The ‘Rock With You’ Music Video: A Classic

On this day in history, Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You” music video aired on MTV for the first time. The innovative and classic video was directed by Bruce Gowers and is widely considered one of Jackson’s best.

The ‘Rock With You’ Music Video: A Classic

The “Rock With You” music video is a classic Michael Jackson video that features the singer dancing and performing in a variety of settings. The video was directed by Bruce Gowers and was released in 1980. It won the Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form in 1981.

The Making of the ‘Rock With You’ Music Video

In the summer of 1979, Michael Jackson was in Los Angeles shooting what would become one of the most popular music videos of all time, “Rock With You.” The song was originally written by Rod Temperton and recorded by Jackson for his Off the Wall album, which was released in August 1979. The album was a commercial success, spawning four Top 10 singles, including “Rock With You,” which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The music video for “Rock With You” was directed by Bruce Gowers and filmed at Los Angeles’ Westlake Recording Studios. It features Jackson dancing solo in a white suit against a black background. Jackson choreographed the dance moves himself, which he later reprised in live performances.

The “Rock With You” music video was an instant classic and helped propel Off the Wall to even greater success. It remains one of Jackson’s most iconic videos and is considered one of the best music videos of all time.

The Legacy of the ‘Rock With You’ Music Video

few years later, the visual depiction of Jackson’s artistry in the “Rock With You” video would go on to inspire a generation of Black filmmakers, including Lee Daniels, who grew up watching the video on BET.

In 1980, “Rock With You” became one of the first music videos by a Black artist to enter rotation on MTV, which had launched the year before. The video, directed by Bruce Gowers, featured a then-25-year-old Jackson gliding across the floor of a soundstage in a white sequined suit, surrounded by tinkling stars and twirling lights. It was a departure from the grittier, street-based aesthetics that characterized most early hip-hop and R&B videos — and it announced Jackson as a glamorous pop icon for a new era.

While Gowers was not the first Black director to make a music video (that distinction goes to Hugh Hudson for Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” in 1975), he was one of the first to gain recognition in the field. And “Rock With You” helped pave the way for a new wave of Black music videos that would dominate MTV in the 1980s and 1990s.

The Influence of the ‘Rock With You’ Music Video

In the fall of 1979, Michael Jackson released his fifth studio album, ‘Off the Wall.’ The album was an instant success, selling more than 20 million copies worldwide and spawning four No. 1 singles. But it was the album’s fifth single – ‘Rock With You’ – that would have the biggest impact on Jackson’s career.

The ‘Rock With You’ music video was directed by Bruce Gowers, who had previously worked with Queen, Rod Stewart and ABBA. Gowers was brought on to direct the ‘Off the Wall’ album’s visuals after Jackson saw his work on Queen’s ‘ Bohemian Rhapsody’ video.

The ‘Rock With You’ video was filmed in one day at a cost of $35,000 – a relatively low budget for a music video at the time. The video features Jackson in a variety of settings – including a warehouse, a desert and an empty studio – dancing and singing the lyrics to the song.

While the ‘Rock With You’ video may seem simplistic by today’s standards, it was groundbreaking at the time. Jackson was one of the first black artists to be featured in regular rotation on MTV, and the ‘Rock With You’ video helped pave the way for other black artists to get airtime on the fledgling channel.

The success of the ‘Rock With You’ video also helped launch Jackson’s career as a solo artist. Prior to ‘Off the Wall,’ Jackson had been part of a successful family act – The Jacksons – but it was his work on ‘Off the Wall’ that established him as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

The Significance of the ‘Rock With You’ Music Video

The “Rock With You” music video is widely considered to be a classic, and for good reason. The video perfectly captures the energy and feeling of the song, and Michael Jackson’s performance is nothing short of electrifying.

But the video also has a deeper meaning. The story goes that the video was originally going to be a standard performance clip, but Jackson convinced director Bob Giraldi to tell a story with the video. The result is a moving tale of love and loss, told through the incredible dancing of Jackson and his co-star, Ginny Hubert.

The “Rock With You” video is a true classic, and it remains one of the most iconic music videos ever made.

The Impact of the ‘Rock With You’ Music Video

When Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You” music video first aired on MTV in 1980, it was an instant classic. The video features Jackson dancing alone in a empty warehouse, with only a spotlight to keep him company. The simplicity of the video, combined with Jackson’s mind-blowing dance moves, made for a powerful combination that has stood the test of time.

In addition to being an iconic dance performance, the “Rock With You” video also had a profound impact on the music industry. Prior to its release, music videos were mostly used as promotional tools, and were not considered to be art forms in their own right. However, the success of “Rock With You” proved that music videos could be both popular and artistically impressive, and paved the way for the development of the modern music video industry.

The Beauty of the ‘Rock With You’ Music Video

Released in 1979, the music video for Michael Jackson’s “Rock With You” is a classic. The video, which was directed by Bruce Gowers, features Jackson performing the song against a white background.

Jackson’s dance moves and style are on full display in the video, and it is considered one of the best examples of his work. The video is also notable for its use of special effects, which were used to create the illusion that Jackson was floating in air.

Despite its simplicity, the “Rock With You” music video is widely considered to be one of the best examples of Jackson’s artistry. It is a timeless classic that continues to entertain and inspire audiences today.

The Power of the ‘Rock With You’ Music Video

The ‘Rock With You’ music video is a classic. It was released in 1979 and directed by Bruce Gowers. The video features Michael Jackson dancing in a white suit in front of a white background.

The video is significant because it marked a turning point in Jackson’s career. Up until this point, Jackson had primarily been associated with the Motown sound. However, with ‘Rock With You’, Jackson began to move away from that sound and towards a more pop/R&B sound. This change in direction would prove to be hugely successful, as Jackson would go on to become one of the best-selling artists of all time.

The ‘Rock With You’ music video is also notable for its simple production values. At a time when music videos were becoming increasingly complex and expensive to produce, ‘Rock With You’ stood out for its stripped-down aesthetic. This helped to make the video more accessible and allowed Jackson’s natural charisma and talent shine through.

The Magic of the ‘Rock With You’ Music Video

The ‘Rock With You’ music video is a classic. It was filmed in 1979 and released in 1980, and it features Michael Jackson dancing and performing in a number of iconic looks. The video is simple, but effective, and it perfectly captures the energy and style of Jackson’s music.

The video begins with Jackson walking through a desert landscape. He is wearing a white shirt and black pants, and he looks cool and relaxed. As he walks, he sees a group of people dancing in the distance. He starts to dance along with them, and the video cuts to him performing some of his signature moves.

The next scene features Jackson in a white suit, standing in front of a bright green screen. He is surrounded by dancers, who are all wearing brightly colored clothes. The colors are very striking, and they add to the overall feeling of fun and excitement that the video exudes.

The ‘Rock With You’ music video is a classic example of Jackson’s artistry. It is fascinating to watch, and it perfectly showcases his incredible talent as a dancer and performer.

The ‘Rock With You’ Music Video: An Icon

The ‘Rock With You’ music video is one of the most iconic and well-known videos of all time. It features Michael Jackson in a white sequined suit dancing and singing in a desert landscape. The video was directed by Bruce Gowers and was released in 1979.