What Is A Music Video?

What is a music video?

1)     Hip Hop-Jay Z

2)     RnB-Chris Brown

3)     Rock ‘n’ Roll-Elvis Presley

4)     Dance-Katy B

5)     Rap-Eminem

6)     Funk-Marvin Gaye

7)     House-Afro Jack

8)     Garage-Artful Dodger

9)     Opera-Katherine Jenkins

10) Classical-Ludwig Van Beethoven

Purpose of a music video

·                   A market tool used to promote the artist or their songs

·                     A short narrative or representation of the artist

·                     To attract a particular target audience

·                     To identify an artist/group

·                     To buy into the artists lifestyle

·                     To show the different generic conventions of a genre/music video

·                     For the audience to remember the music video

·                     To make a song available to a wide audience

·                     To show more about the artist

·                     The audience request music videos

·                     To build a relationship with the artist

·                     For the audience to understand more about a song

 

Music videos are split into 3 different categories: Concept, Performance and Dance.

 

Concept:

A concept based music video is when there is a message in the song which the artist is trying to show them through their music video.

Performance:

A performance based music video is used to promote the artist. This displays their musical talent and usually contains synchronised dancing.

Narrative:

A narrative based music video is when the video tells a story. The story usually relates to the lyrics giving the guidelines to the story. An example of a narrative based music video is ‘Taylor swift-you belong to me’

 

In Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful' music video she uses the element of performance, narrative and concept to convey the message she is trying to get across to the audience, that it doesnt matter how different you are, but to believe that you are beautiful. It is a performance because we see Christina Aguilera singing to the camera but also a narrative because of the images we see of people who consider themselves imperfect