Andrew Goodwin developed a theory that most music videos today follow at least one of his six ideas: 1) Demonstrating genre characteristics, 2) Having a relationship between lyrics and visuals, 3) Having a relationship between music and visuals, 4) Including close-ups of the artist to promote them, 5) Developing visual motifs across their work, and 6) Referencing the notion of looking or including intertextual references. Goodwin's theory suggests that effective music videos link aspects of the music, lyrics, genre conventions and visual storytelling.

1. ANDREW GOODWIN’S
MUSIC VIDEO THEORY
By Chloe Morris

2. Andrew Goodwin
◦ After analysing music videos for many years Andrew Goodwin came up with a theory that he
said all music videos follow. Andrew Goodwin’s theory consists of 6 different ideas;
1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics
2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals
3. There is a relationship between music and visuals
4. The demands of the 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
5. There is frequently reference to the notion of looking
6. There are often intertextual references
◦ It is very unlikely that most music videos we see today would not contain at least one of
Goodwins ideas.

3. Music Videos Demonstrate Genre
Characteristics
◦ (eg. stage performance in metal videos, dance routine for boy/girl band, aspiration in Hip
Hop)
◦ This is the most well know part of Goodwin's theory. It is the idea that a music video within a
certain genre e.g. rock, pop, will contain certain things such as props, colours, mise-en-scene
and themes that are associated to that particular genre.. For example, a pop video will most
likely contain bright clothing and a dance routine. An example of this is Justin Biebers – Sorry.

4. There Is A Relationship Between Lyrics
And Visuals
◦ Goodwin also suggested that for a music video to be successful it may include a relationship
between the lyrics and the visuals. This is the idea that a music video will create a link by what is
being said in the song to what the audience is seeing on the screen. The story a music video is
telling is often decided by the lyrics and therefore a lot of videos do use this concept. Although
the story may only follow one lyric from the song, and there are times when the music video has
no link to the song at all. An example of a song that has a relationship between the lyrics and
the visuals is Ed Sheeran’s – Class A Team.

5. There Is A Relationship Between Music
and Visuals
◦ This concept of Goodwin's theory is similar to the one mentioned previously. Most music videos
will have a link between the music that is heard and the visuals that are shown on screen. This is
normally to set the tone or the atmosphere of the music video and can often determine the
story line and pace at which it is told. Most of the time when the beat drops the music video will
cut to a different point of the story, this is usually the case with in the pop/dance genre. If the
music is slow and sad then what appears on screen will usually be a sad story, with dark colours,
dim lighting etc. A good example of this is James Arthur – Say You Wont Let Go

6. The Demands of The Record Label Will Include The Need For
Lots Of Close Up’s Of The Artist And The Artist May Develop
Motifs Which Recur Across Their Work
◦ This idea is generally about creating sales and making the artist recognisable and relatable, all of which are of interest to
the record label. A lot of close ups are used to make the artist recognisable to the audience, so they won’t forget who they
are listening to, it also makes them relatable if the audience can see who is singing the song. The main point of this
concept is that the artist is a brand that the record label are trying to promote and sell. Also, the artist may develop a visual
style which they will continue to use across their work making it unique to their sound and themselves as a brand, by
incorporating close ups into this it gives them their own signature selling point.
◦ ‘When I Was Your Man’ by Bruno Mars shows the artist playing the piano with a lot of close ups, this makes him
recognizable as a person and helps to show the emotion of the song.
◦ An artist That has developed their own unique visual style is Sia, who is now know for wearing her wig which covers her
face, and only using one specific young girl in her video, therefore when people think of Sia they always think of her wig,
this makes her unique so people will talk about her unlitmately boosting sales/views of a video as people want to see what
she is doing differently to others.

7. There Is Frequently Reference To The
Notion Of Looking
◦ This concept is commonly used in modern day music videos, it is the idea of viewing something
e.g the music video but in that video they are viewing something else for example watching the
television or if you can see the camera filming the artist. An example of this is Taylor Swift – We
are never getting back together as she is shown on the television whilst in her music video.

8. There Are Often Intertextual References (to
films, tv programmes, other music video’s
etc.)
◦ This is the idea that a music video will include references to other forms of media such as films,
TV programmes or other music videos. Although this hasn’t been seen to be one of the most
popular forms of music video in the past it has risen in popularity slightly over the years. Most of
the music videos that contain intertextuality are songs that have been written for a particular fil.
An example of some music videos that have intertextual references are: Sam Smiths – Writings
on the wall that was written for the James bond film Spectre, Iggy Azalea’s – Fancy as this has
references to the film clueless, and Twenty One Pilots - Heathens as this has lots of references to
the Suicide Squad film.