Conventions of music videos

The purpose of a music video is to sell the song, sell the artist and to convey the songs meaning. To successfully achieve these music videos has conventions which they are able to follow.

There are three main types of music video, these being a commercial exhibitionist, televised bard and an electric shaman. A commercial exhibitionist video is based all around the artist where there will be a large number of close-up shots of them used to sell them as well as their music. An example of a commercial exhibitionist is Katy Perry California Girls where the video follows her in the candy land. A televised bard is where the music video tells the audience a story which related to the lyrics of the song, an example of this is Christina Aguilera beautiful where she is shows that everyone is beautiful in their own way. An electric shaman is the least used type of music video where artistic images are used and there are no camera shots of the artist. An example of this is Gnarls Barkley crazy.

Once the type of music video has been established the other conventions are used to make up the music video, these being: the music demonstrating the genre and characteristics e.g. through the speed of editing, a relationship between music and visual, a number a close up shots of the artist, the use of voyeurism and intertextual references.

Goodwin’s music video analysis
Andrew Goodwin writing in ‘Dancing in the Distraction Factory’ (Routledge 1992)

1.      Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics (e.g. stage performance in metal video, dance routine for boy/girl band).

2.    There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

3.    There is a relationship between music and visuals (either illustrative, amplifying, contradicting).

4.    The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style).

5.    There is frequently reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, telescopes, etc) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body.

6.    There is often intertextual reference (to films, TV programmes, other music videos etc).