How to analyse Music Videos
Andrew Goodwin identifies 5 key aspects of music videos that we audience should look out for, which are:
-Thought Beats - Seeing the Sound
-Narrative / Performance
-The Star Image
-Relation of Visuals to Song
-Technical Aspects of Music Video
First Step; the music itself.
Second; the voice of the song.
Thirdly, the artist's image or mode of address.
Songs fail to give us the complete narrative.
We only get a jist of the meaning, and are free to create our own interpretations.
It doesn't have to show a complete and coherent narrative.
Star Image is one of the most vital aspects of an artist's success.
Artists keep a signature look and attitude, but it's common for an artist to change their image to keep up with the times and trends.
Relation of Visuals to Song
Illustrate
Amplify
Disjuncture
Technical Aspects
Camera Work
Movement
Special Effects
Editing
Setting
Costume
Authenticity
Lassy Gag
Lassy Gag oh my god
Lady Gaga acts as the narrator of this music video, addressing the audience directly. She sings about a chaotic night full of drunken antics, and the video quite rightly reflects this. In relation to Andrew Goodwin's theory, (which I have to reference, no matter how much I protest), the music video very cleary illustrates the music. The visuals remain very true to the lyrics, apart from the one line 'what's the name of this club?' when it's apparent they are in a house. But this might be due to Lady Gaga's drunkness, which is very clearly stated in the song and represented in the video by her harrassment of a inflatable whale.
Now for something completely different.
This is J-POP sensation Kyary Pamyu Pamyu's first hit music video, PONPONPON, establishing her as a sweet, girly idol, albiet a very excentric one.
The music video doesn't convey a coherent narrative, but nor does the actual song. If you have the great fortune of understand japanese, the lyrics are preppy, sugar-sweet and encourage friendliness and goodwill to all men. While the music video doesn't very much convey the last point, it very much conveys the first two. With the pink, girlish set and bouncy dance moves.
