The document analyzes three music videos based on Andrew Goodwin's theory of music video elements. It summarizes Love Me Again by John Newman as a performance/narrative video that matches lyrics and music visually through dancing. Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay is categorized as conceptual, featuring computer-generated monkeys dancing to the disco-style music. Last Friday Night by Katy Perry is a narrative video depicting the events of her last Friday night through party scenes and matching lyrics. The document examines each video's genre characteristics and use of intertextuality, record label promotion, notions of looking, and voyeurism.

1. Analysing Music Videos
By Bailey Plaskow

2. Andrew Goodwin
Andrew Goodwin’s theory of music video, states that all music videos contain
either some or all of the following elements:
1) Have a link between visuals & lyrics
2) Have a link between visuals & Music
3) Have certain genre characteristics
4) Have intertexual references – Two bits of media merged
5) Contains notions of looking (Characters looking at the artist, as they're
looking at them, we’re invited to look)
6) Show voyeurism (Sexual pleasure from watching others interacting e.g.
kissing)
7) Include demands of the record label
8) Whether the video is performance, conceptual or narative

3. Analysis
I will be analysing three different music videos:
• Performance – Love me again by John Newman (also narrative)
• Conceptual – Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay
• Narrative – Childs Play by Drake

4. Performance (Narrative) - Love Me Again
John Newman

5. Lyrics & Visuals
‘Love Me Again’ is based on the classic love story of Romeo and Juliet. The two main characters
love each other much and this can be seen through the passion that they show towards each
other three quarters of the way through the video.
The lyrics in this video are repetitive, in fact the question ‘Can you Love Me Again?’ is asked
around 15 times. The answer “Yes” is shown through the on screen visuals which match the lyrics.

6. Music & Visuals
The music and visuals are in sync throughout the music video. ‘Love Me Again’ has a fast tempo
and a strong beat which is danced along to by the artist John Newman and the other dancers.
Instruments such as the drums and electric guitar play a key role in speeding up the tempo of the
song. These are actually seen on screen syncing the music and visuals even more.

7. Genre: Dance-pop
‘Love Me Again’ is a song which falls into the genre of Dance-pop. Dance-pop songs tend to have
similar characteristics. They are up in tempo and beat and are intended for clubs. They have
a danceable nature. Other features of Dance-pop songs is that they:
• Are catchy
• Have strong beats
• Have prominent hooks
• Have simple lyrics
‘Love Me Again’ has a fast tempo, a strong beat and is a perfect song to get people up dancing.
This is evident through the continuos dancing which takes place on screen throughout the
music video.

8. Intertextuality
‘Love Me Again’ contains little intertextuality. The only noticeable part of the video which includes
this is at the end when the couple run across the street as a van is crossing their path. The backing
track crashes with the screen changing to pitch black. This leaves the video on a cliff hanger, kind
of like a TV program.
There is also promotion of the artist John Newman at the very end of the video where links to his
Facebook and Twitter pages are presented.

9. Record Company
There are various close-ups on John Newman throughout the video. ‘Love Me Again’ was one of
Newman’s first Number 1 hits, so getting his face on screen for a large proportion of the video
was vital, in promoting the artist.
‘Love Me Again’ is a mix of both Performance and Narrative music video.

10. Notions of Looking
Towards the end of the video the two main characters kiss in what they think is privacy, but is in
fact not and being watched on by two others. This invites us (the audience) to watch the male and
female interact, as if it is ‘normal’ and not nosey to be watching.

11. Voyeurism
The kissing scene towards the end starts in privacy. This scene could give one sexual pleasure from
watching the two interacting. However, as they are alone, it could make one feel as if they
shouldn't be watching.

12. Conceptual - Adventure of a Lifetime
Coldplay

13. Lyrics & Visuals
‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ is a conceptual music video which came about on a plane where
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and British motion capture expert/actor Andy Serkis met and
discussed ideas.
A phrase which is used throughout the song is “You make me feel, like I'm alive again”. Through
this phrase, Chris Martin is expressing the real pleasure that an individual is giving him and making
him feel. The phrase is often followed by the upbeat backing track, which is matched in the video
by the Monkeys, who although are not singing along to the song, look like they are having a real
good time and are also feeling this pleasure.

14. Music & Visuals
Despite the complex nature of the music video, the music and visuals still manage to be in sync
throughout the video. ‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ has a very high tempo to it and this would be clear
to someone if they were to watch the music video without any audio, as the computer generated
monkeys are jumping up and down throughout and dance impressively.
The drums and electric guitar are vital in speeding up the tempo of disco music. These are actually
on display in the video and are being played by the monkeys.

15. Genre: Disco
‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ falls into the Disco genre. Most disco songs share similar characteristics.
Disco music has a fast tempo as well as a verse and chorus structure and escapist lyrics about love
and dancing. Other characteristics include:
• a time signature of 4/4.
• four-on-the-floor rhythms.
• guitar driven energy often with syncopated bass lines.
• luscious orchestral arrangements.
• vocals with reverb.
‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ has a very fast, up beat tempo to it which makes it a perfect
disco and dance track. The verse and chorus structure is clear, making the beat
even simpler to move along to.

16. Intertextuality
‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ contains quite a bit of intertextuality. This is the case from the beginning
where the music video starts, almost in the same fashion as a film. The production company, band
name and song name are all presented on screen, giving this ‘Adventure’ a fitting beginning.
Another hint of intertextuality is brought about when the music begins. The backing track initially
comes from a Dr Dre Beats Pill which is picked up by the monkeys and clearly displayed on screen.
The final bit of intertextuality is at the end of the video. The music video ends with closing credits,
again making the video almost like a film.

17. Record Company
As spoken about before, ‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ is introduced like a movie with the company
and band name presented on screen. This makes the audience aware of who the song is by and
which record company they belong to.
In terms of the artists, Coldplay don't feature in the video. However Coldplay fans would recognise
through some of the monkeys features that they are in fact there. This is especially the case with
Jonny Buckland who's monkey still wears a hat and plays the guitar.
As touched on before, this song comes under the disco category.

18. Notions of Looking
‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ contains little notions of looking, and only one example sticks out. This
can be seen where the four Coldplay monkeys stand back to back with the others surrounding and
looking at them. The Coldplay monkeys look like they have this almost authority over the other
monkeys which causes them to be looked up to. This makes us look at at the monkeys and realise
that those aren't any regular monkeys, those four monkeys are actually Coldplay.

19. Narrative - Last Friday Night
Katy Perry

20. Lyrics & Visuals
‘Last Friday Night’ is a narrative music video, and is therefore based around a series of events, in
this case, the previous Friday night. The lyrics in this song match up with the visuals allowing the
viewer to not only hear what Katy Perry’s last Friday night was like, but what it actually looked
like.
A phrase commonly used is “Do it all again”. This phrase would suggest that last Friday night was
unbelievable and that its worth doing more than once. This fun factor of last Friday night is
supported throughout the music video. This can be seen through the party atmosphere, the bright
colours and Katy Perry’s excited facial expressions throughout the video.

21. Music & Visuals
The music and visuals are in sync throughout the whole of the video. ‘Last Friday Night’ is upbeat
with a very danceable backing track. The music video is set at a bright house party which looks
very lively and as if it would be exciting to attend. Everyone is dancing and having a good time.
This makes the music and use of visuals fitting.
To up the tempo of the video even more, the male who plays the saxophone to head the song into
its final chorus is shown on camera.

22. Genre: Dance-pop
‘Last Friday Night’ is another song which falls into the genre of Dance-pop. Dance-pop songs tend
to have similar characteristics. They are up in tempo and beat and are intended for clubs.
They have a danceable nature and other features such as:
• Being catchy
• Having strong beats
• Having prominent hooks
• Having simple lyrics
‘Last Friday Night’ has a fast tempo to it, allowing it to be a great song to dance to. Friday night is
party night and there is a hint of partying through the fast beat of the music. This party vibe
is captured on screen throughout the video.

23. Intertextuality
‘Last Friday Night’ contains bits of intertextuality, the first of which can be found at the beginning
and end of the music video where Katy Perry is looking on her computer at the photos from the
night before. The music video is a narrative and the computer gives the audience a sense of
context in terms of the position that Katy Perry is in from last night.
Another piece of intertextuality is with the ‘Just Dance’ WII game which Katy Perry plays on mid
way through the video. The fact that Perry had such a ball last Friday Night could mean that she
enjoyed everything she did, one of those activities being playing ‘Just Dance’. This is good
marketing for the video game as people may feel they can have a great Friday night by purchasing
the game.

24. Record Company
The music video for ‘Last Friday Night’ features Katy Perry performing the role of her alter-ego
'Kathy Beth Terry’. However despite this, her appearance in the video is obvious from the first
minute. The video focuses on her and she is the subject of attention. Despite the fact that she
goes to a next door neighbours house party, Katy Perry is the raves spark of life. This can be seen
through both the way characters watch her and the way that the camera is 95% of the time on
her.
As touched on earlier, ‘Last Friday Night’ falls in the category of Narrative music video.

25. Notions of Looking
Katy Perry’s presence is noticed at this party from the moment her alter-ego 'Kathy Beth Terry’
enters. Characters including the male in the wheel chair and the ‘popular’ looking one in the
baseball jacket seem to gaze at Perry. This is the male gaze. Perry’s image is focused on by the
males at the party which could make it feel acceptable for the audience to watch her and get
pleasure from her appearance as at the same time, the characters on screen are allowed to.