the purpose of a music video

the purpose and structure of a music video

a music video has many purposes including
-providing a visual to what is primarily an audio source of entertainment
-it helps build or recreate the image of an artist
-it creates a specific audience that the music is aimed at
-it helps to sell the music
- it creates a recognisable artist and makes the artist more memorable amongst many others

most music videos has a stereotypical structure which would normally include some form of narrative which tells a story which has a link to the lyrics of the song and that the audience can identify with. This is then interspersed with images of the artist performing: this could include them singing or playing an instrument which proves their ability as a musician and creates a convincing and credible "star"

how a star is born

Florence and the Machine

Dyer suggests that "stars are manufactured images" and one way this image is manufactured is through album artwork




This CD cover shows Florence as obviously female and of an older generation. The flowers and birds in the background indicate a natural environment and make her seem more innocent. The loose tousled hair gives a sense of relaxation and the fact that she is not looking at the camera and is almost seen as sleeping emphasises this. Her clothing is quite transparent and as well as the lungs being a representation of the name of her album it could also suggest that she is baring all in her album and it is very stripped back. The position of her arms is very open as well showing that she is opening up to her audience. She is central in the shot and takes up the whole frame but because there is not eye contact with the camera, the audience are not challenged by her. The green color of the background accents her red hair which could be seen as different compared to the stereotypical pop star and this highlights her unique style.
The back cover of the artwork again links to the title of her album "lungs" and the black and white color scheme gives a darker image compared to the from cover. Florence once said that she 'aims to write sad songs to uplifting melodies' so more morbid back cover may represent that darker more mysterious lyrics in some of her songs.

Analysis of music videos

The Wanted- Lightning

-Quite a dark location- contrasting with the strip lights, emphasizes the singers
-Pop genre and aimed at a teenaged audience
-Boys wearing casual clothes, represent them as usual men, make them more relatable
-Frequent shots of fire could be seen as dangerous
-A storyline interspersed with performance shots of the band which is typical of a music video
-Teenage audience emphasized with shots of BMX bikes, the "party" idea of the video and boys chasing girls
-The slow motion shots emphasize the "pranks" like the dynamite and the rebellious nature of the band
-Represents the idea of "fun" and enjoying being young and breaking the rules
-Doesnt really give an overall good impression of the band as they are not really setting a good example
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Album Artwork

Often the artwork on an artists album gives a certain representation of them. For example:

This Eminem album cover represents him as a typical "gangster". Firstly the parental advisory logo shows that the album contains swearing portraying him is a bad person but also makes the album more appealing to a younger audience as they think it is cooler and more dangerous to purchase. The slight low angle makes him look bigger but it also means that he has to look down on the camera making it seem like he is looking down at the audience which could be quite intimidating. The backwards cap again confirms his image as a typical rapper as does the oversized shirt. However the fact that the shirt is white contradicts the usual meaning of purity and the outside location and blue sky would normally create quite an innocent representation.

Artists as Texts

An artist is not a text just as a person but as a brand being represented by a certain image, language and sound create a text.

How this text appears to the audience is just as important as the music itself.


We looked at how image is altered in different situations. For example:

 Although Cheryl is wearing white, a colour seen as being pure, but the bare legs and exposed shoulder gives a sultry and sexy image. Th white also contrasts with her tanned skin. Her eyes are directed into the lens of the camera, challenging the audience but also making it more personal. The tousled "sex hair" again gives a sexy image. She is lying on a beach which is a natural environment  even though the photo is been very manufactured.

 This photo shows Cheryl in her role as a judge on x-factor. Here she can be seen as a role model and a "national sweetheart" Her face is slightly angled which doesn't challenge the audience even though her eyes are still directed at the camera. The fact that she is smiling gives her a sweet and pure image and her simple make up and hair give her an "everyday look" which regular women would aspire to look like. The camera cuts out her chest area and her shirt is quite high which denies the audience Cheryl's normal sexy image.

Although Cheryl is very covered up here, she still gives off a sexy image. The sheer sleeves show her flesh very subtly and the fact that her hair is up shows her neck and some of her back. This photo was taken on the red carpet so the black dress contrasts the red on the carpet. Her eye make up is very heavy which draws attention to her eyes even though she is not looking into the camera. It also helps accentuate the sexy image she is trying to portray.