1. Music videos demonstrate genre characteristics

For example:

Hip-Hop/Rap music videos are well known for filming on streets and using flashy cars, jewellery and women.

Rock music videos stereotypically revolve around a live performance/performance based music video.

Dance music videos are known for having dance routines or having footage in the clubs to match the pace of the song.

2. Relationship between visuals and lyrics

There is usually a succinct relationship between the visuals in a music video and the lyrics of the song itself for example:

Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" music video matches the lyrics exactly as it depicts a "war" among friends-turned-enemies which is what the song itself is about, a falling out between two friends who now have "bad blood".

J. Cole's "Lost One's" music video also matches the lyrics of his song as it is a narrative about his girlfriend having an abortion which mirrors the lyrics of the song.

3. Sex sells

By sex I don't mean literal sex but sexual imagery. The female body (especially in pop music videos) is over sexualised and given voyeuristic treatment as they are usually seen wearing tight clothes to show off their figure or they will wear revealing clothes. Examples of this include:

Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda" is basically the epitome of voyeurism in the music industry as this entire video is focused on her acting sexually, can you guess the purpose?

Miley Cyrus' "Wrecking Ball" which at the time broke the vevo record for most viewed video in a day! it's not hard to guess why... Miley is naked on a wrecking ball for the majority of the video and the rest of the video is her licking a hammer in a sexual manner!

Returning to the queen of tight and revealing clothes, Nicki Minaj features in a song called "All Eyes On You" and all eyes are literally on her! We forget the other two artists in the song even exist because she is the only one dressed in such a revealing manner and this is done purposely to gain more views!

Selena Gomez' "Good For You" shows just how young you can start to exploit the female body! The music video includes scenes in the shower and her awkwardly laying on the sofa in nothing but a silk robe but hey, whatever sells right?

If you haven't guessed it by now, the main purpose for the exploitation of the female body is to... sell! (the music)

4. Recurring visual styles

Artists such as Lady Gaga will have a recurring "thing" that happens in each of her music videos and her "thing" is her outrageous outfits!

5. Intertexual referencing

What I mean by intertexual referencing is when music videos make links to types of media such as TV or films. Examples include:

Iggy Azalea & Rita Ora's "Black Widow" was an ode to Kill Bill.

Taylor Swift's "Love Story" made an intertextual reference to Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. 

conventions of a music video

By Manh

conventions of a music video

media research task

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