ItsNotYouItsMe Throwback Thursday has never looked so yummy!
“Iconic music videos from Lady Gaga, Beastie Boys, Janet Jackson and more are getting an upgrade, thanks to a new partnership between YouTube Music and Universal Music Group.
The two music giants are teaming up to painstakingly remaster more than 1,000 music videos, spanning multiple decades, in the highest available video and audio quality. “Great music videos are works of art that continue to drive cultural influence across generations,” reads an announcement on YouTube’s blog. “And just like priceless paintings or sculptures in museums, from time to time they need some TLC.”
Around 100 of those refreshed visuals became available Wednesday (June 19), including the music videos for Tom Petty’s 1989 “Free Fallin,’” Beastie Boys’ 1994 “Sabotage “and Gaga’s 2009 “Bad Romance.”
YouTube will add more titles to the platform each week over the next year, distinguished by the #Remastered hashtag, with the goal to have all 1,000 titles available by the end of 2020. The new titles will seamlessly replace the old ones, while retaining the same URL, view counts and number of likes.
“It’s really an honor to partner with Universal Music Group and change the way fans around the globe will experience viewing some of the most classic and iconic videos. The quality is truly stunning,” shared Stephen Bryan, global head of label relations at YouTube. “It’s our goal to ensure that today’s music videos — true works of art — meet the high quality standards that artists’ works deserve and today’s music fans expect.”
Also included in the effort? Billy Idol, Boyz II Men, George Strait, Kiss, Lady Antebellum, Lionel Richie, Maroon 5, Meat Loaf, No Doubt/Gwen Stefani, Smokey Robinson and The Killers.
We’re excited to partner with YouTube to present these iconic music videos in the highest audio and video quality possible,” added Michael Nash, executive vp of digital strategy at UMG. “Our recording artists and video directors imbued these videos with so much creativity; it’s great to enable the full experience of their vision and music. These videos not only look amazing on any screen now, they will be enjoyed by music fans for decades to come.”” -Billboard.com
