Andrew Goodwin wrote a theoretical paper called "Dancing In The Distraction Factory" proposing many key features which distinguish a music video as a form.
- There is a relationship between the visuals and lyrics as the visuals usually illustrate, amplify and contradict the lyrics.
- There is a relationship between the music and visuals either illustrating, amplifying or contradicting the music.
- Particular music genres may have their own music video style and iconography, such as live stage performances in heavy rock.
- Demand on the part of the record company for alot of close ups of the main artist or vocalist.
- There is likely to be reference to voyeurism, particularly in the treatment of females, but also in terms of systems of looking, i.e screens within screens, binoculars, cameras, etc.
- There are likely to be intertextual reference either to music videos or to films and TV texts.
Pop: Britney Spears; Hit Me Baby One More Time
Britney Spears is a well known pop-artist selling millions of records in her prime, I chose the music video "Hit Me Baby One More Time" as it films her in school dressed as a young girly girl which is very strereotypical of girl pop. There are many elements of the video which predominantly link to the Andrew Goodwin's theory, as their is a demand on the part of the record company filming various close ups of the artist showing the audience of who provides the vocals overall. The video is based in a high school with other students around, starting with the class breaking into a choreographed dance routine. The locations within the school include the gynasium, classroom, corridor and playground showing the mise en scene to be consistent throughout the video. There is a relationship between music and visuals as the rhythm of the music connects with the video itself which is essentially a key theatre within Goodwin's theory.
Rap: Eminem and Rihanna; Love The Way You Lie
Certain aspects of this music video conforms to Goodwin's theory as the lyrics link with the particular visuals shown, as the visuals illustrate the story to the lyrics of the song. For example Eminem raps about the house in the video being set on fire and it shows the house burning in certain parts of the video. It links with the genre of rap as it is seen to be violent which is shown in the video between the man and woman fighting as well as the excessive drinking which also shows the relationship between the lyrics and visuals as there is rapping about the woman wanting to leave the man shown in the video. The use of lyrics and visuals helps the audience gain a better understanding of what's actually going on in the video which is essentially like telling a story from the lyrics. Another theory proposed by Goodwin is the demand of close ups of the main artists who are Eminem and Rihanna, the structure of the video is sufficient as although there are actors performing the story based on the lyrics there are certain camera shots making the audience aware of who provides the vocals.
Country and Western: Billy Ray Cyrus; Achy Breaky Heart
This particular music video highlights Goodwin's theory of iconography as the artist is filmed performing to an audience as a live stage performance, there is also a variety of close ups of Billy Ray Cyrus as he's primarily the main artist singing. There is relationship between music and visuals as the filming has quick cuts from the artist to the audience linking to the style of the music.
Rock: Blink 182; All The Small Things
This music video links to some of Goodwin's theories as there is a relationship between the specific music and videos due to the fact that it's quite upbeat, fast and flowing to the genre of the music. There is a short, choreographed dance routine in part of the video and there are certin aspects of editing used such as quick cuts from one scenario to another. Throughout some of it there is a link to voyeurism shown in terms of systems of looking through binoculars as a man is being attacked by a dog referring to someone who habitually observes others without their knowledge which is another significant feature distinguishing a music video, there is also a demand on the particular record company for alot of close ups; there is a main artist but as Blink 182 consists of a group of 3 singers there are some close ups of the members individually and together through the duration of the video. This particular genre of music portrays the band to have their own particular music video style as well as iconography as it shows elements of some live performances to their fans.
Heavy Metal: Slipknot; Left Behind
By watching this music video you automatically get the indication that it's based upon a heavy metal genre, it essentially has a relationship between the lyrics and visuals. The reason is because the band are singing about Corey's childhood, the lead singer of Slipknot and there are some elements of the video where there's a reconstruction of him growing up as a young child. As well as the relationship between lyrics and visuals there is also the relationship between the music and visuals because the speed and the volume of the specific genre is illustrated by the video itself. There is also a range of different camera angles, for example there are many close ups of the lead vocalist as well as shots of other members of the band itself; this links to Goodwin's theory as there may have been a demand on the part of the record company for the specifics camera shots.
