The Yeah Yeah Yeah's are an indie/rock band formed in 2000 in New York. They appeal to audiences through their music videos which portray the band's style and strong femininity. They also interact with fans through their website, which shares news, videos, and a way to contact the band. This helps fans feel connected to the band and their music.
1. o The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s are an indie/rock band, they formed in 2000
in New York.
o Their style has been described as "an art-rock trio who made an
edgy post-punk, dancefloor-friendly racket that mixed up Blondie
with Siouxsie and the Banshees.” With each of those artists also
representing elements of the same genre.
o Some of the other genres that the band
catorgorise into are: art punk, dance punk and
post punk revival (a development in alternative
rock of the late 20th and early 21st centuries).
2. o The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s are a female fronted band, something which isn’t very
popularised due to the unusual association with females and rock ‘n’ roll.
Females, especially teenagers who are beginning to find themselves and
become more independent are therefore going to praise this.
o The femininity presented by the band isn’t necessarily the same femininity
presented by artists such as Laura Marling and Florence and the Machine,
who demonstrate femininity through much elegance and grace. Instead they
show a more intense side to it by using a ‘fierce’ approach. An approach
which presents women showing the world what they can do – and what they
are not afraid of doing. Female rockers show a dangerous side to women,
they prove that they can maintain the rock ‘n’ roll image.
o To briefly conclude, the target audience belonging to this band are people
who would classify that they listen to indie/rock and both genders with
males looking at this feisty type of female as a sex symbol and with women
looking at the female band members for inspiration.
How do they appeal to their audiences?
3. o Music videos, interviews and CD covers are used by the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s
to put forward their style, mannerisms and musical style to appeal to their
audience.
o The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s music videos each hold visuals that entice the
audience. Low angle shots and non eye contact movement show the
dominance and power of the lead singer Karen in their video “Maps”. She
wears a ‘girly’ outfit to strongly put across that she is a women, along with
accessories such as the back studded glove and red lipstick, she wears her
hair messy and stands with her legs apart in a strong manner to show her
power and the rock ‘n’ roll characteristic of the band. This is especially
going to appeal to the strong female characters of the audience. The outfit
that she wears in this video is also however considered as ‘sexy’ and the red
lipstick creates glamour, this appeals to the male side of the audience.
o Rock ‘n’ roll has a lifestyle that many people wish to live. This lifestyle can
be slightly seen in their video “Zero”. The audience will begin to think of
the bands lifestyle as ‘cool’. The studded/leather clothes worn by the lead
singer add to this conception with the video showing Karen skipping and
running down the street whilst singing the song…
4. …she shows she is free which again shows her powerful femininity.
Furthermore she is showing she can do what she wants and isn’t afraid to
do it by walking and dancing in the middle of the road with people looking
at her – this is the attitude of rockers – the attitude that many of the
audience have and can therefore relate to.
o The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s video “Y Control” portrayed child mutilation. A
strong message like this lets the audience become aware that the band are
‘real people’ and that incidents like these still come to their attention. A
sense of reality is then added to the video and the audience will then feel
that they can relate to it more.
o The bands website shows three photos at the top. These pictures are
presumed to have been submitted by fans and each show different things in
the shape of a Y. It shows that the band care about their fans and want them
to be involved with the band, this is something valued by fans.
o The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s CD covers all hold very fierce and unusual images.
The immediate impression is that they are a rock band with a strong
attitude which will be heard in their music. This straight away attracts the
correct target audience.
5. o Interviews will always help the band interact with their audience. It’s a way of
letting their fans know about their future plans as well as the inspiration
behind their music etc. Interviews are also a way of showing a more personal
side to the band, something the audience can relate to, for example: in this
interview the band discuss their favorite karaoke songs and show the viewers
the difference between their on-stage clothes and their more casual off-stage
clothes. It’s also a way that artists thank their fans for the support that they
have given them, its very personal as it is coming directly from them.
o The band interact with their audience by supporting and belonging to the
genre of the music. By holding a similar style, appearance and liking the same
music as the audience they are joining their ‘tribe’ they belong to the same
group as their audience, which allows their audience to be able to relate to
them and therefore interact with them easier. This is because they will be able
to relate to what the band are saying in their interviews, what hidden stories
their videos hold and what they are trying to put across on their CD covers.
How do they interact with their
audiences?
6. o The bands website is a very important way of the band communicating
with their audience. The website holds information on tour dates and other
general band news. New videos and photos can are also uploaded. Through
photo uploading, fans can see what the band have been up to on tour etc.
There’s also details on how to contact the band on the website, this is a vital
way of the band and audience interacting.
7. What can you learn from this artist about
how to appeal to the audience?
I have learnt:
o To create an appearance for the band or actors appearing in the video that
relates to the genre of indie/rock.
o To present an element of the band in a strong way to make the band unique
– in this case, femininity in a way that the audience can relate to and
identify with, whether it’s the fierce or elegant side.
o Portraying an image of something that is happening across the world to
create awareness can help to engage the audience, making them feel that
they can relate to the audience more.
