The document traces the history of music videos from early experiments combining music and visuals in the 1910s through the development of promotional films for songs in the 1960s and the rise of dedicated music video shows in the 1970s. It highlights pioneering music videos by The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and David Bowie in the late 1960s/early 1970s as genre-defining works. The launch of MTV in 1981 provided a dedicated outlet for music videos and fueled their rise as an art form and promotional tool, with major artists like Michael Jackson and Madonna releasing iconic videos in the 1980s.