Introducing the music
video
Forms and Conventions
Pop Music Video: Forms and Conventions

A music video is a videotaped performance of a recorded
popular song. It is usually accompanied by dance or a
fragmentary story. Music videos often use concert footage.
Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody.
Pop Music Video: Forms and Conventions

Typically music videos are three to five minutes long, they
frequently include quick cuts, stylisations, fanciful and often
erotic imagery, and computer graphics.
Abba – Knowing Me Knowing You
Pop Music Video: Forms and Conventions

Music videos can accommodate all styles of filmmaking,
including animation, live action films, documentaries, and
non-narrative, abstract film.
Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues.
Pop Music Video: Forms and Conventions

In the 1980s the music video became synonymous with the rock idiom
and for this reason they are often referred to as rock videos.
U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name
Foo Fighters - Pretender
Institutions
Pop Music Video: Institutions

Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device
intended to promote the sale of music recordings.
Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire
Dizzy Rascal – Dance Wiv Me
Pop Music Video: Institutions

The proliferation of music video came in the 1980s, when MTV
(Music Television)'s format was based around them.
The first video show in 1981 was…
Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star
Pop Music Video: Institutions

For this reason the success of the music video is synonymous with the
second British invasion of the American charts in the mid 1980s.
Duran Duran – Rio
Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams
Wham! – Club Tropicana!
Pop Music Video: Institutions

Although the origins go back much further to music television programs
like Top of the Pops (UK), Ready Steady Go (UK), American
Bandstand (US) and Musikladen (D).
The Beatles – All You Need is Love TOTP
Dusty Springfield – You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me TOTP
Pop Music Video: Institutions

By the end of the Sixties, when bands could not make it to a TV studio to
perform, record companies often provided TV producers with a short
film clip to promote their latest single.
The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever.
Pop Music Video: Institutions

By the 1990s many hundreds of videos, representing a cross-section
of musical forms were being produced yearly. Genres include
traditional to Country and Western, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Hip Hop,
r+b, Adult Orientated Rock, Teen Pop etc.
Guns n Roses - November Rain
Kris Kross - Jump
Audiences
Pop Music Video: Audiences

A common misconception is that pop music videos are aimed
strictly at teen audiences. Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan and
the music produced by Stock, Aitkin and Waterman are classic
examples of performers aimed at teenagers.
Pop Music Video: Audiences

Many videos of “soft rock” songs have traditionally been
directed at an older group of viewers.
Bon Jovi – In These Arms.
Stevie Nicks – Sometimes It’s A Bitch
Cher – Heart of Stone
How do these video appeal to an older audience?
Pop Music Video: Institutions

Since shortly after their inception, the style and content of music videos
have strongly influenced advertising, television, film, and popular
culture as a whole.
The Clash – Should I Stay or Should I Go (Levi’s Advert)?
Bryan Adams – Everything I Do I Do It For You (Robin Hood)
Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (The Bodyguard)
Pop Music Video: Audiences

Digital TV Channels means that music videos are targeted
at niche audiences.
Pop Music Video: Audiences

Beyonce - Irreplaceable
30 Seconds to Mars Attack – The Kill
Pop Music Video: Audiences

Coldplay - Yellow
Pop Music Video: Audiences

On the internet sites like www.myspace.com have enabled
unsigned bands like the Arctic Monkeys to find mainstream
success in part by providing an outlet for new music videos.
Pop Music Video: Audiences

You Tube is a forum for online bands to show DIY video footage.
The Foo Fighters – Live in Norway on Mobile Phone
Pop Music Video: Audiences

Fans can also post archive clips from TV shows…
Bucks Fizz – Making Your Mind Up.
Pop Music Video: Audiences

As well as professional music videos from established artists.
Madonna – Hung Up
Pop Music Video: Audiences

And spoof versions of famous videos.
Madonna – Hung Up On Crack
Representations
Pop Music Video: Representations

The popular music video certainly has its own clichés
Spinal Tap – Hell Hole
Pop Music Video: Representations

Many examples of the genre feature the macho rock stars.
The Cult – Sweet Soul Sister
Guns and Roses – Sweet Child of Mine
Pop Music Video: Representations

Scantily clad dancers have become cultural clichés…
Robert Palmer – Addicted to Love
Aerosmith – Love in an Elevator
Pop Music Video: Representations

Certain music videos, however, are notable for their cuttingedge techniques and artistic innovations. As time passes those
techniques can look dated.
Dire Straits – Money For Nothing
Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
Pop Music Video: Representations

Race: in the early days of MTV in America black artists were not
featured… until Michael Jackson’s high budget Thriller.
Michael Jackson - Thriller
Pop Music Video: Representations

Gender is another key issue. Successful female rock stars have both lived
up to and parodied male fantasies
Blondie – Detroit 442
Donna Summer – I Feel Love
Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
Pop Music Video: Representations

Jonas Akerlund

smashing pumpkins, iggy pop, madonna, cardigans, metallica,
blondie, primal scream, jamiroquia, rammstein, blink 182, jan’es
addiction.
Many directors now train to become music video makers and it is often
considered to be an ‘auteurs medium’ with particular directors having
specific styles of mise-en-scène, camerawork, editing etc.
The Cardigans – Favourite Game Blink 182 – I Miss You
Pop Music Video: Representations

Interestingly Jonas Akerlund is also in high demand as the
director of television advertisements for leading brands.
Jonas Akerlund
Pop Music Video: Representations

From an institutional perspective audience/user generated content has
transformed the forms and conventions of music video introducing a
more DIY aesthetic. Has the music video come full circle?
OK Go – Here It Goes Again
Moby and Deborah Harry – New York New York

Introducing the Music Video

  • 1.
  • 2.
  • 3.
    Pop Music Video:Forms and Conventions A music video is a videotaped performance of a recorded popular song. It is usually accompanied by dance or a fragmentary story. Music videos often use concert footage. Queen – Bohemian Rhapsody.
  • 4.
    Pop Music Video:Forms and Conventions Typically music videos are three to five minutes long, they frequently include quick cuts, stylisations, fanciful and often erotic imagery, and computer graphics. Abba – Knowing Me Knowing You
  • 5.
    Pop Music Video:Forms and Conventions Music videos can accommodate all styles of filmmaking, including animation, live action films, documentaries, and non-narrative, abstract film. Bob Dylan - Subterranean Homesick Blues.
  • 6.
    Pop Music Video:Forms and Conventions In the 1980s the music video became synonymous with the rock idiom and for this reason they are often referred to as rock videos. U2 - Where The Streets Have No Name Foo Fighters - Pretender
  • 7.
  • 8.
    Pop Music Video:Institutions Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Kings of Leon – Sex on Fire Dizzy Rascal – Dance Wiv Me
  • 9.
    Pop Music Video:Institutions The proliferation of music video came in the 1980s, when MTV (Music Television)'s format was based around them. The first video show in 1981 was… Buggles - Video Killed The Radio Star
  • 10.
    Pop Music Video:Institutions For this reason the success of the music video is synonymous with the second British invasion of the American charts in the mid 1980s. Duran Duran – Rio Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams Wham! – Club Tropicana!
  • 11.
    Pop Music Video:Institutions Although the origins go back much further to music television programs like Top of the Pops (UK), Ready Steady Go (UK), American Bandstand (US) and Musikladen (D). The Beatles – All You Need is Love TOTP Dusty Springfield – You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me TOTP
  • 12.
    Pop Music Video:Institutions By the end of the Sixties, when bands could not make it to a TV studio to perform, record companies often provided TV producers with a short film clip to promote their latest single. The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever.
  • 13.
    Pop Music Video:Institutions By the 1990s many hundreds of videos, representing a cross-section of musical forms were being produced yearly. Genres include traditional to Country and Western, Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Hip Hop, r+b, Adult Orientated Rock, Teen Pop etc. Guns n Roses - November Rain Kris Kross - Jump
  • 14.
  • 15.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences A common misconception is that pop music videos are aimed strictly at teen audiences. Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan and the music produced by Stock, Aitkin and Waterman are classic examples of performers aimed at teenagers.
  • 16.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences Many videos of “soft rock” songs have traditionally been directed at an older group of viewers. Bon Jovi – In These Arms. Stevie Nicks – Sometimes It’s A Bitch Cher – Heart of Stone How do these video appeal to an older audience?
  • 17.
    Pop Music Video:Institutions Since shortly after their inception, the style and content of music videos have strongly influenced advertising, television, film, and popular culture as a whole. The Clash – Should I Stay or Should I Go (Levi’s Advert)? Bryan Adams – Everything I Do I Do It For You (Robin Hood) Whitney Houston – I Will Always Love You (The Bodyguard)
  • 18.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences Digital TV Channels means that music videos are targeted at niche audiences.
  • 19.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences Beyonce - Irreplaceable
  • 20.
    30 Seconds toMars Attack – The Kill
  • 21.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences Coldplay - Yellow
  • 22.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences On the internet sites like www.myspace.com have enabled unsigned bands like the Arctic Monkeys to find mainstream success in part by providing an outlet for new music videos.
  • 23.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences You Tube is a forum for online bands to show DIY video footage. The Foo Fighters – Live in Norway on Mobile Phone
  • 24.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences Fans can also post archive clips from TV shows… Bucks Fizz – Making Your Mind Up.
  • 25.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences As well as professional music videos from established artists. Madonna – Hung Up
  • 26.
    Pop Music Video:Audiences And spoof versions of famous videos. Madonna – Hung Up On Crack
  • 27.
  • 28.
    Pop Music Video:Representations The popular music video certainly has its own clichés Spinal Tap – Hell Hole
  • 29.
    Pop Music Video:Representations Many examples of the genre feature the macho rock stars. The Cult – Sweet Soul Sister Guns and Roses – Sweet Child of Mine
  • 30.
    Pop Music Video:Representations Scantily clad dancers have become cultural clichés… Robert Palmer – Addicted to Love Aerosmith – Love in an Elevator
  • 31.
    Pop Music Video:Representations Certain music videos, however, are notable for their cuttingedge techniques and artistic innovations. As time passes those techniques can look dated. Dire Straits – Money For Nothing Peter Gabriel - Sledgehammer
  • 32.
    Pop Music Video:Representations Race: in the early days of MTV in America black artists were not featured… until Michael Jackson’s high budget Thriller. Michael Jackson - Thriller
  • 33.
    Pop Music Video:Representations Gender is another key issue. Successful female rock stars have both lived up to and parodied male fantasies Blondie – Detroit 442 Donna Summer – I Feel Love Kate Bush – Wuthering Heights
  • 34.
    Pop Music Video:Representations Jonas Akerlund smashing pumpkins, iggy pop, madonna, cardigans, metallica, blondie, primal scream, jamiroquia, rammstein, blink 182, jan’es addiction. Many directors now train to become music video makers and it is often considered to be an ‘auteurs medium’ with particular directors having specific styles of mise-en-scène, camerawork, editing etc. The Cardigans – Favourite Game Blink 182 – I Miss You
  • 35.
    Pop Music Video:Representations Interestingly Jonas Akerlund is also in high demand as the director of television advertisements for leading brands. Jonas Akerlund
  • 36.
    Pop Music Video:Representations From an institutional perspective audience/user generated content has transformed the forms and conventions of music video introducing a more DIY aesthetic. Has the music video come full circle? OK Go – Here It Goes Again Moby and Deborah Harry – New York New York

Editor's Notes