The Beastie Boys Make Some Noise

CAUTION: video includes explicit language.

Once upon a time, the debut of a music video was a Major Television Event. (Thriller, anyone?) After years of waning relevance and being relegated to second-tier status by youth-oriented reality TV, music videos have rebounded -- largely thanks to video websites like YouTube and Vimeo, and the notion of "going viral."

Into this new world, the Beastie Boys have dreamed up an epic music video launch that is a throwback done with contemporary flair (and also a precursor to the May 3 release of The Hot Sauce Committee Part Two).

The perennially cool, boundary-defying rappers started out by teasing fans online with a star-studded trailer for the single Make Some Noise, aka Fight For Your Right Revisited. Directed by BB Adam (MCA) Yauch, the stylish and silly video features two minutes of cameos by Hollywood heavyweights like Will Ferrell, Seth Rogan, Jack Black, Susan Sarandon and Elijah Wood.

The roll out began at midnight on Wednesday, with the Brooklyn hip hoppers unveiling a long-form, 30-minute version of the video on several U.S. channels, including MTV. Different versions are being released throughout the day across a number of other channels as well, including MTV 2, Comedy Central and Spike.

A five-minute version was also prepared for TV rotation starting Wednesday, before officially debuting on the web April 29. Undoubtedly, unauthorized versions (remember those VCR days?) will turn up online before then.

Might this mark a new era for the music video format? Or is it just the excitement of something new from the Beastie Boys that commands our attention?