1980s POP

Elan Crocker
Defining POP The Musical Genre
The emergence of MTV helped make people such
as Michael Jackson and Madonna more popular
and vice-versa. They were the main icons that
heavily influenced the 1980s pop culture.
Derived from rocknroll

Noun 1. pop music - music of general appeal to
teenagers; a bland watered-down version of
rocknroll with more rhythm and harmony and
an emphasis on romantic love
Musicologists often identify the following
characteristics as typical of the pop music genre:
An aim of appealing to a general audience, rather than
to a particular sub-culture or ideology
An emphasis on craftsmanship rather than formal
"artistic" qualities
An emphasis on recording, production, and
technology, over live performance
A tendency to reflect existing trends rather than
progressive developments
Much pop music is intended to encourage dancing, or
it uses dance-oriented beats or rhythms

MTV
Music Television (MTV) was launched in 1981
Aimed towards younger adults during launch, however
not it targets teenagers
Purpose was to play music videos 24 hours a day, 7
days a week
It was one of the first main television channels to break
the colour barrier by airing African American artists
It started the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) due to
its unrivaled success
As of 2013, MTV is being received in around
98,000,000 American households

Music Videos
1) Michael Jackson Beat It
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRdxUFDoQe0
GOOD

2) Madonna Like A Prayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79fzeNUqQbQ
OKAY

3) Hall & Oates You Make My Dreams Come True
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sz2W3QfXnHc
BAD

4) Cyndi Lauper Girls Just Want To Have Fun
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIb6AZdTr-A
GOOD
Michael Jackson Beat It (1982)
Camera Angles: eye-level, hand-help shot at the beginning before music starts. Panning camera
zooming in and out of cut shots. Zoom in on one scene (CUT) then zoom out of other. Eye level
shots with gang members to distinguish different characters/rivals. High angle on Michael Jackson
lying down to show weakness. Eyeline when he stands up. Long shot, quick pan to show two rival
groups in numbers and emerging. Swipe out right (CUT) swipe in left. Close up equals blurriness.
Low angles on gangs to increase height and anxiousness. High angle to show the dance
choreography. Zoom out to show dancing.
Editing: fast editing with no lags or transitions, fad ins or fad outs. Camera does opposite on wither
side of cuts.
Representation: Like story in beginning Michael Jackson shown as small and cowardly, then when
he stands up camera become eye level. When he enters the fight, camera at a low angle to show his
improved status, ends up uniting everyone in dance.
Mise en Scene: Gangs in bars, dark alleyways and generally populated place, one bright and empty
while the other one dark and populated. Jackson in a dimly lit room representing both bright and
darkness. Group one wearing open jackets with bandanas and hats, group 2 wearing open jackets
and no hats. Jackson wearing pyjamas in bed. Later alone and dancing in recently abandoned pubs.
Leaders wearing opposite clothing (either bright and with glasses or stripped shirt and no hat),
Jackson wearing bright orange jacket. Dancing takes place in dimly lit alleyways, open space, lots of
different lights around (yellow, blue) with a mist.
Audience: Teenagers, MTV premiered the video which established Jackson as a pop icon and
became popular with kids as well as gangs and street performers and most notably African-
Americans.
Madonna Like A Prayer (1989)
Camera Angles: High to eyeline angle at beginning to show her fall. Handheld camera as she is
walking in church to possibly represent another person (a spirit). Birds eye view as she drifts into a
dream fading transition to dream. Quick zoom ins and outs during fight scene. High angle to show
dance. Point of view shot during fight/flashback scene, also referred to as eye-line match.
Editing: Quick transitions with following scenes have an added filter and slow motion. Fading
transition into different cuts when music slow, sharp and quick when music has a beat. Animation.
Representation: Madonna wears black clothing, man and chorus in Church wear red and white
clothes, other thugs wearing stereotypical dark jeans with black jacket and white shirt.
Mise en Scene: Outside is bleak, dark and barren with nothing noticeable around. In Church
Madonna is glowing and has many bright objects around her. Dark outside however sunlight shines
through one of the windows. There is an obvious animation scene where she is flying. Dark,
moonlit alleyway where a murder takes place. Stunning imagery when Madonna starts dancing in
empty pit of crosses. Bright jail to represent a dream-like scenario to replicate that of the Church.
Audience: Madonna has directed this towards (most probably) Christians due to the constant use of
cross symbol, she wears it on her neck, displays it in the church and also shows it being burnt in a
field. Also symbolic towards racism and especially mixed relationships. MTV also premiered this
video, which was part of raising its profile and the global reach of this video.

Hall & Oates You Make My Dreams
Come True (1981)
Camera Angles: Angled camera zoomed in of peoples limbs playing
instruments. Eye-line shot, then same shot but cut to be zoomed out.
Birds eye view of piano. Constant filming with same depth of field no
zooms in or out, only cuts to different camera positions. 9 different
positions used. Slight tilt in the middle of the video.
Editing: Quick cuts to different shots. 3 shots collaborated to merge on top
of each other. You can see strong lighting on back/side of band member
when they come forward and turn. Title comes in on the bottom left at
the beginning and end of the clips.
Representation: Dressed as they are on the album cover to signify
consistency.
Mise en Scene: Completely black background with strong lighting on band
and instruments
Audience: Not meant to be made as a music video but rather a great song
that has been used for many events and occasions such as in films,
industry commercials and in the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Cyndi Lauper Girls Just Want To Have
Fun (1983)
Camera Angles: Medium shot at intro (before music comes in). Zooming in establishing shot which
is handheld after the establishing shot. Zooms in, close up, then close up. Pan across in between
cuts with other shots. Handheld camera in front of girls marching through streets, leading them,
also camera goes down the line of people. Long shot of family back in kitchen. Long shot in small
room to show all the people, then goes back to handheld through crowd. Point of view/eye-line
match through keyhole (also shaped like a keyhole)
Editing: Animation to represent piano keys when music first comes on. Quick cuts. Animation of
same oval picture in 9 separate shots/cuts. More confusing and complex editing and animation with
colourful and abstract shot. Animation with swirling shot. Includes black and white film clip from
what looks like a long time ago.
Representation: Cydni Lauper wears bright red dress (to match her hair) and makes her a
distinguishable figure. Red is also a passionate colour that represents the lyrics to the song well.
Most girls are wearing dresses and glasses to stand out.
Mise en Scene: Bright kitchen which is almost yellow contrasts dull, grey and wet outside. Shot in
Lower East side, Manhattan. Girls together in secluded room. Marching through streets surrounded
by men on either side, also marching outside a collesuem looking building (most likely a library or
something of high power and respect). Finally, in large and pink room to show feminism.
Audience: Once again aired on MTV and received MTV video music award to best female video.
Gained recognition as a feminist anthem

Conventions of Music Videos
Story before music starts
Story continued after
Dance/Flashmob
Party/celebrations
Quick cuts
Zooming in and out
Animation, both simple and chaotic, but not
common
Music video made with meaning and with a
message