Music videos often include genre-specific characteristics to represent the type of music. Pop videos may include sports cars and sexualized images of women, while rap videos sometimes feature guns and drugs. There is usually a clear relationship between the lyrics and visuals of a music video to help explain the narrative and meaning. Artists also commonly make intertextual references to other cultural works to connect with audiences. Music videos employ editing techniques synchronized to the rhythm and beats of the song to improve continuity and engagement.

1. Andrew Goodwin’s
Music Video Theories

2. Inclusion of typical
genre characteristics
Genre characteristics can often be seen in music
videos, for example Pop music videos often include
sports cars and over sexualized views on women,
they may be shown wearing bikinis for instance.
Another example would be a rap video, guns and
drugs often feature in these types of videos (as seen
in the images below). Music videos can also link to
certain film genres, for example some heavy rock
songs are based on or influenced by the horror
genre.

3. There is a relationship between the
lyrics and visuals
There is a clear relationship between lyrics and
visuals in most music videos, according to Andrew
Goodwin. He says that the visuals help the audience
to understand the narrative as well as explain the
meaning behind some of the concepts. The visuals
can be shown through themes, mise-en-scene or
events during the music video.

4. There are often intertexual references
Artists often make references to other things that are
happening in the world, that the audience are able to
connect with. For example Destiny’s child referenced
the movie Charlie’s Angels in their song Independent
Woman pt. 1. They done this by using sets similar to
the movie, and wore clothing that the main
characters in the movie also wore. Also like the
movie (Charlie’s Angels) there are three members in
destiny’s child, meaning again the music video is a
mirror of the movie.

5. Music videos have genre
characteristics
There are certain things that are expected to be
included in a music video depending on the genre of
the music. For example if a boy/girl band from the
POP genre where to release a music video it would
be likely to include dancing, whether it be through
back up dancers or the artists themselves. Another
shot that is very common in the POP genre is a close
up of the artists face while they are singing,
examples can be seen below.

6. There is an emphasis on ‘Looking’
The ‘male gaze’ is also very common in music
videos. The male gaze is used to attract men to the
product. A female artist may look dead into the
camera and give a direction or a sexually suggestive
lyric for example. For instance in Mariah Carey’s
song ‘Touch my body’ she does just this. While
looking at the camera and playing with her hair she
says ’Touch my body’ which in theory should grab the
male audiences attention and increase their interest
in the song.

7. Relationship between the music and
visuals
The cuts and other editing techniques are used in
sync with the rhythm and beat of the song. A cut to
another shot is generally done on specific drum beats
or notes, this helps with the continuity of the song
and gives the audience a better feeling about it.
Recurring motifs
Due to the idea that artists are now brands on their own,
labels rely on recurring motifs across multiple music
videos as well as other promotion techniques. By
having recurring motifs the label are able to give the
band or artist a set image that then allows them to
become more recognisable, more famous and therefore
more successful, by becoming this the label makes
more money.