VIDEO KILLED THE RADIO STAR

AN INTRODUCTION TO MUSIC
VIDEO

THE PURPOSE

OF A

MUSIC VIDEO

A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of

music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a [marketing]
device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of
music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the 1980s, when
MTV based their format around the medium, and later with the launch of VH1.
The term "music video" first came into popular usage in the early 1980s. Prior to

that time, these works were described by various terms including "filmed insert",
"promotional (promo) film", "promotional (promo) clip" or "film clip" (Wikipedia)
TASK 1
1.WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE MAJOR ELEMENTS OF AN ALBUM MARKETING
CAMPAIGN (THE DIFFERENT WAYS IN WHICH A BAND /A RTISTS IDENTITY IS MEDIATED
TO AN AUDIENCE)?
Having the album advertised on television with clips of the songs and their
music video. When be advertised, the name of the album should be
exaggerated and repeated throughout, for example HOLY FIRE. Out now.
Digital distribution is also an important factor, like standing out on iTunes and
Spotify.
They need to distribute their new album in a modern way with their target
audience discovering them in this way.
An online presence is important, for example having a twitter where they post
links to it for easy access to viewing and listening for all fans and potential
listeners. They can also keep their fans up to date with the exciting things
that they have coming up, like an album of course.
Releasing merchandise also may help so that the cover on a t-shirt can be
seen being worn by people in everyday life.
2.WHERE HAVE YOU ENCOUNTERED THESE ELEMENTS IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?
Watching channels such as 4music mainly. You often see artists being
advertised on buses or more recently their album is featured/promoted onto
peoples twitter timelines, without them following the artist or band.
Or on YouTube as an advert before watching a video..
Also at Leeds Festival last year, there were many advertisements for
bands/artists and their albums along the fences of the arenas, so as you
watched an alike band you would see an advertisement for another on the
wall, like an album cover photo. This was everywhere in order to create the
music festival feel and to promote bands and artists.
At the festival, I also came across many t-shirts, hoodys, wristbands and
other merchandise for sale. This is so that the cover of bands albums was
seen everywhere on the t-shirts of those attending the festival.
3.WHAT FACTORS MAKE YOU LIKE A BAND AND THEREFORE DOWNLOAD THEIR
MUSIC , BUY THEIR ALBUMS OR ATTEND THEIR CONCERTS ? H OW DO YOU DECIDE
WHICH BAND IS COOL AND WHICH IS NOT?
If their music is catchy yet unique, not like pop music however. I would attend
their concerts if they had a reputation for being good live, with a full band
with guitars and drums etc. A band is cool if they are not an all boys band
that sings about good looking women, with twitter names such as
TheVampsBrad. Pop music is very mainstream and overplayed, this is why I
would not class it as cool. Friends are obviously an influence too, if they were
to play a song whilst you are with them, it can introduce you to a band that

they like. Or if a band or artist that you like does a collaboration with an
artist, this may make you like the artist and listen to more of their songs.

WHAT MAKES THE MUSIC VIDEO UNIQUE ?

THE MUSIC VIDEO IS DESIGNED FOR MULTIPLE VIEWINGS; IT HAS TO BE INSTANTLY

MEMORABLE YET INTERESTING ENOUGH TO WARRANT WATCHING AGAIN AND AGAIN .

UNLIKE THE FILM TRAILER IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE VIEWED ON A LARGE SCREEN

NOR IS ITS AUDIENCE CAPTIVE.
1.WHERE AND WHEN DO YOU WATCH MUSIC VIDEOS?
Mainly on YouTube, when I have free time. This is because its free and easy,
there is not much that you cant find on YouTube and its easy to discover new
things.
I also click on links to music videos that I see posted by my friends or other
artists on Twitter and Facebook. Social Media is an easy way to find new
bands and artists to listen to.

TASK 2
IN THE SPACE BELOW LIST AS
VIDEOS THAT YOU CAN THINK

MANY FEATURES/ CONVENTIONS OF

MUSIC

OF.

Seeing the instruments being played, either in a studio or performance

Repetition of shot and lyrics
Lots of shots on the lead singer, singing the lyrics.
Narrative Pans- telling a storey/ creating a narrative.
Tilts of the camera
Tracking of the camera
Props
Costumes- to match the genre of the music or the narrative
Location- like an impressive city or beach
Facial expression- to create a mood to match the song

Choreographed dance routine

The video and lyrics being linked
Has a start, a middle and an end to the video.
The scenery fitting the genre, mood and the style of a song.

TASK 3
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS
FEATURES
GENRE
CHARACTERISTICS

OBSERVATIONS
EXAMPLES
NAME OF TRACK: IF I COULD CHANGE YOUR MIND
DANCING THROUGHOUT

INDIE CLOTHING SUCH AS DENIM

CLOTHING

SKIRTS AND RIPPED SHORTS

PLACE
THAT
THE VIDEO
ARTIST
: HAIM
IS SET

COMMON INDIE BAND , USING A

INSTRUMENTS SHOWN

DRUMS .

RELATIONSHIP

SOME OF THE DANCE

JUST THE BAND ON STAGE

WHEN THEY SING NO , ALL

BETWEEN LYRICS

MOVES MATCH THE

DO A NO ARM MOVEMENT .

AND VISUALS ?

LYRICS

FORGIVE MY LYING EYES- ALANA

SINGER , BASS PLAYER AS WELL AS

3 GIRLS

COVERS HER EYES WHEN DANCING

RELATIONSHIP

AGAIN DURING SOME

DURING CERTAIN BEATS , LIKE A

BETWEEN MUSIC

DANCE MOVES

SUDDEN SHORT ONE , ALL

AND VISUALS ?

ARE THERE CLOSE-

WHEN DANCING OFTEN CLICK

AND STAR IMAGE

VERY OFTEN ON THE

GIRLS SEPARATELY,
THERE S A SPOTLIGHT

MOTIFS?

THAT ONLY FEATURES

UPS OF THE ARTIST

3 GIRLS

THIS IS TO HIGHLIGHT EACH

MEMBER AS THEY DANCE

THEIR EYES AND THE

IS THERE

CAMERA ZOOMS IN.

OCCASIONALLY.

WHEN THEY HAVE A CLOSE UP ,

REFERENCE TO THE

THEIR EYES ARE OFTEN SEDUCTIVE .

NOTION OF

ALSO WHEN THEY DANCE HOLDING

LOOKING ?

THEIR HIPS AND MOVING THEM

QUICKLY.

ARE THERE

AMPLIFICATION .

THE VIDEO DOES NOT AMPLIFY ALL

INTERTEXTUAL
REFERENCES ?

IS THE VIDEO
CATEGORY
ILLUSTRATION,
DISJUNCTURE OR
AMPLIFICATION ?

HOW MUCH OF
EACH ?

OF THE LYRICS BUT IS NOT

DISJUNCT TO THE MUSIC ITSELF .
ALL OF THE VIDEO IS AN
AMPLIFICATION OF THE
INSTRUMENTS USED .

TASK 3
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS
NAME OF TRACK: WAVES

ARTIST: MR PROBZ
FEATURES
OBSERVATIONS
GENRE
CHARACTERISTICS

EXAMPLES

THIS SONG IS

THERE ARE MANY IMAGES OF THE

CATEGORISED AS BEING

OCEAN ALONG WITH TWO

HOUSE MUSIC,

CHARACTERS AND A BAR BEING

HOWEVER THERE ISN T

SEEN .

ACTUALLY ANY

THERE ARE MANY SIMPLE IDEAS TO

STEREOTYPICAL HOUSE

MATCH THE TONE OF THE SONG

ELEMENTS PRESENT IN

WITH NO COMPLICATED OR

THIS VIDEO , APART

CONFUSING STORY LINE.

FROM THE SOUND BEING

LAID BACK AND THE
VISUALS ARE

RELATIONSHIP

SIMPLISTIC .
OBVIOUS LINKS

SCENES OF THE OCEAN WITH THE

BETWEEN LYRICS

BETWEEN THE LYRICS

LYRICS WAVE AND AFTER WAVE

AND VISUALS?

AND THE VISUALS .

AND THE SONG BEING CALLED

WAVES.
RELATIONSHIP

RELAXED THROUGHOUT .

WAVES AND SOUNDS OF WATER ARE

BETWEEN MUSIC

KNOWN TO BE RELAXING , THESE

AND VISUALS?

ARE SHOWN ALONG WITH THE

SONG BEING CALM .

ARE THERE CLOSE -

CLOSE UPS OF THE TWO

THE MAJORITY OF HOUSE MUSIC

UPS OF THE ARTIST

MAIN CHARACTERS .

DOES NOT SHOW THE ARTIST AND

AND STAR IMAGE

INSTEAD SHOWS CHARACTERS TO

MOTIFS ?

THEREFORE CREATE A NARRATIVE .

IS THERE

THE CHARACTERS

REFERENCE TO THE

APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN

THERE ARE FLASHBACKS OF THEM

BEING TOGETHER , VERY INTIMATE ,

NOTION OF

IN LOVE OR ARE IN

HOLDING HANDS AND WALKING

LOOKING ?

LOVE .

TOGETHER ETC .

ARE THERE

INTERTEXUAL

THERE ARE REFERENCES TO GOD .

INTERTEXTUAL

REFERENCES OF

REFERENCES ?

RELGION .

IS THE VIDEO

THERE ARE NO

REPEATED LYRICS SUCH AS

CATEGORY

COMPLICATED SCENES

ILLUSTRATION ,

AND IT APPEARS TO TELL

DRIFTING AWAY AND FLASHBACKS

OF THE CHARACTERS , SUGGESTING

DISJUNCTURE OR

A STORY. THEREFORE I

THAT THEIR LOVE IS DYING OUT OR

AMPLIFICATION ?

WOULD SAY THAT IT IS A

DRIFTING AWAY.

HOW MUCH OF

NARRATIVE .

EACH ?

TASK 3
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS
TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF MUSIC VIDEOS
NAME OF TRACK: BLOODSHAKE

ARTIST: PEACE
FEATURES
GENRE
CHARACTERISTICS

OBSERVATIONS
THERE ARE FEW LINKS

EXAMPLES

OR SIMILARITIES

ONE EXAMPLE IS WHEN THE LEAD

SAYS JUNGLE ANOTHER MEMBER

BETWEEN THE LYRICS

HAS A SNAKE AROUND HIS NECK

AND THE VISUALS.

AND THERE ARE OTHER ANIMAL

RELATED THINGS IN THE

RELATIONSHIP

NONE BETWEEN THE

BACKGROUND .
THEY SING ABOUT SPITTING

BETWEEN LYRICS

LYRICS AND VISUALS,

BLOOD INTO THE OCEAN AND THE

AND VISUALS ?

SEE BELOW.

JUNGLE , WHEREAS THE VISUALS

ARE JUST BRIGHT LIGHTS, QUITE
SPACE -LIKE .

RELATIONSHIP

THE ONLY RELATIONSHIP

THE MUSIC IS QUIRKY AND BRIGHT ,

BETWEEN MUSIC

THAT THERE IS BETWEEN

THE CLOTHING MATCHES THIS ,

AND VISUALS ?

THE MUSIC AND THE

WITH MEMBERS WEARING

VISUALS IS THAT THE

PATTERNED SHIRTS AND USA FLAG

CLOTHING SUITS THE

SHIRTS . AND BRIGHT LIGHTS

STYLE OF THE MUSIC ,

SURROUND THEM AS THEY PLAY

ALONG WITH THE

THE INSTRUMENTS . THE BAND IS

INSTRUMENTS .

SEEN PLAYING THE INSTRUMENTS

THAT MATCH THE MUSIC

ARE THERE CLOSE-

THERE ARE MANY CLOSE

THROUGHOUT .
HE IS THE MAIN SINGER OF THE

UPS OF THE ARTIST

UPS OF THE LEAD

BAND , THEREFORE YOU WOULD

AND STAR IMAGE

SINGER ,

EXPECT THIS .

MOTIFS?

HARRY
KOISSER.

IS THERE

THERE IS NO REFERENCE

REFERENCE TO THE

TO THE NOTION OF

NOTION OF

LOOKING THROUGHOUT .

AT 2;27, THERE IS A CLOSE UP OF

HIM SINGING PASSIONATELY.
THERE IS DIRECT EYE CONTACT
HOWEVER , NO IMPLICATION OF ANY
SEDUCTION .

ARE THERE

THERE ARE NONE

IT CONSISTS OF RANDOM BRIGHT

INTERTEXTUAL

THROUGHOUT THE SONG

COLOURS THAT HAVE NO

REFERENCES ?

AND THE VIDEO .

INTERTEXUAL REFERENCES .

IS THE VIDEO

IT IS MAINLY

THIS IS BECAUSE THE PROPS AND

CATEGORY

DISJUNCTURE .

THE CLOTHING HAVE NO

LOOKING ?

ILLUSTRATION ,

RELEVANCE TO WHAT THEY ARE

DISJUNCTURE OR

SINGING ABOUT .

AMPLIFICATION ?
HOW MUCH OF
EACH ?

TASK 4 A NSWER ALL

OF THING YOU LL NEED
HAIM-

THE QUESTIONS BELOW

THIS

IS EXACTLY THE SORT

TO DO WHEN EVALUATING YOUR OWN COURSEWORK .

IF I COULD CHANGE YOUR MIND .

1. Why did you choose the text you are analysing?

It is a song from my favourite bands first album.
2. In what context did you encounter it?
From seeing them playing at Glastonbury on television two years
ago.
3. What influence do you think this context might have had on
your interpretation of the text?
A positive one, it shown me their personalities and the way that
they performed live.
4. Which conventions of the genre do you recognize in the
text?
They are an indie band, wearing indie clothes like shirts, so it
matches the genre. They are dancing to the music also.
5. To what extent does this text stretch the conventions of its
genre?
The setting that they are in is like a vintage studio so it suits the
indie genre.
6. Where and why does the text depart from the conventions of
the genre? They are so good at dancing in time and confidently in
the video that it almost feels like a dance video as opposed to an
indie band music video.
7. What sort of audience did you feel that the video was aimed
at (and how typical was this of the genre/style of music)?
Mainly females as it is three women dancing together in a routine,
looking very feminine. This is not very typical of the indie genre as
usually it would suit both males as well as females.
8. What sort of person does it assume you are?
An upbeat and trendy person, young too. This is because its a
catchy, unusual yet modern song.
9. What assumptions seem to be made about your class, age,
gender and ethnicity?
Age, young because it is so modern sounding, sounding quite
80s/90s.
Class, middle to high as they are in a clean and smart studio,
dressed nicely.
10.
What interests does it assume you have?
Dancing, definitely.
11.
What relevance does the text actually have for you?
Its just a good song as you can listen to it many times without tiring
of it.
12.
What knowledge does it take for granted?
They are dancing very well together as they are very in time.

13.
To what extent do you resemble the 'ideal reader' that
the video seeks to position you as?
I am a young female with an interest in indie bands.
14.
Are there any notable shifts in the video's style (and if
so, what do they involve)?
Sometimes it becomes less serious, when the dancing speeds up
and they include twirls to their routine, making it feel less indie and
more pop like.
15.
What responses does the video seem to expect from
you?
Possibly to say that the song is stuck in your head due to the dance
moves being alike to the lyrics. For example, when they say no, all
three do a no motion with their finger.
16.
How open to negotiation is your response (are you
invited, instructed or coerced to respond in particular
ways)?
It is very open to negotiation as it is an indie bands song, with old
fashioned visuals (the lights and old studio), with dance moves and
a pop sound occasionally. So the genre varies a lot. Therefore people
could respond differently if they cant decide if it is the genre that
they are interested in. For me, it isnt too pop like, I still see it as
predominantly indie, liking the pop sounds because they make it
catchy.
17.
Is there any penalty for not responding in the expected
ways?
There is not.
18.
To what extent do you find yourself 'reading against
the grain' of the text and the genre?
I think my answer in 16 answers this in a way.
19.
How typical do you think this video is of Music Videos?
Very, it contains the typical studio performance, with amplification of lyrics
in some dance moves and a full choreographed dance performances. Also
with many close ups of the singers.