Music Video introduction blog task

This week's work requires Media Factsheet #69: Music Video. You'll need to log in to Google using your Greenford Google account to access this. Read the factsheet and answer the following 10 questions:

1) What is the purpose of a music video?

The purpose of a music video is to sell products, the most obvious of which is the song featured in the video.

2) How has the digital age changed the production and distribution of music videos?

The development of new media technologies meant that music videos, and the songs along with them, were more widely available at any time.

3) Which three major record labels are behind VEVO? What is VEVO and why was it created?

Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group and Abu Dhabi Media (along with content licensed by EMI), have also launched Vevo, a video hosting site specifically for music videos. The content of Vevo is syndicated to YouTube in the UK with YouTube and Google receiving a share of advertising revenue for directing users to the official versions of music videos rather than those uploaded by a third party.

4) What are the key conventions of a music video?

- Movement (physically moving the camera, the people in the video moving and dancing or through speed of editing)

- Narrative (may relate to the song’s lyrics and illustrate what is being said or be independent from the song and tell a different story.

- Band or artist

- Lip-syncing

- Intertextuality (may relate to the song’s lyrics and illustrate what is being said or be independent from the song and tell a different story.)

5) How can narrative be used in music video? Give an example of a music video that uses a narrative. 

For example, I Was a Teenage Anarchist by Against Me! features a loose narrative which links to the song’s lyrics. The video features a young man running along Venice Beach trying to avoid the police who are chasing him, indicating that he is a rebel or ‘anarchist’.

6) What examples are provided in the factsheet for intertextuality in music videos?

- The Blink 182 video for All the Small Things makes references to videos by pop artists such as Back Street Boys (I Want it That Way) and Christina Aguilera (Genie in a Bottle) by directly copying scenes.

- The video for My Chemical Romance’s Teenagers features ‘alternative’ cheerleaders, which is reminiscent of the cheerleaders in the video for Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana.

7) Why do audiences enjoy intertextual references in media products?

Audiences enjoy intertextual references as when they recognize the reference they feel pleasure and are able to discover a deeper meaning of the product that a general audience may not understand.

8) Read the music video example analysis on page 3 of the factsheet. Select a music video of your own choice for each of the following headings and explain how each one links to the heading:

Conventions (movement/narrative/artist) - A BOY IS A GUN* by Tyler the Creator

Genre conventions of the music video genre are displayed in this video, with the main focus being on the artist (Tyler The Creator) as he walks through the mansion, displaying movement. Both of these aspects are used to portray the narrative of Tyler and his love interest having a passionate yet toxic relationship that leaves him heartbroken, due to him being "shot down" by his lover that still meets his ex. 

Intertextuality - 1999 by Charli XCX ft. Troye Sivan

The music video for 1999 is rife with intertextuality due to its many references to 90s media and culture, such as AOL Instant Messenger, Steve Jobs with an iMac G3, TLC’s “Waterfalls” video, the film Titanic, Spice Girls, Backstreet Boys, Eminem, the film American Beauty, The Sims, Aqua's "Barbie Girl" video, Geocities and Netscape, The Matrix, Nokia cell phones and so on. 

Representation - APESHIT by The Carters

By being set in The Louvre, Beyoncé and Jay-Z illustrate the image of opulence and success by surrounding paintings and sculptures that have been considered cornerstones of Western art and high culture with Black dancers, highlighting how both the art at the Louvre and opportunities for achieving wealth are seen as reserved only for white high society. Beyonce and Jay-Z defy this societal expectation by featuring Black people in the gallery as if they are works of art, showing a representation of Black success that is not usually seen in media. 

Audience - Paper Bag by Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple reaches many audiences with this music video, showcasing her musical versatility by interloping between the visual conventions of jazz and the lyricism of indie music and attracting fans of both genres, yet still holding the interest of Apple's mainly female audience. 

9) Watch the video for Ice Cube's It Was A Good Day (1993). How did this video set the conventions for later hip-hop music videos?

The music video shows some key conventions that are still seen in the hip-hop music genre to this day like low camera angles and the artist being surrounded by a group to reinforce the idea that they have a lot of power,  references to money and violence and crime are also seen in this video which are all things that have become prevalent in the hip-hop music genre. 

10) How important do you think music videos are in the marketing and promotion of music artists today? Are music videos still essential to a band or artist's success? You need to form your own opinion here.

In the digital age of media, music videos have become integral to the success of modern artists, due to the large impact of social media. Having a successful and viral music video allows artists to reach wider audiences.