Planning-The Soundies (1920s and 1930s)

The soundies are early music videos that became popular in the 1920s to 1930s . In this era; known as the jazz Era, experimentations with live music and silent films began to develop the music video we know today.

A "soundie" was filmed on a live stage with a band and generally dancers. Then were then were shown in jukeboxes in clubs, bars and restaurants. They featured famous musicians of the time such as Louis armstrong and Duke Ellington.

These music videos were controversial for this time as it saw black people as the stars of some of the videos as well as women dancing and singing. At this time this was virtually unknown.

As you can see from the example of a "soundie" above it meets all of the conventions of the criteria for a soundie. The most controversial thing about the soundie shown above is that it features a black woman as the star. It meets all of the conventions because it has black stars, women dancing and singing as well as live music.

George Campbell