There are three main types of music videos: performance, narrative, and conceptual. Performance videos focus on the artist singing and dancing and are popular with mainstream artists. Narrative videos tell a story, which may or may not relate to the song's lyrics, and can help audiences connect with the artist. Conceptual videos are based around one or more concepts and are often abstract, using symbols and editing techniques to create meaning. Each type has advantages like promotion opportunities or creativity, and disadvantages like cost or potential audience confusion.

1. Typesof musicvideos:
Performance Narrative Conceptual
All about performance of
artist/group to camera or
audience. Popular in rock
bands and cuts between band
members. Also popular with
mainstreamartists who need
to be focus of video,
dancing/singingetc.
Partof self promotion and a
brand: if audiencesee good
singing/dancing,they are
more likely to go to the
concerts/buy singles/albums
etc
A video which has a story line,it may or may
not relateto lyrics of song.
Often used for songs used in films,(cuts
from film)
TYPES:
Illustration: narrative reflects lyrics
Amplification: narrative may be influenced
by lyrics but may use different themes to
compliment song’s ‘feeling’
Disjuncture: narrative holds very little
relationship to song and meaning is
random/unrelated
More usual and based around 1 or more
concepts that make the video ‘unique’ in
some way and often quite ambiguous
and/or abstract. Often have specific editing
technique. Also often, more common with
indieartists who might not want to
promote their image/identity.
TYPES:
Thematic: based around theme, depends on
genre (ie rap = might feature lots of streets)
Symbolic: symbols to create meaning: can
have lots of montage, light suggests mood,
pace suggests emotions, images can
support or contradict lyrical meanings
Advantages: cheap, fast,easy
to make, justeffort with
setting/costume, allowself-
promotion
Disadvantages:can be
generic, uncreative as very
common
Advantages: Audience can empathize with
artist’s intentions….can also showthey
aren’t justabout performing/singing
(common in mainstreampop artists who
are sellingan image) If plot is simple,it’s
easy to engage audiencefurther than just
listeningto song
Disadvantages:can be expensive to
produce, if plot is not clear,audiencecan be
confused about message
Advantages: can be creative and artsy, can
be uniqueand memorable
Disadvantages:someaudiences can find
them confusing/too far fetched, if artistnot
present in video – can have no self
promotion
Examples: Examples: Examples:
Music videoQuiz:
Performance =___________________________________
Narrative (Illustration) = ___________________________________
Narrative (Amplification) = ___________________________________
Narrative (Disjuncture) = ___________________________________
Conceptual (thematic) = ___________________________________
Conceptual (symbolic) = ___________________________________