2. Performance videos
Performance style music videos are the most popular types of music
videos that involve clips of the artist/s singing at a concert to a big
crowd of fans. What performance style videos aim to do is create a
sense of the in-concert experience.
From these clips of the artist performing on stages, music videos began
to develop into the three different styles we have today.
Music videos that feature the artist/s in a studio tell the audience that
the song itself is what is most important.
Characteristics of performance based music videos are:
• shots of the artist/s performing
• a live stage performance, with shots of the artist/band and audience
• the artists in ‘real life’ situations (e.g. warming up, talking, etc)
• includes lots of close ups of the artist/s
• there can be a particular visual style that goes with the artist (a motif)
e.g. particular clothing, actions, props, type of images.
Example: Demi Lovato – In case
This music video was released in May 2013 for
Demi Lovato’s album “Demi”. The music video
consists of shots that show the music
instruments, recording devices and the artist
herself singing. The video is also a split screen
one where clips of someone playing the piano
whilst Demi Lovato is singing appear at the
same time. Cameras had been set up in
different positions to capture various angles
of the artist singing.
3. Narrative videos
Narrative style music videos are ones that tell stories that usually correlate with
the lyrics of the song.
The stories are in a linear, cause-effect sequencing.
These videos often establish a clear relationship between lyrics and the visuals of
the song.
The most common types of narrative style music videos are love stories whereby
the common narrative pattern is one of boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl
back.
According to Schwichtenburg, any action is dominated by males who do things
and the females passively react or wait for something to happen.
Characteristics of narrative based music videos are:
• Because it’s only 3-4 minutes it can be very fast paced, lots of shots and cuts
• Use intertextuality (references other films, videos or TV)
• Mimic other film and TV genres e.g. horror or sci-fi
• Sometimes the story can contradict what is seen for effect – Sometimes the artist
is a part of the story, or an observer or completely separate
Example: Ed Sheeran– Lego House
Ed Sheeran’s music video for “Lego House”
was released in October 2011 for his album
‘+’. The video follows the story of an Ed
Sheeran super-fan who tries to get into
private areas just so he can meet his idol. The
story starts off with the super-fan (played by
Rupert Grint) pretending he is Ed Sheeran by
lip-syncing the words of the song and going
onto the stage with an audience who are
waiting for Ed Sheeran.
4. Conceptual videos
Concept style music videos are based on a specific
concept or theme.
They rely on a poetic form which is primarily a
metaphor
These videos do not follow a narrative in a linear
fashion
They create a mood, a feeling to be evoked in the
experience of viewing according to Firth
Conceptual based music videos contain the
possibility of having several meanings depending
on how the viewer interpreters the metaphors.
Example: Sia – Elastic Heart
The music video for “Elastic Heart” features
two people inside a cage who are visibly dirty.
The age gap between the actors makes it
more difficult for the viewer to understand
what the music video is about along with the
contemporary style dancing they both do
whilst running around (in and out for the girl)
the cage. The music video does not match
what the meaning of the song is and this
further confuses the viewer.
