a2 assignment 1 music video research copy

ASSIGNMENT 1: MUSIC VIDEO

RESEARCH

LAWSON – "JULIET" (2013)Artist: Lawson – English pop rock band

Genre: Pop rock, reggae

Type of video: Performance & Narrative - Illustration

Purpose of video:

• Publicise the song & band

• May show the cunningness of women

Inspirational features:

• Do a narrative & performance at the same time.

KELLY CLARKSON – "MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU" (2009)

Artist: Kelly Clarkson – American singer & songwriter

Genre: Pop rock

Type of video: Narrative – Illustration

Purpose of video:

• Give message that despite there being quarrels between partners, they should still love each other

• Shows what relationships between young people can be like


• Cross cutting between singer & band, & plotline

THE BEATLES – "REVOLUTION" (1968) Artist: The Beatles – English rock band

Genre: Hard rock

Type of video: Performance

Purpose of video:

• Promote the band (The Beatles) so that audiences would buy their songs & albums

• Encourage people to go to their concerts


• Fast editing between band members

• Low-angle shots

TOVE LO – "HABITS (STAY HIGH) - HIPPIE SABOTAGE REMIX" (2013)

Artist: Tove Lo – Swedish singer & songwriter

Genre: Pop, electropop

Type of video: Narrative - Amplification

Purpose of video:

• May show all the different actions & experiences that an average person undergoes

• May show that getting drunk is not a good idea


• Most to all of the shots face the lead singer

• Ellipsis to speed up plot

RIHANNA, KANYE WEST, & PAUL MCCARTNEY – "FOURFIVESECONDS" (2015)Artists:

• Rihanna – Barbadian singer & songwriter

• Kanye West – American hip hop recording artist & songwriter

• Paul McCartney – English singer-songwriter & musician

Genre: Folk-pop, pop, soul pop

Type of video: Conceptual – Symbolic

Purpose of video:

• Reflect the low-mood of the song & the singers


• Square framing

• Shots of singers & musician, & then a shot of all them

HOZIER – "TAKE ME TO CHURCH" (2013) (INDIE)Artist: Hozier – Irish musician, singer & songwriter

Genre: Indie rock, soul, blues

Type of video: Narrative – Amplification

Purpose of video:

• Publicise the song & singer

• Promote the issue of homophobia


• A theme on a particular social issue, such as prejudice & discrimination

OREN LAVIE – "HER MORNING ELEGANCE" (2007) (INDIE)Artist: Oren Lavie – Israeli singer & songwriter

Genre: Indie


Purpose of video:

• Publicise the song

• Make the song more famous

• Make the song more calm


• Using stop-motion by using people's bodies

ABBA – "DANCING QUEEN" (1976) Artist: ABBA – Swedish pop group

Genre: Europop, Euro disco


Purpose of video:

• Promote the group (ABBA) so that audiences would buy their songs & albums

• Encourage people to go to their concerts

• Reflects that the song is for discos


• Small stage show

• People dancing in the foreground

ELLIE GOULDING – "SOMETHING IN THE WAY YOU MOVE" (2016) Artist: Ellie Goulding – English singer & songwriter

Genre: Electropop


Purpose of video:

• Promote the singer (Goulding) so that audiences would buy her songs & albums

• Encourage people to go to her concerts


• High-angle & long shots

• Flashing lights

• Cross cutting between close-up & long shots

ALEXANDRA STAN – "MR SAXOBEAT" (2011) Artist: Alexandra Stan – Romanian singer

Genre: Eurodance

Type of video: Narrative - Disjuncture

Purpose of video:

• May show power & cunningness of women

• Entertain audiences with a short plot as well as music


• Sudden slow-motions

• Cross-cutting between lead singer dancing & plotline

MISTERWIVES – "REFLECTIONS" (2014) (INDIE)Artist: MisterWives – American indie pop band

Genre: Indie pop

Type of video: Narrative - Disjuncture

Purpose of video:

• Entertain audiences with a short plot as well as music


• Storyline where ironic events happen at certain place (eg students rebelling at school)

THE BLACK EYED PEAS – "LET'S GET IT STARTED" (2004)

Artist: The Black Eyed Peas – American hip hop group

Genre: Hip hop, funk

Type of video: Conceptual - Thematic

Purpose of video:

• Encourage upbeat & lively dancing

• Entertain audiences with a dance sequence as well as music


• Camera panning at 90 degrees to show a new scene

• Singers dressing up as a certain social group (in this case, teenagers)

PVRIS – "MY HOUSE" (2014)

Artist: PVRIS – American rock band

Genre: Electropop, pop, post-hardcore, psychedelic, synthpop

Type of video: Narrative - Amplification

Purpose of video:

• May give a message that you can do whatever you want in your house

• May give out message that sitting at home all day is boring


• Underwater scenes

• Black-&-White footage

PROFESSOR GREEN FT. EMELI SANDÉ – "READ ALL ABOUT IT" (2009)Artist:

• Professor Green – British rapper & songwriter

• Emeli Sandé – Recoding artist & songwriter

Genre: Hip hop, R&B


Purpose of video:

• Shows the what the lead singer's (Professor Green) early life was like

• Shows the hardships & trouble a young child can experience when having a step-parent


• Cross cutting between plotline & singers singing in different locations

• Plotline where it shows the trouble & hardships that certain people face

AC/DC – "SHOOT TO THRILL" (1980)Artist: AC/DC – Australian rock band

Genre: Hard rock


Purpose of video:

• Promote the band – Encourage audiences to buy their songs & albums

• Encourage people to go to her concerts

• It is common that rock bands perform on live stage


• Coloured stage lights

• Funky costumes

OK GO – "THIS TOO SHALL PASS – RUBE GOLDBERG MACHINE" (2010)Artist: Ok Go – American alternative rock band

Genre: Power pop, alternative rock

Type of video: Conceptual - Thematic

Purpose of video:

• Make the video unique, & potentially the song as well


• The Rube Goldberg machine

• Band members singing along while machine course is going

A-HA – "TAKE ON ME" (1984)Artist: A-ha – Norwegian band

Genre: New wave, synthpop

Type of video: Narrative – Disjuncture & Conceptual – Symbolic

Purpose of video:

• Promote the song

• May try to make the song more unique


• Fantasy-like theme

THE LA'S – "THERE SHE GOES" (1994) (INDIE)Artist: The La's – English rock band

Genre: Alternative rock, power pop, jangle pop, & psychedelic pop

Type of video: Performance & Conceptual – Thematic

Purpose of video:


• Make the song dreamy


• Overlapping footage

MICHAEL JACKSON – "THRILLER" (1984)Artist: Michael Jackson – American singer & songwriter

Genre: Disco, funk


Purpose of video:


• Visually entertain the audience


• Film genre theme to song (eg in this case horror)

QUEEN – "DON'T STOP ME NOW" (1979)Artist: Queen – British rock band

Genre: Glam rock, pop rock


Purpose of video:



• At the start, only the main singer is shown; but when the chorus comes up, the whole band is revealed

QUEEN – "I WANT TO BREAK FREE" (1984)Artist: Queen – British rock band

Genre: Rock

Type of video: Conceptual – Thematic & Conceptual

Purpose of video:

• Promote the song & band

• Satirise Coronation Street

• Point out the 1984–85 Miners strike


• Parody of a certain TV series

• Reflect a certain event currently happening

BRITNEY SPEARS – "EVERYTIME" (2004)Artist: Britney Spears – American singer

Genre: Pop ballad


Purpose of video:

• Inform the audience about the stress that she (or celebrities in general) experience from paparazzi

• Also slightly reflects the lyrics about bad relationships


• Storyline which reflects the troubles people face

SIA – "ELASTIC HEART" (2015)Artist: Sia – Australian singer & songwriter

Genre: Pop ballad

Type of video: Narrative – Disjuncture

Purpose of video:


• Metaphorically tell the story of Sia's relationship with her ex-boyfriend


• Storyline is a metaphor for something

CARLY RAE JEPSEN – "CALL ME MAYBE" (2011)Artist: Carly Rae Jepsen – Canadian singer & songwriter

Genre: Teen pop, dance-pop

Type of video: Narrative – Illustration

Purpose of video:



• Gives out a humorous warning that some attractive people are homosexuals


• A plot twist (in this case: the attractive person is homosexual)

THE BEATLES – "STRAWBERRY FIELD FOREVER" (1967)Artist: The Beatles – British rock band

Genre: Psychedelic rock, psychedelic pop, art pop


Purpose of video:

• Promote the song & band


• Jump cuts

• Bright costumes

M83 – "MIDNIGHT CITY" (2011)Artist: M83 – French Electronic music band

Genre: Dream pop, new wave, electropop

Type of video: Narrative – Disjuncture

Purpose of video:



• Storyline has a supernatural person

BONEY M. – "RASPUTIN (SOPOT FESTIVAL 1979)" (1978)Artist: Boney M. – West German vocal group

Genre: Euro disco, pop


Purpose of video:



• Costumes

• Dancing along with the song

REPUBLICA – "READY TO GO" (1996)Artist: Republica – English alternative rock band

Genre: Alternative, industrial rock, dance


Purpose of video:

• Make the song more upbeat


• Zoom in/out transitions

MADNESS – "OUR HOUSE" (1982)Artist: Madness – English ska band

Genre: Ska, New wave, pop

Type of video: Performance, Illustration

Purpose of video:


• Reflect the song's lyrics to make it more memorable


• Sped up footage to display plot quicker

• Artist performing in location that reflects the lyrics

TONY CHRISTIE – "(IS THIS THE WAY TO) AMARILLO" (1971)Artist: Tony Christie – English musician & singer

Genre: Pop

Type of video: Performance, Conceptual

Purpose of video:

• Publicise the song

• Raise money for Comic Relief


• The artist "walks" through various locations

• The lead singer changes

• Different people come & "walk" with the artist

a2 assignment 1 music video research copy

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