2. Promotion - Stars As Constructions
• Dyer believes artists are constructed through
artificial images such as advertising, films,
magazines and music.
• He claims that consumers prefer artists to
convey their true emotions themselves and not
be groomed by record labels who try to create a
fake image for them.
• A “real” artist can use this as their unique selling
point.
Ed sheeran is an example of this e is a
young talented singer and song writer his
music is original all produced by him. Ed has
a very natural image meaning he doesn’t
have a specific trend that he follows showing
a sense of originality. In fact Ed may not be a
very attractive artist but this does not let him
affect his music
Industry & Audiences
Richard Dyer also believes that stars are manufactured to
make money for their record labels by appealing to target
audiences.
As a result of this record labels have to market different
artists to cater for certain target audiences as there are
both ‘niche’ and ‘mainstream’ markets.
3. Promotion - Ideology And Culture
• Another one of Dyers beliefs within his Star Theory is that artists
become trendsetters in the sense that audience members will
imitate hairstyles and artists clothing styles.
• The internet has meant audiences now have far greater access
to the “personal” lives of stars. Thereby gaining information that
would not be as accessible through the artist them self but from
social media.
• Artists may have certain religious beliefs and cultural values that
audiences may also pick up on if shared by the artist.
• An example of this is the killers Brandon flowers the lead singer
is a Mormon this may influence their fans religiosity thereby
converting to become a Mormon them self.
• Also another example is Bob Dylan from the 1960’s. He was anti
the Vietnam War and wrote a number of protest songs in prior to
it. This influenced his fans thereby demonstrating against the
war in Washington. http://youtu.be/vWwgrjjIMXA
4. Promotion - Stars support Hegemony
• Presented as 'real' human beings
• Stars support hegemony*/dominant ideology of their time/ generation - glorified
versions of 'us‘
• *Leadership or dominance, especially by one state or social group over others
• *Gramsci is best known for his theory of cultural hegemony, which describes
how states use cultural institutions to maintain power in capitalist societies.
• Drake a famously well known rapper who is signed to YMCMB presents this in
his music video ‘Started from the Bottom’ . The song delivers a message it
refers to when Drakes childhood and how he was less fortunate so inorder to be
successful and achieve his dream he had to work hard for it and it finally paid of.
He reinforces the American dream by giving people a chance to believe that
they may be in luck.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RubBzkZzpUA
5. Representation in Music Videos.
• The music industry creates and promotes artists within
clearly defined genres (categories) – rock, rap etc.
• These genres offer signifiers (signs / symbols that send out
specific messages) relating to race and gender identities.
• Tyga reinforces a racial stereotype in his music video
‘Hookah’ it is clear that he exploits his wealth through his
financial success by putting on display his big gold chain.
Also in the video females are being exploited through their
body by wearing bikinis where the camera focuses on. The
appearance and behaviour of the females are
stereotypical to black people considering that the girls are
all black/ mixed depicting that they are the females who
are attractive and have preferable bodies.
• http://youtu.be/b-J95fYuVz4
6. Deconstructing Britney Spears
• Britney Spears a American pop star raises interesting issues regarding
female identity in pop music. She has initially been viewed as a role model
for the teen girl market. Moreover she was popular through her
appearance and choreographed dance routines that created the desire to
be part of ‘her gang’.
• In her early videos Britney was surrounded by ‘girlie iconography’ –
bedroom culture, dolls, dressing up with friends, hanging out, applying
make-up. An example of this was in her video ‘Baby one more time’ which
was a located in a High School this is clearly shown through her
appearance in her school uniform which was quiet inappropriate in the way
she had worn it and of course her pig tails. http://youtu.be/C-u5WLJ9Yk4
• It could be said that the video Baby one more time is very empowering
considering the way Britney exploited her femininity. The way Britney
presents her self to the audience is very sexual this is shown through her
dance routines. This is seen as inappropriate for a young women in a way
which allows people to think that women are ‘sexual objects’ and visually
pleasure males. Moreover Britney's image may also intimidate some girls
and influence them to act in the same way.
• From a gender perspective, Britney’s identity is placed securely within a
male-dominated
7. Laura Mulvey.
Please copy these points down for future reference.
Laura Mulvey’s theory relates to classical Hollywood cinema. However, we can apply some of
her ideas to our work on the pop video.
How many of these characteristics apply to Britney’s Music Videos?
The male gaze =
• women viewed as the objects of male erotic desire – in film and audience
• men active / women passive.
• Women do not have agency – they do not move the plot forward.
• The audience is forced to identify with male gaze.
• Cinema reflects patriarchal (male dominated) society
• Patriarchy and phallocentrism linked – phallus (penis) a symbol of power – e.g. in cinema
guns = phallus = power.
8. Deconstructing Britney Spears
• Britney’s songs and video narratives express teen girl identity, the concerns and reflections.
• Constructed as role model in “I’m not a girl, not yet a woman” (2001) from film “Crossroads”.
Rites of passage story explores tensions of growing up and passage journey from childish
innocence to realities of adult life.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlV7RhT6zHs
• “Is “Overprotected” (2002) Empowering to women
• Within the Music Video’s narrative, her performance is a result of watching a news report on her
wearing few clothes.
• She is no longer a girl and should not be told what to wear. Being half-naked is an empowering
act.
• There is a more confident tone to the choreographed routine.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZYSiWHW8V0
9. Deconstructing Britney Spears
When it comes to gender debates, Britney Spears’s Music Videos are a polysemic text (a text that has
multiple meanings).
• N.B. Her career has evolved from ‘Teen Princess’ with connotations of innocence and girliness to a
half naked woman who performs for a male audience in FHM and Loaded.
• Both identities are stereotypical visions of femininity as presented in a range of media texts.
• It can be argued that Britney began rejecting her ‘constructed image’ this si shown in her music
video ‘Hold it against me’. The music Video shows a clear distinction of the old Britney to the new
Britney this is evident through her appearance where she is shown to be wearing a white wedding
dress .This symbolises Britney's attitude towards her career in terms of having moved away from her
constructed image and created a new innocent and mature image that best suits her age.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Edv8Onsrgg
• Britneys case is similar to Jeremy Bentham theory in which he developed a panopticon prison which
was designed in a secular structure from which the staff are able to watch the inmates. This relates
to Britneys situation in which she was trapped in her image for so long and controlled.
