Andrew Goodwin’s Theory

From his book Dancing in the Distraction Factory (1992)

Andrew Goodwin states that there are particular characteristics in music videos that the audience can look out for.

There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals

This may be illustrative like in Rihanna’s music video for her 2007 hit ‘Umbrella’. However visuals can alternatively be amplifying or contradicting to lyrics.

There is a relationship between the music and the visuals

The tone of the music whether it be happy or angry will often be in sync with the atmosphere of the video. For example Kanye West’s track ‘All Falls Down’ has an emotional tone and towards the end of the video we see the woman crying.

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).The Weeknd is a new artist who’s record label (Republic Records) has used a low-angle long shot of him in the centre with his hands in his pockets in ‘Wicked Games’ (below)

And again in this medium shot in ‘The Zone’ (above). This has image that continues to recur creates an image of The Weeknd to the audience and tells us more about his personality.

An example of this is rapper Drake’s music video for his song ‘Hold on, we’re going home’ in which the female is objectified for the ‘male gaze’

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

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

Clip from Shakira – She Wolf (July 2009)

Clip from Nicki Minaj – Stupid Stupid (January 2012)

Nicki Minaj makes intertextual references to various music videos in her music video for her record ‘Stupid Stupid’. Here, Nicki Minaj has recreated scenes from Shakira’s ‘She Wolf’ video by dancing in a cage.

Here, Nicki Minaj in the music video for her track ‘Stupid Stupid’ (top right) has imitated a shot from Jessie J’s hit record ‘Price Tag’ (bottom right) where there are special effects used to make the artists look minute on big chairs.

Again in Nicki Minaj’s same video she has mimicked Lady Gaga by wearing similar contacts to make her iris’ look extremely large.

Lady Gaga – Bad Romance (November 2009)

Music videos demonstrate characteristics of the genre

A characteristic of rap and hip-hop videos is the sexual objectification of females - Male artists often show little respect to females referring to them as ‘bitches’ and ‘hoes’. For example in Pusha T’s music video for his track ‘Sweet Serenade’