Codes and Conventions of a Music Video

Music videos follow far fewer tropes to one another than other media products, largely due to the differences between the songs and artists they promote. However, there are several clear distinctions that the majority will feature, largely defined by genre in terms of their conventionality:

• THE ARTIST The vast majority of music videos feature the artist in question in one form or another, whether it be performing said song or involved in a synergistic narrative.


• STYLIZATION Largely defined by genre, stylization supports music videos by drawing together the theme of the song with what's portrayed on screen. Rock music videos tend to be dimmer and less choreographed than pop videos for example, which generally feature the artist more prominently and are overall brighter in terms of aesthetic.


• NARRATIVE Regardless of if the narrative is less prominent and might be better defined as a theme or tone, many music videos, as does much music, portray a short, sharp plot, and an almost anecdotal message.

Music videos are most prominently created for pop artists, being by nature the most popular genre, and thus often with most backing from record labels due to the prediction of sales, the music video itself a form of advertisement for the actual product - the song, not the other way around. Numerous television channels are devoted entirely to the broadcasting of music videos, often in the form of chart shows reflecting recent sales via download or the purchase of compact-discs.

RESEARCH ANALYSIS

QUESTIONNAIRE 1
MUSIC VIDEO

Q What do you commonly expect to see within a music video?
A

1. attractive girls


2. attractive girls


3. fashion


4. a clear theme


5. the artist in question


6. some form of dance


7. musical performance


8. a narrative


9. fashion


10. a number of locations

Q What do you particularly dislike to see within a music video?

A

1. overly sexualized performers


2. people acting tough who clearly aren't


3. overly tanned performers


4. bad make-up


5. over-stylization


6. poor timing


7. a lack of originality


8. little or no relevance to the lyrics


9. people acting tough who clearly aren't


10. overly sexualized performers

Q What do you particularly like to see within a music video?
A

1. a strong narrative


2. a strong narrative


3. strong visuals/original style


4. fashion


5. strong visuals/original style


6. originality


7. humour


8. quick visuals


9. a good musical performance


10. originality

Q Do you commonly watch music video's online? (4+/week)
A

1. No


2. No


3. Yes


4. Yes


5. Yes


6. No


7. Yes


8. Yes


9. No


10. Yes

Q Do you commonly watch music videos on television? (4+/week)
A

1. Yes


2. Yes


3. Yes


4. No


5. Yes


6. No


7. No


8. No


9. No


10. Yes

Q Do you prefer a clear narrative or a strong performance within a music video?
A

1. Strong musical performance


2. Strong musical performance


3. Strong musical performance


4. Clear narrative


5. Clear narrative


6. Strong musical performance


7. Strong musical performance


8. Clear narrative


9. Clear narrative


10. Clear Narrative

Q In the past six months have you legally purchased an album?
A

1. Yes


2. Yes


3. No


4. No


5. No


6. No


7. No


8. No


9. Yes


10. Yes

Q If yes to the above, did you purchase a CD in store or via download?
A

1. Via download

2. Via download

9. CD in store

10. Via Download

Q Would you say that, overall, you prefer a single to feature a music video, or that it be left to the imagination?
A

1. Video


2. Video


3. No Video


4. Video


5. Video


6. Video


7. No Video


8. No Video


9. Video


10. No Video

Q Do you think it's important for a music video to be directly relevant to the lyrics of a song?
A

1. Quite important


2. Not important


3. Very important


4. Very important


5. Very important


6. Very important


7. Not important


8. Very important


9. Quite important


10. Very important

The results of this analysis give both corresponding and juxtaposed opinions of what an audience defines to be the trope traits of music videos. In response to question one, the majority of responses were entirely different, providing a subtle clue as to what an audience perceives to expect within a music video - variety. Also, the majority of responses referred to something directly aesthetic - suggesting that people have come to expect a certain level of visual originality. The responses to question two correspond with the aforementioned result - one response expressing succinct disdain of absent originality. Also in correlation with responses to the previous question, many of the objects of animosity within music videos were directly aesthetic, such as the overt sexualization of performers and poorly synced lyrics. Responses regarding the third inquiry included, most particularly, an originality in both video aesthetic as well as narrative, and the successful execution of both. Enforcing this evidence, responses towards a later question suggest an audience is evenly divided in terms of their preference between a clear narrative, and a strong visual performance. Also, a surprising number of respondents, although admittedly still a minority, would not necessarily expect a music video to be clearly, directly representative of the lyrics of a song.