy that surrounds a music video could make more and more people watch it and talk about it because it's such a talked about thing which, in turn, gets the video more air time and creates more profit for the studio and artist.
Another purpose could be to boost the artist's star iconography by using the artist's image prominently in the video e.g. Arctic Monkey's Crying Lightning, as this music video shows the band's front man Alex Turner extensively throughout the video, eventually turning him into a giant version of himself in the last third of the video.
Yet another purpose could be to use the visual medium as well as the audible one to easier get across the artist's message in the song and the list goes on.
3- How might an artist extend their income through having a music video?
An artist might extend their income through having a music video through advertisement revenue through services such as YouTube and Vevo showing their music video. The artist could also use the video as a promotional tool in itself to promote their tours, books and even fashion lines or perfumes.
4- Describe how and why music videos have been used to fill in for bands on tour when otherwise unavailable?
Music videos have been used to fill in for bands (maybe the band is on tour in another country or continent) by letting the fans of the artist or song just watch the video from the comfort of their own home on YouTube or something similar to that. If an artist stops making material for any reason, people can just watch their music videos and, through ad revenue, the artist can still make profits due to royalties.
5- Thinking back through history and presently, how have music videos enabled an 'extension of outlets (enabled ways for an artist to get music to the masses?)
Music Videos have created new ways for artists to get their music to the public through such advents as Scopitones, Television channels such as: MTV, Top of The Pops, 4 Music etc., Youtube, Vimeo, Vevo, iTunes etc.
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