Some tips on analysing music videos

1. Analysing Music
Videos
By Shannon Horton

2. What is the purpose of music video analysis? Well, music
video analysis helps develop your own skills in media analysis. It
hones in your ability to comment on macro and micro elements
and also alerts you to different types of representation. It helps
you identify with the genres of different types of music. It shows
you the typical codes and conventions within different genres of
music video analysed. For example: typical codes and
conventions for rock music would entail black clothing and
electric guitars.

3. Firstly, list the conventions and associations you would make with types
of music videos. For example:
1. Dance- Neon colours, glow sticks, nightclubs etc.
2. Rock-Fire, girls wearing “shocking” clothes, Blood etc.
3. Indie-Colour, Live play, small audiences etc.
Then, watch your video thoroughly. The first time through, don’t make
notes, just observe the video. On the second watch, list all the macro
and micro elements and note down features you observe near them
For example:
Rock Genre-Audience-Camera-Extreme Close Up on upside cross.
Then, explain why the feature is important, and what it portrays.
The upside down cross represents the connotations of cosmic/evil undertones that
most rock bands attempt to express in music videos.

4. You need to look out for three things when you are analysing music
videos.
You need to ask yourself whether your analysis is:
Invalid- Does it makes sense with the technique/element?
Undeveloped- Do you need to explore the analysis more?
Repeated- Have you already said a similar point
Repeated
Invalid Basic

5. Andrew Goodwin is a media expert. He specialises in ground-
breaking theories relating to music video analysis. This means
you should study his work prior to analysing a music video, as it
helps point you in helpful directions regarding music video
analysis. Goodwin identifies 5 key themes/aspect that we (as an
audience look for in music videos. We as an audience look out
for: Beats (seeing the sound), narrative and performance, the
“star” image, relation to visuals to song and technical aspects to
the video. His theories also state that music videos demonstrate
genre characters (e.g. stage performance in metal videos). He also
says that there is a relationship between lyrics and visuals (either
illustrative, amplifying or contradicting). He also offers that the
demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-
ups of the artist. This may resort in a motif development
reoccurring across their work (a visual style). He says there is
frequently reference to the notion of looking (screens within
screens etc.) and particular voyeuristic treatment of the human
body.

7. References
Analysing Music Videos (Accessed 28/10/2012) :
http://mediastudies-sobia.blogspot.com/p/andrew-
goodwin.
Cross (Accessed 28/10/2012) :
http://www.google.co.uk/images/cross
Andrew Goodwin’s Theory (Accessed
28/10/2012) :
http://www.slideshare.net/guestc6d43a4a/andrew-
goodwins-theory