Diversity in music videos - Miss Miller

Diverse or otherwise known as alternative music videos stay to the artistry rather than the artist themselves. Therefore the video is more about it's actual concept rather than simply standing so to improve the reputation of the artist or boost their profile etc. However that doesn't mean that artists don't use this method so to boost their profile.

 Often artists such as Marylin Mason and Lady Gaga are recognised for their unique take on the music industry which makes them stand out above other artists. Including artists such as Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Kanye West and many more. Not only are these artists recognised for their diverse music videos but also there 'abnormal' and at times controversial behaviour in their day to day lives. For instance when Marylin Manson attended the MTV awards (1998) with his then girlfriend Rose Mcgowan who if Manson's outfit wasn't eye catching enough as well as his trademark style of make up wore a see through fish net dress. A lot of people saw this stunt by the pair as too explicit and not something which should be worn to such a highly regarded event however others praised Mcgowan for her confidence and Manson for feeling comfortable enough to encourage his girlfriends decision to wear such an outfit. Some even saw it as the pair nodding towards feminism something which Mcgowan still heavy associates herself with today, having recently been fired by her agent for going against the ways in which women were portrayed with a lack of respect within American film-making. The pair also received praise for once again turning up as a 'well dressed' couple who weren't afraid to turn heads together. Since the beginning of their relationship the pair had been recognised as not being afraid to break the boundaries set by society which would otherwise interrupt their creative flow when the pair starred in 90s cult class 'Jawbreaker' together. Mcgowan is also known for taking on roles in similar styles of film including 'Devil in the Flesh'. Fans really take all of these elements into account and they can be massive 'make or break' factors for artists. For instance the 'power couple' image helped fans to understand Manson more and view a more relatable side to him as usually he was so out there and different to everyone else that it was nice for them to be able to view in a happy relationship with a well recognised figure in the acting world.

Although artists such as Manson and Gaga are seen as creative individuals on there own that doesn't mean that they don't accept the help from diverse music video directors to help them make their music videos the success that they are. This can include the work from directors such as Cunningham and Gondry. These music video directors are much more diverse as they create music videos which don't fit to the codes, conventions and characteristics of genres.

One of Cunninghams well known diverse music videos is Madonna's music video for her single 'Frozen'.

The video created much controversy due to the symbolism which is shown throughout. The video was filmed in a desert in California as Madonna was portrayed as obtaining a ethereal, witchy melancholy persona, having the ability to shape-shift in to a flock of sheep or a black dog. This is conventional to the genre as often artists within these music videos are seen/thought to be wearing costumes which are different/unconventional or strange. Again this is a convention of the genre as it represents the artist as being different from the mainstream which may have beneficial effects for Madonna regarding audience reaction as they feel that deserves a higher credit-ability factor as she is able to do more with her work which other artists couldn't. As well as displaying her to be someone who contains a much deeper train of thought as she is able to consider and create things which aren't considered as being 'normal' things to think about and showcase them with confidence that this is something the audience should be viewing, possibly even learning about urging the audience to consider whether the artist has more to offer compared with other artists of her period. However this anti-mainstream vibes could also potentially harm Madonna's success as artist view her as being too weird leading them to dislike like either the artist personally or just there work and deciding to stay away from it and stick to what they know and feel comfortable with. Some may even feel that these anti-mainstream hints are an attack at the mainstream opting them against the artists work. Madonna personally believed that there are a lot of magical, mystical powers in the desert and that it is a magical place or at least that's how she left before she arrived and began filming. Madonna also admitted that her team originally wanted to film in Iceland as the original idea for the video was to go somewhere cold with snow which would have fit well with the tittle as well as also being a convention towards the artists chosen genre for the same reasons as the location she did in fact use. However Madonna decided against this as she thought that she'd become miserable as a result of her being freezing which would result in her complaining all day. However when Madonna and her team arrived it was below 20 degrees meaning that she would be bitterly cold which was putting her at a discomfort not only because of the cold but also due to her costume for the video including her being barefoot. It even started pouring with rain meaning that everyone got sick according to Madonna resulting in her having a miserable experience anyway.

The music video won a MTV Video Music Award for best special effects in 1998. The video was inspired via film 'The English patient' .  In an interview talking about working with Madonna Cunningham admitted that he thought Madonna became interested in working with him for her video after viewing his work with Aphex Twin- the music video he directed for them for their single 'Come to Daddy' (1997).

The video reveals a sober, contemplative side to the artist showcasing a mature mysticism. The video begins with a shot of the cracked  desert fool which sets the tone for the video creating a rather isolated and far away from reality vibes. Within seconds of this shot Madonna is shown on the ground wearing a long, flowy black dress with matching dark hair creating a rather witchy vibe fitting to the narrative as well as the statement necklace she is wearing. These micro elements are important as they are able to highlight and provide hints to the audience as to what is taking place within the video as well as hint towards any macro meanings.

Both the music video and the song belonging to it are of the electronic music genre. Music of the electronic genre employs electronic musical instruments as well as electronic musical technology within it's production. A distinction can generally be made of the electronic music genre compared with any other genre regarding sounded produced using electromechanical means and that which has being produced via the usage of electronic technology.

Often music videos of the electronic music genre show elements of the Indie genre this is done within Madonna's 'Frozen' music video as she is seen on a deserted desert. Often artists are shown on a 'down to earth' location as this displays the artist as being more deep and therefore having more meaningful music, indicating that there is a hidden meaning or message behind their music.   

The entire video is full of symbols and signs something which coursed much controversy, even leading people to relate that to the Illuminati hence regarding Madonnas work as a negative thing towards a society which they feared and questioned her intentions not only with the video and the group but also her place in the music industry and what she wished to achieve from her success as well as how she planned to use the power she had created for herself in the future. However others saw Madonna's use of these symbols to be a joke. Viewing the usage of these symbols to be a tactless way to create attention a bring about a hype for her video.  Others were able to find direct relations to religion from these symbols as well as her various actions throughout the video which in hand with her symbols can be seen as offensive towards these religions as Madonna someone who is not a part of said religions is reacting  them, this may be viewed as her mocking them or she could be seen as being offensive through a lack of education with viewers possibly viewing her work as not authentic enough and therefore not doing them justice. An inaccurate portrayal within the media can lead to much damage to a cultures pride as this becomes how society begins to pick up bad habits and view things differently from how they actually are hence leading to much confusion, lack of understanding and people accidentally offending others possibly without even really realising what it is that they have done afterwards. This could come from scenes such as the ones where Madonna is seen on the ground praying just as a Muslim would praying to Allah, as well as having many hands just like some Hindu Goddess. Often people believe that it is the duty of those in the media to make sure that they are portraying things accurately and have a social conscience, this view stems from people realising and considering the large impact the media has upon society and how it is able to shape it. It is becoming more and more popular for people to learn what they know about 'social norms' and what is and isn't acceptable through the use of the media as more and more people are finding themselves dependent upon it or addicted to it rather than learning such traits through their social surroundings in the real world as a pose to virtual.

Goodwin's theory explored within 'Frozen'

Madonna's 'Frozen' music video follows the first step of Goodwin's theory including the concept that it needs to include genre characteristics as Madonna examples of this include Madonna's costume as well as the location for the music video.

Madonna also follows the second step of Goodwin's theory involving the concept that there should be a relationship of a sort between the lyrics in the song and the visuals shown throughout the video. This is done as within the lyrics Madonna refers to birds; "love is a bird" and birds are displayed throughout the video including Madonna turning into a flock of birds herself. 

 Similar concept of Goodwin's theory is also explored meaning that there is a relationship between music and visuals. Which is displayed throughout as the tune to Madonna's music is rather slow and quite which is represented as the music video is rather simplistic as she is a deserted Island where not much is really happening.

Goodwin's theory also concludes that record labels will demand for lots of close ups of the artist which has been demonstrated throughout the video.

There are also frequent references to the notion of looking a the audience are shown shots of Madonna which may be perceived to be her looking back at them. This also leads onto the concept of the audience looking at her in a voyeuristic way as the audience are looking at Madonna in a different way as she would be looking at them as they are very her act which her character in the video.

There is also inter-textual reference throughout the video involving the symbols etc on Madonnas hands. 

The video is focused primarily on a performance based approach as Madonna is seen lip syncing as well as behaving in a character which is seen to be rather different to her day to day behavior. This opinion comes from  the connotations displayed throughout the video including the isolated location of the desert not somewhere you would expect well known singer Madonna to be especially at this time in the 90s when this video was released as this was during the height of her fame. Her costume is also able to provide said connotations as she is dressed in clothes which provide more witchy vibes than they do of that of a famous singer mostly recongnised with the pop genre however often afflicted with various different genres. Nor does her costume provide hints that this character has much money as she is dressed in clothing which appears rather basic and doesn't look expensive also the jewelry the artist is wearing would appear more sentimental than expensive or particularly flashy, instead of dressing to impress or show off how much money she has this character would appear to be dressing for herself rather than anyone else. The artist is also seen dancing again part of a performance based video. There is little narrative as although what the audience  is shown urges them to try to work out what is going on, where Madonna is and what she is doing not much else is shown in-regards to a story.  Hence the video wouldn't be regarded as native based as the story doesn't exactly progress. The video wouldn't exactly fit to the concept based music video guideline either, although people feel they see different messages within Madonna's video, as well as picking up various different things from her use of symbols etc there isn't one clear concept hence the video overall would be regarded as a performance based music video. 

Another diverse music video which faced much controversy would be Aphex Twin's 'Come to Daddy'



Come to Daddy was released in October 1997 and belongs to the drum and base genre also directed by music video director Chris Cunnigham known for making less conventional music videos which are often controversial. The video was filmed on a council estate which is conventional to the drum and bass genre as often music videos from this genre aren't thought to be made as perfect as videos from other genres such as pop.

 For instance drum and base is thought to be a lot more messy possibly even at times grungy and less about lyrics and a lot more about the feel and sound of the beat. This is also portrayed through the use of characters and their behaviour as they aren't thought to have typical lifestyles of artists which are viewed to be quite glamorous. Hence using the location of a council estate represents this as it demonstrates that the artist isn't misusing their fame to receive the finer things in life, instead they are staying true to their music and don't mind if that means missing out on filming at nicer places as for them their work is purely based around the quality of their music not what they personally can gain from it. 

Although a lot of people found the music video to be rather strange, some even scary the video still won the award for the no 1 music video of the 1990s by Pitchfork. Which shows that being different and standing out does have beneficial factors for music videos. 

Often within the drum and bass genre the artist isn't the main subject of their music video hence this video is conventional as the audience focuses on the antics of the children whom are running around coursing havoc  all with the face of the artist which were released due to an old ladies dog being urinating on a television. Often these videos tell more of a story as a pose to just trying to sell the song behind it and promote the artist which this video does hence it is a narrative based music.With some performance based areas coming from the face in the TV screens lip syncing to the lyrics. 

Although the music video generally sticks to the codes and conventions of the drum and bass genre the characters used i.e the elderly woman and the young children are rather subversive as these are not the audience members you would associate with listening to drum and bass. Instead you would expect to see audience members breaching from teenagers to young adults as these members of the audience are thought to be more energetic as well as being more into listening to the music for the beat and wanting to dance to it which is often related to the belief that they go out partying more hence they are going to be exposed to this type of music more often when at a club, house party or bar etc. 

The music video is also conventional towards the drum and bass genre as music videos of said genre are often thought to be a lot more chaotic as they are fitting to the heavy beat. This is shown throughout as so much happens ranging from a elderly woman walking her dog to a demon growing from a television screen. Another convention towards the genre as often what is presented within music videos from the genre doesn't have to make sense or even really be able to happen in real life. This helps to set the genre apart from others as it is so different from every other genre as it is a completely different form of music. Hence often strange elements are presented within these music videos which create a completely different world to reality as this demonstrates the ever prevalent differences between music of the drum and bass genre and any other genre. 

Another conventional towards the drum and bass genre would by the flashes of light which start from the beginning of the video and continue throughout in variations. This is conventional towards the genre as often it fits with the beat of the music and is able to help the audience watching the music video keep up with the beat as well as having connotations of dance themes which is conventional as drum and bass is often music with the audience dances to.

Goodwin's music video theory within Aphex Twin's music video 'Come to Daddy' 

The music video completes the first rule of the theory which is that the music video should shown genre characteristics which the video does throughout. This is even shown through the littlest things such as the shopping trolley laying on it's side on the ground surrounded by rubbish in a run down area. This is conventional towards the drum and bass genre as again this style of music is thought to be a lot more realistic to modern life, often exploiting the negative aspects to life, rather than what a lot of music videos from other genres do which is to try and make the artist appear as though they have a really fun, glamours lifestyle in an attempt to make the audience even envy their lifestyle or look up to them and view their success as a sign of them being a good artist being that the artist is likely to have respect for the artist. 

The second step of the theory states that there should be a relationship between the lyrics and visuals; "I want your soul I will eat your soul" although these lyrics do not outright say anything about demons they do have connotations of monsters and demons etc which the music video does show. This comes from the fear factor effect which the music video creates as often there is talk about the soul within supernatural films and TV shows as well as the idea of someone physically eating your soul having connotations of a monster as this isn't something any sane human being would attempt to do. 

The third step indicates that there is a relationship between music and visuals. This is followed as the beat is indicated towards via the various different flashes throughout the music video including flashes of light, the screen quickly flashing to black and then back again and strips flashing across the screen. 

The demands for the fourth step are also met however not in the conventional way. Although close ups of the artists face are shown they are shown through the masks of the artists face the children are wearing as well as through the unclear TV screen. However this isn't meeting the typical reasons behind a record labels desire for close ups. Usually record labels demand for this as they can help to get the artist to see the artist in a more attractive light as they have been dressed up, been put through stages of hair and make up etc so that they can then look attractive for their video. Hence showing the artists face close up enhances their features to the audience and makes sure they get a good glimpse of these features. As well as helping the audience to feel as though they are creating a relationship with the artist as they are seeing them up close, it represents that the artist is presenting their truth self and isn't hiding away from their fans. 

The fifth step which involves around the concept of looking is met as the artists face is shown throughout through a television screen. As well as various different television screens being displayed throughout the video being placed on the floor etc. 

The sixth step including the idea that there is often inter-textual references within music videos are met as the music video is demons many TV'S as well as the demon being a reference towards their urban myth which has often been portrayed throughout books, TV, film etc. 

The seventh step states that a music video should belong to particular group for which the basis of the music video works. These groups include; performance based, narrative based and concept based. However often more than one of these groups are used within a video. Within 'Come to Daddy' all three of these groups are highlighted performance is shown as the artist is seen lip syncing to his lyrics through the television screens. Narrative based is used as there is a story behind why there are so many television screens laying around and how a demon was about to come out of it as well as why all of these children have the exact same face. Through all of these things being connected fans are able to make various different connections and theory's which can also lead them to make narratives of there own. For instance some audience members may believe that this is the artist mocking the mass media. The reason all of these children have the same face as him is because he is representing the power people within the media have over the minds of the vulnerable, impressionable and particularly the young. Hence these sort of theories are also connected to the music longing to the concept based group. 

Although the music video doesn't show the audience much of the artist or reveal to much of him this in itself says quite a lot of him. For instance it shows that the artist is less about promoting himself and more about the music. Which highlights that he is a dedicated artist who isn't interested in the fame of the music industry but purely his dream of making music. This can often lead to the audience having more respect for an artist hence this is a good way for an artist of such a genre who doesn't necessarily have to be in their own music videos constantly to present themselves. 

Another diverse music video would be The White Stripes music video for their single 'The Hardest Button to Push'. Directed by music video director Michael Gondry who is known for directing diverse music videos which have also been rather controversial. It is also the third music video the band have had Gondry direct and is the Garage Rock genre.

Many conventions towards the Garage Rock genre are portrayed throughout such as the instruments shown throughout the duration of the music video. Musical instruments are conventional towards the genre as often artists associated with rock are thought to be able to play musical instruments and well. Hence this reminds the audience that they are in fact watching a music video of the right genre and comforts them in the fact that this is a music video which they will like and be able relate to having seen the instruments as to them this is the section of the music industry which they know and feel comfortable with. 

Another convention towards the genre displayed within the video is that band members are seen performing throughout seen both singing and using instruments. This is often done with the Garage Rock genre as rock artists are thought to be very talented at both instruments and their chosen style of singing naturally without needing much auto tune etc as that isn't what rock is generally perceived as being about. Hence showing the band in action is conventional towards the genre as it reminds the audience of the artists talent as well as how in the Garage Rock genre artists focus more upon the music than they do about trying to present themselves. 

Even the colours shown throughout are conventional towards the genre often red and black items are displayed throughout the music video. (The instruments follow this colour scheme as well as the costumes of the artists.) This is conventional as artists of the rock genre aren't thought to wear bright colour as they are thought to be rather darker people matching the genre hence wearing darker clothing comforts the audience in the knowledge that this is a band they will really be able to relate to as they truly understand the Garage Rock genre as well as what their singing about and really meaning it. Which is a lot more important to fans of the Garage Rock genre than it is to fans of the pop genre who know that many artists of their chosen genre don't write their own songs and are told what to do in most departments by their record labels. 

Another diverse music video directed via Gondry would be Kylie Minogue's 'Come Into My World'. 

The music video was shoot on the 8th September 2002 in Paris with fifty extras on location ready to film.  It took over fifteen takes to capture the desired footage. Fifteen days were also required for the videos special effects.

Suiting Minogue's signature style both the song and hence the music video belong to the pop genre. Characteristics of the pop genre are displayed throughout for instance the way in which Minogue walks appears to be a lot more forced than a standard walk. As though she is walking to the beat in a rather dance themed sort of way. This is conventional towards the genre as often within the pop genre artists try to keep everything happy and flowing to the beat of the music so that the audience is able to keep up and gain that feel good factor that pop music is known for creating.

The artist also displays conventions towards the pop genre throughout her music video via her hair and make up. Which has been done in a style which is well suited to the pop genre as it suits that style of music. This is shown as she has rather simplistic yet attractive hair, the same goes for her make up, if the artist was to be attracting towards another genre say rock she would be liking to be wearing rather different make up. This is would generally include a lot darker harsher make up as well as often a paler base, think leader singer Taylor Momsen from The Pretty Reckless.

 Another piece of mise en scene which stands out in Minogues music video is her costume however could be seen as subversive. As often within the pop genre artists are thought to wear rather out there clothing which you may not typically feel comfortable wearing on typical days for instance the type of costumes you would see artist Katy Perry wearing. Minogue is dressed a lot more casually in jeans and a simple top which may lead to the audience seeing conventions towards the Indie genre as artists of the Indie genre are thought to dress much more casually. Another subversive element to the micro-element is the fact that Minogue doesn't change her costume once. Often within the pop genre artists are seen changing their costumes regularly throughout their music videos for many reasons. These changing have connotations of an artist being on stage and having to make quick costume changes to keep up with the set and keeps things fun and fresh for the audience. This is typically done within music videos as it represents this showbiz side to the artist which is a ever prevalent convention towards the pop genre as often artists within said genre are thought to be less about the quality of their music and more about the show business side to it mainly revolving around the performance side.

Come Into My World is also conventional towards it's genre as their are close ups of the artist shown throughout. Which not only help the audience to find Minogue more attractive as they are seeing how attractive she can appear even with a camera close to her face, this has connotations of her being naturally pretty which is conventional towards the genre as often artists within the pop genre are thought to be very attractive due to the large emphasis on the show business side/impact on the genre.

The video is also conventional towards the pop genre due to it's strange style. As the video continues the audiences becomes to realise that Minogue is going around and around in circles doing similar things as she more Minogue's catch up with her until they get to four. This represents Minogue's need for change and how she wants someone to come into her world to provide some change for her life.

Goodwin's music video theory presented within Come into my world


Minogue's music video suits the first step of the theory as characteristics of the pop genre are highlighted throughout Minogue's music video such as her walking to the beat of the music with a swing in her hips which appears rather more dance like and thought out when the audience compares it to the way they walk in their day to day lives. This helps the audience to set the music video to the pop genre as they see Minogue providing elements trying to fit to that.

The music video also follows the second step that there is a relationship between lyrics and visuals as Minogue is singing about wanting someone to come into her world which is being represented from all different angles as the audience are being shown various different versions of her yet they're all par-taking in similar tasks representing how the artist feels that she needs someone to come into her world and provide some change for the better as she is fed up of living life the same way day in day out. However Minogue doesn't appear unhappy as she lip syncs to the music instead she appears rather cheery again something which is conventional within the pop genre as often pop artists are seen to be looking happy either if they're lyrics aren't something to be particularly happy about this is because of how the genre of music is supposed to make it's audience members feel.

The third step involving a relationship between music and visuals is also followed as Minogue is seen fitting her day to day steps and routine around the beat of the music. This is conventional towards the genre as the idea of keeping up to this beat makes the artist appear happier as the beat of pop is generally up beat and therefore has such connotations.

The fourth step states that the record label will demand for close ups of the artist which have been shown through Come Into My World.

The fifth steps concludes that there should be a frequent references towards the notion of looking. Which is captured through the various different versions of Minogue viewing the world from all different angles.

The music video also embodies inter-textual references for instance Russian actress Sacha Bourdo is one of the extras which makes references to the Russian media.

The music video follows the concepts of having a performance based music video as the artist is seen lip syncing and dancing to the beat. However there is also a narrative behind as to why there are so many different versions of her as well as a concept based music video as the audience wonders what this is to represent.

Another music video by Aphex Twin which is both diverse and conventional would be their music video 'Window Licker' also directed via Chris Cunningham. 

 

Belonging to the Hip hop genre hence throughout the music video there are characteristics belonging to said genre which highlight to the audience the chosen genre. 

The conventions begin from the very start of the music video as the scene is set of two men driving around in a car talking about "bitches" and other sexual element, there chosen vulgar language has themes of disrespect and trying to appear more manly. Even so overly manly which has connotations of Hip Hop as often this is how artists behave particularly male artists as they are trying to assert themselves and fit to the tough image that the genre has applied to itself. 

Characteristics of the genre are also shown through the use of micro elements such as mise en scene of the costumes the females are wearing within the music video as they are rather revealing hence suggestive and have sexual connotations when paired with the speech and behaviour of the males. The costumes are conventional towards the genre as often within the genre women are seen as wearing rather little due to the view of women feeling as though they need to expose themselves to receive male attention which they need in order to feel good about themselves. As well as the idea of males within the genre wanting to show of the women they have surrounding them to receive the envy of fellow males and to show off making their lives appear better than they are.

Their are also a lot of conventions towards the genre shown throughout the use of iconography for use the iconography of the champagne in the limo represents the artist having a lot of money which is conventional as often artists within said genre like to show off their money as it makes them appear more successful which suggests to the audience that they are doing well and that the audience should try to get interested in their music so that they can relate to this. 

Advantages to having a diverse music video

Shows a more creative side to the artist

Enables the artist to make a mark as being different and set themselves out from other artists

Appeals to a new audience

Can be thought of as intriguing

May display the artist to be more creative/inspirational

Shows a different side to the artist

Encourages people to see for themselves and create their own more creative views

Creates an interest

Often a lot of music fans criticise certain types of music or certain artists for being 'too generic' with a more diverse music video this is less likely to be the case

Can also be seen as being more intellectual

The audience may feel as though they're gaining something from the music video e.g a learning experience rather than it just being another music video which is simply there to promote the artist and there song.

A more diverse music video is likely to be more memorable as it stands out compared with others and is remembered for its more diverse ways

Creating a less stereotypical video also makes the music video more individual to the artist and helps to form part of their image/identity within their career.   

Audiences are likely to respect the macro-meanings (other meanings) of the video

Due to it's differences the video earns peoples attention and gets them talking (acts as word of the mouth) which creates a further hype encouraging more and more people to watch it

Even bad publicity for the music video can in a record labels eye also be seen as good publicity as it means that the video is still being spoken about encouraging people to watch it, often it is known that people are much more likely to be interested in watching something which is thought of negatively as they find this more interesting then watching something which everyone loves and agrees with as there is nothing new here, often people want to see this which have been regarded as being really bad as they want to see for themselves whether this is true and make their own opinions as well as testing themselves to see how they shall react

Appeals to a more niche market

Often music fans enjoy the aspect that what they are watching and enjoying isn't for everyone as it makes them feel more unique

Showing a creative side to the artist can help to build relationships with the audience particularly the niche audience as they feel that this artist is more able to understand them and their different views on the world/struggles

Disadvantages to creating a diverse music video:

These music videos can be seen as becoming too controversial

Being too controversial or weird can put fans off

People don't understand the concept/idea behind the music video and in turn judge the artist as being weird or a freak

If the artist is seen as being to weird it can have a negative effect on sales

Although some people claim to fill more of a relationship with artists who are thought to be different from society often with these types of music videos that is as deep as the relationship is able to go as just because the artist is being subversive doesn't mean that they're really giving anything away about themselves.

These music videos often face a limited target audience

new fans may be put off other work

Controversy could create a bad reputation within the industry for the artist meaning that record labels etc won't want to work with them

Can offend be seen as offensive

Being offensive can lead to boycotts put out on the artist meaning that people will avoid listening to the artist or having anything to do with buying their merchandise etc as well as passing on their negative views of them

In extreme cases these types of music videos can lead to hate campaigns

In there own way all of the music videos conform to the codes and conventions of a music video as everything can be fit to a certain genre. Even if a video is really out there as you can see with the work of Aphex Twin. Even though their work is so diverse that itself helps to fit it to codes and conventions of a genre. No one video can stop alone as not belonging to a particular group.

There a both positive and negative effects behind the thought process/ planning and production behind any music video. For instance with Madonna's more diverse music video she took the chance to be able to impress her audience and show them a different side to her. This enables the audience to feel as though there is more to the artist than meets the eye, this can lead to the audience feeling more of a connection with the artist as the view her as an actual human being rather than a form of entertainment. However there could also be negative effects to Madonna portraying herself within such a divisive manner. This video is a lot slower than other videos by the artist which could be putting off Madonna's usual fans as this isn't the style there use to and it doesn't fit to what they wish to be seen. Others may view it as completely alien to them as they don't understand the concept for instance the symbols could put them off as they don't understand the relevance and lose hope with trying to understand it.

Aphex Twin also create a very diverse and controversial music video. Although a lot of viewers have claimed to have been scared or 'freaked out' by the music video it certainly made a last impression on audience members world wide. Which initially is the music videos as it simply exists to promote the song it is playing to as well as possibly promoting the artist if they so wish. Aphex Twin may have decided to create such a diverse music video for this effect as well as to be able to set himself apart from all other artists in the industry and make a label for his work as being original.



Censorship - Miss Miller

Censorship may be defined as the suppression of either all or parts of a movie, letter, music video or publication considered either offensive or a threat to security.  Censorship may be used in a variety of different ways throughout the media so to protect both the audience and the artist etc. For instance one way in which censorship is able to help protect the minds of the audience is through the use of the 'watershed'. Which refers to the banning of certain material before the time of nine o'clock in the evening, this refers to content such as bad language and sexual connotations etc. It is often used within the music industry to block out lyrics which are viewed to be unacceptable for younger viewers as well as these restrictions also being put in place throughout the duration of music videos for instance if artists are wearing clothing which is redeemed revealing or dance moves which are seen to be inappropriate. Music channels are likely to not want to show these elements to the artists music videos as showcasing this kind of content may reflect badly on the channel itself branding the channel with a bad image which can lead to people not watching either of their own accord or because parents tell them not to hence the channel won't be able to strive to achieve success.

MTV are a music channel which take both their censorship and the watershed very seriously hence it has been known for the channel not to air certain music videos until after 9pm including Rihanna's music video 'We found love' which critics viewed to be promoting/glamorising stealing, drugs, gambling, revealing outfits, smoking, domestic abuse and promoting unstable relationships as well as a variety of different other negative elements which critics may view as able to harm the minds of young, vulnerable and impressionable viewers. MTV have took a similar action with other music videos including Cher's 'If I could turn back time'. The video created controversy mainly due to the artists revealing costume wore within the music video as well as the action of her straddling a cannon during a section of the video. As well as MTV banning the video until after 9pm different shots were taken so to make the video appear more appropriate. Due to this being in 1989 it was redeemed a lot more shocking then it would have been in a more modern time as attitudes have changed therefore resulting in censorship becoming less strict. Robin Thicke's music video 'Blurred Lines' was censored due to scenes of a topless woman which is redeemed as explicit content for children.

Michael Jackson's music video 'They Don't Care About Us' was a video which faced controversy before it had even began shooting. Brazilian officials were unhappy with the video taking place as it was being shot in poverty-stricken areas of Rio. In fact they were so unhappy with it that they tried to stop director Spike Lee from shooting in said areas. However their attempts failed resulting in them trying to edit privileges over the final footage another plan which failed. Although despite all of this the video still faced censorship after having made it's world premiere. Due to controversial lyrics. Including the line "Jew me, sue me, everybody do me" which was changed to "do me, sue me, everybody do me". Although to begin with Jackson was against the idea of changing his lyrics in his video he did eventually appoligse for their redeemed offensive content.

OffCom is the regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. The company regulates radio, TV fixed line telecoms, mobiles, postal services and the airwaves which wireless devices are connected to for usage. Viewers of television and listeners of the radio are protected from harmful or offensive material/content as a result of the company's work. However some critics fear that the type of work taken out by the likes of Offcom may be effecting the audiences experience in a negative manor rather than protecting them as by constantly being blocked by negative content and not learning to deal with and understand it from a decent age it can become more harmful to viewers at a later date. As well as people being overly protected so much so that they don't receive a good enough education on the real world to be able to deal with it's harsh realities as well as missing out of the teaching of these artists who feel they are only producing the truth.

People have various different views on censorship as both why it may be redeemed a good thing and why it could actually be having a negative effect.

From an artist such as Eminem's point of view (an artist who is against censorship) censorship can be seen negatively for a variety of different reasons for instance Eminem has been know to say what he wants to say when he wants to say it yet with censorship he is being stopped from doing this which is not only cutting off his creative energy but also ruining the experience of his music for his fans who are expecting this style of music and type of attitude presented throughout it. The artist has also stated that his music should be motivating, when he writes he states that he writes what he thinks, saying that he doesn't purposely write to be aggressive it's just how he feels. He wishes to be able to share his experiences to his fans and claims that without being able to do that and in the way that he wishes to then his music would be boring. Eminem's lyrics enables his fans to connect to him rather than to just listen to the music itself which surely is a good thinking as it is encouraging the audience to think for themselves and come to their own conclusions rather than being controlled and brain washed into thinking in a certain way due to those in power. The artist has also said on numerous occasions even in his songs that just because he talks about doing negative things doesn't mean that he actually does them and has informed his audience not to take what he says seriously. Not everything he writes about should be taken literally. As well as mentioning that he doesn't believe that it is his responsibility to to state whether or not he is being literal. His also stated that his music is a release for him and that he feels as an artist he should be free to say how he feels. In regarding how he feels censorship should be handled the artist has said that he believes parents should take control. Which is a popular view which is often paired with the point that each individual is different and what might be fine for one child may be harmful for another. For instance if a child is particularly violent and they are watching something or playing a video game which may be seen as promoting or glamouring violence  or simply providing such a child with new moves for their violent strike then it is down to their parents to take action not anyone else.

Record labels often have mixed views on censorship, some think that it is a good thing as it is able to protect the audience and provides both the artists and the record labels with guidelines to follow so to make sure they aren't creating content which is too sensitive for their audience. However other record labels such as the record label Eminem launched with his manager Paul Rosenberg (Shady records) in 1999 after the success of Eminem's second studio album 'The Slim Shady LP'. Since it's formation Shady records has signed ten acts and is currently home to five. The record company was less restrictive towards the content it produced taking censorship into account a lot less due to it's founders believing in artists being allowed to say what they want how they want and didn't feel like the restrictions which came with censorship always allowed artists to truly express themselves and keep them true to their fans. 'Lose yourself' Eminem's song which he produced with his record label won the first ever Academy award for best original song given to a song in the hip hop genre. However censorship doesn't always allow for this originality. With certain restrictions in place there is only so much new material which can be produced. As is displayed by the success of both Eminem's work before and after he created his own music label it is evident that people want originality. If music continues to be censored so easily and lightly depending on the content then eventually music won't be able to grow any further which would result in a problem for the industry and the audiences as music helps people to grow and comforts them. For some people this is found in reading for others it's listening to music only nobody censors books. Yet surely if music has the potential to be so damaging then books can be to after all its all coming from someone else's mindset and has the potential to encourage it's readers to think about certain things and in certain ways plus the relationship between a book and it's reader lasts a lot longer hence it is likely that the relationship would be deeper as well as the fact that a book has more material. 50 Cent signed to the label in 2002 and his multi-platinum debut album 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' was the third release for the record company. Said album became the fastest selling debut album in US history. If censorship is that important, is so protective and people are so in need of it then shady records wouldn't have received such success. Even becoming one of the most dominant labels of the 2000s.  If the content in which Eminem and his acts permitted was so harmful then surely demand wouldn't be so high as parents would be stricter with allowing their child access and the average person wouldn't want to be associated with it. In the time that Shady records was at it's peak it was a lot harder for children to gain access to music without parents finding out possibly even struggling to play it without their parents hearing as during this time it was more common to buy CDs and play them through your stereo. When asked how much time he spends in the office (at shady records) Eminem responds by saying; "umm, how often is all the time?" this shows how much he cares for his music and his pure dedication as well as the messages he is sending out with it. Many people, especially those who are really into music would agree that artists such as Eminem is better than artists that has been solely produced by a record label and doesn't really think about the message their sending out themselves to their fans who are fooled into thinking that said artist cares about both them and their music. But in reality this type of artist would only really be interested in the fame and money generated within the industry. If an artist is going to the efforts of Eminem to get their messages across then shouldn't they be considered before just being censored straight away as they contain a few swear words and ideas that are generally viewed as being to explicit for children. Surely their must be some truth in their message which people have a right to decide whether they want to hear for themselves. It's been known for people to just assume that Eminem hasn't educated himself due to the way in which he speaks and the style used to present himself and his music only it's been reveled that the artist loves reading the dictionary which highlights his intelligence. Indicating that he represents himself and his music in the way in which he does so to reach and therefore help uneducated, poorer children who are in a similar situation to the one he was growing up.  

Parents who are for censorship may feel that they don't want their children to be watching or listening to inappropriate content, instead they want them to watch or listen to what they want without them having to worrying or supervise them what can feel as though a breaking of the trust between parent and child as well as being seen as a waste of time for the parent and not being an enjoyable experience for anyone involved. A popular opinion among parents with this view is that music containing such content should only be produced on platforms for older audience members. Otherwise children are able to receive such content from a very young age which can result in the change of their behavior for the worst. Resulting in them using bad language and becoming more aggressive etc. Many parents feel that they don't want their child engaging with this form of content as it provides negative connotations about how we should view or even go about our lives a good example of this would be Eminem's song 'Kim' where he raps about beating and killing the mother of his daughter as well as various of his other songs containing such content as well as the artists song 'Stan' in which the rapper explores a narrative where an obsessed fan kills himself as a result of not facing what he believed to be enough interaction with his idol the artist. Parents don't want their child reduced to this kind of music as they don't wish for this kind of harmful content to be passed onto them and spoken about in such as causal way that they view it as causal and a part of everyday life. Children are still at their developing stage if they are introduced to works of artists such as Eminem too young they may not be at that stage yet where they can differ between what is simply a song and what is acceptable in real life. Not only do some people believe that Eminem's music is harmful in terms of encouraging the younger generation to behave in certain ways but it also provides a negative out look on life which could result in ruining their own out look and therefore lead to them not being able to enjoy their lives as much as they're viewing it through this certain manner. Many people who are for censorship believe that works from artists such as Eminem can have a negative effect on the mentality of it's listeners as it is so empowering almost brain washing them into the artists way of thinking. Often it is argued that there is simply no point in risking in. After all artists such as Eminem don't aim their music towards children and when they are old enough they can listen to whatever they wish as much as they want so why allow or promote it for young children?

Parents who are against censorship often believe that children pick things up easily, a lot more easily than they are sometimes given credit for, which means that over protecting them can sometimes do more harm than it does good as music can be rather informative. Meaning that through this children are able to become educated on matters such as drugs and alcohol. Children who are kept at a distance from the world are more likely to discover these elements of life on their own. Which may be more harmful as they aren't as knowledgeable on the negative effects. These parents also often feel that there isn't enough evidence to support that content not be censored leads to negative behavior in children. They believe that if a child suffers from mental illness this is not due to music videos or any other form of the media which is censored for protection of the audience and that forms of media cannot be blamed for the way people behave they just simply may at times inspire them or motivate their actions.

Fans of artists such as Eminem are likely to be against censorship as they believe that music is a way for artists such as Eminem to express themselves and that censorship blocks this and makes him unable to create the music he wants to for his fans. Just because Eminem says things doesn't mean that he actually does them his song/music video 'Kim' would be a good example of this. The artist usually talks about his life and uses his music as a sort of open letter to fans which allows them to keep tabs on him. or his mindset if they are worried. With 'Stan' swear words were censored out which meant that the rhythm went ruining the effect and atmosphere of the song. The artist isn't promoting criminal , violent activity for fans his just pushing creative boundaries for himself and his fans. Inspires us all to be creative like he is in his songs. A lot of fans believe his more recent music is much more tame which shows that censorship has taken it's toll something which they aren't happy with.

Music Channel MTV don't really get to have much of an opinion on censorship themselves as they have to produce content which is acceptable by censorship standards otherwise they will have consequences including complainants and a loss of viewers. MTV have to be strict due to children possibly watching after 9pm (the watershed) the channel doesn't use as much censorship however there are still certain elements of the music industry which they don't feel they should air. Eminem's song 'Rap Game' had to be censored due to the song threatening the white house which is actually illegal in the US. In 1999 there was a shooting at a high school which meant one of the artists songs couldn't be used as it was to raw and sensitive at the time. He later on tried to reuse it however the company found it to be completely inappropriate as it was highly homophobic, considering homosexual relations are now more acceptable the channel wouldn't want to air an artist who is so behind. Even things which the artist says in interviews etc are follow these kinds of views highlighting that what he thinks can't be shown without him being censored first as it is inappropriate and offensive.

Music channel AKA stand for allowing artist creative freedom and airing opinions. The channel faced a find in 2005 from offcom for eighteen thousand pounds for inappropriate content. Surely the channel would have faced another fine since if anything else was out of context and it was thought to be needed. The nature of the genres which the channel airs are explicit anyway. The controversy brings fans together and allows artists to get bigger. MTV criticized for how much censorship they use.

BBC Radio 1 is a radio station with a family audience hence it is for censorship as it views artists such as Eminem to contain content which is redeemed inappropriate for younger listeners and doesn't create a particularly family centered environment. Hence with Eminem referring to things which shouldn't be glorified such as his song 'kill me' which is about rape. Protecting children from harmful material. With radio stations you don't know whose listening. It's the artists job hence they gain money from the promotion which comes from them being played on the radio so it benefits them to make sure that their songs fit to radio stations requirements.

Capital Xtra is a radio situation which is known for playing  dance/urban music. The station works in a set up which is for censorship as it removes swearing etc in songs which are played before 9pm however afterwards the radio station leaves the swearing in working within the same manner as the water shed does on tv. Censorship in this way helps the radio station as it means that it can still play what it wants without the fear of upsetting, offending or providing unsuitable content for anyone who doesn't wish to hear it. However after 9 pm a time known for being the standard of which these kinds of rules and regulations drop they are still able to play whatever the station wishes without having to tamper with or make any changes to songs. This is beneficial to the radio station as it keeps certain audience members happy as they feel as though they are gaining a more realistic understanding of the song and what the artist was trying to promote within their song. Waiting to do so until after 9pm means that the station has a good argument if anyone tries to blame them or accuse them of obtaining unsuitable content as they may state this is a time when young child ideally should be asleep and not listening to radio stations as well as the fact that this technique is widely accepted when looking at the success of television.

Personally I believe that censorship is a good thing in moderation. I feel think there are somethings that we shouldn't be exposed to too young. However I do feel like if we live in a world were we censor every little thing which may be redeemed as slightly negative then how to we expect the people who have been brought up in this environment to cope with this kind of material when they come across it or even in real life situations. I also agree that censorship can ruin the creative flow of artists as well as the fact that sometimes they really can't fully express themselves with breaking these boundaries. Within my music video I will try to fit to censorship standards as it means that my music video can be brought to the attention of a wider audience. However I may add elements which are slightly controversial so that they are able to get people talking and create a bigger hype around my music video promoting it and encouraging people to watch it which shall generate a further rate of success for both my music video and the song playing with it.  However these won't be major offensives against censorship so that I won't seriously offend anyone and create a negative reputation.