GENRE - Signifiers, Conventions, Iconography
Music videos have genre characteristics.
Certain features are expected out of a video depending on the genre of the music, for example girl bands/artists are expected to have dancers and close ups of the singers, whilst a Indi band are expected to have performance shots of the band and cut to a fast beat.
Theorists in Semiology tell us that the meaning a code communicates is always culturally determined. This means that we learn codes and symbols as we grow up according to our society and culture.
Theorists in Semiology tell us that the meaning a code communicates is always culturally determined. This means that we learn codes and symbols as we grow up according to our society and culture.
Nirvana: Genre Metal/Punk/Pop = GrungePunk musical Characteristics present within Nirvana
• Singing style (elements of shouting and screaming)
•Instruments and effects used
•Simple musical structures (verse chorus verse,mostly containing a bridge)
•Some elements but not as purist as punk on Anti-establishment ideology
•Smashing instruments•Sloppy musicianship•Use of bar chords
Importance to industry (helping in creating a subculture)Grunge Fashion
•Clothing commonly worn by grunge musicians and fans consisted of clothes that was purchased from or looked like they were from charity shops
•Most common was checked/flannel shirts
•A look that appeared un-kept (ripped jeans, baggy T-shirts, longish hair, anti superficial)
•Grunge fashion was very anti “Flash/show off”
• Singing style (elements of shouting and screaming)
•Instruments and effects used
•Simple musical structures (verse chorus verse,mostly containing a bridge)
•Some elements but not as purist as punk on Anti-establishment ideology
•Smashing instruments•Sloppy musicianship•Use of bar chords
Importance to industry (helping in creating a subculture)Grunge Fashion
•Clothing commonly worn by grunge musicians and fans consisted of clothes that was purchased from or looked like they were from charity shops
•Most common was checked/flannel shirts
•A look that appeared un-kept (ripped jeans, baggy T-shirts, longish hair, anti superficial)
•Grunge fashion was very anti “Flash/show off”
Miley Cyrus: Miley Cyrus is known for one genre - Pop, although if we study her work carefully, we discover that she plays and experiments with genre in different and interesting ways.
New, emerging artists are often pigeonholed into clear, identifiable genres as these are safer to sell to audiences (who can recognise the genre codes to match with their preferences). Record labels are less likely to back more experimental artists as they are more of a commercial risk.
New, emerging artists are often pigeonholed into clear, identifiable genres as these are safer to sell to audiences (who can recognise the genre codes to match with their preferences). Record labels are less likely to back more experimental artists as they are more of a commercial risk.
- Cyrus remained fixed in this genre for a while e.g. with 7 Things
- The Climb features lots of country iconography, from the style of her guitar and the shot of her on a horse alongside a man in a cowboy hat. Her appearance had shorn the ‘Barbie’ look and she now appeared more worn and ‘lived in’ – again attempting to fit into the country scene and an older audience, following her Father.
Cyrus was signed to Hollywood Records (a subsidiary of the Disney Corporation – for whom she had a television contract for performing as Hannah Montana). It was important, therefore, that she have a ‘wholesome’ image that were in line with Disney’s core values. However, when she turned 18, she was able to be marketed as a more adult version of pop.
- Can’t Be Tamed appeared to feature more dance-beats and the video was more akin to a Beyonce release (including bondage clothing and sexualised dance moves – including pole-dancing on the bars of her cage) than an episode from Hannah Montana. The lyrics were also more adult. a clear move into the adult pop genre.
Cyrus then took a few years out of the music scene. When she re-emerged, she was keen to shed the Disney image that had dominated her previous career.
- Her image in videos such as We Can’t Stop and Wrecking Ball show a change in direction for Cyrus’s image. Perhaps because, by this point, she already had an established fan-base, she was able to play with genre codes.
Videos became controversially sexualised – lack of clothing and highly suggestive dance moves and actions (e.g. licking the head of a sledgehammer in Wrecking Ball). Less choreographed dance moves replaced with images of rebellion (e.g. outrageous parties in We Can’t Stop and the punk hairstyle that dominated the cover images on the Bangerz album.
In some ways, her experiments with genre represent what is in vogue at the time and are a form of identifying with rapidly changing fads and styles. "It is critical to each record company to continuously find new talents since the life of a 'hit' record is only from 60 to 120 days.
Her move to the image of a more ‘soulful’ musician came complete with an intertextual reference to Sinead O’Connor’s Nothing Compares 2U music video, where she is shown crying in a close-up (referenced in Wrecking Ball).
Olly Murs:
Olly Murs the runner up in the Sixth Series of X-factor is arguably one of the competitions massive success stories, charting with hits such as "Please Don't let me go" and "Busy".
Through his publicity material Olly is seen as casually dressed which reflects his music and personality, he is an artist who does not take himself seriously. This quality of his helps fans to easily identify with him as a normal boy next door type.
Olly has written an autobiography.
in which he invites you behind the scenes of his life with hundreds of brand new and exclusive photos.
'My life has been a non-stop roller-coaster of extreme emotions, crazy days, unexpected highs and yet my life hasn't been without its low points too. I've tried to imagine myself sitting down with you explaining what I was thinking and feeling during those times. I hope this book will give you a behind-the-scenes view of my journey into a place where I finally found what had been missing in my life for all those years: music.'
Olly uses the persuasive techniques of association, warm and fuzzy and plain folks to attract his audience.
Endearingly written with disarming honesty and filled with exclusive new and unseen photographs on and offstage, Happy Days takes you closer to Olly than you've ever been before
Us the iconography you looked at in Olly's videos if you are describing Genre here.
Olly Murs the runner up in the Sixth Series of X-factor is arguably one of the competitions massive success stories, charting with hits such as "Please Don't let me go" and "Busy".
Through his publicity material Olly is seen as casually dressed which reflects his music and personality, he is an artist who does not take himself seriously. This quality of his helps fans to easily identify with him as a normal boy next door type.
Olly has written an autobiography.
in which he invites you behind the scenes of his life with hundreds of brand new and exclusive photos.
'My life has been a non-stop roller-coaster of extreme emotions, crazy days, unexpected highs and yet my life hasn't been without its low points too. I've tried to imagine myself sitting down with you explaining what I was thinking and feeling during those times. I hope this book will give you a behind-the-scenes view of my journey into a place where I finally found what had been missing in my life for all those years: music.'
Olly uses the persuasive techniques of association, warm and fuzzy and plain folks to attract his audience.
Endearingly written with disarming honesty and filled with exclusive new and unseen photographs on and offstage, Happy Days takes you closer to Olly than you've ever been before
Us the iconography you looked at in Olly's videos if you are describing Genre here.
NARRATIVE - Structure - Conventions - Key Codes
Nirvana:
Heart shaped box video evokes a sense of mockery towards religion and modern day culture, perhaps a signifier of the “Grunge” scene that existed in the Seattle area of Washington U.S.A in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
Heart shaped box video evokes a sense of mockery towards religion and modern day culture, perhaps a signifier of the “Grunge” scene that existed in the Seattle area of Washington U.S.A in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
Miley Cyrus:
The fact that sheʼs shed the persona of Hannah Montana can be considered creepy and encourages much discussion on social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook.
See the PPt on Miley and the Male Gaze. Use this when you discuss Miley and Narrative.
The fact that sheʼs shed the persona of Hannah Montana can be considered creepy and encourages much discussion on social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook.
See the PPt on Miley and the Male Gaze. Use this when you discuss Miley and Narrative.
Olly Murs: Olly usually seems confident and serious about his music but laid back, look for the key codes on his album covers and memorize for use in the exam.
REPRESENTATION - People - Places - Events/Issues
No comments:
Post a Comment