Various contributing factors at various times have led me to believe that MTV has had a very pernicious influence on singing. Perhaps not MTV as much as music videos, but they are almost synonymous in my mind, so I tend to blame MTV. If you'll just boogie below the squiggle I will explain.
Some History
Once there were musicians and singers and those who were both. They performed in various types of venues. Eventually, their music could travel without them via various media. There was radio, pure sound, and records, first from thick brittle 78 rpm platters up through 45 rpm singles and 33 1/3 vinyl albums. This too was pure sound. Eventually those with TVs could also watch American Bandstand or Lawrence Welk, depending upon their tastes. Before TV, non-live music was just sound, and even on TV, it was mostly about the music, the sound.
Something happened which I blame on MTV and the proliferation of music videos. It became more about the performance than the music. Many singers actually danced as much or more than they sang (and I am being very generous in calling some of it singing). While many singers back in the day had back up groups, who would even move to the beat, the MTV crew had back-up dancers. Choreographers became very important, seemingly much more so than lyricists and composers.
A confession & a proposal
I, however, am an old fart. First of the boomers and heavily influenced by a slightly older brother I was also exposured to tons of music of a huge variety of styles in my youth. Accordingly, I have decided to try to take us all on a trip to yesteryear by acting as if it is still all about the radio and the record player. I propose that we all listen to a series of songs, focusing on the singer, upon the lead vocals and their musical quality with our eyes shut. Listening to a music video with our eyes closed makes it more or less like radio, nest ce pas?
So I want everybody to listen, eyes shut to each of the following videos, and to also think about the music, to analyze the lead vocals. Are the rhythms simple or complex, uniform or varied, and does the singer adhere to them? Is the melody simple or complex, a lot of note and tone variation, or nearly none, and does the singer hit most of the notes anyway? What is the range, multiple octaves or near monotone?
I'll start with what I consider proto MTV – the beginning of that era, as I recall, but perhaps a bit before. The first two songs do exist in massively choreographed versions so if they aren't true MTV/Music Video, they are a clear precursor. The first three will follow Michael jackson from (childhood?) through early teens to legal adulthood. Listen close, analyze and compare, and think about what you hear and heard, but remember, it's about the singing, so close your eyes when you listen.
The Evolution of an MTV Artist
Youngest MJ – ABC
Young MJ – never can say goodbye
This one is especially interesting with one's eyes closed:
Older MJ - Smooth criminal
OK, a clear progression and the singing in the final one, the pure singing by the lead vocalist, is nowhere near as good as it was in the first two IMO. In fact, IMVHO, it isn;'t even on a par with some pure chanting, such as is forund on “Drums of Passion” by Babatunde Olatunji, Planet Drum, or Supralingua.
Now, let's try listening to stuff from the days when most music was mostly listened to on radio and records. The first two are from 1963 and 1964 respectively. Keep your eyes closed.
Old School
Roy Orbison – In Dreams
Roy Orbison - Pretty woman
Not fair, you say? Roy was exceptional, you say? Perhaps a bit, but not overmuch, on the radio, singers pretty much had to sing. Back up members of a group didn't dance, they sang, just as the lead singer also sang instead of dancing. That's why they were called singers. Here's a little number from 1955.
The Platters – Only You
OK, I think that the evidence is pretty clear, but the floor is yours.