We may have discussed this in the past and if so, I apologize and Kat can dump the thread. Regardless, I've often wondered about the subject and my own mixed emotions about the blessings and affects, not only on music, but equally on what is acceptable to society morally?

Does the success of today's pop music and artists depend a great deal on the "eye-candy" and often "sex-oriented" videos?

Any thoughts on the MTV generation and the effects on society?

Maybe the thread should be in Off Topic. But wherever it goes (or stays), here's my initial 2 cents.
The effects are negative.
As most of you know, I am black. While I am proud to say that, I don't make a point of telling people that on the Internet. If I forge a friendship with someone, be it a message board like this or a live chat, it will come out eventually.
Recently, someone typed something that resembles ebonics. A woman, white female in Canada, responded to that by saying "he types black."
I asked what she meant by that. Her response was that "most" black people talk that way. She compounded the error by saying it's "natural" for "them" to talk that way.
Yes, I let her have it - firmly but respectfully. She abandoned the conversation without so much as a "see ya."
But before she left, I learned that she based her opinion on 2 or 3 black "friends" she claims to have. I suspect rap videos, shows like "House of Payne" and that reality show with Flav-a-flav helped shape her opinion.
It's not just her. But I've encountered that kind of attitude when traveling to areas where there are few black people, if any at all. They don't know me, but if they know I'm black before they get a chance to know me, they're shocked when I start talking and they can understand me.
It's the attitude characterized when Bush referred to Barack Obama as "articulate."
That word is not offensive. But when black people hear it spoken by a white person, it pisses us off because MOST of are ARE articulate. It's been my experience that when white people make a point of saying that, it's because their limited contact with or knowledge of black Americans is influenced by what they see on television.
Reflecting on my Brazil trip a few years ago, most of the people I met were brown-skinned though not as dark as I am. Even so, many of them were surprised that I was 1) American and 2) I didn't speak jive.
Like so many people, they judge us by what they see on television: buffoonery, thuggishness, poor speech, bling-bling, women as objects.
Oh, and let's not forget TV news. We sometimes laugh about it, but it's downright irritating when after a disaster or mass shooting and they do "man in the streets" interviews, they seem to go out of their way to find that one black person in the crowd who's got a half-dozen missing teeth or a lot of gold in their mouths, and the person is most inarticulate.
I focused only on the racial element, but it's not the only problem with this type of entertainment. It's just the one where I see the most impact of those negative stereotypes.

*puts soapbox away - at least until lunchtime*

all of this is valid.... and should stay here in this forum.... because the video culture has spilled over into our culture and entertainment in general.

so discuss away.

Reminds me of the exerpt "The History of Jazz" when the narrator mentions of the image of cool when bebop was popular in the 50's. can't remember verbatum, but it was mentioned, to wear dark sunglasses like the bebop cats was cool, to wear a goatee like the bop cats was cool, to talk slang or hip was cool, to dress like the bop cats was cool. only difference is that bop had a more positive connotation than let's say rap, or alternative.

Boondocks had a hilarious couple of episodes satirizing this topic.

Part of me wonders if the music video is even that relevant anymore-- far fewer videos even being played these days that aren't on YouTube. Kids know MTV etc now as the channel with The Hills and Rock of Love. Not short form music vids.

Writing this while New Jack Swing videos play in the background on VH1 Soul-- as a white kid in the suburbs the epitome of cool for me as a kid and in the way Bruce described. (back when Fly Girls doing the Running Man with spandex and Cross Colors was the biggest video threat)

I personally thought the new Erykah Badu video was great for society but then I'm old fashioned and still buy records.

Meant to add this-- a video that truly is good for society. (disregard the ridiculous title, has nothing to do with anything) It stuck with me for days. Sometimes, rarely, the medium transcends.

There are some vids that have positive themes to them, but the majority of vids that are broadcasted are negative. The two vids you presented Leslie are good vids. We know that controversy and shock sells big time, and that's what the major labels shoot for.