Diversity of Music Videos

Diversity of Music Videos

To make a music video unique and diverse, the producer would not necessarily follow the stereo-typical conventions of that specific genre making it unconventional as it does not meet the audience expectations so is seen as unusual, leaving the audience with something they have not experienced before. Unique and diverse music video engages the audience as the audience will try to think/work out the music video. A memorable music video contains unconventional and abstract aspects which help to engage the audience. Diverse and unique videos can be engaging or the audience, however will not appeal to all audiences as they prefer to watch a conventional video as this is what they originally preferred. 

Chris Cunningham is a diverse British music video director which creates music videos which do not necessarily conform to the stereotypical conventions of a specific genre, so it is seen as unusual. The artist was born in 1970, and grew up in Suffolk. He has created many music videos and created art illustrations and directed short movies. Chris Cunningham has worked with my different artists. This includes artists such as Madonna, in which he helped and work with to direct her song "Frozen". Usually Madonna's music and her videos would feature on some of the most popular music television channels and radio stations as she is a well known pop artist. Madonna usually conforms with the typical codes and conventions of the pop genre including elements such as extravagant outfits, fun, different locations to engage the audience all including an upbeat, happy piece of music. However, in this particular music video, Cunningham has gone against all the stereotypical aspects of a pop music video and in which Madonna would usually conform with.

This can be seen throughout the use of mise-en-scene micro elements. The first micro element used is costume which Madonna is wearing. This goes against the stereotypical pop genre music video.She is appearing in an all black, long length dress. This immediately gives a different feel to the video, it creates a dark message and a sense of enigma which the audience may find hard to relate. The colour black has connotations which helps to portray the artist as depressed and low. This is unconventional of a pop artist as they are typically seen to be upbeat and energetic, enjoying their song as they are singing. This could help to deter the audience from creating a relationship with the artist as this both suggests the artists personality which the artist may be portrayed as sad and dull. Additionally, this may be uninteresting for the audience to watch as they can't relate to the artist at this particular time.The visuals are quite simple and are not linked to the lyrics so this means that the audience have to spend more time figuring what the lyrics mean, therefore diverting their attention, this could possibly lead to an unsuccessful music video.

Madonna's music video also shows diversity through the micro-element of editing. This is because of instead of using  a conventional transition such as fast paced editing which is usually used in a pop music video, slow transitioning is used. This can be seen when Madonna herself turns into one of the crows. This in itself gives a unique approach to the music video, but also is unconventional as the pop genre usually contains fast and multiple transitions to portray a party/energetic atmosphere. The use of the crows also contrasts from the usual atmosphere which is created in a pop music video. The reason for this is that crows represent sorrow, sadness and death which creates a depressive and emotional atmosphere for the audience watching. "Frozen" also relates to Goodwin's music video theory. More specifically a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals. This is evident as when the beat of the song changes, the birds appear and fly into the sky simultaneously. Furthermore, this helps to engage the audience as they will think about this throughout the music video and can see how the director has thought about specific elements of the video to engage the audience.

Furthermore Madonna's music video "Frozen" can also be seen as a diverse, unique music video through the use of mise-en-scene elements. The location helps to show this as it is an isolated location in the middle of nowhere. This can create a sense of enigma for the audience and is unsettling to watch as they may find this slightly eerie. This is because the audience may not be expecting to see this specific location as they are expecting to see a luxury home or setting which the artist is filming in as connotations with the pop music genre link to wealth and luxury. The audience additionally may find it harder to relate to the artist and build a relationship with her. This could possibly be due to the audience believing that the location also portrays the artists personality, as dull and interesting so are not engaged further.

Lastly, another aspect of miss-en-scene which is used throughout the music video which helps to add the unconventional aspects to create a diverse music video is the use of low key lighting. The low key lighting is used throughout the majority of the music video. This style of lighting is unconventional to the pop genre as this helps to represent the artists emotion which suggests she is feeling low and depressed. This does not enable the music video to be relatable for many of the audience members as this is not something the audience would expect to see, as they are used to an upbeat, happy and energetic atmosphere. The dull lighting could also help to suggest and give an insight to the artists personality which may disengage the audience. 

Additionally to the previous music video by Madonna that I have analysed, a similar music video which is diverse to the genre in which Chris Cunningham has also helped to produce is Window Licker, by Aphex Twin. This music video is from the elctro/trance genre, which can be compared to the dance and pop genre due to the lighting and iconography used. The electro/trance genre music video usually consists of upbeat shots multiple scenes to keep the audience engaged at all times with something new happening frequently. The music video genre usually includes many different styles of lighting which vary in colour and style to add a unique edge to the video and keep the audience engaged. Additionally  the music video will usually consist of many scenes including a choreographed dance routine. This video goes against the conventional aspects of a dance video to make the video diverse and unique, something in which the audience would not usually expect to see.

"Window Licker" goes against the typical conventions of the electro/trance music style genre. This is due to the narrative of the music video. The music video would usually be a performance and narrative style video as the majority of the video would film younger people enjoying themselves in a club atmosphere. Whereas in this music video, the music video is mainly narrative based combing a series of different shots which helps to try and illustrate a narrative. This is not stereotypical to the genre as this is not something that the audience would expect to see. This could stop the audience from building a relationship with the artist because this could infer and portray the artists personality through the narrative which is not very infesting and disengaging for the audience. Furthermore, another unconventional aspect of this music video is the location. Stereotypically a electro/trance style music video would typically be set in a similar atmosphere to a Pop genre music video, usually in a club, bar or location where drinking and partying is involved. The video is unconventional because the audience would usually expect to see this genre filmed in an up market setting, possibly around a mansion, or in a night club setting surrounded by wealthy people, girls and luxurious items. The reason for this is the artists from this particular style of genre are linked with with having a lot of money and leading an extravagant  partying lifestyle. However, in this video the audience see the video filmed on urban streets which isn't associated with luxury or wealth. This could be inferred to the audience as "ordinary" and question why the would like to watch something which is ordinary and not engaging for them to watch. However the diversity could possibly engaging for the audience as a new setting could intrigue them as it is something they are not expecting to see, which is ultimately the reasoning behind a diverse music video.

Furthermore, the music video can be seen as diverse through  the use of presenting the directors work throughout the music video, which links to Goodwin's music video theory. This can be seen through the use of iconography, the umbrella which clearly shows the artists logo which helps to promote his work. This is not conventional to a music video as this helps to promote his other work, whereas the main purpose of a music video is to help promote that particular song which is usually been released around a similar time. However, this is beneficial for the artist as he may be recognisable, helping to promote his work. By doing this the audience will link obscurity and diverse conventions to the artist and help his videos to become more memorable, influencing people to purchase further music from the artist.

Another diverse, unconventional element to the trance/electro music video is the length of its introduction to the video. Usually an entire music video from this genre would be around 3-4 minutes long. However, for this music video this is the same amount of time for the beginning and the introduction of the video. This isn't conventional to the music video genre as to the music video would usually be fast, upbeat and quickly paced with fast moving scenes and transitions, not drawn out. The use of the slow introduction and multiple scenes to extend the length of the video can be considered disengaging and uninteresting for the audience as they may get bored of watching something that they do not necessarily understand. 

The close up shot of the artist in the back of the limo helps to represent the artist conventionally.This is as wealthy due, as the audience are able to see that the artist is sitting in the back of the limo, being chauffeured around. This is usually something that a wealthy person would be able to afford, as they would not want to drive themselves around. This is a conventional aspect of the artist. The wealth of the artist also would conventionally attract women, which are usually seen to be all over the artist in the majority of videos, which can clearly be seen through the close up shot. This could help to build a relationship between the artist and the audience as the audience get to see an insight of the artists personality and lifestyle and feel as though they get to know him more as a person through this. Similar to this video, again Goodwin's Theory is used through the theme of females being portrayed in a voyeuristic way. This is due to the women acting and being portrayed sexually and in a flirtatious way in the back of the limo. This is beneficial for the artist as this could be spoken about due to the controversy of the subject which makes the audience engaged and what to see what every body is discussing. Relating back to the point of the artist being portrayed stereo typically, the women seem to be "all over" the one man, which is stereotypical due to the wealth of the artist.

Another song in which Chris Cunningham has also directed is for the artist Aphex Twin is "Come to Daddy". Which due to its alternative style may not have featured on top chart music video channels. The music video follows the narrative style music video, which the audience can see an elderly woman who is walking her dog being frightened and patronized by younger people. Like previously analysed this music video is also diverse and unique due to the director not following stereotypical conventions which would usually be seen within the music video. This helps to engage the audience as they are intrigued by the fact they have not seen aspects like this throughout a music video before.

An un-conventional aspect of the music video is the fact the video is narrative based. Whereas this genre is usually performance based and consists of the artist singing and performing a choreographed dance routine with bright lights and in a club like/partying location. Whereas in this music video it is predominately filmed in a street, urban city location. This location has connotations with poverty, crime and people which are not very nice to be associated with. This is unconventional to the trance/electro pop genre as usually, as previously mentioned would be filmed and shot within a club scene or an expensive, luxury location. This is because the artist would usually appear as though they are wealthy and can afford to lead a outgoing lifestyle. However, this may engage the audience as this is something they are not used to seeing and is unique so they will not get bored or feel like they are watching something similar which is the intentions that the director had.

Secondly, the video is unconventional to the electro pop/trance genre as the music video is mainly narrative based. the music video consists of the the old lady being terroised and frightened. This creates a unique and diverse music video because videos of this genre usually are performance based which includes the artist perfuming to the camera and a dance routine which is mainly choreographed with upbeat music and lighting. In addition to this, the music video is not stereotypical as you would not expect to see an elderly person within the music video as you would expect to see younger people acting as though they are having fun and a good time. However, this could help to engage the audience as this is something they are not used to watching, and may sympathize for the elderly woman which intrigues them more, making them continue to watch as their attention is drawn in.

Goodwin's theory can be seen throughout the music video "Come To Daddy" due to the fact the music video follows a particular style. The music video is mainly narrative based with also a single concept idea. This can be seen as the video is mainly narrative based and follows one idea as the elderly woman walks her dog, and is terroised by younger children. This may be engaging for the audience to watch rather than the video being performance based as they have something to focus on and are engaged as to the actions of the actors and may be able to sympathize for the elderly woman. Goodwin's theory is also evident through possible demand of the artist. In which the artist can be seen with an editing technique used onto the child. This allows the audience to see the artist multiple times. Not only this, it makes the music video unique and diverse as this is unconventional to a narrative as usually the narrative would simply be acted out. Engaging the target audience, as this is not what they would usually expect to see and are intrigued by the editing technique. 

Michael Gondry is French director, screenwriter and producer.He is recognized for his distinctive use of mise on scene and unique visual style. Gondry has won several awards which includes Best Original Screenplay. Gondry also creates diverse and unique music videos however, they are not as unique and diverse as what Chris Cunningham has directed. Michael Gondry has worked with many artists, this includes The White Stripe and Kylie Mongoue.

Michael Gondry directed The White Stripe "The Hardest Button To Button". As this music video is unique and diverse, it would most likely not be shown on on chart show music channels and may feature on an alternative music video channel.

This music video is from the Rock genre. The music video follows some stereotypical conventions due to the instruments which are included in the making of the music, including a drum kit and an electric guitar. In addition to this the music video contains conventional rock colours throughout which are dark, including blacks, blues and red.  The audience may be engaged by this as they feel as though the artist has chosen these colours to help represent emotion that the audience may feel due to the music they are listening to. The audience in turn may feel as though they are beginning to know the artist more personally as he has done something for his fans. Also representing him as down to earth, in which may engage the audience and raise their respect for the artist.

In addition to this, the music video follows some conventional aspects. This can be seen through the music video being performance based, this is conventional to the rock genre as they do not normally have a narrative based performance as this may be confusing for the audience to follow. The video conforms to Goodwin's theory through the use of stage performance as it can be seen the artist playing the guitar. This may help to build a relationship between the artist and audience as the audience are reminded as to why they originally liked the artist based on their talent. Although the style of the performance is conventional, the location in which they are playing their instruments is unconventional. Usually rock bands are seen to be playing on a stage full of thousands of audience members and bright lighting. Instead, the band is playing on the side of the street, which may engage the audience as they are not used to seeing this. However, the audience may also be engaged as it has "stripped back" the artist into how they found fame, and get to see their raw and natural talent.

In addition to this, Michael Gondry also directed Kylie Monogues pop music video "Come Into My World". The pop genre's conventional aspects are upbeat and lively performance and narrative based videos. Which engage the target audience with luxurious or known locations along with bright lighting, filters and effects.

The music video is mainly performance based, in which the artist is seen to be singing performing to the camera as she is walking through the urban streets. This allows the audience to gain an insight to what the artist does on a daily basis, which we can presume as an audience this may be her daily routine due to the clothing which is casual. Building a relationship between both the audience and artist as they gain an insight as to what the artist is like, and what she enjoys to do. 

Kylie Monogues music video of "Come Into My World" both follows and goes against stereotypical conventions of the pop genre. Firstly, the setting goes against stereotypical conventions as the audience would usually expect to see a pop video filmed in a luxurious location possibly in a club or party atmosphere, whereas in Kylies video, this is shot in the urban streets. This does not intrigue the audience as it does not seem very interesting or welcoming. The location of urban streets helps to present the artist Kylie as down to earth as she has not chosen an expensive 'flashy' location to showcase her talent. This may engage the audience as it allows them to focus on why they originally liked the artist, for her talent in her voice. Urban streets in which the artist has filmed on may also help to engage the audience due to the hidden meaning. This may help to promote a message to the audience that she has worked her way up, and is reiterating how grateful she is for her fans and audience which she wouldn't have become this successful without them.

Another unconventional aspect of the music video is the costume in which Kylie is dressed in. The outfit is a simple and could be seen to be an "every day" outfit. This is not conventional as in pop music video's outfits are usually co-ordinated and styled with a bold, bright colour, engaging the target audience due to outrageous and brave choices.  Again, this may be what Kylie is aiming for as this presents her as down to earth and suggests to the audience that the costume which she is featured in does not matter as long as the music she produces is beneficial and is what the target audience is wanting to hear. the However, a conventional aspect of this music video is that it is mainly performance based as the audience see Kylie with a slightly choreographed dance making her way throughout the urban streets. However, this is also not conventional as this is not a complete choreographed dance routine which a pop music video would usually contain.

Goodwin's theory is evident throughout the music video as frequent uses of close ups are used to promote the artist. Close up shots allow the artist to show and express her true and natural emotion, not hiding anything and showing her in a down to earth light. This may engage the target audience as hidden meanings and theme become more obvious. As well as they feel as though they are beginning to build a relationship with the artist as they believe that they have an insight to the artist through the use of the close up and are getting to know them more.

In conclusion, by analyzing music videos from both Chris Cunningham and Michael Gondry, this shows that diverse music videos can be successful. Although I believe that Cunningham produces more unique and diverse work which helps to engage the audience more than Gondry's music videos and is more memorable for the audience. Cunningham creates music videos which contain both performance and narrative styles which helps to show more creativity and really thinks as to how he can engage the target audience. Whereas I think that Gondry makes his music video's diverse by slightly adapting music videos by not following basic conventional aspects, such as costume or location of where the music video is shot. The directors are similar in regards to they have both created diverse and unique music video's in which content included may not engage all audiences.

Creating a diverse and unique music videos this engages the audience as they are different and are intriguing towards the audience, meaning they will want to continue re watching, meaning increased views and sales for the artist, with a higher profit. However, a music artist such as Kylie Monogue has created a diverse, unique music video and this has not created a success for the artist. This can be seen from the amount of YouTube she has on the video in which I have analyzed. In this video, she did not reach a similar amount of views in which she normally would when she follows stereotypical conventions to the music genre.

Artist would want to worth with these directors, Cunningham and Gondry as the unique and diverse music videos are memorable and more engaging for the target audience to watch. This may in turn receive the music video more recognition and has been discussed more for its diversity. Therefore resulting in more sales for the artist and record label as the video has been seen by a wider target audience. However, creating a diverse music video may not be beneficial to the artist and record label, as they may seem to hard for the audience to understand and grasp. As the video may be too confusing the audience may become disengaged with their attention diverted, and therefore not resulting in a higher profit for the record label.

If I was to choose one of the directors to create a diverse music video. I would choose Gondry. The reason for this is, Cunningham's videos are the most diverse and unique which would in turn appeal and possibly engage a wider target audience. However, for my specific target audience, I do not believe that they would want to watch an obscene music video which may ruin the soul genre atmosphere of the serious and emotional topics which are sang through the lyrics. Instead, Gondry adapts conventions to make the slightly unique and diverse which engages the audience to think about hidden meaning and may help to reiterate the narrative.

Research into Censorship

Research into Censorship

Censorship is the altering and suppression of media which could be seen as offensive to viewers. This could be used during films, plays, television, music channels, radio and news reports. An example of this could be, the company would decide whether or not the media shown is unacceptable for a particular viewer to watch, most likely younger children to protect them from content which may not be appropriate for them to see or hear. Censorship is commonly used before watershed, which is before 9pm as most children are most likely not to be in bed, asleep at this time, so they could still be open to hearing or seeing content which they should not such as drugs, alcohol and nudity. However, after 9pm most children are expected to be in bed, asleep, so censorship is not commonly used after this time.

Ofcom is the UK authority for the media and communication industry. It censors behavior that is threatening, abusive and insulting which are most likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress people, breaching peace. Ofcom aims to censor during films, plays, television, music channels, radio and news reports. Along with deciding which time is acceptable for censoring, which is before 9pm, known as watershed. Ofcom have found that the majority of parents have found that their children have been exposed to explicit content in which they are not happy with their child watching, this contained drugs, alcohol, sexually explicit content, violence and explicit language.

One music video in which I have researched based on censorship is Rihanna's "We Found Love" music video. The video had to be censored before watershed for a number of reasons. The video contained behavior such as smoking, drinking alcohol, drug use, nudity and violence. The video was deemed inappropriate as the music video is most likely to engage a younger target audience, and this may encourage and provoke the behavior in the music video from the audience.


Artist - Rihanna

Rihanna believes that her music videos should not be censored. She has this strong belief for a number of different reasons. She firstly believes that her music videos enable her to express her personality through not only her lyrics but the way in which she displays her music, through her videos. She believes that it should not be offensive to express your own individual personality, and always hopes that it is not taken in the wrong way, or possibly offensively to her audience. Rihanna understands that some viewers may find nudity inappropriate in her music videos, and sometimes is not completely necessary; however her own, personal opinion on the matter that nudity is natural, and allows people to feel free. She also claims that it promotes self confidence to all women, which they shouldn't be ashamed of their bodies, considering herself a role model towards both younger and older women. Rihanna believes that by creating extravagant music videos, this creates a hysteria as many people will talk about the stunts and explicit scenes within her videos. This is something she claims many artists also do. As ultimately it results in more views and more sales of the music video as she has created something memorable by extreme actions. Lastly, Rihanna also states that she is merely growing up with her audience, she is bringing light and attention to real life situations which her audience will sooner or later discover. Rihanna believes that she is her own person, and should not have to follow what any body wants her to do, or listen to what others think. She states that everybody is an individual, and like her has the decision to follow what they please. Therefore, people that disagree with her actions, do not have to follow them.

Record Label

Rihanna is signed to the record label "Rock Label" which is a well established, highly profiting record labels focusing mainly with artists in the RnB and Hip Hop genre. Like Rihanna, Rock Label, record label also believe that music videos should not be censored. The record label company believe that with the artist music being censored, this does not allow the song to show its full potential as it isn't given justice, being allowed to play the full song. The record label also believe that with songs being censored more frequently, music will become very similar and will not appeal to varied audiences. They also believe that without censorship, the music will target a broad, varied target audience which overall means that they will then gain a higher profit. Additional to this, along the basis of profit for the record label, the more extravagant and controversial the music video, many more people will talk about the video and share, creating a hysteria. This then leads to an increased profit for the label, so it is understandable why they are against censorship. Rihannas record label support Rihanna's decision and lifestyle that she has created, and believe the content in which she chooses to show in her music video should not be censored as her extravagance and outgoing nature has made her the artist she is today, and the reason she is idolized by so many, so would not want to strip the artist of this of this trait.

Parents for Censorship

Ofcom, the censorship regulator carried out a study on 1000 parents. This research has proved that the majority of parents believe that children should not be exposed to videos like Rihannas and the content which is included in them, this includes activities such as drinking alcohol, taking drugs, gambling, sexual content and nudity. One reason which parents are for censorship is they believe that children are young and innocent, and should not be exposed to content like this as it may encourage a younger child to copy these actions and may believe that what they are doing isn't anything wrong. Another reason for parents for censorship is due to artists such as Miley Cyrus. Children have grown up watching the star on television programmes such as "Hannah Montana" they may potentially recognize the artist, watching one of her videos, and as they idolize her from the programme believe that her actions in her music videos as Miley Cyrus are acceptable. It is a fair argument in which parents believe that artists should be recognize for their pure talent, and not the way they act in their music videos. An artist should be idolized for their sound and music, not for their extravagant activities in music videos to boost ratings and increase profit. They often question why are many artists known for their stunts and out of control behavior, and will artists ever be known for their talent, like Whitney Huston or Eva Cassidy. It is also argued by parents that is the increase in crime due to the technological development which makes it easy for children to access music videos which show bad behavior positively and to make it seem like fun.

Parents against Censorship

Some parents are against censorship. There are many reasons for this view point, for example censorship is controversial as the music video in question by Rihanna "We Found Love" has over 4 million views on YouTube, so therefore the fans must enjoy watching the video as they wouldn't have watched it over this many times. Furthermore, some parents believe that after the age of 10 you are responsible for your own actions, this is because you have criminal liability for yourself and could have imprisonment if you are to commit a crime.  Therefore, it is believed that a child as young as this should have the correct morals and self guidance in order not to copy this behavior and it is simply acting for a music video. Parents also believe that censorship is not a positive thing for artists music videos as this does not allow them to express themselves and get across a point they are trying to express. By doing this, we do not get to see the artist express their personality, which is contradicting because as parents it is always encouraged to "be yourself" this is why some parents agree, as this is a good lesson to teach their children. Feminists believe that not having censored music videos is a good thing as the nudity broadcasted empowers the female body. Lastly, parents against censorship believe this due to countless studies proving that behavior shown in videos does not necessarily lead to the child following the behavior. For example, it is shown that 2% of 15-18 year olds exposed to gambling actually take it up on a regular basis.

Fans

Many fans do not agree with censorship of Rihanna's music videos. They already idolize the pop star due to her music, otherwise they would not have found an interest in her music to begin with. With censorship added to her music videos this is a suppression of her personality and speech which she expresses through her lyrics. Rihannas fans love her for who she is, and do not want what she has to say to be covered. Rihanna has a wide fan base, so those mature enough to listen to mature content and swearing should not miss out. Likewise, people should be knowledgeable enough to realise not to repeat the behavior and content if they do not believe it is what they should be doing. In addition to this, Rihanna should not have to censor her music, this is a way of expressing herself, and if people do not want to be exposed to the content in which she offers they should object to listen to it. Rihanna has over 81 million fans on Facebook, and 47 million on twitter. This shows that many fans are understanding of her content and do not judge her on this, they like her untouched music and feel that it would ruin the effect that it gives off when it is censored. With censoring Rihannas videos this potentially distorts the message she is trying to get across to her audience. For example "Love The Way You Lie" video tries to address a serious issue of domestic violence. This issue should not be protected from younger children as the issue needs to be brought to light, and bring across a clear, positive message.

British Music Channel - MTV

MTV is a highly successful music television channel which first broadcasted many years ago, and since then has gone on to branch of its brand into many different television channels based on different genres of music. MTV show censored videos before 9pm, and uncensored videos after 9pm which is watershed. This is when it is believed that children will be in bed, and are not exposed to content which they possibly may not want to have seen. However, MTV's argument of censorship is that there is research to prove that children listen to music through their headphones for up to 2 hours per day, so there is no knowing what they listen to, and no controlling what they listen to, so is there much point in censoring videos as children are already exposed to the content. Furthermore, MTV are appreciative that parents may not want their children exposed to some of the content shown so the music television channel sure that artists have two versions of the songs, uncensored, and censored. Examples of this are Madonna and Lady Gaga.

British Music Channel - AKA

British Music Channel AKA is a music channel which helps to showcase new, starting out talent which is yet not discovered, which allows them to showcase their music in seek for opportunities that arise. AKA are not in favor of censorship as they believe it does not give the new artist a full chance to showcase their talent as they have to hide what they want to express, and may not fully be able to show to the audience what their music is about. Some artists that showcase on AKA can be controversial in order to stand out from the crowd and get the recognition that they were hoping for. AKA believe that music is art and a creation, and isn't there to be covered up or altered for anybody, it is an individuals choice whether or not they want to watch something. An example of when censoring of a song was not used positively was with Chris Browns song "These Hoes Aint Loyal" with censorship added, it changed the lyrics to "these girls aint loyal" giving a general impression that all girls aren't trustworthy and changed the whole meaning of the lyrics. This proves that sometimes by changing the lyrics of the song due to censorship, it can be more offensive than the original.

British Radio Station - Radio 1

British Radio Station, Radio 1 support the idea of censorship due to their wide target audience as they appeal to all ages. One example of censorship from BBC Radio 1 is completely banning Rihanna's song "S&M" from their music charts. This was because it was deemed to explicit for their listeners and charts. However, it is unsure whether this was the reason for removing the song as this came around after Nick Grimshaw was mocked by Rihanna, and after this he made sure that her song was taken of the chart. This was not beneficial to Rihanna as this gave her bad publicity and decreased her sales and profit as the song was not heard by her usual audience.

British Radio Station - Capital Xtra

British Radio Station Capital Xtra believe in both freedom of speech, yet songs should also be censored. The radio station believe that each artist is entitled to express themselves through their music, if this is by explicit content then they should be allowed. However, only uncensored songs are played after watershed at 9pm so they do not offend their younger listeners as they have a wide target audience. Before watershed, songs are censored by using many different techniques. This includes, blanking, when the must is replaced with silence. Changing of words, which changes the particular word with something that sounds similar which is called re-sampling. Back masking which says the word in a different way to not completely change the sound of the song.

Overall, I believe that the views on censorship are equal and have the same general opinions whether they are for censorship or against censorship. The overall argument is that people are entitled to their own opinion on censorship as people have many different reasons for and against. I personally believe and agree with both sides of the argument. I can understand parents which want to protect there child and not expose them to explicit content too early. However, I do believe that now days it is easy to access this content and children will eventually learn about this content sooner or later, so why not learn this in a controlled environment where the issues can be discussed. Furthermore, I believe that music helps to discuss important issues which need to be addressed, such as Rihannas "Love The Way You Lie" which addresses domestic abuse, with the censoring of the song this does not allow the full message to come across to the audience. Furthermore, I can also understand the reasoning for censorship as many people will not find explicit content appropriate for the music channel and do not think that it is necessary. Depending on my selected song for my music video I will ensure that I do not choose an overly explicit song so it will not offend any of our audience members.

Research into Goodwins Theory

Music Video Relationships

Music videos are essential and important towards the success of the artists music. This is because a music video enables the audience to build a relationship with the artist. This is due to a number of reasons. Firstly, the audience is able to compare the lyrics of the song and the video to go with the music, which enables them to understand the song more than they originally would have. In addition to this, a music video allows the audience to have an insight on the artists lifestyle and personality. This could therefore result in an increased amount of sales for the artist, as the audience have built a relationship.

Goodwin's Music Video Theory

Goodwin's Music Video Theory contains many important factors when analyzing a music video and helps to differentiate between music videos which are successful and follow the key conventions of a music video, and music videos which are not successful possibly due to not following the stereotypical music conventions. Not only this but the theory explains which aspects are most likely to keep a audience or target audience engaged throughout the entire music video.

The music video which I will be analyzing to see whether it applies to Goodwin's Music Theory Video in order to create a successful music video is boy band The Wanted, "Walks Like Rihanna" shown below.

The first point of Goodwin's theory is that music videos help to demonstrate the artists genre stereotyically through characteristics and conventions. The wanted are an Anglo-Irish boy band which were formed in 2009. The boy band release music mainly from the Pop/Dance genre which is targeted towards a younger generation of teenagers and younger adults. In The Wanted's song "Walks Like Rihanna" it is evident that the boy band have followed the typical conventional aspects of a Pop/Dance music video. This is because a conventional aspect of the pop/dance genre is to have a performance and narrative based music video. From the picture below it is clear that The Wanted have included a performance into their music video as they have a co-ordinated dance along with telling a story about a girl which they find attractive. This aspect of the music video helps towards the success of the song as it creates a visual memory, the performance during the song will engage the audience, therefore increasing sales. Not only this but the dance sequence can be relatively funny for the audience to watch as there is a sense of sarcasm as the boy band dance, not taking themselves too seriously. This could reflect the band members personality, in which the audience may be intrigued and interested by allowing the audience to build a relationship with the members of the band.

The second factor of Goodwin's Music Video Theory is that there is a relationship between the lyrics of the song and the visuals of the music video. Within "She Walks Like Rihanna" this is clear through the use of lyrics "But who cares, she walks like Rihanna" this suggests to the audience they are not worried about the things in which the girl cannot do but still find her attractive due to her self confidence. The picture below [1] makes it evident that the is a relationship between the lyrics and the visuals of the music video as when the words "But who cares, she walks like Rihanna" are played the audience see the boy band attached to strings, this suggests that they are impersonating puppets. This could suggest to the audience that they are being controlled whenever she is around are willing to do whatever in order to get her attention. This also helps for the audience to build a relationship with the artist as they begin to understand and know there personality. The boys are promoting girls self confidence showing the audience they thoughtful towards girls images. Not only this but the artist help to show their personality further through the use of the puppet scene. This shows them as funny and entertaining which normally is not shown through a music video. This creates a visual image for the audience, and engages them overall promoting the video and increasing sales. Furthermore, the picture [2] has a relationship also with the lyrics. As the video shows the woman dancing, the lyrics overlap "She can't dance" this creates a sense of humour for the audience, and which they could possibly relate to the girl, dancing badly but not caring. This will create a visual memory and could be something which people discuss after seeing the video, therefore increasing profit.

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The third concept of Goodwin's Music Video Theory is whether there is a relationship between the music and visuals referring to illustrative, amplifying, contradicting, and whether the lyrics match the visuals. The first relationship with the music and the visuals is when one member of the band is dancing on his own [4], and the main chorus is about to come in when the beat changes. As the beat changes the artist changes his movement which is more outgoing than the rest and seems to be enjoying himself much more. This helps to build a relationship for the audience as they can relate to this. Usually at a beginning of the song people are listening to the song, waiting for the beat to change and the tempo to increase. This is the point when people enjoy the song most. The second part of the music video which incorporates a relationship between the lyrics and the music is when the artists are pretending to be puppets on a string [5] the co-ordinated dance is in time with the beat of the music, with every different beat there is a different movement. This helps to engage the audience as they see and notice this, as the dance looks well choreographed in time with the music. If the dance was out of sync with the music, this would what the audience would focus on, diverting the attention away from the music. Finally, another moment from the music video from The Wanted shows the girl which is being focused on throughout the video dancing to the beat of the music [6] However, her part of the music video is not choreographed, which contradicts Goodwin's theory. The difference with this is that her dance movements does not divert the attention away from the music, as the lyrics are talking about her. The audience can still relate and build a relationship as the girl still looks as though she is enjoying herself and having a good time, which is what the song encourages and promotes. The beat of the music is upbeat and enjoyable, which makes the audience feel good. This creates a lasting memory for them and also encourages them to purchase the song as they have enjoyed it. Overall boosting profit for the artists.

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Goodwin's fourth concept of the theory of music videos is the demands of the record label. Within this concept, stereo typically the music video will include multiple close up shots of the artist/artists. In addition to this, the artist could have developed several different motifs which reoccur throughout the music video. The micro-element of cinematography helps to demonstrate this factor of Goodwin's theory as it helps to show close up of each individual member of the boy band. This helps to improve profits for the artist and company as the target audience of younger teenagers, most likely younger girls will like to see their favorite member on the screen, and see them individually rather than as a whole group. Furthermore, by having several close up shots of the artist/artists this allows for the audience and artist to build a relationship. The audience focuses mainly on the artist and the lyrics and can connect to the song alot more then they usually would as this it more intimate being able to see the artists expressions more clearly and can relate as it feels as though the artist is singing the song towards the audience member individually. With the audience being able to connect to the song, this will ultimately make them enjoy the song more, increasing profit for the record label and artists.

The fifth factor of Goodwin's Music Video Theory is frequently reference to notion of looking. During this particular video of The Wanted's "Walks Like Rihanna" this can be seen through the use of screens within screens. Furthermore, Goodwin's theory suggests that a successful music video consists of voyeuristic treatment of the female body. Within this video the connotations of voyeuristic treatments of the female body are not noticeably clear, but can be seen if analyzed critically. For example, this can be seen when the women is sitting down, the camera focuses on the women's bare legs. However, this quickly contradicts Goodwin's Music Video theory as how the artists look at women quickly changes. This is clear due to the lyrics "But who cares, she walks like Rihanna" this suggests to the audience that the artist is overlooking certain aspects of the girl and focuses on what they like about her. This can be seen through the band acting and imitating puppets. This suggests that they are willing to do anything for the woman in order to grab her attention. This engages the audience as this is different from most Pop/Dance music videos which usually subject women and portray them sexually. This allows the audience to further engage with the song as this has intrigued them and has not put women down, therefore increasing profit due to the higher amount of sales.

The sixth concept of Goodwin's Music Video Theory is inter textual references. This is when parts of films, tv programmes or music videos are included in the video. Within The Wanted's music video for "Walks Like Rihanna" this can be seen when the bands music video is being shown on a smartphone. This is not unusual for current music videos as the majority use modern technology. The audience can relate to this as the target audience is majority the younger generation to which watching a video from multiple resources is second nature. This also reminds the audience that they can watch the music video multiple ways such as on a computer or on a smartphone through apps such as YouTube. In addition to this, by the band presumably being online this has promoted their music and could suggest their popular music.

The last concept of Goodwin's Music Video Theory is whether or not the video is primarily performance, concept or narrative based. It is important for a music video to fit into a specific genre of video, so that the artist can follow stereo typical convention which determine the success of the music video, depending on their target audience. There are 3 main types of music videos. The first type of music video is a performance based video. This usually features the artist or band performing typically singing, dancing, acting into the camera for most, if not all of the music video. Another type of music video is narrative based. This type of music video usually contains scenes which attempt to tell a story throughout the video. Actors are usually used to help to try and tell a narrative to the audience which is usually linked to the lyrical content. This is effective to the audience as it helps them to engage, also creating a visual memory which reminds the audience of the song, which could lead to an increase in sales. Lastly, another type of music video is based around a single idea or concept. The majority of concept or singled idea music video usually are edited in a particular style around the videos idea. The Wanted's music video for "Walks Like Rihanna" is primarily performance and narrative based. This is evident as the music video combines both of these elements. The band spend a large amount of the music video standing as a 5 piece singing to the audience, combined with a simple choreographed dance routine. The audience can relate to this and enjoy this part of the music video as it allows them to focus on the singing and lyrics of the video which is how they originally became a fan of the artist, presumably because of the lyrical content which the bands song contained, and the sound. Secondly, the audience also enjoy the music video due to is narrative. The audience can relate as this helps for them to understand the lyrics more, but does not need them to over think the video to question what is happening. The narrative also helps to the audience to create a visual memory by thinking of the song each time they see the video that they remember.

Overall I think that analyzing Goodwin's Music Video Theory is beneficial to me as this will help to assists me when I come to make my own music video. This is because I have learnt what helps to determine the success of a music video. I think that in my own music video I will follow key conventional aspects of the artists genre which I will choose. By doing this I believe that this will help for my music video to be more successful as it will include aspects which my target audience are expecting to see and from research know that they will enjoy. From this research I will also aim now to create a relationship between both lyrics and visuals. This is because this will then make it easier for my target audience to understand what is happening within the music video and do not have to divert their attention away from this. In addition to this I will also create a relationship between the lyrics and the music video itself. When the lyrics and beat of the song become more upbeat, or if I choose a song which is slower and with sad lyrics, I will create the visuals to match accordingly. With demands from record labels, I will ensure that close ups are used of the artist. This will help to create a relationship between the artist and the audience as they can see them on a more personal level as they can see the emotion of the artist depending on the lyrics they are singing. From this research it is clear that inter textual references are commonly used within music videos. However, I do not think that I will be using this technique in my video as this may be difficult to do and do not have the right equipment to create this effect for the audience. I do believe that many other music videos have not used this technique and still have had successful music videos, so to include this technique may not be necessary.

Research into Television Music Channels

Research into Television Music Channels

Many people watch music television channels as it allows them to easily access music videos with high quality. However, the main purpose of music television channels is to keep the public up to date with trending music worldwide and in their own specific country. Music video channels also enable people to watch a variety of different music videos  from different genres and can help them discover genres and styles of music which they like. There is a variety of choice of music channels. This ranges from MTV, which plays current, new songs in the charts which caters and appeals to a younger target audience. Whereas other music channels such as Kerrang! Play and show music videos in the Punk/Rock which would appeal to a different target audience. This is the reason for different and varied music channels is so it can appeal to many different people and their preferred genre of music, which can be reached on a 24 hour basis. 

MTV Music:

MTV is an American based channel which is now a global success, airing in several different countries worldwide and is owned by Viacom music, first launching on August 1st, 1981. Its a well known music channel which displays mainly up to date chart music targeted towards audiences aged 13-21 year olds. As an example, from looking at today's TV guide (Friday 19th June 2015) MTV are broadcasting shows such as "Maroon 5: brand new vid!", "hot, fresh & new!" which would suit the target audience as their preferred songs which they would want to listen to are most likely to be played. The title of the programme played has shortened words which a younger audience could relate to and instantly know what this is indicating. This could suggest to the audience the genre of music which will be played on the channel due to the style of writing. Viacom Media Networks also owns other successful channels such as Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. Benefits of belonging to a conglomerate company include the channel can be advertised on the other well known channels which the company owns to increase awareness and popularity due to the fact the channel could be reached to a variety of different target audiences, this also benefits the company as they are not having to invest and spend a large amount of their budget on advertising. The logo is appealing to the target audience as it is quite bold due to the large font which helps the logo to stand out. Additionally to this the logo is styled in a graffiti like way which is something which is stereotyped to be associated with teenagers so may engage them as this could infer the style of music which is shown. 

4Music:

The table below shows a daily listing of which programme's are broadcasted on 4Music:

4 Music is an music entertainment channel which was launched on 15th August 2008. It is available on a series of different television networks such as Virgin Media, Sky, and Freeview. From the listings from what 4Music are showing today it is comparable to MTV. The logo is new and current with different shapes and colours to attract a younger audience, but can also attract a wide range of audiences just from the logo as it is simple and bright, enticing people to see what this channel broadcasts. The bright, bold colours may attract a younger, teenage audience as the bright coloring has connotations with the music is shows, such as pop music as this is what the audience would expect to see in a pop music video. From the listings shown from 4Music's daily planner it is evident their target audience is for a younger generation of adults and teenagers. "We Got The Friday Feeling!" could suggest this is targeted towards a younger audience as most have been at work or school and are looking forward to going out over the weekend, and this could be a possible soundtrack to get them ready and what they could be listening to depending on where they are going. The target audience will want to tune in to the music channel again, as they realise that the music channel are creating programmes which are relatable for the audience and suit their daily requirements in regards to music. Another programme scheduled for that day was "This Week's Fresh Music Top 20" this clearly shows that the channel is represented towards a younger audience as they are interested in current and new music that is in the charts as this is what younger audiences tend to talk about in general conversations. This keeps the audience up to date as to what music is in the charts and allows them to hear new music which they may not have had a chance to listen to yet. 

Kerrang:
The table below shows a daily listing of which programmes are broadcasted on Kerrang:

Kerrang is a music station which is owned by The Box Plus Network, which first broadcasted in 2005 with the majority of its content as music videos. The music television channel usually play metal music along with punk/rock. I think the main target audience for Kerrang music television channel can range from a younger adult till middle aged adults. This is due to when the genre first originated. Punk first originated in the 70's, whilst Rock originated in the 40's and 50's. So the majority of people that listen to this genre of music may be from an elder generation as they have grown up with this type of music. It is evident that Kerrang is a punk/rock channel due to the programmes that it broadcasts. Firstly, today "Rock Hard All Night" this is appealing towards the target audience because the title relates back to what stereotypical rock fans would do, they are seen to be engaged with the partying lifestyle and could possibly be all night. The audience will see the links between the music channel and the programmes they air, and realise that the music channel is trying their best to engage, and cater for the target audience, resulting in the audience tuning back in to the specific music channel on a regular basis. Additionally, "This Weeks Rock Videos" is another programme which appeals to the target audience. This is because the target audience are clearly interested in the genre of rock so they will want to be seeing which new or videos are the most popular of the week. Also keeping them up to date with new releases and possibilities of finding new and undiscovered artists which they enjoy listening to. The logo of the music channel "Kerrang!" is a bold, black font which immediately grabs the audiences attention and engages them. Furthermore, the shattered handwriting may appeal to the target audience further as this helps to reflect style of the music and the stereotype of the audience which allows them to infer this music channel may be targeted towards rock fans. 

Clubland TV:

Clubland TV is a musical channel on Sky which airs in the UK. It mainly features upbeat, pop and dance music videos. In 2008, Clubland TV had five times more than the normal ratings of MTV Dance. Clubland TV mainly appeals to a younger target audience due to the genre of music it promotes and broadcasts to its viewers. This can be seen by the daily listings in which Clubland TV shows. For example, a programme which aired today on the channel is "Calvin Harris - 60 Minutes" this will be a popular programme and highly viewed by the target audience as Calvin Harris is known for his upbeat, dance/pop music and videos which this channel aims to broadcast for their target audience. Knowing which music their target audience will enjoy, Calvin Harris is a popular artist which would engage viewers, so give an entire hour dedicated to his music, increasing viewing ratings of the channel. Another programme which was broadcasted on Clubland TV today is "Ultimate FloorFillers" this would appeal to the channels target audience as they know that the channel will play purely the songs they enjoy and are interested in and what they would listen to when they are going out for a night out. The audience will then take into consideration the music channels attempt to engage the target audience and may find themselves returning to listening to the music channel as they have programmes which cater for their needs. Unlike many radio stations which play a variety of music to appeal and attract a wider target audience. This way, the audience knows which music they are going to be listening to which could lead to a higher number of viewings for the channel. The title is self explanatory and enables the audience to see which type of music the channel broadcast, resulting in more views as the audience do not have to spend a large amount of time choosing a channel which may or may not show which programmes and music they would like to listen to. Furthermore, the logo of the music channel appeals to a target audience, this is because the logo looks as if almost it is nightclub lighting, this could give them an insight of which music will play and which they may be interested in. However, the logo is not multi-coloured which may distract the audiences attention from the music video they are shown. In addition to this, Clubland TV is targeted to a younger age audience due to the many ways in which it is available. For example, from July 2014, Clubland TV had its own app which was available for the public to download, which meant they could listen to music on the go. Alot of teenagers and younger adults would be interested in this resource as they have hectic lifestyles but still want to continue listening to current music.

AKA:

AKA is a British digital satellite channel, owned by All Around The World Productions, which launched in 2003. The channel had a former operator which was Mushroom TV ltd. Which was in partnership with the previous music channel I discussed, Clubland TV. This could explain the similarity between the two channels as AKA music channel broadcasts similar music to Clubland TV, which plays hip-hop music but contrasts as the channel mainly focuses on grime, rap and urban genre of music. Since launching in 2003, the music channel AKA has helped to launch breakthrough acts careers such as N-Dubz, Tinchy Stryder and Chipmunk.  AKA plays many different programmes of the grime/rap/urban genre to appeal to their target audience. An example of this is a programme broadcasted "Grime Kings! Jme v Wiley v Skepta" this porgramme features multiple songs from each of the three artists, this appeals to the target audience as they may see one artist they recongise and could be an oppurtunity to find a new artist in which creates music from the same genre which they may discover and like. It also is 3 different variations and interpretations of the specific genre which the target audience may like. The music appeals to a younger generation which like to express their feeling and emotions of a topic through music. Additionally to this another programme which was broadcasted on music channel AKA was "Official AKA Rap & Grime Chart" straight away the title lets the audience know that this could be the most up to date music of the genre and could also discover new songs from new releases which the programme may show, this is important for a target audience as an expectation of a music channel is to help discover new music and artists from their preferred music genre taste. Another program which was shown on the music channel AKA was "Lethal Bizzle: In His Own Words" which from the title can be inferred that that the artist will be explaining his journey to fame, with also showcasing some of his music. This is appealing to the target audience as the audience may want to find out more about their favorite artist, in which is no better way than a show dedicated to this. The music channel helps to showcase unique talent which may not have had a chance, and allows the audience to discover talent and artists music which they had never heard beforehand. The logo is engaging and appealing to the target audience as it immediately stands out due to the bold black font, which is unique and gives the sense the music channel is targeted towards young teenagers due to the unique and edgy approach. 

MTV Music Channel is broken down into a series of different variations of the channel. For example there is now, MTV Base, Hits, Rock, Classic and Dance. I think that the reason for the break down of the channels into separate channels is so that an individual audience member can decide which channel they would like to watch more easily by the title of the channel. For example, if an audience member prefers Dance music, they are likely to select this channel as they may prefer the music that the channel broadcasts. By having different variations and genres of the music channels, the audience will get to know which artists appear on which channel. They can view new releases from the specific artist and the music videos that artist produces. It is important that target audiences are appealed to their preferred genre of music channel because through the artists music videos they are able to connect and build a relationship with that particular artist as they begin to have an insight of the artists personality, lifestyle and creativeness. Therefore, the video which has intrigued the audience will create a visual memory, wanting the audience want to watch the same channel, increasing ratings for MTV.

It is important that target audiences are appealed to a music channel because through the artists music videos they are able to connect and build a relationship with that particular artist. By the audience watching music channels they get to see different artists music videos and allows them to understand the artists personality, along with the music video representing what the artist enjoys doing possibly in free time and what they represent. The video which has intrigued the audience will create a visual memory therefore resulting in the audience remembering that they enjoyed the specific artists music video and would engage in their music again, leading to increased sales for the artist and a higher profit.

I think that there is a variety of many different music channels so that the channels can cater for all different audiences preferred music taste and genre. It also allows for audiences to discover different artists and genres of music which they would not possibly of heard of if all music channels broadcasted similar content. This ultimately is beneficial for both the audience and the artist. The audience discovers new talent and song interests whilst gives the artist opportunities to expand their audience and increase profit. 

From this research into Television Music Channels and researching into different channels such as MTV, 4Music, AKA, Clubland and Kerrang, I have found that it is important to aim for your music video to be aired on the channel which caters and is especially created for the genre of music. However I do believe that it is important for the music video to be broadcasted on varied music channel which shows different genres of music. I think it is important for the music video to be played on a specific music channel as it allows the target audience to see the new music which they would possibly like as this is their preferred genre of music. However I think it is important for the music to be played on a varied channel as the audience may come across the song and enjoy the music as it is not usually something that they would listen to. This research has influenced me to choose a specific genre of music as it is easier to advertise and broadcast as many music channels are specified into different genres of music.