analysis of music videos

Muse uprising

One of Goodwin’s points is that a music video will display characteristics of its genre this is shown in uprising because the band is seen performing the song in the video with their instruments. This is a characteristic of the rock genre in general and is in most rock music videos. This is because rock music usually makes most of its money not from sales of their songs but from tours and live performances so the use of a performance in the video shows that the record label and the band want to promote themselves as a live music experience this also shows in the use of special effects like the fuse and the explosions that will promote their concerts and make them look like a interesting band to watch live.

Another of his points is that the music lyrics and the visuals will be linked the lyrics in uprising link to the visuals of what seems to be a stereotypical country run by a dictator with propaganda signs and a hopeless population (represented by the dolls). This allows the viewer to understand what the artist wants the lyrics to mean and helps connect certain ideas to the music. In uprising the visuals link the lyrics to the idea of an underground movement going through the streets proclaiming that they should rebel against the dictatorship.

The record labels demands are clear throughout the video as the lead singer is used as a front man and the image of the band. Lots of long duration close ups are used to make the audience associate with him and also make him a recognisable figure this will help build up a larger and more loyal fan base because they will recognise the singer and associate more with the band.

The notion of looking is used on the giant evil teddy bears as we look at them through television screens and windows in houses this is probably done as a link to the theme of rebellion as the public figures are on TV and out on the street while the freedom fighters have to stay on the move and hide from to much attention. If the idea of looking was used more on the band then a different feel to the video would occur where the audience would associate more with the regime as spies looking at the band and not as the producer intended as members of this society under the regime.

Goodwin said that there are normaly intertextual references to other media products there are no clear intertextual references that I noticed but more of a general link to all movies about a dictatorship or a cold war era film about soviet Europe with the same sort of bleak depressing streets and people walking around with no hope but more as robots brain washed by the state. This allows the audience to understand the video far quicker because they can rely on information already learnt from other products and therefore the background has already been filled in and the viewer can focus instead on the song and the band making the video more memorable and linked to many films and ideas.

Mumford and sons the cave

In the music video the video breaks a convention by focusing on a different group of people playing the instruments rather than the band however Mumford and sons is a group that does not fit well with most genres because of its strange collection of musical instruments and the lack of a drummer means that breaking the convention does fit with what the band tries to achieve and separates their own genre from other genres of music.

The lyrics are about a journey and the video reflects that by the group travelling around on scooters. This means the music video is more conventional because the link is not abstract but easier to understand this alters the overall feel to the music and makes it more realistic and gritty. This makes the band seem more grown up and will attract a larger group of people and not target a small niche market. This is because everyone can understand the meaning of the video and it will fit in more with most music video that people have seen and enjoyed.

The demands of the record label can be seen with the close ups of the singer and the rest of the group throughout the music video. However the small Mexican band also get close ups they even get a closer shot than the lead singer this to seems to break the band away from most conventional music and helps to show that this band is different and new. The close ups of the other group associate us to them differently to the band they are smiling and seem happy despite wearing dusty and worn clothes whereas Mumford and sons seem less happy but wear expensive and clean clothes.

The intertextual references link this song to movies about Mexico with the choice of clothes for the band but also more modern films with the scooters travelling around the roads. This links the 2 ways of looking at south America the old fashion way of dusty fields and poor Mexicans and a more modern view of a almost tropical and modern with cars and roads this links to the lyrics with the new way of looking at the world.