C2 Music

4/3/25

Music Videos & Online Media

L/O: to explore the content and format of the unit.

Do Now

There are 2 media exams.
The two exams are 70% of the overall mark.
Component 2 is worth 35%. 30%
The main purpose of all media is to inform and entertain. To make money.
You might see a music video on Youtube or the artist's website.

TOPIC CONTENTS:

Three music videos in depth:

Taylor Swift - The Man (Contemporary)
Stormzy - Superheroes (Contemporary)
TLC - Waterfalls (Historical)

The websites and social media for two of the corresponding artists:

Taylor Swift
Stormzy

Why do artists/record labels create music videos?

To make money
To promote their new music
To allow the audience to connect with the singer
To entertain the audience
To help sell a song
To allow the artist to be heard on more platforms
To help make the song/artist memorable
To introduce a new song/artist
To show off an artist's image
To provide a visual representation of the song and its narrative

Why do audiences watch music videos?

To be entertained
To listen to the music
To keep up-to-date with the artist

Promotional Tools

Record labels use music videos for a number of purposes:

To convey the meaning of the song
To promote the artist's image, identity, talent or status for an audience
To showcase or promote the artist's musical prowess for a specific audience.

The media language can convey the meaning of the song through the tone of the video, which will primarily be determined by the use of mise-en-scene, supported by camerawork and editing.

Types of Music Videos

When watching music videos, we can split the footage into three categories:

Performance - where we see the artist singing and/or playing the song, often with dancing, usually with direct address to camera to personally position the viewer.
Narrative - where we see the storyline of the video. Narrative music videos might narrate the song or create a parallel narrative that comments on the meaning of the song.
Conceptual - sometimes there are simply images, or lights, or special effects that are more about 'mood' or 'feeling' than a story.

Conventions of Music Videos

There are conventions of performance music videos:

Lip-syncing
Live performance
Main focus on artist or brand
Perform to camera
Choreographed dancing (depending on the genre)

There are conventions of narrative music videos:

Video tells a story
Usually filmed and edited like a movie
Story often matches lyrics or is a metaphorical representation
Artist might appear as a performer and often directly addresses the audience.

These are technical conventions of music videos:

Range of shot types used
Multiple close-ups on the artist
Usually edited to the beat of the music
Narrative sequences use continuity editing
Intertextuality is often used, referencing iconic films or other media texts.

Set Texts

The Man - Taylor Swift

Narrative
Pop song
A dominating man who objectifies women through his life - in the office, on the subway, on a boat etc, a commentary on how Taylor could act if she were a man and not be judged for it - double standards - how differently she would be treated
Conventions - Matches lyrics, intertextuality, range of shot types, lip syncing
Intertextuality - Scooter Braun, Leo in St Tropez, her previous albums, Miss Americana (turned into "Mr Americana") and Sundance film festival (turned into "Mandance"), her lucky number "13" used in "13th Street Station", reference to the Wolf of Wall Street
https://genius.com/Taylor-swift-the-man-lyrics

Waterfalls - TLC

R&B/hip hop song
Narrative and performative mixture
A son leaves his mother to buy drugs and gets shot
Urban setting for the narrative, exotic setting for performative
Lyrics match the footage
Conventions - video tells a story, matches lyrics, artists perform, continuity editing
LYRICS - https://genius.com/Tlc-waterfalls-lyrics

Superheroes - Stormzy

Animated narrative
Intertextuality - Noughts and Crosses, BLM movement
Matches lyrics
Pop music
In the video, it shows multiple black children and their talents - maths, football, cooking
Conventions - matches lyrics, continuity editing,
https://genius.com/Stormzy-superheroes-lyrics

7/3/25

The Music Industry

L/O: to explore the music industry and the role of the music videos within it.

Do Now

The main purpose of all media is to make money.
The main purpose of a music video is to promote new music.
Two other purposes of music videos could be to entertain an audience or to allow the artist to be on multiple platforms.
The most common types of music videos are performative and narrative.
Three conventions of a music video might be - lip syncing, the artist performing, range of shot types.

Overview

In the UK, the music industry contributes billions to the economy; it is a massive global media industry.
The UK exports a lot of music around the world.
Due to the changing way we consume music, the industry has faced many challenges recently.
Most people download music or stream it rather than buying physical copies.
Streaming now accounts for 80% of music consumption in the UK.
The technological developments that once threatened the music industry have allowed it to generate revenue in different ways and to extend their reach to different and new audiences.
In the Taylor Swift website, there are links to: Amazon Music, Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, YouTube
In the Stormzy website, there are links to: Apple Music, Deezer, Spotify, iTunes
As most of our music consumption is digital, CD sales are in decline. However, vinyl records and cassettes are becoming popular again.

Owning a physical copy
Nostalgia
New trend
Enjoy artwork/sleeve/feel/quality
Collectible

Both Stormzy and Taylor have vinyl and CD merch for their albums

Ownership

Record labels are companies that make contracts with artists and release their music. Record labels usually fund the costs of producing, distributing and circulating music to audiences.
They will have separate production teams (record, mix and produce music) and distribution teams (marketing, press and promotion.
A single release from an album is normally accompanied by a music video which becomes a major part of the marketing campaign.
Publicity for a new single or album will be generated through an online and social media campaign

The Big 3

There are currently 3 major record labels in the industry: Warner Music Group, Universal Music Group and Sony Music.
These are part of a major conglomerate and are horizontally integrated.
They all have subsidiary record labels, most of which were previously independent and associated with specific genres.
These major labels are able to invest large amounts of money in artists that are or likely to be commercially successful. Videos for major artists often have a budget of over a million dollars.
They are able to reach large audiences through high profile marketing campaigns. They can also benefit easily from synergy with other companies in the conglomerate.

Independents

There are also many independent labels not linked to the majors. They are often associated with more alternative acts - indie was traditionally non-mainstream.
Most of these have to go to the majors to get distribution deals however, so the majors still get a cut.
Some artists don't sign to a label at all. They use the internet to promote and distribute their work.

Regulation

The industry isn't regulated by a single organisation, but there are regulatory guideline in place for music products in Britain.
The BPI runs the parental and advisory scheme, which is voluntary, and uses the logo to notify audiences about content that might be offensive or unsuitable for children.
It is the record label's responsibility to assess the product and apply the logo where appropriate - both on a physical product or online.
The criteria includes:

Strong language
Depictions of violence
Sexual behaviour
Discriminatory behaviour
Dangerous or criminal behaviour

Regulating music videos

If released on DVD:

All music videos on DVD now have to be classified if they would achieve a 12 certificate or above.

If released online:

The BBFC has been working with YouTube to age rate online music videos
UK record labels submit any video they feel would gain at least a 12 certification.

18/3/25

Music Audiences

L/O: to explore music audience appeals and fandom.

Do Now

Fans might buy vinyl for having a physical copy of the music.
The big three record labels are Universal Music, Warner music and Sony
Technological developments like music streaming apps have altered the way we consume music.
Synergy is where a brand is synonymous with another brand When two different platforms or products are used to help sell the other and therefore increase overall revenue.
A subsidiary music label is a smaller music label within a larger conglomerate label.

Overview

Music plays a really important part in the lives of many people as it is often tied in with identity. It is particularly associated with youth culture as most people discover and become fans of certain genres of music in their teenage years.
Many genres have developed over time. Pop, for example, is a very broad genre with mainstream appeal, whilst rap has more specific conventions and a more niche audience. Hybrid genres (e.g indie-folk) have also developed over time.
Different genres, especially those that are less mainstream, often have a particular identity or image that are associated with them. Fans may respond positively to the music and then adopt the style linked to that genre. They might also share the particular values and beliefs that are communicated through the music.

The Star Persona

The image of an artist we see in the media is a very carefully constructed representation designed to appeal to their target audience; it is not 'real'.
This star persona is established using many different elements:

Music and lyrics
Visual imagery (MV, publicity shots, album artwork)
Design of any artwork, website and merch
Social media posts

The persona embodies different values and beliefs too
This can change and develop over time as artists get older and possibly change genres.

Case Study Research

Taylor Swift

Look:

Taylor typically posts pictures of her smiling, wearing trendy and glamorous clothing, very feminine

Values and beliefs:

She believes in causes such as feminism and also other political affairs such as the US election - she says she voted for Kamala Harris, a more liberal candidate who advocates for women's reproductive rights and equality
She also values her other female artists, indicting the constant pitting of women against each other, also mentions this in some of her songs and social media posts

Messages:

She communicates her love for her fans by commenting on their posts, encouraging confidence
Independence

Stormzy

Look:

Street style, reflects his rap music genre
Role model to young black youth
Laid back but stylish

Values and beliefs:

BLM movement - he fights against racism in his songs
Supportive and encouraging to his audience and other artists - collaborates a lot
Unafraid to be controversial

Fandom

For those people who are really into a particular artist or genre, music offers many opportunities to engage in fandom.
They might:

Buy physical copies of music, including limited editions, rare releases etc
Collect memorabilia (tickets, posters etc)
Buy official merch
Dress like the artist
Go to many concerts
Follow them on all socials
Enter competitions
Join online fan communities

Meets personal identity and social interaction U&G

Target Audience

Although the main TA for pop music tends to be young people, the audience demographic for music is actually very broad.
There are now more artists of different genders, ethnicities and ages that will appeal to a wider range of people.

21/3/25

TLC Waterfalls

L/O: to explore the historical case study.

Do Now

Niche describes a small target audience.
Star Persona is the constructed representation of an artist.
Technological advancements have affected the way we consume music.
Personal identity and social interaction are provided by fandom.
Visit music concerts of the artist, buy all merchandise, post about it online are things a hard-core fan might do.

Overview

TLC is an all girl RnB/hip hop group; at the time of the release of 'Waterfalls', the members were Tinonne, Lisa and Rozanda.
'Waterfalls' is a track from their second album, CrazySexyCool (1994), and achieved international success, reaching number one in many territories.
The group was originally formed as a fusion of RnB and hip-hop. TLC combined the smooth and soulful elements of RnB and the tougher, more 'street' approach of rap, to create a girl group with a more 'tomboy' image.
Unlike many girl groups, TLC had a more 'rocknroll' image. In the press, they were honest about their individual battles with addiction, police arrests, abusive relationships and spats with each other. These issues were often explored in their music, arguably making TLC more gritty than other RnB acts.

Meaning

"Waterfalls' is an episodic song; several different scenes depicted in the lyrics, each plot line unfolds as a cautionary tale against different vices.

The first scene and verse describes a mother-son relationship in which the son resorts to unorthodox methods to make money. His greed, his 'waterfall' ultimately leads him to death.
The second scene follows the story of a different man with a different 'waterfall' he is chasing. Specifically, his insatiable physical desires result in him contracting HIV, the 'three letters'.

Media Language

'Waterfalls' blends three music video genres: performance, narrative and conceptual.

There are 2 clear narratives with characters and situations that directly relate to the song: in the first verse, a young male dies during a drug deal, and in the second verse, an adult male contracts HIV following unprotected sex. - this is illustration (literal meaning of the words)
Intercut with narrative sections are shots of the members of TLC performing a song and dancing in sync; demonstrating typical codes of the music video form. These performance sections use multiple formal conventions: close-ups of their faces, direct address, dance moves cut to the rhythm of music

There are some more abstract elements in the video. The band members first appear like water spirits, liquid versions of themselves (this is an intertextual reference to the 'liquid metal' in Terminator 2). Bookending each section, there is also a montage of flying imagery, with natural and urban landscapes zooming past. Special effects were used to portray the ghostly characters of the mother and son, and the symptoms of a man's disease. This use of CGI adds an almost supernatural element to a song about very real social issues.

Mise-en-scene

Typically, inner-city sets and locations have connotations of a 'ghetto' and the costumes connote a dangerous urban environment. These elements of the mise-en-scene could also demonstrate intertextual links to films of the 1990s.
In the AIDS narrative, the iconography of the romance genre is used: attractive, semi-naked actors, silk stockings, tangled sheets and large mirrors; yet these swiftly become threatening and horrific to show the symptoms of the disease (the over-exposed image of the man's face and glowing eyes resemble the transformation scene from a horror movie).

Symbolism

Drugs aren't explicitly shown, and neither is any clear HIV diagnosis:

Drugs are symbolised by a brown paper bag, and AIDS by skin deterioration and a montage of photos of the female's previous boyfriends.

Special Effects

SFX are also used to balance the gritty realism of the narratives with something almost magical.

The opening shot appears if we are falling from space (possibly connoting an angel), and TLC members appear first as beings from water. This links explicitly to the title and metaphors of the song.
The mother appears as a ghost trying to prevent her son from approaching the gang; and the son later appears as a 'real' ghost that the mother can't see.
The SFX in the HIV narrative make the disease seem more like a magical curse than a sexually transmitted illness.
This alters the tone of the song, and makes it more expressionistic than naturalistic. Expressionism is an artistic movement where inner emotions are explored, often in an abstract way.

Context

Many RnB videos focus on romantic and often hip-hop videos feature groups of men celebrating their wealth often achieved through crime. 'Waterfalls' references these genre conventions by showing the temptations of both sex and crime. Its overall message is less glamorised and more cautionary than many videos in this genre - anti-stereotypical for the genre
In the 1990s, there was a lot of public concern and media coverage of the song's 2 issues - the spread of HIV and the escalation of street violence related to drug gangs.

'Waterfalls' attempts to explore these through 2 tragic but sympathetic narratives.

TLC were the second biggest girl band in the 90s, who had the message of solidarity and female empowerment. the song could fall into the sub-genre of 'socially aware' hip hop that explores real-life issues but in a sympathetic way, rather than glamorising damaging lifestyles. Many 'gangsta' rappers also produced songs about the difficulties of crime and poverty.

Representation

Age:

Mainly young adults - stereotypical for music videos due to their being the main target audience

The young man is portrayed as well-meaning but impulsive, ignoring the fears of his mother, who is represented as wiser, concerned and loving.
The young couple in the other narrative are shown as wealthy and sexually active, but ultimately irresponsible.

Gender:

The band:

TLC themselves are represented as being almost supernatural beings. They manifest from the water based geographical features in the chorus of the song (lakes, oceans and an actual waterfall). once in 'human' form, their costume and make-up create a complex representation of gender

Social issues:

Social issues are represented sympathetically, linking to the band's comment that they would not preach in trying to send the message
Drug addiction and crime are represented very negatively in the video, with the boy dealing in it facing death as a consequence, portraying the danger in chasing his 'waterfall' of greed.
Promiscuity is also indicted by the representation of HIV (a big problem that killed many people), portraying that sexual temptation is also fatal, as both people dealing in it died as a result in the video.
The young black male is not a typical gangster, but rather represented as someone trying to make easy money to help his family.

25/3/25

Taylor Swift: The Man

L/O: to explore the contemporary case study.

Do Now

Waterfalls includes performative, narrative and conceptual elements.
TLC brings together RnB and hip hop genres.
SFX are used to represent a man's illness due to promiscuity.
Waterfalls is expressionistic.
Waterfalls represents ethnicity, social issues and age.

Overview

Taylor Swift is one of the world's best selling artists. She is the most streamed female artist on Spotify.
The Man was released in February 2020. It was the fourth single to be released from her 2019 Lover album. The music video has 107 million views on her YouTube channel.
The lyrics of the song explore how differently she feels she would be treated if she were a man.

Conventions

This video breaks usual music video conventions, as it doesn't show the artist singing the song in any form. Instead she acts as a character and doesn't use direct mode of address. The video mostly tells a story but ends with a short clip of Taylor at the end.

Media Language: MES

The video constructs a linear narrative, by following the Man's typical daily activities in various locations including the subway, office and the park.
These everyday locations that include both men and women represent the places where women experience sexism in their daily lives.
The Man is also shown in more glamorous locations - enjoying leisure time on a yacht and tennis court - reflecting his wealth, possibly a reflection of the gender pay gap.
All of the women were wearing yellow bikinis on the boat, representing their degradation and objectification.

Media Language: Propp

The character of the Man could be described as the false hero, according to Propp's character roles, as Taylor is 'unmasked' as the real hero at the end of the video. This is highlighted by the credits 'written by' and 'directed by', encouraging the audience to view her as a powerful and successful woman.

Intertextuality

Intertextuality creates layers of meaning in the video: it means one text uses ideas from another.
Wolf of Wall Street references - yacht, office, the general look of the Man and his gestures, misogyny
The Man smashing his tennis racket references John McEnroe, the tennis player notorious for his angry outbursts on the tennis court in the 1980s.
Swift also references her own media:

RED, Reputation, 1989, Speak Now
Similarly the sign with the line through the scooter, references her fight for the rights of her music with her producer Scooter Braun and the missing poster helps to further anchor this meaning.
Mr Americana poster - she has a documentary called Miss Americana

Media Language

Clothing codes -

suit - reference to WOWS, connotes status, wealth and education
gold shirt on the yacht - gold connotes luxury but perhaps even over-indulgence
All of the women on the yacht are dressed in yellow bikinis, reflecting their objectification by the Man and furthermore their degradation - perhaps implies they don't matter individually

Colour palette -

Rather dull, grey tones at the beginning while he is in the workplace or on the subway, in his house - contrasted with the colourful, perhaps dream-like hands that protrude from his wall afterwards
The red ambiance of the bar has connotations of sexuality and passion - perhaps in the sense that he is promiscuous and has no care for women themselves, just their bodies

Gesture codes -

Wink to the camera - connotes arrogance
In the scene in the subway the Man is 'manspreading' and flicking cigarette ash onto the woman next to him - reflects a blatant disregard for others, perhaps even narcissism, mirrors the way that no one protests against him - he is almost omnipotent in this world
His arms rise in the office - direct intertextual link to the WOWS poster - in this association, it provides synonymity with the character Jordan Belfort, a misogynistic, arrogant character.

Technical codes -

The man is often framed in the centre, showing the focus on him. The camera also tracks his movement emphasising that he is at the centre of the narrative.
The long shot at the beginning of the video encapsulates the scene - the Man at the centre of the city, in a high-rise building - immediately established his importance and status
The scene in the bedroom is also a long shot, where the woman is filmed facing away from the camera - implies she is insignificant, just an object for male pleasure, no individual features of her are shown in the shot.

Context

The social context of feminism has influenced the video as Swift is assuming the role of a man in order to express her feminist views. She mocks the patriarchy throughout the video to make a serious point about gender discrimination.
She is well known for using her videos to criticise people from her personal life, and this video appears to reference Jake Gyllenhall, who Swift dated in 2010 and is similar to the appearance of the man.
In the subway, the Boss Scotch poster with the tagline of 'Capitalise on the feeling', and the word 'greedy' graffitied next to the poster.
Various members of Swift's family and friends make cameo appearances in the video, adding to the personal tone.
Swift's Netflix documentary is referenced in a poster which shows an alternative version of the film starring her male alter ego.
The video was inspired by the #MeToo movement at the time. A lyric from the song - "when everyone believes you, what's that like?" - could be a reference to the slogan #BelieveWomen which was used as a part of the movement.

Representation

Gender:

Men are represented as dominant, wealthy, educated and uncaring towards women and others in general. However, at the end, the roles of men and women are somewhat reversed, as Swift tells her alter-ego to be more "sexy" and "likeable", which are typically traits women are told to be.
Moreover, men are constructed to represent to make a statement about misogyny and male privilege. They are represented as disrespectful throughout, with the Man engaging exaggerated male gestures such as manspreading.
The posters on the subway wall highlight hyper masculinity in action movies and male stereotypes are reinforced in the newspaper the Man is reading, with headlines like "Year's most eligible CEO"
Women are represented as sexual objects, often pictured in skimpy clothing, but also all praise the Man, perhaps playing into the Propp's 'princess' trope.
The scene in the office where the man tosses a crumpled piece of paper and 3 women try to catch it - represents women being subservient, desperate to be chosenThroughout the video women are represented as secondary, supporting characters.

Taylor Swift:

Swift is represented as ultimately the Propp's 'hero' of the video, as at the end she is revealed to be an independent and hardworking woman through the way in which she stars in, directs and writes the video.

Inequality:

The inequality between men and women can be seen in the way the Man earns praise for spending a few seconds with his daughter.

28/3/25

Stormzy: Superheroes

L/O: to explore our contemporary case study

Do Now

The Man challenges the conventions of a pop video as Taylor doesn't sing the song in the video.
John McEnroe and Miss Americana referenced
Mise-en-scene of outfits portrays the Man's wealth and status, gestures
The Man is the false hero
Taylor Swift and gender could be discussed for representation

Overview

Superheroes was released on 13 December 2019 as a part of Stormzy's second album
The video did not premiere until September 2020 when it was shown is school classrooms in key cities in the UK, it was shown at the start of term when schools re-opened after the covid pandemic.
The video was directed by a British filmmaker and produced by Argentinian animation studio.
Stormzy dedicated the video to Chadwick Boseman following the actor's death in August 2020. The video ends with the text : 'RIP Chadwick Boseman 1976-2020'
In 2020, Stormzy donated £500,000 to the Black Heart Foundation to provide education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds and pledged to donate £10M over the next decade to help combat racial inequality in the UK.

Conventions

Not a typical pop video as no performance aspect
Different tone to this music video compared to his other music videos
Expressionistic
Animated
Subverting music video conventions, Superheroes does not include the artist performing the song. It is entirely narrative based, with Stormzy featuring as a character leading the young boy on a typical hero's journey, showing him other characters who have found their gifts or superpowers. The lyrics narrate the story throughout, and the visuals contain many cultural references to real people and events from 2020.
The animated nature of the video enables the characters' superpowers to be constructed imaginatively.

Media Language

The video constructs a linear narrative
The establishing shots shows the setting is a city
Pink skies - bright, joyful
Birds singing before song - peaceful, optimistic
Soft colour palette signifies sanguinity - subverts conventions of grime music and Stormzy's general tone

Propp

Stormzy is shown in the role of the hero, who rescues the young boy when he falls. The 'young black kings' and 'young black queens' could be seen as Proppian heroes, who receive help from Stormzy and other inspirational figures on their journey towards empowerment - also plays Stormzy as the Donor.

Intertextuality

Noughts and Crosses - racial inequality and overcoming it - synergy as Stormzy is promoting the series as well that he is in
The Matrix - the young black boy who makes the pens fly
Toy Story - Stormzy flying
Little Simz - poster on the girl's wall, a black female singer
#MERKY - Stormzy's brand

Iconography

Black Lives Matter - protests and signs
Masks symbolise pandemic
No violence in the video
Diversity in the crowd
The iconography used in the video is associated with black empowerment. the placards and raised fists in the protest scene send a message of black power. Then, the symbolism at the end of the video when Stormzy places the world in the boy's hands before leaving him sends a clear message of optimism for the 'young black kings and queens' who have the power to change the world.

Media Language

Clothing codes and props:

The boy's adidas tracksuit was selected by the director to reflect a style similar to the dress code in Stormzy's Sounds of the Skeng video, adding authenticity and relatability for the young audience.
Noughts and Crosses book prop - shown to the police in the video, combatting racism

Lighting:

Pink, pastel soft tones of the video highlight peacefulness and sanguinity for the future of the 'young black kings and queens'
The light glowing from Stormzy and the boy at the end emphasises their unlimited and pure potential

Technical Codes:

A low angle shot establishes Stormzy as the hero for the first time he meets the boy. The boy is looking up at him from the corner of the frame, positioning the audience to view Stormzy as an inspirational role model.
'Im young, black, beautiful and brave' section where they are holding signs, the camera is positioned below the protesters to create an interrogative ambience at that moment - there is no question that they are powerful and have potential
Wide shots in the sky positioned near the Sun illuminate the recurring motif of light that appears throughout the video, this time from the natural source, emphasising their positivity and optimism.

Context

The video contains many references to pop culture chosen to represent black culture in an empowering way. These include rappers Dave and Little Simz, and footballer Marcus Rashford
Malorie Blackman's Nought's and Crosses novel is also referenced in the video. Stormzy appeared in the BBC adaptation of this novel which explores racism in an alternative version of society where black people hold more power.
The scene that depicts BLM protests reflects the social and political climate of the summer of 2020, shortly after the death of George Floyd
The use of Marcus Rashford shirt reflects social and political contexts as, at the time, Rashford had made a stand against the UK government on their decision to end the free school meals provided during the pandemic. Rashford successfully pressured the government into reversing their decision, so Stormzy wanted to represent him in the video as a hero and role model to young people.
Stormzy is well known for his positive activism, using social media and high-profile performances, such as his headline slot at Glastonbury in 2019, to both support and criticise British politicians and encourage young people to vote.

Representation

Men

The 'young black kings' are represented as empowered by education in the classroom and as talented in the scene in the music studio.
Central male character is represented as vulnerable and lacking in confidence at the started before he is guided by Stormzy on his hero's journey where he is inspired by role models

Women

The 'young black queen; chopping vegetables and washing dishes reinforces a stereotype of females being more powerful in a domestic setting
Female character lacking body confidence - transformed into a moment of empowerment when she is inspired to embrace her natural features
Young female wearing a football shirt challenges stereotypes as she is shown to be a talented footballer

Stormzy

Represented positively as a black role model with power hoping to inspire the younger generation
Shown to be caring, taking time to support and inspire the central male character
Reading Noughts and Crosses, which he presents to the police - highlights the issue of racial profiling and represents education as the route to empowerment and equality
BLM is depicted in the graffiti shot and pandemic in masks - represent issues of black empowerment, police prejudice and racial profiling

Family

Inequality

Homework

How do music videos reflect the time in which they were made? Refer to Waterfalls (TLC, 1995) to support your points. [10]

In the 'Waterfalls' music video, there are many ways in which the media reflects the time period in which it was made (1995). Firstly, the use of SFX for the water effects on the band members is an intertextual reference to a popular film of the 90s, Terminator 2, in which it uses the same genre of effects (liquid metal). This reflects the pop culture of the time as the film was very influential and popular in the 90s, so many viewers may have been entertained by the blatant reference. Furthermore, the way in which the actual song is that of a hybrid of R&B and hip-hop mirrors the popular genres of the time, combining the smooth elements of R&B and the gritty rap of hip-hop to synthesise a staple of pop culture.

The music video is an amalgamation of narrative, performance and conceptual, with two main narratives: one, a young boy who deserts his mother to pursue drug-selling in the city, who then is murdered at the hands of a gang, and another a man who contracts HIV after succumbing to his insatiable promiscuity, ultimately perishing as a result. These two narratives are strongly influenced by the current affairs of the 1990s, with the rise in drug abuse and crime in cities as well as the influx of AIDS, causing national fear. The use of mise-en-scene sets the ambience on these stories that reflect the pop culture of the time: the inner city sets and locations have connotations of a 'ghetto', and the costumes (baggy tracksuits, baseball caps, dark glasses) connote a dangerous urban environment, but also the fashion of the time. These elements of the msie-en-scene in the first narrative could also present intertextual links to films of the 1990s such as Boyz 'N the Hood. Moreover, the mise-en-scene in the second narrative also uses iconography of the romance genre - large mirrors, attractive actors, silk stockings etc, yet these swiftly become horrific to display the debilitating symptoms of the disease, with the over-exposed image of the man's face somewhat symbolising that of a horror movie transformation, portraying the consequences of chasing his 'waterfall'.

The way in which these narratives are presented is in contrast to other R&B/hip-hop music videos of the time, as rather than celebrating crime and promiscuity as an achievement and status-builder, TLC portrays these vices as fatal; 'Waterfalls' references these genre conventions by displaying the insatiable temptations of sex and crime, sending a less glamourised and cautionary message to viewers to avoid such pursuits. The video sends this message through a more expressionistic and sympathetic method, so that they are not 'preaching', but being more nuanced and emotional than other popular, social-realism artists of the time.

1/4/25

Music Videos: Industry and Audiences

L/O: to explore our contemporary case studies

Do Now

Superheroes challenges the conventions of a pop music video as it does not have any performance element.
2 intertextual references in Superheroes: Noughts and Crosses, BLM movement
Media language is used to create meaning in Superheroes: pink, soft lighting shows Stormzy's wish for peace, low angle establishes Stormzy as a role model and hero
Stormzy plays the hero role
Two areas of representation you could discuss in Superheroes is Stormzy and inequality.

Taylor Swift: Industry

TS signed a song-writing deal with Sony records in 2004 and a recording contract with Big Machine Records in 2005. She signed to Republic Records in 2018, the label under which she released Lover. After a dispute with BMR, she began re-recording her albums.
Swift's music is promoted to audiences through her website and its convergence with her social media accounts. The official website promotes album releases such as TV of Speak Now, sells merchandise to global audiences and advertises tour dates such as the Eras Tour.

Prosthetic make-up was used to transform her into The Man. This involved her wearing a muscle suit and having facial sculptures which took 4-6 hours to apply each day of filming. The final, behind the scenes shots of the video reveal the transformation of Swift into the Man and remind us that she is both the writer of the song and director of the video.
Swift was the first person to receive Woman of the Decade award as Billboard's music awards.
Her Miss Americana documentary is an example of convergence and promotes her music to a wider audience.

Audience

On 25th February 2020, Swift posted a teaser trailer on her social media accounts for The Man music video. Swift answered fan questions on the 27th in the hour before the premiere of the video. The hashtag #TheMan was used by her fans to share responses to the video after its release.
Swift posted thank you messages to the actors in the music video thanking them for the parts they played. She posted a message to Loren Gray who played the tennis umpire.
Swift's social media accounts often take a more personal approach to connect to her fans. She often posts about her cats and has also expressed her views through social media on issues such as the #MeToo movement and the US presidential election.
On international women's day in 2020, the Man was added to playlists on streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.
British politician Liz Truss quoted words for the song during a debate for gender equality.

Theory: Reception Theory

Stuart Hall came up with the idea that media producers encode messages with intended meanings, but audiences decode these messages based on their own experiences and contexts, leading to diverse interpretations.
Hall identifies 3 potential ways that audiences might decode a message:

Preferred/ dominant reading: the audience accepts the intended meaning of the message
Negotiated reading: the audience partially accepts the intended meaning but also incorporates their own interpretations and perspectives.
Oppositional reading: the audience rejects the intended meaning and interprets the message in a way that contradicts the producer's intent.

Audience Response

The preferred reading of the video would be for the female audience to feel empowered by the feminist message which would be to campaign for gender equality. The representations in the video are also mocking stereotypes of men for entertainment purposes.
A more oppositional viewpoint might come from a male audience, who may feel that the negative representations in The Man are misrepresenting them as a social group. For example, some responses to the video argue that the negative male stereotype represented is outdated and offensive.

Stormzy: Industry

Stormzy's first album was released independently. It was the first rap album to win the BRIT award.
He was then signed to Atlantic Records in 2018, under which his second album, Heavy is the Head, was released.
The production company responsible for producing the superheroes video was 2veinte, and managed to produce the video in 8 weeks, by using simple backgrounds and minimal scenic details, as well as frame-by-frame 2D animation.
His official website promotes tours, album releases social media, merch.

Stormzy's brand MERKY has pledged to donate £10 million over 10 years to Black organisations in the UK to fight racial inequality.

Stormzy: Audience

The primary audience for the video were school pupils in the UK, with the video streamed to classrooms in 2020.
Before the video was aired, Stormzy sent a video message to schools welcoming pupils across the UK back to school and telling them they would be the first people anywhere to see the video.

He said "I think it's important you understand how powerful you are"

The target audience for superheroes, Black British males and females from Gen Alpha, is younger than his typical target audience due to the focus on younger characters and the animated nature of the video.
Older Gen Z audiences reacted on social media to Stormzy's use of lyrics from Keisha White's Someday
Stormzy is the 5th most popular rap/hiphop artist in the UK
Stormzy's music is promoted through his website and its convergence with social media accounts. His social media account takes a more personal approach to connect with his fans, and expresses his views through social media on the BLM movement.
The preferred reading would be for young Black audiences to embrace the positive message of strength and hope in the song and feel empowered and inspired by Stormzy and the other role models featured.
The oppositional reading of the video might come from an older, white audience, who may not understand the representations and issues faced by the black communities.

Online Media (Website and Socials)

Key Terminology:

Thumbnail: a small image or graphic
Homepage: the first place you see on the website
Hyperlink: a word/image that, when clicked on, takes you to another website or social media account.
Navigation bar: the contents part of the homepage
Merchandise: promotional material, such as clothing, that artists sell to their fans
Social media profile: their accounts on the various social media websites

Why do musicians have websites?

To help promote an album or tour
To sell merchandise
To help promote their brand
A place for fans to connect with the artist
To direct fans to their social media accounts

4/4/25

Online media: Websites & Socials

L/O: to understand the format for Paper 2, Section B

Do Now

A hyperlink
Sociable and appreciative of their fans, interactive with followers
Entertainment and personal identity
Information and personal identity
Opposite, preferred and negotiated

Why do artists have websites?

Taylor Swift

To direct their fans to their social media accounts

One important reason for musicians to have websites is to direct fans to all of their various social media accounts. With so many social media platforms that artists are expected to appear on, it is helpful to have one place where they are all listed. On Swift's website, the bottom right hand corner of the landing page has a navigation bar, with links to seven different social media platforms. These include YouTube, where official content like music videos are released, as well as TikTok, where more spontaneous video-content can be shared with their fans.

To help promote a new album and tour

When Swift's Eras Tour was announced and began touring, her website indicated this with a bar in which it stated her next tour dates, helping to lead fans to search for the next tickets. When her TTPD album was released, the entire website design changed to the aesthetics of that album, with images and fonts in-line with that of the album, portraying her new 'Era'.

To help promote their brand, through tie-ins to an album release

Taylor's brand is promoted with album and merch shops on the website which allows fans to continue the 'hype train' for the next album.

It's a place to sell merchandise, an important revenue stream for artists

As soon as you open her website, Swift's merchandise is immediately showcased on the main image with her Era's tour merch, linking fans to the shop where they can purchase it.

Stormzy

To direct fans to their social media accounts

To help promote a new album and tour

Stormzy's website has a widget that includes next tour dates as well as where to purchase them, leading fans to go and get some tickets, as well as promotes his collaboration with Raye and the Weeknd on the opening page of his website.

To help promote their brand, through tie-ins to an album release

There are links to the new album release as well as a design on the website that ties in with his image: street style, dark colours etc.

It's a place to sell merchandise, an important revenue stream for artists

There is a merch link in the navigation bar on the left side of the website, leading fans to a page with all of his albums and clothing items to create a revenue stream for Stormzy's brand.

Uses & Gratifications

Taylor Swift

Personal Identity -

Fans might connect with her brand such as in her songs that are linked on the website; clear feminist message in her albums and on her website that fans connect to.

Information -

There is information about her previous albums, how to get to her socials and her merch.

Entertainment -

Fans might find entertainment in listening to the music linked or watching the promotional videos showcased on the website.

Social Interaction -

Social media links fans to forums where they can talk to other like-minded fans or Taylor herself

Stormzy

Personal Identity -

The option to sign up to a newsletter provides fans with a personal connection to Stormzy's brand

Information -

Info about upcoming tour dates as well as the newsletter which will offer new updates

Entertainment -

There are links to Stormzy's music as well as videos that provide fans with entertainment

Social Interaction -

Social media links fans to forums where they can talk to other like-minded fans

Social Media

Social media offers a range of platforms and tools that can be used in a myriad of ways
We use social medias in very different ways to celebrities

1: Building and maintaining a public image:

Self promotion
Sharing activites, plans and upcoming projects to maintain visibility and generate interest.
Building a strong brand:

Cultivating a a consistent image and messgae to attract fans and potential collaborators

Managing public perception:

Responding to controversies, apologizing for mistakes, and explaining their actions to control the narrative.

2: Engaging with fans

Direct communication:

Interacting with fans, answering questions, and building a sense of community.

Sharing personal moments:

Providing glimpses into their personal lives to foster a connection with their audience.

Promoting upcoming projects:

Teasing new movies, albums or other ventures to generate excitement and anticipation
Treating fans like friends

3: Leveraging social media for business:

Endorsements and partnerships: promoting brands and their products to their followers, leveraging their influence for commercial gain
Launching personal brands: using social media to build and market their own businesses
Networking: connecting with other celebrities, industry professionals and potential collaborators
Highlighting achievements: sharing their achievements of partners or collaborators

To post information about tour dates, new releases or teasers
To interact with their fans
To present themselves in a personal way
To promote their music, brand or label
To emphasise their star persona

An artist might use their social media profile to promote themselves by posting about their new album or tour, creating hashtags of it and interact more with their fan base to entice more to engage with them; the look of their profile e.g. profile picture or bio also portrays their brand image, reinforcing the star persona.
Artists can use tweets to engage their target audience by interacting with fans, enticing more people to also engage with them, as well as post hints at future plans that might excite fans.
A pinned post might be used in a big announcement that will have a long-lasting effect on the brand, for example a new album announcement and date.
The profile picture serves the purpose of reinforcing the brand image, as it might be a picture of the thumbnail of their new album or convey personality e.g. if it's comical it might suggest they are colloquial with their fans.
Dyer's star theory might be applied in how an artist's social media is used to convey their brand persona and to ultimately promote their brand and generate more revenue: they are not the ones who are usually operating their socials, it will be in-line with their star persona.

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