2. WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE SOME OF THE
TYPICAL INGREDIENTS OF MAINSTREAM POP
MUSIC VIDEOS?
3. LIST OF CONVENTIONS: MAINSTREAM
POP MUSIC VIDEOS
• high production values shown through expensive locations, glossy look, film-like
quality
• exotic locations
• use of CGI editing
• artist is usually the ‘hero’ in the story
• tend to be a mix of narrative and performance
• artist will sing into the camera, directly addressing the audience
• artist is heavily featured in the video
• cameos from other celebrities or influencers
• intertextual references to well known texts
4. • A relationship between the lyrics and visuals (illustrating, amplifying
or contradicting the lyrics)
• A relationship between music and visuals
• Particular genres may have their own video style and iconography
• A demand from the record company for lots of close-ups of the main
artist
• Artist develops their own star iconography in and out of their videos
• Reference to voyeurism (screen within screen, binoculars, cameras…)
• Intertextual references
ANDREW GOODWIN (THEORY)
5. A DEMAND FROM THE RECORD COMPANY
FOR LOTS OF CLOSE-UPS OF THE MAIN
ARTIST
6. REFERENCE TO VOYEURISM (SCREEN
WITHIN SCREEN, BINOCULARS, CAMERAS…)
• The notion of looking or being looked at
• Women often subjected to voyeuristic treatment
• Sense of watching someone
• Laura Mulvey
