Different types of lyric videos, and how to choose the best one for your track
“How much does a lyric video cost?”
I always find this question difficult to navigate. The truth is, there are many ways to go about a lyric video and each method requires different time-frames, resources and skill sets.
I usually send over a list of questions to get a better idea of what’s needed, taking into account things like time budget, financial budget, visual style, existing assets, mood board, and references.
On your end, it may feel a little overwhelming at first - but it actually saves a lot of time down the line. It means that lyric videos can be entirely adapted to your needs, and you don’t end up spending more money than you need to! This flexibility is actually one of my favourite aspects about lyric video creation.
That being said, it’s always a good idea to equip yourself with as much information as possible before talking to any creative collaborators. So to give you an idea on the different routes you can take, I’ve identified 3 different types of lyric videos and what use case suits them best.
Simple and repeatable (£)
Good for: Album / EP releases, quick turnaround, tighter budget, DIY friendly
If you’re working with a creative, this is the best budget-friendly option with the most output. A simple lyric video usually involves one static background, with a blank space for the lyrics to sit in that can be reused multiple times. It’s a brand-safe way to share each track from you album on YouTube, whilst highlighting the lyrics and keeping it visually interesting.
These types of videos can be made in bulk, and can act as visualisers too which means that they don’t need to be too flashy or complicated, they just need to be on brand. Using a simple animation is common for this style of video, making it easy to repeat and quick to pull together.
🍏 Top tip: If you have the time, you can even tackle this one yourself! Design an image in Canva, or import one you already have and make any adjustments you need to make, leaving some space in the design for the lyrics. Then all you have to do is bring it into your video editing program and add the lyrics on top!
Here are some different ways of going about these videos:
Use your photos:
Have a photo shoot planned? Get the most out of it by including some of those pictures in your lyric videos!
Ariana Grande’s videos use her photos as a background, and the lyrics have a consistent animation across all of the videos. This not only makes it quicker to create, but it also helps visually tie everything together so the viewer can easily identify which album the track is from!
Create a reusable design:
Jennie & Lisa from Blackpink use a much simpler approach for their lyric videos. In Jennie’s case, she’s had multiple photos taken of some of the set design used in her main album artwork, making really good use of every aspect of her shoot.
Lisa has opted to use one photo across all lyric videos. Again, both approaches use the same animations and fonts across all of them to keep it consistent.
Commission some custom art:
Lastly, One OK Rock have had some artwork made for their lyric videos. If you look closely, you can see some assets are being reused across multiple pieces, and some artwork is being reused across multiple tracks. This approach may need the hand of a graphic or motion designer, but it’s still a smart way to reuse assets and can add a bit more worldbuilding to your artist brand. Again, the lyrics have a the same design and animation across all of them - so once you’ve decided on a visual style, replicating it is a breeze!
Concept-led (£££)
Good for: Single releases, stage visuals, creative freedom
If you are only releasing a single for now, this might be a better approach for you. Concept-led lyric videos allow you to expand on your concept and spend more time getting creative with the small details.
This type of video tends to use multiple designs and more intricate animations, which means it will have a higher price point than a simple lyric video.
What’s good about complex lyric videos is that it can also double up as a stage visual when you perform the track! You can also get super creative with these by adding in your own photos, creating your own art and dropping easter eggs in, cementing your creative identity outside of photoshoots and music videos.
Some examples below of lyrics being used as part of One Ok Rock’s stage visuals!
Lastly, concept-led lyric videos can be good for those who aren’t in a position to create a full music video just yet. Whether you don’t have the time, the budget, or if you’re still a bit camera shy, concept-led lyric videos can provide a way to still share your music in a creative way!
Check out these 4 examples below.
Incorporating video (££)
Good for: Non-title tracks, quick turn around, repurposing content
These last three styles all involve repurposing any videos or photos you already have. This is sort of a hybrid between a music video and a lyric video - it allows the audience a view into your world without the heavy lift.
So, what sort of videos can you repurpose to make a lyric video?
Take a full performance clip from your music video shoot
This can be scheduled into your shoot day, or it might be something that you’ll already have.
A good DIY option would be to dress up a corner of a room to act as a mini ‘set’.
Live show footage
Get a friend to film some shows, or set up a tripod somewhere in the audience. You can even film some bits backstage and during set up to give your audience more exclusive access, like the Jazzy K and GRIFF examples!
A short, looping video - candid or posed
There’s a lot of fun to be had with this one! Set up a camera at home, find some unused clips from your music video, film some BTS clips of your creation process or on set - the opportunities are vast, and that’s why this is such a popular approach nowadays! This one is easy to DIY, but you can also work with a video editor to bring it altogether.
Be aware that the video will provide a lot of movement, so try to avoid animating the lyrics too much (if at all) as to not overwhelm the viewer. If you want to simplify things even more, you can even display the lyrics as subtitles like in the FLETCHER and Tate McRae examples.
Hopefully this has helped shape or inspire some ideas for your own music! Have a go at some of these and don’t be afraid to experiment.
If you’re stuck on coming up with ideas, check out this blog I wrote about creative direction, which goes into how to approach the visual side of your music released.
🍏 Need help creating your lyric video? Get in touch to see how I can help!
