Homage music videos

Another style of music videos is similar to parody in that the music video imitating something but in the case of homage, the mimicking is designed to pay tribute or show respect. Whereas parody is used to mock a media product or star, homage is used to show respect.

An excellent example of a music video that uses homage is The Kill by 30 Seconds to Mars. This video uses locations, themes and iconography from the popular classic horror film The Shining. The band perform in a hotel very similar to The Overlook hotel featured in The Shining and the lead singer sits at a typewriter just as Jack Nicholson’s character who is a writer does in the film.

Tonight, Tonight by The Smashing Pumpkins is another example of a music video that pays homage to another piece of media. In this case, the music video pays respect to the Georges Melies early silent film The Voyage to the Moon. This is widely credited as being one of the first ever science fiction films and the beginning of movie special effects. Tonight, Tonight features a similar narrative to the film with the iconic moon with a face imitated and aliens that blow up into puffs of smoke when they are hot by the characters.

A final example that also pays homage in its style is the X Factor Finalists music video for Heroes. This was a charity single that pays respect to the soldiers who have been fighting in recent wars. There are many photos of soldiers and videos of the finalists meeting some of them. It is a tribute to the heroes of war which perfectly complements the lyrics of the song and ties in with the charitable intentions of the single.

What are your favourite homage music videos?

Check out my other posts:

• Surrealist music videos 
• Narrative music videos
• music genres
• as live/in concert
• animated music videos
• Parody music videos