Music videos have been defined as short moving images that accompany pre-existing music to encourage music sales in other formats. They are often used to enhance an artist's image and establish them as part of a musical genre. There is usually a relationship between the visuals and lyrics of a music video, whether illustrating, amplifying, or contradicting the lyrics. Common elements of music videos include close-ups of the main artist, genre-specific styles and iconography, references to voyeurism and objectification of women, and intertextuality through references to other media.

1. WHAT IS A MUSIC
VIDEO?
BY D E A N A K E N T

2. HOW HAVE MUSIC VIDEOS BEEN DEFINED
AND WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE?
• Music videos have been defined by Pete Fraser as a ‘…short, moving image product,
shot for the express purpose of accompanying a pre-existing music track and
encourage the sales of the music in another format’.
• Music videos are often used to enhance the image of the artist (i.e. using visual
conventions to cement that artist as part of that genre instead of just relying on music
conventions – for example, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry using brighter, weirder imagery
to show themselves as pop artists, while artists like Linkin Park and Slipknot use darker,
more disturbing imagery to establish themselves as alternative/metal artists.

3. WHAT IS THEIR PURPOSE?
• There is usually some sort of relationship between the visuals of a music video and the
lyrics – be it having the lyrics being illustrated, contradicted/disjunctured, or amplified.
For example, ‘Fireflies’ by Owl City would be an illustrative music video, as many of its
lyrics are represented in the video (i.e. the words coming up on a robot, or all the toys
turning as ‘planet earth turns slowly, among others), while videos such as The
Veronicas ‘Take me on the Floor’, Paramore’s ‘The Only Exception’, and Green Days’s
‘Holiday’ all amplify the lyrics. Amplifying music videos are the most common, as it
allows a link with the lyrics and the visuals, but still allows more layers of meaning to
be built up, rather than just being an exact illustration of the lyrics. However, having
music videos that contradict the lyrics can also be effective, even if it isn’t commonly
used – for example, the music video for the Red Hot Chilli Peppers ‘Can’t Stop’.
• There is also the same sort of relationship (illustrating, contradicting, or amplifying)
between the visuals and the music (i.e. the tempo of the editing).

4. ILLUSTRATING AMPLIFYING
AMPLIFYING CONTRASTING

5. WHAT IS COMMON BETWEEN MUSIC
VIDEOS?
• Many music videos have lots of close ups of the main artist, usually from the demand of the
record companies. This happens across all genres (i.e. ‘Bite My Tongue’ by YMA6, ‘Look
What You Made Me Do’ by Taylor Swift, and ‘Lose Yourself’ by Eminem) and is down to
establish the artists image.
• However, some music genres may have their own music video style and iconography (such
as live stage performance in heavy rock, dance sequences in pop music, and rap
battles/fights/sports cars in rap music).
• There is often also many references to voyeurism, both in looking at men and women’s
bodies, as well as looking through mirrors, screens into screens, windows, binoculars, etc.
Goodwin suggests it is usually women who are objectified in this way – using fragmented
body shots and suggestive editing and camera work.
• Intertextuality is often used in music videos (either references to others MV’s, films, TV
Shows, books etc.). This is used to both associate the artist with the reference to boost their
image, and to make viewers who catch the reference feel clever. Eminem's ‘We Made You’ is
full of references to other media, while Taylor Swifts ‘Look What You Made Me Do’ is full of
references to her other music videos, while 30 Seconds to Mars ‘The Kill’ uses similar
iconography and cinematography to Stanley Kubricks ‘The Shining’.