1. Andrew Goodwin’s
Theory
From his book Dancing in the Distraction Factory (1992)
Andrew Goodwin states that there are particular characteristics in music videos that the
audience can look out for.

2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals
This may be illustrative like in
Rihanna’s music video for her
2007 hit ‘Umbrella’. However
visuals can alternatively be
amplifying or contradicting to
lyrics.

3. There is a relationship between the music
and the visuals
The tone of the music whether it
be happy or angry will often be
in sync with the atmosphere of
the video. For example Kanye
West’s track ‘All Falls Down’ has
an emotional tone and towards
the end of the video we see the
woman crying.

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 (a visual style).
The Weeknd is a new artist who’s
record label (Republic Records) has
used a low-angle long shot of him in
the centre with his hands in his
pockets in ‘Wicked Games’ (below)
And again in this medium shot in ‘The
Zone’ (above). This has image that
continues to recur creates an image of
The Weeknd to the audience and tells us
more about his personality.

5. There is frequently reference to notion of
looking (screens within screens, telescopes
etc. and particularly voyeuristic treatment of
the female body)
An example of this
is rapper Drake’s
music video for his
song ‘Hold
on, we’re going
home’ in which the
female is objectified
for the ‘male gaze’

6. There is often intertextual reference (to
films, TV programmes, other music
videos etc.)
Clip from Nicki Minaj
– Stupid Stupid
(January 2012)
Clip from Shakira –
She Wolf (July 2009)

7. Nicki Minaj makes intertextual references to various music videos in
her music video for her record ‘Stupid Stupid’. Here, Nicki Minaj has
recreated scenes from Shakira’s ‘She Wolf’ video by dancing in a
cage.

8. Here, Nicki Minaj in the
music video for her track
‘Stupid Stupid’ (top right)
has imitated a shot from
Jessie J’s hit record ‘Price
Tag’ (bottom right) where
there are special effects
used to make the artists
look minute on big chairs.

9. Lady Gaga – Bad Romance
(November 2009)
Again in Nicki Minaj’s same
video she has mimicked Lady
Gaga by wearing similar contacts
to make her iris’ look extremely
large.

10. Music videos demonstrate characteristics
of the genre
A characteristic of rap and hip-hop videos is the sexual objectification
of females - Male artists often show little respect to females referring
to them as ‘bitches’ and ‘hoes’. For example in Pusha T’s music video
for his track ‘Sweet Serenade’