Detailed Music Video Analysis

1. Detailed analysis of music videos
Use the below table to help structure your notes when analysing music video. High
grade responses make sustained reference to appropriate theory.
Andrew Goodwin - 7 key ideas to identify
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. Stage performances in metal videos,dance routines for
boy/girl bands)
2. There is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals (Either illustrative,amplifying or contradicting)
3. There is a relationship between the music and the visuals (Either illustrative,amplifying or contradicting)
4. The demands ofthe record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may
develop motifs which recur across their work (e.g. A visual style)
5. There are frequentreferences to the notion of looking (screens within screens,telescopes, etc) and particularly
voyeuristic (sexual) treatmentof the female body
6. There is often intertextual references (to films,TV programmes,other music videos,etc)
7. Whether the video is primarily performance-based,narrative-based or concept-based and howelementof
each is used in it
Artist:
IMAGINE DRAGONS
Song title:
DEMONS
Concept/narrative:
BATTLES IN LIFE PEOPLE FACE
Features Observations Examples
Genre
characteristics
Followed:
 Commercially successful
soundtrack
 Live performance of
band/artist (usually LS)
 Dark colouring with bright
tones of blues
 Skinny jeans, t-shirts
 Instruments
 MS/CU of lead singer

2. Relationship
between lyrics and
visuals ‘Look into my eyes, it’s where my
demons hide.’
Relationship
between music and
visuals
 Shots tend to cut on the
second beat
 Cuts are always on beats
 When the music builds up,
on the beat something
exciting happens in the
visuals (bottle smashing).
Are there close ups
of the artists and
star image motifs?
Several Close ups of lead singer
singing as well as others in the
band. No star motifs.
Is there reference to
the notion of
looking?
 Through the crowd’s arms
 Through a mirror

3. Are the examples of
intertextual
references?
None
Is the video category
illustration,
amplification or
contradicting? How
much of each?
80% Amplification, 20%
Contradicting
‘Demons’ = battles in life
Like Tyler Robinson’s battle with
cancer (who the song was made to
remember)