MUSIC VIDEO ANALYSIS TASK

By Naomi Freeman

INTRODUCTION

ANDREW GOODWIN’S RULES

Andrew Goodwin identifies 6 things that all music videos have in common:

• - They demonstrate genre characteristics

• - There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals

• - There is a reationship between msic and visuals

• - The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist, they may also develop motifs which recur across their work

• - There is a frequent reference to the notion of looking and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body

• - There is often intertextual reference

CLIP NO. 1- KATY PERRY - SWISH SWISH(OFFICIAL) FT. NICKI MINAJ

This music video is mainly narrative based as well as including intertextuality. It also follows the genre of pop and rap because it Starr's Nicki Minaj who is a well known famous rapper, whereas Katy Perry is more known for her pop like albums. These pop characteristics are shown through the opening scene with Katy Perry.

CLIP NO. 2 - FALL OUT BOY - THIS AIN'TA SCENE, IT'S AN ARMS RACE

This music video is mainly performance and image based. It also follows the genre of punk rock depicted in the MES.

CLIP NO. 3 - HAYLEY KIYOKO - GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

This music video is mainly based on romanticism and narratives, it follows an indie pop genre.

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LYRICS AND VISUALS?

CLIP NO. 1- KATY PERRY - SWISH SWISH(OFFICIAL) FT. NICKI MINAJ

‘cos you’re a joker’ – trying to intimidate the opposing team

‘I’m a court-side killer queen’ – they are playing basketball

‘Can’t touch this’ – then gets hit in the face with a ball (juxtaposition)

‘Another one in the basket’ –referring to her scoring

CLIP NO. 2 - FALL OUT BOY - THIS AIN'TA SCENE, IT'S AN ARMS RACE

‘I am an arms dealer’ – he says this while in ‘the hood’ when from outside appearances he clearly is not

‘You look pretty sinking’ – how they have given up on life as real artists and to make money they have to do things they will regret (referencing image sent later)

‘I’m a leading man and the lies I weave are oh so intricate, oh so intricate’ – portraying how they are no longer there true selves and have to lie to be accepted as celebrities.

CLIP NO. 3 - HAYLEY KIYOKO - GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

‘Stealing kisses from your misses doesn’t make you freak out’ –they are a couple yet something seems to be amiss

‘Saw your face, heard your name, gotta get with you’

‘girls like girls like boys do, nothing new’ – she is scared to show her feelings towards her friend

‘girls like girls like boys do’ –they’re making out / ‘tell me if you feel it to’ – accepting

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MUSIC AND VISUALS?

CLIP NO. 1- KATY PERRY - SWISH SWISH(OFFICIAL) FT. NICKI MINAJ

At the very beginning of the music video, the music pauses when she holds up the ball, this shows that she has authority and power of the editing

Tv presenting soundtrack through ‘swish center’ scene

Tempo picks up as they confront

Cheerleaders move their legs to the beat

Beat drops as sheep player takes the ball

Music stops and booing starts after they fail

CLIP NO. 2 - FALL OUT BOY - THIS AIN'TA SCENE, IT'S AN ARMS RACE

Music starts as ipod is turned on showing a want to ignore the world around him

Music peaks and guitar squeals showing the importance of this man

Beat picks up and men in background start to nod their heads showing respect

Beat picks up again, could be signalling heart beat.

CLIP NO. 3 - HAYLEY KIYOKO - GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

Tension drops when she opens the door

Beat slows down portraying lust Beat picks up again as the party starts

Underwater effect on music –drowns out

Heart beat sound only – still underwater

Sound suddenly comes back as he pulls her away from his girlfriend

ARE THERE CLOSE-UPS OF THE ARTIST AND THE STAR IMAGE MOTIFS?

CLIP NO. 1- KATY PERRY - SWISH SWISH(OFFICIAL) FT. NICKI MINAJ

When Nicki Minaj makes her appearence she clearly defines one of Goodwins rules, that the record label will demand for close ups of the singer. Nearing the end of the music video this also occurs with Katy Perry.

CLIP NO. 2 - FALL OUT BOY - THIS AIN'T A SCENE, IT'S AN ARMS RACE

There are multiple close ups throughout the music video including numerous ones of the lead singer pictured centre right. These head shots not only follow Goodwin’s Rules but also help portray the characters facia expressions in better detail.

CLIP NO. 3 - HAYLEY KIYOKO - GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

The numerous close ups of the women are to show their profound feelings for one another whereas the closeups of the man show how he is constantly drinking but also jealous of the women’s friendship. Hayley Kiyoko structures her songs and music videos to cross boundaries and focuses on issues that are targeting all young adults.

IS THERE REFERENCE TO THE NOTION OF LOOKING?

CLIP NO. 1- KATY PERRY - SWISH SWISH(OFFICIAL) FT. NICKI MINAJ

• The notion of looking is mainly based through the ‘swish center’ tv cameras when the tigers team coach looks directly at the camera, although it is not fully confirmed as it is rather unclear of any notion.

CLIP NO. 2 - FALL OUT BOY - THIS AIN'TA SCENE, IT'S AN ARMS RACE

Similarly to clip no. 1 there is a lack of a notion of looking, however it is possible that the paparazzi is a key detail since there is at least one photographer in each scene change, portraying how much their image means to them in their new life.

CLIP NO. 3 - HAYLEY KIYOKO - GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

There is only really one notion of looking and that is when she as looking at her friend through the reflection of the mirror.

ARE THERE INTERTEXTUAL REFERENCES?

CLIP NO. 1- KATY PERRY - SWISH SWISH(OFFICIAL) FT. NICKI MINAJ

At one point during the music video Katy Perry makes a meme of herself, conveying the intertextuality, as well as having the big screen in the arena playing the just dance video game.

CLIP NO. 2 - FALL OUT BOY - THIS AIN'TA SCENE, IT'S AN ARMS RACE

Unfortunately I did not find any intertextual references linking any of this music video to any other media

CLIP NO. 3 - HAYLEY KIYOKO - GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

I do not feel as if there are any intertextual references

IS THE MUSIC VIDEO PERFORMANCE-BASED, NARRATIVE-BASED OR

CONCEPT-BASED?

CLIP NO. 1- KATY PERRY - SWISH SWISH(OFFICIAL) FT. NICKI MINAJ

This music video is narrative based because it follows the story of a basketball game between a bad team and a good team, the bad team ends up winning because Nicki Minaj told Katy to get it together and because they cheated.

CLIP NO. 2 - FALL OUT BOY - THIS AIN'TA SCENE, IT'S AN ARMS RACE

This music video is performance based since it constantly has the artists playing their instruments, this also plays a part in conveying how image based it is.

CLIP NO. 3 - HAYLEY KIYOKO - GIRLS LIKE GIRLS

I feel as though this music video is narrative based because it tells the story of a young adult struggling to admit her feelings to her friend.

CONCLUSION

Overall I feel as though most mainstream music videos are narrative based, this is because it draws in a younger audience as they are more interested in what happens to the character in the video than the actual music being played, however some bands do try to break the cycle, like ‘fall out boy’, who instead made an ironic video of them creating an image for themselves which was completely opposite to who they were.