Why are music videos so sexual these days?

[HannahJones12111]

I love Little Mix's music, however i've just seen their new music video for Sweet Melody and it just seems a bit "much" e.g. thrusting the floor and Jade literally has her bum on display through most of it.

Maybe i'm just a bore and don't "get it".
But it just felt like a nice song was ruined by a very out there music video.
I'll post the link.

for the clickbait equals easy money

Takes no effort to get your bits out and get your ratings up

'these days'

Were you not around in the eighties with Duran Duran's Girls on Film, or Sabrina's 'Boys Boys Boys' videos came out?

They always have been. Sex sells.

That's what this type of group is designed for. Titillation, nothing more.

These days, have you seen some of the music videos made in the 80’s?!

Not sure it's 'these days' only.

Dd is nearly 40. When she was a toddler she began dance classes, but she soon stopped because I wasn't going to send her there to rotate her hips and thrust her pelvis at three years old. That was the norm for dance and it is probably taken for granted by choreographers when making music videos.

No I wasnt born in the 80s so maybe I missed those music videos but just the acting out sex acts and thrusting the floor I find a bit "ick".
I just can't imagine the likes of Adele needing to strip down and thrust the floor as her voice is amazing.
Maybe it is a certain type of band/genre that resorts to it. But to me it's like watching soft porn some of the music videos.

Madonna hitchhiked naked 30 years ago.
Forgot the artists but "let's talk about sex" was early 90s too...
Even Olivia Newton John got slated for her video to let's get physical
Sex sells

@HannahJones12111 It is certain genres of music, I agree. Often not just sexual but from artists who are misogynistic and appear homophobic. (Little Mix I think are nothing more than bad karaoke but would never accuse them of misogyny or homophobia).

I think because most people watch them on YouTube and they want them to be watched over and over for the ad revenue

I agree with you op. Our children are 'looking up' to these people, yet I've seen more flesh of little mix than I have myself in the last few years!!
DH and I literally had this conversation the other day, we are expecting a daughter and frankly I'm concerned that she may grow up to view these women's actions as something to copy, as children do.

Sex sells, that’s the truth about it unfortunately

When the videos are like that the song is usually about sex as well.

It's depressing when you get these groups with nothing to say beyond showing their bodies and their sex lives.

It's nothing new.

My DD accidentally discovered the cheeky girls the other day and thinks they're amazing 🤣 Their video is pretty sexual too. This is not a new thing.

I’m trying to think of a more sophisticated answer than: Sex sells 🤷‍♀️

I didn't think it was that bad? No worse than had been around for a long time. Watching that I mainly thought 'they aren't very good dancers' 🙊

@Buster72

Madonna hitchhiked naked 30 years ago. Forgot the artists but "let's talk about sex" was early 90s too... Even Olivia Newton John got slated for her video to let's get physical Sex sells

I think the type of sexuality displayed is different now though, it’s more aggressive and controlled by men but sold to women as ‘empowerment’ yes videos have always been sexy but it changed a lot when Madonna arrived who was sexual rather than sexy, I think there is a marked difference between the two.

Debbie Harry in her day was sexy, in the heart of glass video she just oozed sex appeal barely moving from her microphone, no thrusting her butt at the camera, she didn’t need to.

Cher’s “turn back time” video was quite a sexual awakening for me.

It's certainly not new. But I was a bit surprised when I saw this Little Mix video. I'm sure in their X factor days they made a bit of a thing of not performing in their knickers. Its sad that all these years later that it exactly what they are doing. They've been very successful I'm not sure why they really need to. I've never really understood this craze of female pop stars performing in knickers or leotards. I get that sex sells, but this often from very successful women who don't need pervy men to boost sales. e.g. Beyonce 'Single Ladies'. Why is it in pants?

The school discos I went to in primary school in the 90s always featured the song 'sex on the beach' where every boy in the hall would lay down and pretend to hump the floor. I think 99% of music videos from female artists (and probably the male ones too) in the 90s were focused around sex or being half naked too. It definitely isn't a new thing.

I think the type of sexuality displayed is different now though, it’s more aggressive and controlled by men but sold to women as ‘empowerment’ yes videos have always been sexy but it changed a lot when Madonna arrived who was sexual rather than sexy, I think there is a marked difference between the two.

I agree Madonna was the instigator though. She did it cause she wanted to,not cause men told her.

It’s to hide the fact that the music is shit. Mostly great music doesn’t need to be accompanied by these kind of videos.

I think 99% of music videos from female artists (and probably the male ones too) in the 90s were focused around sex or being half naked too

They really weren't. You remember the ones that were, but most videos were not like that at all. Peter Andre for example you remember or some of the Spice Girls videos (even most of theirs weren't sexual). Some genres more than others but the Britpop artists for example (male and female) weren't taking their clothes off and using their bodies to sell their music.

If the song is good the music sells itself, it doesn't need to use sex unless that's what the song is about.