Andrew Goodwin’s Music Video Theory

(taken from “Dancing in the Distraction Factory”)

Jordan Weeks

1. Music videos more often than not tend to include a demonstration of typical genre characteristics

For example: a video of a stage performance is typical for a metal video, a dance routine typical for a boy/girl band and bikini clad women by a pool and flashy sports cars in a rap video

Music videos can also link to film genres, this is know as intertextuality.e.g. Many heavy rock songs are influenced by horror

films

2. There are frequent references to the notion of looking and the voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

The notion of looking includes men or women being portrayed seductively or if there is eye contact with the camera. The notion of looking can also be referenced by the use of props.

e.g. Mirrors, television screens, cameras, telescopes, binoculars and magnifying glasses are all references to, these are commonly used.

Voyeurism is widely used to sell the artist’s music through sex appeal, a recent example being Miley Cyrus. Voyeurism today is only shown at one angle. You do not see a male doing that, only women.

3. There is a succinct relationship between music and visuals. e.g. either illustrative, amplifying, contradictingthis can be seen in killer/papa was a rolling by George Michael

4. The record label which the artist is assigned to tends to have certain demands. They often include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist will have a visual style which recurs across their work.e.g. An example of a visual style could be Lady Gaga as she is always wearing quirky clothes

The “4th wall” is broken near always when the video is a performance. This is direct address and seem like they are singing to us.

5. There is often intertextual references (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc.) Audiences enjoy knowing the ‘in joke’. e.g. Destiny’s Child doing Independent Women referencing Charlie’s AngelsWill Smith doing Men in Black for the film Men in Black

Intertextuality in The Wombats video forMy Circuitboard City referencing a video game.