Timeline of music video history

Lyrics for 3rd choice: Set the fire to the third bar- Snow Patrol ft Martha Wainwright

I find the map and draw a straight line
Over rivers, farms, and state lines
The distance from here to where you'd be
It's only finger-lengths that I see
I touch the place where I'd find your face
My finger in creases of distant dark places

I hang my coat up in the first bar
There is no peace that I've found so far
The laughter penetrates my silence
As drunken men find flaws in science

Their words mostly noises
Ghosts with just voices
Your words in my memory
Are like music to me

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold gound
I, I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms

After I have travelled so far
We'd set the fire to the third bar
We'd share each other like an island
Until exhausted, close our eyelids
And dreaming, pick up from
The last place we left off
Your soft skin is weeping
A joy you can't keep in

I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold gound
And I, I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms

And miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold gound
and I, I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms 

Lyrics for 2nd choice: Wires- Athlete

You got wires, going in
You got wires, coming out of your skin
You got tears, making tracks
I got tears, that are scared of the facts

Running, down corridors through, automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
I see hope is here, in a plastic box
I've seen christmas lights, reflect in your eyes

You got wires, going in
You got wires, coming out of your skin
There's dry blood, on your wrist
Your dry blood on my fingertip

Running, down corridoors through, automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
First night of your life, curled up on your own
Looking at you now, you would never know

I see it in your eyes, I see it in your eyes
You'll be alright
I see it in your eyes, I see it in your eyes
You'll be alright

Alright

Running, down corridors through, automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
I see hope is here, in a plastic box
I've seen christmas lights, reflect in your eyes
down corridors, through automatic doors
Got to get to you, got to see this through
First night of your life, curled up on your own
Looking at you now, you would never know. 

Lyrics for 1st choice: Better together- Jack Johnson

[Verse 1:]
There's no combination of words
I could put on the back of a postcard,
No song that I could sing
But I can try for your heart,
Our dreams, and they are made out of real things,
Like a shoebox of photographs,
With sepiatone loving,
Love is the answer
At least for most of the questions in my heart ,
Like why are we here? And where do we go?
And how come it's so hard?
It's not always easy,
And sometimes life can be deceiving,
I'll tell you one thing, its always better when we're together

[Chorus:]
MMM, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, we'll look at the stars when we're together
Well, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, it's always better when we're together

[Verse 2:]
And all of these moments
Just might find their way into my dreams tonight
But I know that they'll be gone,
When the morning light sings
And brings new things,
But tomorrow night you see
That they'll be gone too,
Too many things I have to do,
But if all of these dreams might find their way
Into my day to day scene
I'll be under the impression,
I was somewhere in-between
With only two,
Just me and you
Not so many things we got to do,
Or places we got to be
We'll sit beneath the mango tree now

Yeah, it's always better when we're together
MMM, We're somewhere in-between together
Well, it's always better when we're together
Yeah, it's always better when we're together

MmMMmm MmMMm MmMMm
I believe in memories
They look so, so pretty when I sleep
Hey now, and when, I wake up,
You look so pretty sleeping next to me
But there is not enough time,
And there is no, no song I could sing
And there is no combination of words I could say
But I will still tell you one thing,
We're better together

Analysis of Kesha's music video - Your love is my drug

We were given a task in lesson to analysis a music video of our choice in pairs and then present our ideas to the class. My partner and I chose Kesha's - your love is my drug; below is the music video and points we developed. 

• Shot types: starts with a close up, point of view shots, long shots to show the settings, close ups of animals to show she's in a different country, shot of her legs to show she's walking to the point ( this helps it to flow) and is common in most music videos.
• She's wearing a mask to show she's part of the environment.
• She points at the camera to interact with the audience.
• When she sings your love is my drug the bug eye effect comes up to symbolise a feeling of being high.
• Camera movement: tracks in a close up to show surroundings. 
• The bright colours and animals make the music video interesting and make the audience continue watching.
• Intertextuality is also used, the audience can relate to the music video even more if they have been high.
• Point of view shot is used a lot in order to make the audience involved with the narrative.
• A lot of jump cuts which is common in music videos.
• Kesha and the camera move a lot from rocks to animals. A lot of space is used.
• The outfits represent the hippie style of life which also connects to the lyrics. Hippies are also known for getting high which links with the name of the song.
• The cartoon effects relates to the hippies again and the sense of being high, this symbolises the relationship between visuals and lyrics.
• The turning into cartoons to represent invincibility and again being high.
• The star transition to go from cartoon back to real life.
• Cartoons link with jolly music, she's swimming like a mermaid to show how happy she is and to symbolise the sense of freedom.
• The sunset is romantic, connects the two characters.
• The glowing neon paint relates with the landscape and looks tribal. Also multicoloured represents hippie and how happy she is.

History of MTV- Music television

The rise of MTV started from 1981-2003 where rapid growth was achieved. MTV is the oldest and most influential American cable network specialised in music. It was launched on August 1, 1981 where there was an introduction followed by a video clip of the song "video killed the radio star"- Buggles. MTV became a major presence in the TV industry and in the overall American cultural landscape. MTV was established by Warner Amex Satellite Entertainment Company after extensive marketing research. The key of MTV's viability, was the availability of low cost programming in the form of music videos. Originally these were provided free by record companies, because they thought of them as advertising for their records and performers. 


MTV presented one video after another in a constant flow that contrasted with the discrete individual programs found on other television networks. MTV was like top 40 radio where the clips were repeated from time to time according to a rotational schedule. It soon became apparent that MTV could break a recording act, just as radio had done for decades. A music video is a brief television segment, usually shot on film but intended to be shown only on a TV. The foundation of a video clip is the soundtrack, which is the recording of the song and the sale of which is promoted by the video. In some cases, other material such as sound effects or introductory dialogue may also appear on the soundtrack. The acting in a concept video is usually done but the artists although in some cases the video cuts away from the band to actors who act out a drama inspired by the lyrics. This is some of the displaced musical content of MTV, especially soft rock, has landed on VH1 which is a second video channel owned by MTV. Launched in 1985, VH1 quickly acquired a bad reputation. Otherwise, the channel has had an indistinct image and has languished in the shadow of MTV. By 1994 VH1 was playing slightly harder music and breaking recording artists.


MTV and VH1 are by far the most important outlets for music video programming in the United States. Many competing services have fallen by the wayside, while BET, CMT and TNN are probably the most important survivors as of 1995. These networks specialise in black programming and country and western, which means that they compete only in a limited way with MTV and VH1. Music video and MTV are major ingredients of television programming internationally. MTV Europe, launched in 1987, was followed by an asian service in 1991 and MTV Latino in 1993. VH1 seems poised to follow a similar course, having established a European service in 1994. Both economically and aesthetically, MTV has wrought major changes in the entertainment industries. By combining music with television in a new way, MTV has charted a path for both industries into a future of postmodern synergy.


Below is the link to MTV's official UK website
http://www.mtv.co.uk/videos?s_cid=161&gclid=CLeA6t2WkKwCFUUOfAod0H9GnA

This video is the opening of MTV's first ever broadcast: 

Star Image - Referring to the 3 theorists

Stars are a phenomenon of consumption in that they are a result of our modern culture of consumerism. Consumerism is the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods. Stars can be seen as both ordinary and special, their behaviours are mimicked and lifestyles desired, they seem to have become more influential. Star image is created out of promotion, publicity, body of work and criticism/comments. What most people wonder are if stars are good or rebellious, and if we can categorize them by image rather than by genre or label. However, some stars have multiple images- e.g Madonna, Kylie and Lady Gaga. The author of the star can be individual, multiple- where many authors can be seen in one piece of work, collective- the author is the sum of a team's work, or corporate- where the author is actually the company/business/institutional structure. 


Andrew Goodwin:      


Andrew Goodwin suggested that in order for the audience to identify with the artist, the stars identity has to be created, especially when lyrics lack depth. The construction of stars is central to the economics of the music industry as only the star themselves gurantee a long career. Andrew Goodwin also believes that star loyalty is a key ingredient as fans are loyal to the star, so the star had to be loyal to the fans. He also suggested that many recird companies rely on a few big stars or maybe even just one, in order to be stable, therefore record companies are very dependent on stars and the image they portray. 


Richard Dyer: 

The existence of musical stars has led to a related phenomenon which are the fans and how they are the result of our modern culture of consumerism. He suggested that there are 4 types of relationships that fans have with their star:

1. Emotional Affinity- This is the most common, and is when the audience feels a loose attachment to the artist.
2. Self Identification- When a member of the audience places themselves in the same situation and persona of the star.
3. Imitation- This is mostly common among the young, when the star is seen as a role model.
4. Projection- This is the next level of imitation when it becomes extreme. This is when the fans behaviour, clothes, hairstyles etc are mimicking the star.

Richard Griffith: 

Richard suggests that stardom is food for dreams and has escapist qualities. He believes that it is all about consumption and the way the wealthy show off the fact that they have money. Stars are considered as both ordinary and special, especially when their behaviours are modeled and their lifestyles desired. He believes that stars sell a lifestyle we think is ordinary and achievable, even though its not.