Andrew Goodwins Music Video

Theory
By Conor Window

The 6 Key Aspects

Goodwin explained his theory through six different key conventions within a
music video:

Links between lyrics/visuals.

The beat.

Genre related style.

Close ups of the artist.

Voyeurism.

Intertexual reference.

Links Between Lyrics & Visuals

Illustrate this is where
the images in camera
shots are used to
denote/connote the lyrics
and their meaning, as seen
in R Kelly The Words
Greatest (bellow).

Amplify this is where

certain images are
emphasized, being
repeatedly shown in order
to encode these images to
the audiences mind, such
as the mirrors repeatedly
denoted in Justin
Timberlake Mirrors.
Contradicting this is
where the meaning of the
song/lyrics are opposite to
the denoted images, as
seen in Jessie J Price Tag,
where she is shown
surrounded by money,
contradicting the lyric:

Through the Beat

Labrinth Earthquake ft Tiny
Tempah uses multiple bright,
attractive colours inorder to
appeal to target audiences
visually. However there are also
many animated speakers around
the artists as he performs the
lyrics to the song. These provide
a physical denotation of the
bass behind the songs beat,
providing additional emphasis

Genre-Related Style
There are many pieces of common
iconography in the hip-hop genre that can be
denoted throughout many of the genres
music videos. One of these can be denoted in
the music video for 2Pac Hit Em Up (top,
right) where 3 artists can be denoted in
baggy jeans and Timberland boots, two
common pieces of clothing commonly
connoted with urban American gangster
culture. Another common piece of
iconography for the hip-hop/rap genre is
multiple pieces of expensive jewelry worn by
the artists. This can be denoted in the music
video for Kid Ink Promise ft. Fetty Wap

Multiple Close Ups Of Artists

This technique is used throughout all genres. It could possibly be used
in order to connote the male and female gaze theories, allowing
attraction of audience members of the opposite gender. However it
could also be used in orfer to present the artist as a star, as they can
be denoted in luxurious clothing, whilst the HD cameras used in many
mainstream music videos allow them to apper even better. These
multiple close ups of the one artist denote them as the centre of
attention, with this being able to improve their public image, possibly
translation to the media, e.g. news stories all about them. Such close
ups can be denoted in Drake Take Care ft. Rihanna (left) and Adele
Hello (right).

Voyeurism
Voyeurism is defined as the action of looking in order to receive
sexual pleasure. This is connoted in many music videos, with many
attractive young people, usually women, that have no contribution to
the song in terms of vocals, in order to attract audiences. This may
also be done by having women in bikinis or skimpy clothing, a
common denotation in music videos in the rap genre. This can be
denoted in 50 Cent Im The Man (Remix) ft. Chris Brown, where not
only are women in bikinis, but an attractive man (Chris Brown) is
surrounded by attractive women, connoting male/female gazes.

Intertexual References
This is where a music video connotes/denotes another piece of
media text, such as a movie or a book. This may be used as a
method of targeting a larger demographic, as this may attract
fans of the reference. This is done in the music video for Katy
Perry Last Friday Night, where the artist is portrayed similar
to Ugly Betty, a popular TV show, before being returned to
look like her normal self once again, connoting the male gaze
theory.