mini text analysis music videos

Mini Textual Analysis on Music Videos

Artist: Lady Gaga

Track: Paparazzi

Genre: Electro pop, Synthpop

Type: Performance, Narrative Gaga is a doomed starlet hounded by photographers, and is almost killed by her boyfriend. It shows her survival, comeback, revenge on her boyfriend, and experiences on the way to fame.

Positive: Film like approach makes it more entertaining rather than a promotional video. Performance is strong and well presented. The video also gives a moral that it has a real, genuine, powerful message about fame and death and the demise of the celebrity, and what that does to young people. Some themes can be identified in the video specifically murder and pornography this allows the viewer to give an impression on the artists attitude and performance within the video. Mise en scene is well approached Lady Gaga known for her unusual dress sense impressed with a full range of outfits to wow the viewers the dancers were also presented well in the context. The use of Mise en scene aswell heavily emphasizes themes also such as Fame and Money. Good use of camera shots to really emphasize her performance. Lighting in the video was outstanding.

Negative: Narrative was confusing despite long film like intro primarily the video focuses on Gaga’s strong performance. The Narrative is shown above on the type section and on my first viewing of this video was not this narrative so this does prove some confusion on what the video is trying to express.

Personal Score: 10/10

Textual Analysis Score: 9/10

Artist: Busted

Track: What I Go To School For

Genre: Pop punk Type: Performance, Narrative 3 school boys have a crush on their school teacher and spends more and more time with her to develop a closer relationship

Positive: Simple yet well produced video. Narrative is expressed clearly and within the video we clearly identify the narrative is about 3 boys (the band members) having a crush on their school teacher and different events happen with the relationship with the boys and the teacher. Mise en scene is fantastic and well presented the location is a school so all the school conventions were used and out of school locations were also effective. The video is comedic which entertains the viewer rather than a promotional package.

Negative: Technical aspects to this video was satisfactory. Use of shots were good but some shots were longer than expected within a music video some over 5/6 secs.



Artist: Tinie Tempah

Track: Pass Out

Genre: Grime, hip hop

Type: Performance

Positive: Performance in the video is good and since the lighting in the video is dark. Making sure the artist was lit well was a essential priority. The video manages to pull off exceptional use of lighting.

Negative: Camera shots are limited the use of close ups and long shots is highly frequent in the video. Personally I think with no narrative it loses its entertainment factor.



Artist: The Smashing Pumpkins

Track: Bullet With Butterfly Wings

Genre: Alternative Rock

Type: Performance, Concept

Positive: The video is edited well for the context of the genre the video has a filter effect to make the colour look fuzzy and distorted. This effect has been used in many rock songs such as Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. The visual look of the video features diamond miming and gives an impression of the band’s approach to their music and society.

Negative: Viewers may find the video disturbing due to its dark, gritty look and the concept of diamond miming doesn't really have a connection with the band.



Artist: Backstreet Boys

Track: As Long As You Love Me

Genre: Pop

Type: Performance, Narrative The band are auditioning before six ladies. The ladies video tape the performances and take notes. The band members primarily sing and dance and they show an interest with the Boy Band.

Positive: The Video is bright and very Boy Band like. The conventions of Boy band videos usually show a heavy performance with the band. The effects used in this video are unique and provide a bigger entertainment factor. The morph effect where one member is morphed to another looks different and unique. The technical aspects within camera prove to be effective as there is a clear connection between the males and females and the way it is edited makes the audience understand and view the different perspectives of the band and the female characters or the love interests.

Negative: Limited use of camera shots.



Artist: Switchfoot

Track: Meant To Live

Genre: Alternative Rock/Soundtrack


Positive: The soundtrack to Spiderman 2 it is well edited to create meaning for the audience to understand the concept of the song and how it matches the films events. The Mise en scene used in the video look fantastic as the bands performance is set in New York just like the film and in parts it cuts directly into a scene from the film and creates the sense that the band are actually there where the film is taking place.

Negative: Mostly made up of clips from the film and does not really express the bands performance.



Artist: Rick Astley

Track: Never Gonna Give You Up

Genre: Pop, Dance

Type: Performance

Positive: Lighting is good creates a happy setting to go well with the song. The video is simple and could be easily replicated. A ranging use of camera shots emphasizes Astley’s and the dancer’s performances.

Negative: Repetition of locations. The video was made in the 80’s and does not match the effectiveness of videos made now.



Artist: Fountains Of Wayne

Track: Stacy’s Mom

Genre: Pop Rock

Type: Performance, Narrative about a boy's adolescent fantasies about a female friend's mother. The boy spends time with the friend in an attempt to get closer to her mother, hence the name of the song.

Positive: Humorous music video for entertainment. Heavily American based due to Mise en scene with the school and the house. The Narrative in the music video is expressed very well and is. Presented clearly Themes of Adult Nature is identified during viewing with a heavy teen base so a contemporary audience will enjoy it.

Negative: Use of Camera shots and movement is limited. The video is more Narrative than performance audience less likely to promote the band.



Artist: Taylor Swift

Track: Fifteen

Genre: Country Pop

Type: Performance, Narrative An experience through two girls tenth grade (Freshman) year at high school. Experiencing her first date and first kiss, and supporting a friend through a broken heart.

Positive: Fantastic use of special effects such as animated flowers. Making use of today’s use of digital technology. Narrative is easy to understand and flows with the context. Use of montage scenes creates and allows a deeper connection with the artist and the audience showing more of her tenth grade year.

Negative: Video gets repetitive with the same style throughout with camera movement and shots



Artist: A-ha

Track: Take On Me

Genre: Synthpop

Type: Performance, Narrative A romantic fantasy begins with a young woman drinking coffee and reading a comic book alone in a coffee shop. The comic contains a narrative about competitive motorcycle racing in which the hero is pursued by two villains.

Positive: A Breakthrough video of the 1980’s using an effect called rotoscoping in which the live-action footage is traced-over frame by frame to give the characters realistic movements. The video is unique, entertaining and the narrative is explained well by the performance and editing showing a clear connection with the lead singer and the love interest.

Negative: Very limited viewing of the rest of the band in the video and doe’s not sell their image in the historic video and is primarily focusing on the narrative with the lead singer and the woman.



Artist: Red Hot Chili Peppers

Track: Californication

Genre: Alternative Rock


Positive: The Concept of the video is very entertaining. The band taking the form of a 3D video game from the third person point of view of each of the band members off to some sort of adventure eventually concluding with all of them meeting at the centre of the Earth. Animation is well done and performance is strong.

Negative: Performance is limited in the video. The video is provided as an entertainment factor rather than a promotion.



Artist: Michael Jackson

Track: Thriller

Genre: Dance, Pop

Type: Performance, Narrative Horror story about Michael and his Date running into hordes of the undead and turns out to be a dream.

Positive: Regarded as the greatest music video ever and very influential to the scene of pop. Film like music video provides more to it rather than just a performance and has proven from today film like music videos continue to be made from the influence of this video. The Mise en scene is perfect for the case scenario of horror and the lighting is very effective as darkness is throughout the whole video. The Performance is strong and well presented.

Negative: Camera shots are very limited transitions are rarely used in this video it shows a major difference in videos that are made today.



Artist: Snoop Dogg

Track: Drop it like it’s hot

Genre: Hip Hop


Positive: Shot in monochrome looks different to other music videos. The video is edited well to match the context of the song with every scene following and depicting the respective lyrics.

Negative: Camera Shots are limited use of medium and long shots are highly frequent



Artist: Sinead O’ Connor

Track: Nothing Compares 2 U

Genre: Soft Rock


Positive: Powerful performance by the artist it is the main factor towards this music video and it proved to be very influential. The shots of the isolated areas in France shows a connection with the context of the song. Proves to be meaningful even though the video is simple.

Negative: Close up of the artists face is the main shot of the video. There is no variation of shots with her performance however the close up proves to be the best shot to use while expressing her emotions near the end of the song



Artist: Avril Lavigne

Track: Girlfriend

Genre: Pop Punk

Type: Performance, Narrative One girl does everything in her power to stop a boy from being with his current girlfriend and tempts him to get a new one.

Positive: Use of stereotypes and Mise en scene proves to be effective to help establish the type of characters in the music video and get an idea of the narrative. The locations are good for the context as the audience is aimed at teens and the locations will be familiar to a teen audience such as shopping Centre's etc.

Negative: Performance aspects in the video sometimes takes over some of the narrative and we lose some sight on the narrative.



Artist: Eminem

Track: Not Afraid

Genre: Rap, Hip Hop


Positive: Good performance well lit video fast editing to match the lyrics and images with the song. Camera shots are varied and look effective.

Negative: Same locations throughout



Artist: Alanis Morissette

Track: Ironic

Genre: Country Pop


Positive: Good performance by Artist taking 4 roles of herself dressing differently.

Negative: Camera shots are too long and not many of them



Artist: Rihanna

Track: Umbrella

Genre: R&B, Pop


Positive: Strong well presented performance Mise en scene looks good and use of special effects fit well in the context of the song.

Negative: Repetition of some shots



Artist: INXS

Track: Need You Tonight

Genre: Rock, New Wave


Positive: Good promotional video use of live action and animation combined provides a unique style to music videos especially in the 1980’s

Negative: Camera shots are limited and editing is minimal usually very long shots.



mini text analysis music videos

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