Showcase
The simplest form of music video, just the band/ artist in front of the camera performing the song - although it may appear to be effortless even these videos are often carefully choreographed, lip synced and each visual element of mise - en - scene has been considered.
An example of a showcase music video is Blondie's 'Hanging On The Telephone' whereby the entirety of the video is the band performing to the camera from 20 seconds in until the end. The set of the video has clearly been carefully considered with a background of solid white and black lines, moreover Blondie blends in wearing a long black dress and standing only on the black line - the set of the video is a clear reference to the name of the band's album 'parallel lines' - a clever marketing strategy.
A modern example of a showcase music video is reggae/ pop band MAGIC!'s hit song 'Rude' - the song is not however purely a showcase video, it has a consistent narrative story line throughout which is broken up by the elements of showcase.
The sequences which show purely the band performing to the camera are very much in the style of a showcase video and usually accompany the chorus, the narrative is tied into the showcase section towards the end however as the girl from the video enters the garage scene and dances with the band leader. This is a key example of how music videos are difficult to categorise and often contain several different genres.
The sequences which show purely the band performing to the camera are very much in the style of a showcase video and usually accompany the chorus, the narrative is tied into the showcase section towards the end however as the girl from the video enters the garage scene and dances with the band leader. This is a key example of how music videos are difficult to categorise and often contain several different genres.
Narrative
A narrative music video is one that tells a story, whether the artist/ band is in the video or it is using actors/ actresses the video will contain a storyline and are require a lot of planning and choreography to get right. Katy Perry stars in the video, as an old woman reflecting on her life, in a series of flashbacks the audience sees the a much younger Katy Perry in a happy, quirky relationship, after a row Perry's love interest drives off in a rage and swerves to avoid boulders in the road, ending up driving off of the cliff. As the old woman Perry stands at the edge of the road and is reunited with the still young man - 'The One That Got Away'. Everything about the video is cleverly structured, from the camerawork to the make up and props to convey the story consistently - it is done very effectively and the close up shots of Perry as an old woman carry a lot of emotion.
Katy Perry's 'The One That Got Away' is a classic example of a narrative music video, both the video and the song itself tell a story. Taylor Swift is another artist who tends to star in her narrative music videos such as 'Mine' - however other artists use narrative videos as a platform for discussion.
The artist Hozier used a narrative music video for his number 1 hit 'Take Me To Church'. The video is purely narrative and unusually Hozier does not appear in it at all. The use of a narrative storyline is key within the video and Hozier examines prejudices regarding sexuality to provoke a discussion/ reaction from audiences.
Spectacle
Spectacle music videos are vastly different to other genres, they contain unusual or strange elements that are usually carried through to the end and indicate that perhaps the artist does not want to be categorised or doesn't fit into a specific role / genre.
Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used To Know' is a key example of a spectacle music video.
Gotye's 'Somebody That I Used To Know' is a key example of a spectacle music video.
The initial photography of the video include close ups of Gotye's face and show he is uncovered, the initial part of the video provides a vast contrast to later shots.
The introduction of painting/ body art which is abstract is used to show the audience how Gotye wants to be portrayed as not just another musician but an artist, he is also portraying his individuality and how he does not fit into a certain mould or genre.
Intertextual
Intertextual music videos are unique in that they often cross reference, they may have the whole video in the style of something else such as Lady Gaga's video 'Paparazzi' and the references to newspapers and cameras, equally the video may cut between different scenes such as Taylor Swift's 'Love Story' which switches from modern day setting to a Shakespearean set/ dress.
An example of intertextual references within a music video is seen clearly in Iggy Azalea's music video for her hit song 'Fancy' which makes direct references to the 1995 film 'Clueless'.
Iggy Azalea's 'Fancy' - WARNING explicit content.
Link to the trailer for the film 'Clueless', please watch to see the similarities
Clueless Fancy
The clever stylistic inter textual references between a film about a typically popular, rich girl who 'owns' the school and Iggy's music video have a similar subject matter whereby her lyrics brag of the fast and lucrative lifestyle she now leads "I'm so fancy...Can't you taste this gold? Remember my name".
Performance
Performance music videos are just that - videos of the band performing the song either live or pre recorded often using footage of the band at a concert. Performance videos can take various forms however, some are purely the band performing and (usually) lip singing to allow them to concentrate on staging and choreography whereas other performance music videos switch between the band performing and more relaxed shots of the band say with friends or reflecting like in One Direction's 'Story of my Life' in which the band both perform and stop to look at childhood photographs of themselves and their loved ones.A modern example of a performance based music video is that of Australian band Five Seconds of Sumers' 'Amnesia.
The video takes place in three settings, the band performing in a garage like that of a live performance.
The band also perform as separate artists, with close ups of each band member singing their section of the song.
Lastly, the video is broken up from the performance segments by sequences of the band relaxing with friends, at a pool party and driving around their town reminiscing.
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