The music video for "Robbers" by The 1975 employs various narrative techniques. It tells the parallel stories of a couple robbing a store to fund their drug addiction, showing scenes that foreshadow their plans going wrong. While their love for each other is the central theme, the video also features elements like flashbacks, ambiguity, and symbolism to leave room for multiple interpretations. Fans enjoy piecing together the narrative codes and applying theories like binary opposites to understand the characters and their motivations. Overall, the complex narrative styles used make the video a distinctive representation of the indie genre.

1. How are narrative techniques employed in the music video of ‘Robbers’
by The 1975?
By Alice Western

2. The 1975 and their song ‘Robbers’
‘One of their more mellow creations, the track holds the same power-filled Indie vibe but on a more
lenient, melodic basis. The same 1975-patterned vocals and synth resonating electrics soar through
the track, keeping their distinctive traits alive.” – The Fortitude magazine in the 1975’s hit single,
‘Robbers’. The track was released on the 26th May 2014 and it was adored across the band’s fan base
debuting at 179 on the UK singles chart and receiving over 370K thumbs up on its YouTube release. It
is laced with an eighties vibe – being inspired by the 1993 film ‘True Romance’ – and is about a ‘heist
that goes wrong’, as stated by the 1975’s front man Matt Healy (who also plays the male character in
the romantic ideal as shown in the music video). Directed by Tim Mattia, the video focuses on a
couple who rob a shop to fund money for their “alcohol and drug addiction” – illustrating the
rebellious/’bad boy’ attitude that is romanticised from films such as ‘True Romance’. Although these
representations are clear within the narrative of the music video, it also depicts a variety of narrative
theories/structures that make the storyline and character types far more intriguing to comprehend. A
few examples of these are Roland Barthes’s codes, Levi Strauss’s theory, and Multi-stranded.
‘Robbers’ shares similarities of The 1975’s other music videos – the meanings behind the narratives
relate back to something personal shared by one of the band members, or the band itself. For
example, ‘Robbers’ connotes to True Romance, a film Matthew Healy was heavily fascinated by
through the sexualisation of the ‘bad boy craving’. The video of ‘Settle Down’ is a visual interpretation
of a reoccurring dream Matthew used to have when he was younger. The two music videos also link
through the theme of love.
The 1975 are an English Indie rock band that consists of four members – Matthew ‘Matty’ Healy (lead
vocalist, rhythm guitarist), Adam Hann (lead guitarist), Ross Macdonald (Bass player), and George
Daniel (drummer). The band were formed together back in 2002 when they were teenagers and went
to the same high school. They took inspiration from a Jack Kerouac beat poetry book when it came to
naming their band. The 1975 have been very successful – their self-titled debut was released on 2nd
September 2013 and swarmed the UK charts a few days later. Their second album that was released
last year, ‘I like it when you sleep, for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it’, topping the UK charts
and US Billboard 200. Earlier this year, their success was granted with a Brit Award for Best British
Group.

3. The narrative of ‘Robbers’ is parallel. This implies that all the separate narratives are linked to a particular event,
character or theme. For example, at 2:00 it shows the couple analysing the gun – this object foreshadows the
gunshots once they venture into the store. The female indulging drugs in the bathroom connotes to the purpose
of the couple’s intentions at the end of the video. They need money to fund their addictions. Their surroundings
throughout the video look unkept and dirty, suggesting to the audience that all what this couple have, are each
other and their substances. Although these shots are linked to the final event, they possibly have a story of their
own because they are set in different locations/timescales and the characters are dressed in different costumes.
This may suggest that the narrative of the video is also multi-stranded, but there is a theme that follows though
every scene/story in the video – love. The theme of love is popular in many music videos, but in the indie genre
this theme is expressed in a creative (not cringey) way. For example, the second video of 'Toothpaste kisses' by
The Maccabees showcases a couple's life through a series of pictures e.g. their marriage, having children and
going old together.
Although the couple are connected through their love towards one another, binary opposites (Levi Strauss’s
theory) are distinguished once they emerge from the store after attempting to rob it. One of the two is
unharmed, the other is critically injured. This could have happened aimlessly without it being intentional on the
male character – but it could also represent something that is up for the audience to interpret? For example,
perhaps the desire behind the event was mainly drive the male character, so his wounds reflect how his plans
backfired? This interpretation can also suggest the opposites between their personalities – for instance, at 2:00
the male character is shown to be joking around with the gun, and his girlfriend disapproves of this as it worries
her. ‘Robbers’ lacks in showing the characters’ point of views in depth – the audience are not given an insight into
what they are thinking as individuals because they are displayed together in most of the shots. It is tough to
notice which character leads the narrative more - perhaps the male as he is shown in a particular theme to be
singing to the girl. However, without understanding the female’s perspective, neither character is shown as being
the antagonist or heroine. This tells the audience that the two characters are equal and they lead the narrative
together.
However, by robbing a shop, are the audience supposed to like them? Yes, because their actions have been
appropriated through their romanticised relationship – through the symbolic code.
Narrative structures/techniques

4. ‘Robbers’ does not relate very effectively to Torodov’s theory. An equilibrium
(the couple being happy together) and Disequilibrium (the robbery) is included
in the footage, but after this disruption the video ends. This implies that the
equilibrium is not restored so the audience is unable to know what happens to
Matty after he is shot – resulting in an enigma.
The music video also contains elements of a non-linear narrative. A non-linear
narrative states that it is a story which is interrupted by the past/future or one
that is not in chronological order. Throughout the video (& especially towards
the end), the narrative is interrupted by scenes set in the past, which reminds
the target audience of the memories the couple shared together – emphasising
their unity/connection. These scenes reoccur intentionally to pull on the
audience’s heart strings, as they are made to feel as though they have been
given a personal insight into what the couples get up to. Therefore, after Matty
gets shot towards the ending, it makes the viewer feel sympathetic towards the
girl. These implications are common in other music videos connoting to the
same genre – for example, Alt-J's 'Breezeblocks' shows the fight between a
male and female character (a couple?) in reverse, so it begins with the death of
the female. Although it is later revealed that she caused the fight, it can make
the audience feel sympathetic towards her as the male reaches a new level of
brutality after he hits her with a Breezeblock.
Torodov’s Theory
Roland Barthes insisted that the threads you try to pull to unravel meaning
are called narrative codes. ‘Robbers’ includes enigmas/hermeneutic codes
which creates major puzzled for the audience – the storyline of the video
can make the viewer ask themselves ‘Who were the characters that
helped Matthew in the ending?’ ‘What caused this couple to be reliant on
drugs and alcohol?’ It is popular for indie songs to have music videos with
narrative code. For instance another one of The 1975's music videos,
'Somebody else', the interlude is 4-5 minutes long and it shows Matty
getting ready whilst an unidentifiable girl is sitting on the sofa. Later on
during the song, he makes eye contact with another girl and is soon
attacked by a group of men. These scenes make the audience question
themselves 'who are these characters? And what is the backstory of it?'. It
displays representations in a creative manner.
The symbolic code is where features of a
story are used to represent wide ideas. Colour symbolism is used in
‘Robbers’ to emphasise the theme of love through the red/pink fairy
lights. These colours both connote to romance and passion, the
positioning of these objects behind the characters indicates the love is
present.
Barthes’s narrative codes

5. In conclusion, ‘Robbers’ by The 1975 contains a variety of narrative techniques which makes it highly interesting
to watch. Their fans adore the music video because the indie band attracts more girls than boys, as they are
more into romantic songs and videos than males. As described, the different narrative styles and techniques
encrypted in the music video creates the opening for several meanings and interpretations. This makes the
video connote to their genre well as indie artists aim for their music and its visuals to stand out amongst others.
Conclusion

6. In conclusion, ‘Robbers’ by The 1975 contains a variety of narrative techniques which makes it highly interesting
to watch. Their fans adore the music video because the indie band attracts more girls than boys, as they are
more into romantic songs and videos than males. As described, the different narrative styles and techniques
encrypted in the music video creates the opening for several meanings and interpretations. This makes the
video connote to their genre well as indie artists aim for their music and its visuals to stand out amongst others.
Conclusion