Here is a presentation of Andrew Goodwin's theory of music videos.
https://prezi.com/764uaoj0henv/andrew-goodwin/
https://prezi.com/764uaoj0henv/andrew-goodwin/
Friday, 16 September 2016
Monday, 12 September 2016
Analysis of the Pop genre
The History of Pop
Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form in the Western world during the 1950's and 1960's as a softer alternative to Rock and Roll. However, the term 'pop music' was first coined around the middle of the 1920's. Pop music is electric and often borrows elements from other styles such as Urban, Dance, rock, Latin and Country. Factors within pop music include short to medium-length songs, as well as the employment of repeated choruses, melodic tunes and hooks. Some of the most well-known Pop artist's include The Beatles, Michael Jackson, ABBA,The Black Eyed Peas and Beyoncé. Pop now accounts for the majority of modern-day music and dominates the charts; It's generally described as commercial friendly, marketable and memorable with either vocals, lyrics, instruments, or a combination of all three. The ultimate goal of pop music is to give a visually coherent representation of the sound for the audience.
There are many instruments used to produce pop music, including a variety of guitars, bass, piano's, drums, amplifiers, electric piano's, electric keyboards and polyphonic tape playback keyboards.
Pop music incorporates themes such as love and relationships, inspirational, partying/clubbing, hooking up and struggle. This is usually paired with a narrative. These ultimately come together to form the typical Pop song.
Whitney Houston- I Will Always Love You (1992)
The American singer, actress, producer and model, Whitney Houston, released her pop song 'I Will Always Love You' in 1992 after her unforgettable rise to international prominence; it then became one of the best-selling singles of all time. Although Whitney is known for her R&B songs, this particular performance won a Grammy award for 'The best pop music video'. The artist was one of the most successful female singers and was also pop music's best-selling music artist to ever come into light; with an estimated 170-200 million records sold worldwide.
While analysing the song, 'I Will Always Love You', I was able to identify some key aspects of the music video that adhered to the conventions of the pop genre. For instance, the artist expresses her love for another individual through the lyrics and video. It's clear that the music video is set in an airport, to which she says good-bye to a loved one. This use of mise-en-scene consequently gives the audience a basic narrative to follow in order for them to connect with the song on a personal level. This convention also gives a visually coherent representation of the sound for the audience. Therefore it ultimately creates a link between the lyrics, scenery and main theme of a typical Pop music video; love, relationships and struggle.
Another convention employed in the music video was the camera angles that were used. By adopting shots such as medium close-up's, the audience is able to determine who is the main focus of the video. In the clip above, Whitney is shown as the main character as only her head and shoulders are able to be seen. This is accompanied by a pull focus camera shot, which blurs the artist's surroundings; thus forcing the audience to focus on Whitney and the lyrics she is singing. This encourages the audience to pay attention and follow the narrative shown within the pop music video, which is a clear convention of the pop genre.
Later on in the video, additional camera angles such as mid-shots are used to put the focus on the two main characters within most of the scenes, as shown in the screenshot above. This adheres to the main theme 'love and relationships' within pop music videos as we are able to interpret that the two individuals are in a loving relationship, due to how close they are standing next to each other, this creates an intimate atmosphere.
Beyonce- Sorry (2016)
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress born and raised in Houston Texas. As a solo artist, Beyoncé has sold over 16 million albums in the US, and over 100 million albums world-wide; making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The artist's album, 'Lemonade', was released in 2016 and included the pop song, 'Sorry'. However, it has been argued that this particular music video had a modern twist in terms of the typical pop genre.
Although one of the themes of pop music is 'struggle', it's less common to be expressed as the most typical themes in pop music videos is 'love and relationships'. Beyoncé uses conventions such as props with the use of mise-en-scene, to exemplify the 'struggle' theme. For instance, smashing the bat onto what looks like the audience's screen shows the viewers that artist is attempting to express her emotions, which in this case is anger. This briefly links to the alternative theme 'love and relationships' as the artist exaggerates how love and relationships can end badly. Thus giving it the modern twist that I introduced in the beginning paragraph.
Through time, pop music costumes have varied depending on the narrative in each music video. In this case, Beyoncé and the other women wear very unique and colourful outfits that stand out against their surroundings. This technique is powerful and is used to show that women can also be dominant. This adhere's to the theme 'inspirational' as it brings feminism into light. For instance, a sociologist named 'Fran Ansley' (1972) expresses that "Women are takers of shit". Beyonce could be addressing this problem by inspiring women to not be submissive to the power and dominance of men within society.
In addition, the Pop song uses typical thumping rhythms created by drum beats, synthesizers and bells that adhere to the pop music genre. These factors combined make the pop song memorable and marketable.
Later on in the video, additional camera angles such as mid-shots are used to put the focus on the two main characters within most of the scenes, as shown in the screenshot above. This adheres to the main theme 'love and relationships' within pop music videos as we are able to interpret that the two individuals are in a loving relationship, due to how close they are standing next to each other, this creates an intimate atmosphere.
Beyonce- Sorry (2016)
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter is an American singer, songwriter, record producer and actress born and raised in Houston Texas. As a solo artist, Beyoncé has sold over 16 million albums in the US, and over 100 million albums world-wide; making her one of the best-selling music artists of all time. The artist's album, 'Lemonade', was released in 2016 and included the pop song, 'Sorry'. However, it has been argued that this particular music video had a modern twist in terms of the typical pop genre.
In addition, the Pop song uses typical thumping rhythms created by drum beats, synthesizers and bells that adhere to the pop music genre. These factors combined make the pop song memorable and marketable.
Friday, 9 September 2016
Analysis of the rap genre
The History of Rap
Rap music began in the 1970's and was seen as a form of 'street art' within the United States, especially among African American teenagers. More than century before rap music began, West African musicians and folk artists from the Caribbean Islands were telling stories in rhyme to the beat of a drum. These singing poets from Africa and the Caribbean laid the foundation for modern-day American rap music. However, it wasn't until 1979 that record producers noticed this emerging musical genre. Once the genre was acknowledged, numerous rap acts surfaced and the audience began to grow. By the 1990's, rap matured from an old-school style which was relatively simple- to a new-school-style which was louder and included more lyrics. Artists such as The Notorious B.I.G, Snoop Dogg and Tupac ruled the charts at this time, as did Eminem- one of the most popular white rappers of all time. Today's rap music includes artists such as Jay-Z and 50 Cent. Rapping essentially involves the speaking or chanting of rhyming lyrics, often set to a beat. These rhymes often address provocative subjects such as sex, violence and socio-political issues. It's meant to be seen as one of the most sophisticated styles of poetry.
The main themes of rap music express the following; The self- important rapper, the womaniser, the threat, the indulgent celebrity and the social justice anthem. These were originally accompanied by drums, synth, guitars for bass and other disco tunes. However, after the genre adapted, this switched to a digital audio workstation, with millions of synthetic sounds to choose from.
Jay-Z- 99 Problems (2003)
Jay-Z's rap song, 99 problems, was released in 2003 and received a Grammy award for 'The best rap song'. After analysing the music video, it's evident that it shows characteristics of a typical rap song. One example of this is the costumes that are worn. Within rap videos, it's common for the vocalist and other individuals to wear baggy clothing and jewellery such as gold chains. As well as this, the artists typically are black due to rap music being of a black origin, making Jay-Z an archetypal fit for the genre. This appeals more to the target audience which is likely to be African American teenagers as it makes the individuals in the music video resemble gangsters and reflect the genre. This adheres to one of the main themes of rap which is violence.
Later on in the song, Jay-Z has an encounter with a police officer, who pulls him over and asks to search his vehicle. However, the artist expresses through the lyrics that he has done nothing wrong. This is the artist's way of showing how black males and females are targeted by police, therefore giving a powerful message and is an example of one of the themes of rap which is 'socio-political issues'. This works well with the lighting of the video which is in black and white. This could be a metaphor for how harsh society is, as 'black and white' is an expression used to show how something is harsh and simple; Something that is unlikely to change and is a way of life; Such as how people of a black ethnicity face serious problems such as racism in various aspects of everyday life. Therefore putting one of the main themes of rap music into use, 'The social justice anthem' which attempts to rectify some problems in the world, usually in the form of discrimination.
This use of lighting is overall effective as the audience, such as African American teenagers, are most likely to relate to this.
This music video was filmed on the streets of New York, mainly in the Bronx and Brooklyn with scenes in locations such as prisons, The Brooklyn bridge and dog fighting rings. This use of mise-en-scene sets the alpha-male and gangster image that Jay-Z is trying to achieve to reflect a typical rap music video.
Eminem- Rap God (2013)
Marshall Bruce Mathers III, known professionally as Eminem, is an American rapper, record producer and actor known as one of the most controversial and best-selling artists of the early 21st century. The artist's song 'Rap God' was released in 2013 and was nominated a Grammy award for 'The best rap performance'. Unlike other rap artists, Eminem is of a white ethnicity and broke the stereotype of typical rap artists being of a black origin. This was a big change in the music industry in regards to rap as it set a new image for the genre.
Although Eminem is not of a black origin, the artist was able to execute some of the best rap music videos and lyrics that adheres to the rap genre of the 2000's. This was done by the use of mise-en-scene. For instance, costume. Rap music videos typically reflect themes such as violence and 'the self-important celebrity'. All individuals within this music video are wearing costumes such as black tracksuits and hoodies, whereas Eminem himself is wearing a grey costume. This exemplifies one of the themes as the costume choice resembles a typical 'gang'. The costume choice also makes Eminem stand out from the rest of the 'gang' as if he were the leader, which is an example of the theme 'the self-important celebrity'.
The last use of mise-en-scene is the setting. 'Rap God' was filmed in an empty, dark and dingy warehouse with minimal lighting. This setting encourages the audience to feel as if they are in the video, in the 'gang' and therefore helps them to relate to the video. Although there are no women in this music video, the males are dressed and placed in the settings in order to be perceived as hard and tough and overall reflect the typical rap genre.
Tuesday, 6 September 2016
Analysis of the R&B genre
The History of R&B
R&B, also known as 'Rhythm and Blues", originated in the early 1950's and laid the ground- work for Rock and Roll. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans. R&B combines the elements of Jazz, gospel and The Blues. In the commercial rhythm blues music of the 1950's through to the 1970's, the bands usually included instruments such as piano's, one or two guitars, bass, drums, saxophone and sometimes background vocalists. The pop music is of black origin, with soulful vocal styles and features such as improvisation. The lyrics typically focus on themes such as freedom, economics, aspirations, sex and failures in terms of relationships. Some of the most famous Rhythm'n'Blues artists include the vocalist and bandleader, Louis Jordan and Los Angeles Blues-man "T-Bone" Walker.
The term 'Rhythm and Blues' has undergone a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950's, R&B was applied to the blues records. Beginning in the mid-1950's, after R&B contributed to the development of Rock and Roll, "R&B" became used to refer to music styles that incorporated electric blues as well as gospel and soul music. During the 1960's, R&B became increasingly popular, resulting in British bands such as 'The Rolling Stones' and 'The animals' making R&B music. This ultimately formed the building blocks of 'Contemporary R&B' which developed in the 1980's and combined elements such as soul, funk, pop, hip-hop and dance. Popular R&B vocalists and the end of the 20th century included Michael Jackson, R. Kelly and Whitney Houston.
R&B, also known as 'Rhythm and Blues", originated in the early 1950's and laid the ground- work for Rock and Roll. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans. R&B combines the elements of Jazz, gospel and The Blues. In the commercial rhythm blues music of the 1950's through to the 1970's, the bands usually included instruments such as piano's, one or two guitars, bass, drums, saxophone and sometimes background vocalists. The pop music is of black origin, with soulful vocal styles and features such as improvisation. The lyrics typically focus on themes such as freedom, economics, aspirations, sex and failures in terms of relationships. Some of the most famous Rhythm'n'Blues artists include the vocalist and bandleader, Louis Jordan and Los Angeles Blues-man "T-Bone" Walker.
The term 'Rhythm and Blues' has undergone a number of shifts in meaning. In the early 1950's, R&B was applied to the blues records. Beginning in the mid-1950's, after R&B contributed to the development of Rock and Roll, "R&B" became used to refer to music styles that incorporated electric blues as well as gospel and soul music. During the 1960's, R&B became increasingly popular, resulting in British bands such as 'The Rolling Stones' and 'The animals' making R&B music. This ultimately formed the building blocks of 'Contemporary R&B' which developed in the 1980's and combined elements such as soul, funk, pop, hip-hop and dance. Popular R&B vocalists and the end of the 20th century included Michael Jackson, R. Kelly and Whitney Houston.
R. Kelly - Ignition (Remix)
From conducting research on R&B music I have found that R. Kelly's 'Ignition", released in 2003, shows clear characteristics of the R&B genre. But more specifically, contemporary R&B. For instance, within the video R. Kelly appears to have various relationships with different women to whom are wearing minimal, yet seductive costumes. In regards to the lighting of the music video, it is evident that artificial lighting has been employed to make the location darker and give the room a 'party' vibe; thus complimenting the R&B themes and genre. In this small clip, camera angles such as mid-shot and low angle are used to show the power and authority of the males within the video. For instance the low angles of the men dancing behind the women.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6y_4_b6RS8
The Weeknd 'I Can't Feel My Face'
The next R&B video I analysed was The Weeknd's 'I Can't Feel My Face', which was released in 2015. This R&B video has clear conventions of R&B by the use of artificial lighting. For example, spotlights are used to put The Weeknd in focus, this is accompanied by an extreme close-up shot; which also suggests he is being looked at and/or admired by other women within the location of the video which is a nightclub. In contrast, when the camera is focused on a woman, the camera angles include high-angles which shows the point of view of The Weeknd, giving the impression he is standing over her to show dominance. This adheres the conventions of a typical R&B video in which the male is superior. In addition, the setting is dark which creates a sensuous ambience between the two genders within the music video.
Other typical conventions used within this music video is the use of mise-en-scene; such as the costumes and makeup on the individuals. The overall costume choice within the music video is simple yet effective as they use basic colours and materials. However, the bright lighting and dull backgrounds make the costumes stand out. The men in the video, including 'The Weeknd' himself, wear all dark clothing such as black baggy bomber jackets or tops, boots and jeans. Wearing baggy costumes and jewellery such as a chain gives the impression that they are 'big' and 'tough' as well as wealthy. This adheres to one of the themes of R&B which is money.
As you can see in the image below, The Weeknd's costume is basic yet efficacious and stands out against the vibrant background he is standing in front of.
The women in the video have a similar costume style. Although there is only one main female within the video, her costume consists of a white crop top and shorts. This would be considered minimal clothing as areas such as her chest, arms, midriff, legs and shoulders are exposed. The reason to this is because women are typically used in R&B videos to make the males look increasingly prominent, whereas the females are perceived as inferior; as shown in R. Kelly's R&B song 'Ignition'. This is also done by using camera angles. An example of this is in the small clip above. By aiming the camera down onto the girl, it makes it look as if she is being looked at by the artist himself, or by other men within the nightclub; therefore making her look submissive and vulnerable as she is lower down in the shot as if she is on her knees. This also contributes to women being seen as sexual objects in R&B.
The cosmetics used are effortless yet seductive, fitting in well with the hazy room due to the people within the club smoking; this essentially sets a typical Rhythm'n'Blues atmosphere. The woman's dark eye shadow and shiny lips are consequently alluring to the audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEI4qSrkPAs
The next R&B video I analysed was The Weeknd's 'I Can't Feel My Face', which was released in 2015. This R&B video has clear conventions of R&B by the use of artificial lighting. For example, spotlights are used to put The Weeknd in focus, this is accompanied by an extreme close-up shot; which also suggests he is being looked at and/or admired by other women within the location of the video which is a nightclub. In contrast, when the camera is focused on a woman, the camera angles include high-angles which shows the point of view of The Weeknd, giving the impression he is standing over her to show dominance. This adheres the conventions of a typical R&B video in which the male is superior. In addition, the setting is dark which creates a sensuous ambience between the two genders within the music video.
As you can see in the image below, The Weeknd's costume is basic yet efficacious and stands out against the vibrant background he is standing in front of.
The cosmetics used are effortless yet seductive, fitting in well with the hazy room due to the people within the club smoking; this essentially sets a typical Rhythm'n'Blues atmosphere. The woman's dark eye shadow and shiny lips are consequently alluring to the audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEI4qSrkPAs
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