Music Video Analysis

For the second music video we analysed, we also applied Goodwins 'Music Video Theory'.

Genre characteristics

- pop with a british feel

Lyrics and visuals

- "start over again" at end when the boy comes back home

- "take me away" when carton gets on motorbike

- talking about going to countryside and they are in the countryside

Music and visuals

- music gets darker and so does the image

- song mellow and the videos cut slowly

- images of little carton

Notion of looking and voyeurism

- carton looking through window at band

- looking through door at the girl

- seeing face on milk carton

Intertextual references

- when carton fell through window bit like an action film

- in alley - green monster looks like its from a sci-fi film

- a bit like american beauty when family are sitting at the table

Music Video Analysis

When analysing this music video we applied Goodwins 'Music Video Theory', we looked at the genre characteristics, relationship between music and visuals, relationship between lyrics and visuals, demand of record label, notion to looking and intertextual references.

Genre Characteristics

- costumes: gangster/street look

- getting in trouble with Police/criminal activity

- hip-hop/street dance

- dog fighting

- violence

- lacking representation of wealth - cars are normal, clothing scruffy, images of bling minimal (seems like he hasnt got it but looking at it)

- some images of sexualised women (gold bikinis, looking like prostitutes) but not as you might expect

- setting - urban - Brooklyn NY - run down neighbourhood and some shots of the bridge

- images of underground, rough looking clubs adding to the gangster lifestyle

- stereotypical race conventions - policemen white, bad guys black/jailbirds/on the streets

- shooting at the end - reflects image of gangster cool

Lyrics and visuals

- song is about being a gangster/lifestyle and video images illustrate this

- sychronous relationship - thoroughout song, images reflect the lyrics sometimes generally and sometimes more specifically/literally e.g: 'God' = image of crucifix, 'bitch' = image of woman/dog etc.

- story about getting pulled over by police is literally illustrated in visuals - very narrative style

- "from the hood" - pulls hood down

- "paparazzi" - images of criminals (camera flash)

- visuals show some of the 99 problems and the pinnacle one being him getting shot

Music and visuals

- camera movements are jerky and constant which matches the rise and fall of the beat

- cuts are in sync with the bass, especially at the beginning

- lots of cuts and many different images making it hard to see everything at first viewing - similar to song, which is also dense with themes/imagery/narrative

Demand of the record label

- lots of (worms eye) low angle shots and close ups of Jay-Z makes him appear powerful - desirable image to promote within the hip-hop industry

- fewer shots of him than you might expect - seems like hes being modest or that hes the topdog/elusive on the streets. Also, reflects face that he is a well-established artist and doesnt need his face all over the video

Notions of looking/voyeurism

- looking at police in the wing mirror

- various shots of women which are very sexual

- looking through bars into prison

- video of Jay-Z outside subway station

- looking through fingers

- x-ray vision shot through boot of car

Music Video Analysis

The music video I chose to analyse was Beyonce's 'Why Dont You Love Me':


Here is my analysis of this video:

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Goodwins Music Video Analysis

Andrew Goodwin writing in 'Dancing in the Distraction Factory' (Routledge 1992)
1.Demonstrate genre characteristics
Example:This video demonstrates the key elements of a Hip-Hop/Rap video, these characteristics     being sexualized women, fast cars and even the clothing they are wearing represents the Hip-Hop/Rap industry

2.Relationship between lyrics and visuals
Example:This clearly shows a connection between the lyrics of the song and the visual imagery, with the way in which the women are dressed and also the scene at the end of the video where the women are laying on the beach. The beach has a definite relevance to California, which relates directly to the lyrics of the song

3.Relationship between music and visuals
Example:The way in which the video is edited and the use of lighting relates the musical beat to the visuals

4.Record label demands
Example: The record label which Rihanna is a part of focuses on their Hip-Hop image aswell as making themselves extremely noticeable which is a key part of their record label

5.Reference to notion of looking
Example:This video gives reference to the notion of looking as the camera follows every action which is happening within the video, the movement of the camera takes the audience on a journey as if they themselves are there watching this happen.

6.Inertextual reference
Example:This Madonna video carries cinematic references to the movie 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes', the music video recreates an iconic scene-where Marilyn Monroe is surrounded by men