Lizzo Declares End of “Golden Age” for Music Videos, Cites Social Media Shift
LOS ANGELES, CA – Lizzo has publicly stated that the era of the impactful, high-budget music video is over, attributing the change to the dominance of short-form content platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X. The “Love in real Life” singer argues that the current media landscape prioritizes viral snippets over customary, extended-form visuals, fundamentally altering how artists connect with audiences and allocate resources.
lizzo explained that music videos were once a natural extension of an artist’s vision, providing a visual identity to accompany songs played on the radio. “Once upon a time, music videos were an extension of an artist’s vision,” she said. “They gave audiences a face and an aesthetic to go with the song they heard on the radio. It wasn’t about money or metrics – it was just art expanding naturally.” However, she believes the format has become less impactful with the rise of platforms favoring concise, shareable content.
The artist exemplified this shift by revealing she released her music video for “STFU” featuring Lil Jon exclusively on Instagram,bypassing both YouTube and TikTok. “But I didn’t even put it on YouTube. Hell, I didn’t even put it on TikTok.Right now, the full video is only on my Instagram page. Why? As music videos don’t move the needle anymore,” she stated.
Lizzo further noted that music videos had become “obligatory,” leading to a decline in quality as artists felt pressured to produce them even without a strong creative vision. She attributes the change to evolving music consumption habits, with listeners now primarily discovering music through streaming services, curated playlists, and social media recommendations.
The financial implications are also important. “The budgets will never be what they were in the ’90s. Or in the early 2000s. Why? Because the investment doesn’t bring in profit anymore,” lizzo explained. Despite acknowledging the decline, she expressed optimism about the prospect to redefine artistic expression and marketing strategies in the evolving music industry, stating, “We all need to make peace with the fact that music videos will never be what they once were. But the exciting part? Now we get to create what the next thing is.”
