Why is Vevo Called Vevo?

They say video killed the radio star. Then YouTube killed Music Video Television. Then, well, you get the idea. Regardless of who killed what, the truth is that music, like any technology, is ever-evolving. This goes beyond genres to include formats as well. Those born in the 80s, for example, have seen audio cassette tapes, compact discs, mini discs and MP3s come (and in most cases go) all within their lifetimes.

YouTube especially had an undeniable impact on the music industry following its launch in 2005. Prior to that, we were forced to turn into live television to watch live television and schedule our lunch hours around music video premieres we’d been looking forward to since the dawn of TRL.

According to Similar Web, the video-sharing website now boasts more than 15 billion views per month and ranks among the top three most visited websites in the world, just behind Facebook and Google, respectively. While users, responsible for at least a few of the 15 billion views, appreciate the evolution of YouTube, there have been a handful of much more powerful folk who didn’t take as kindly to the platform.

In fact, YouTube, and thus its parent company Google, was at risk of being sued by one or two major record labels for its more-than-likely unintentional interference in the music industry. In order to appease Sony in particular, former YouTube CEO Eric Schmidt agreed to launch a parallel platform where labels could control their own advertisements. That platform is known today as… Vevo!

All that to say that Vevo was formed in 2009 as a joint venture between Google, Universal Music Group, Sony and Abu Dhabi Media to serve as a frame website wherein embedded YouTube players would run a Vevo-owned ad module upon playback. That way, YouTube could keep its music video content, so long as a link referred back to the Vevo page, and the major labels could keep control over the monetization of the advertisements.

SEE ALSO: Why is Youtube Called Youtube?

Why is it called Vevo?

Six years later, Vevo prides itself on being “the world’s leading all-premium music video and entertainment platform with over 10 billion monthly views globally.” Their catalogue of 150,000 HD music videos could also be responsible for the rumors behind the meaning of Vevo, some of which include an acronym for Very Entertaining Videos Online. However, Vevo VP of Communications Jon Carvill would disagree. Instead, he claims, “The shareholders hired a branding agency to help come up with a list of proposed names and Vevo was the name everyone liked most out of the approximately ten they reviewed.”

Whatever the method to the madness is, the name they chose has proved to be a good one. Now led by CEO Erik Huggers in in New York, NY, Vevo is in a new phase of growth with the recent launch of its upgraded mobile app. The new version will allow viewers to offer input on artists and ultimately condition the algorithms that deliver recommendations within Vevo and personalize the user experience.

Really it’s just another weapon in the arsenal against whatever may come for the Vevo star. Thanks for reading Why is Vevo Called Vevo?!