DeBarge - Rhythm Of The Night

What this video is

Released February 23, 1985 on Motown's Gordy label, 'Rhythm of the Night' arrived as a deliberate strategic pivot for DeBarge — from soft R&B balladeers to MTV-viable crossover pop stars. Its release was timed to coincide with the Motown film 'The Last Dragon,' amplifying visibility significantly. The music video became the group's first and most prominent visual media presence, earning heavy rotation on both MTV…

Why it matters

A landmark artifact of mid-1980s Motown crossover pop: one of the earliest R&B family group videos to achieve simultaneous MTV and BET heavy rotation. Reached #3 Billboard Hot 100, #1 R&B, and #1 Adult Contemporary — a tri-chart triumph that confirmed the viability of the MTV visual format for…

The director

Peter Heath is a director and cinematographer who worked as Director/Cameraman for Picture Music, a Capitol Records subsidiary, directing music videos for acts including DeBarge, Roxette, Stray Cats, Missing Persons, and The Power Station. He won a Kodak…