Do Now
Tuesday 4 March 2025
1. 2
2. 70%
3. 30%
4. to make money
5. website, social media
Music Videos and Online Media
1. to give the audiences a visual interpretation of whats going on in the music and to tell the story better
2. to see a visual interpretation of the music
- to make songs/artists memorable
- to allow the artist or song to be heard on more platforms
- to show the artists other skills
- to help sell song
- to introduce a new artist
- to show off and artists image
- to entertain
- to allow the audience to connect with the singer
- to convey the meaning of the song
- to promote the artists image, identity, talent or status
- to showcase or promote the artists musical prowess
1. narrative and performance
2. A lonely mother gazin' out of the window
Staring at her son that she just can't touchIf at any time he's in a jam, she'll be by his sideBut he doesn't realize he hurts her so muchBut all the praying just ain't helping at all'Cause he can't seem to keep his self out of troubleSo he goes out and he makes his money the best way he knows howAnother body layin' cold in the gutter, listen to me
Don't go chasin' waterfallsPlease stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used toI know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at allBut I think you're moving too fast
Little precious has a natural obsessionFor temptation but he just can't seeShe gives him loving that his body can't handleBut all he can say is, "baby, it's good to me"One day he goes and take a glimpse in the mirrorBut he doesn't recognize his own faceHis health is fading and he doesn't know whyThree letters took him to his final resting place, y'all don't hear me
Don't go chasin' waterfallsPlease stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used toI know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at allBut I think you're moving too fast
Ah, c'monI seen a rainbow yesterdayBut too many storms have come and joinedLeavin' a trace of not one God-given rayIs it because my life is ten shades of grayI pray, all ten fade away, seldom praise Him for the sunny daysAnd like His promise is true, only my faith can undoThe many chances I blew to bring my life to anewClear and blue and unconditionalSkies have dried the tears from my eyes, no more lonely criesMy only bleedin' hope is for the folk who can't copeWith such an endurin' pain that it keeps them in the pourin' rainWho's to blame for tootin' 'caine into your own veinWhat a shame, you shoot and aim for someone else's brainYou claim the insane and ain't this day and time for fallin'Prey to crime I say the system got you victim to your own mindDreams are hopeless aspirations in hopes of coming trueBelieve in yourself, the rest is up to me and you
Don't go chasin' waterfallsPlease stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used toI know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at allBut I think you're moving too fast
Oh, you're moving too fast
Don't go chasin' waterfallsPlease stick to the rivers and the lakes that you're used toI know that you're gonna have it your way or nothing at allBut I think you're moving too fast
the lyrics talk about selling and abusing drugs
the video tells a story, is edited like a movie, artists appear as performers, story somewhat matches lyrics
1.
2. Don't die on me
I said
Young black king, don't die on meYou're my brother, you're my keeperI need you to keep an eye on meAnd no more fighting on the streetsWalking 'round with all this pride on meShit, shit's tough for us alreadyKnow that you can still rely on mePlease, just stay alive for me
And my young black queens, don't quit now (yeah)You're the only ones that got usI could never let my sis downYou been too strong, for too longYet, still you never sit down, wowThat's the power of your lovingAnd it's worthy of a king's crownAnd still you never let your kings down
Even though most times, we don't deserve itThe picture isn't pretty, but it's perfectTedious pressures, so then I curve itSerena or Venus, the way I serve itI'm Mallory Blackman, the way I sell booksI jump on the stage, and then the world looksAll that banging' on my door, had my girl shookNow sorry officer, I only sell hooksLeave me aloneEvery little L I took, I hold it close to homeLive and you learn, they'll always hate me for my toneFor the shade of my skinAnd not the courage of my bonesNow, I'm misunderstoodNow, I'm feeling like Nina SimoneThe way I toured the worldWould have thought that I was SimsSee her on stage, I know that women can be kingsI know that's fucked, they're overlooking what you bringI know shit's all good, but it's just the little things
Black queen you're immaculateIt's coming at the worldThey ain't ready for your magic yetAnd that was never your faultMan, I guess they couldn't hack it yetWorld domination, and you ain't evenTaken off your jacket yetSo effortlessly fabulous
And my young black kings I hope it pays offGo and show 'em what you're made ofTrying to scare us with some thingsThat we are no longer afraid ofMen are superheroes, let me see you take offI pray you never take your cape off
Even though most times, we don't fly straightIf I trust you bro, I promise we gon' die greatOur burdens are heavy, but we ain't light weightsOur parents were legends, they had to migrateSo that's a reason not to sit around and chat shitI'm from the place where Michael Dapaah made a smash hitWhere you can be a rapper, if rap you sickThey're screaming, "What a flippin' time to be a black Brit!"We so alive, whole world gone out their mindsBut no we ride, tried to push us all to the sideWe know our rightsNow we get the whole of the pie, then go insideWhen you see that merky flag in the skyJust know it's IThe way I topped the chartsWould've thought that I was DaveI am young, black, beautiful and braveKnow that it's fucked, they're overlooking what we gaveI know shits all good, so we pray for better days
Pray they better than before (better than before)Young black king, you are everything and more (you are everything and more)I know one song's not enough to settle scores (not enough to settle scores)But from the bottom of my heartMan, I hope you're getting yours (getting yours)Man, I hope you're getting yours (getting yours)
Young black queen, get your shine onAll I see is innovators, and a bag of iconsYou can go and ask the whole worldWhere they got they style from?That's you, that's us, God's timeAnd he never gets the time wrongI guess we just some ticking time bombsWe soon blow (boom)
I can make world come trueAll my dreams will see me throughAnd if that won't get me downMy dreams will turn things all aroundWith a smile upon my faceI can see a better placeDoesn't matter what may come my wayBelieve me now, I will win some day
3.
4.
5.
Do Now
Friday 7 March 2025
1. to make money
2. to better promote the artist
3. to show the audience a visual of the song, to show the artists other skills
4. performance and narrative
5. lip syncing, live performance, focus on artist or band
Music Videos and Online Media
1.
2. I would be complex
I would be coolThey'd say I played the field before I found someone to commit toAnd that would be okayFor me to doEvery conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you
I'd be a fearless leaderI'd be an alpha typeWhen everyone believes yaWhat's that like?
I'm so sick of running as fast as I canWondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a manAnd I'm so sick of them coming at me again'Cause if I was a manThen I'd be the manI'd be the manI'd be the man
They'd say I hustledPut in the workThey wouldn't shake their heads and question how much of this I deserveWhat I was wearingIf I was rudeCould all be separated from my good ideas and power moves?
And they would toast to me, ohLet the players playI'd be just like LeoIn Saint-Tropez
I'm so sick of running as fast as I canWondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a manAnd I'm so sick of them coming at me again'Cause if I was a manThen I'd be the manI'd be the manI'd be the man
What's it like to brag aboutRaking in dollarsAnd getting bitches and modelsAnd it's all good if you're badAnd it's okay if you're madIf I was out flashing my dollarsI'd be a bitch, not a ballerThey paint me out to be badSo it's okay that I'm mad
I'm so sick of running as fast as I canWondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man (you know that)And I'm so sick of them coming at me again (coming at me again)'Cause if I was a man (if I was a man)Then I'd be the man (then I'd be the man)
I'm so sick of running as fast as I can (as fast as I can)Wondering if I'd get there quicker if I was a man (hey)And I'm so sick of them coming at me again (coming at me again)'Cause if I was a man (if I was a man)Then I'd be the man
I'd be the manI'd be the man (oh)I'd be the man (yeah)I'd be the man (I'd be the man)
If I was a manThen I'd be the man
The Music Industry
in the UK music industry contributes billions to the economy it is a massive global media industry
due to the changing way we consume music the industry has faced many challenges recently
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
STORMZY
Talyor Swift
Ownership
record labels are companies that make contracts with artists and release their music record labels usually fund the costs of producing distributing and circulation music to audience
they will have separate production teams
warner music group, universal music group, sony music and the 3 big labels
Do Now
Tuesday 18 March 2025
1. to have a physical copy of the song
2. warner music group, universal music group, sony music
3. technology advancing
4.
5.
Independents
indie music was traditionally non mainstream
most of these gave to go to the majors to get distribution deals however, so the majors will get a cut
some artists dont sign to a label at all they use the internet the promote their work
Taylor swift - Universal
Stormzy- was Universal went to warner
Regulation
the industry isnt regulated by a single organisation but there are regulatory guidelines in place for music products in Britain
the BPI runs the parental advisory shceme which is voluntary and used the logo to notify the audiences
Audiences
mainstream appeal - very broad mass audiences
niche - very small audiences similar types of music
Do Now
Friday 21 March 2025
1. niche
2. star persona
3. online streaming
4. personal identity, social interaction
5. buy merch
TLC: Waterfalls
unlike many other girl groups they had more of a rock n roll image, they were honest about their background with addiction, police, and spats between them
waterfalls is episodic song; several different scenes depicted in the lyrics and each story unfolds as a warning
the boy at the start dies selling drugs on the streets his waterfall is his greed
the man at the end is dying of aids his waterfall is the desire for sex
Media Language
waterfalls blends 3 types of music videos, performance - them dancing in the water, narrative - the boy and the man and conceptual - the water effect they is put over them
illustration - the images show the literal meaning of the lyrics i.e the mum who cant hug her boy and the man not seeing his true face in the mirror
intercut with the narrative sections are the members of TLC dancing in the water and performing the lyrics as they lip sink to the music
mise - en - scene
typical inner city set the brownstone house stoop and street corner have connotations of a ghetto and the costumes, baggy clothes tracksuits baseball caps connote a dangerous urban environment
in the HIV/AIDS narrative the iconography of the romance genre is used: attractive semi-naked actors and very warm lighting but when the man finds out he has HIV the lighting gets more cold and his skin is seen as a more whitish colour
special effects
the water effect over the dancers, the ghost like form the mum and son take
representation
Do Now
Tuesday 25 March 2025
1. performance, conceptual, narrative
2. RnB and hip hop
3. CGI: band status, MES to show different narratives
4. expressionistic
5. age, ethnicity, gender
Taylor Swift The Man
this video breaks the conventions of a usual music video because it doesn't involve the artist the singing the song instead she plays a character
the choice of location is to show the everyday locations where a women might experience sexism
the suit the man is wearing shows that the man is wealthy and important
the scenes where the man is on the yacht and in the tennis court also shows his wealth and the money gap in play between men and women
in the yacht scene all of the women are wearing the same yellow bikinis objectifying the women saying their all the same
the character of the man is the false hero, he is made so we see him as the hero but are the very end he is unmasked to be Taylor swift as the real hero in the end this is highlighted by the fact it says "written" and "directed by" in the credits
intertextuality is when a text references another text
for example in the man, the mans design and how he acts is very similar to the main character from wolf of wall street, from how the man looks and acts to the locations from the office where everyone applauds him to the yacht
Taylor Swift also makes references to her other music / albums
Clothing codes and props: the nice smart suit and clothing we see throughout the video tells us that the man is very high up in where he works it also tells us that the man is very wealthy and able to spend tones of money freely without a care
Colour palette:
Gesture codes incle facial expressions:
in the scene on the subway the man is needing a news paper that is covered in sections talking about men and male success
technical codes:
Context
men are represented in the video as rich, powerful, masculine, loud and obnoxious, with The Man smashing his racket at the end and man spreading on the train
women in the video aren't really represented that well in the video, mainly being seen in bed with The Man or in bikinis / half naked saying that are objects used for their body, bought with money
Stormzy: Superheroes
the video constructs a linear narrative
the bright pink sky's and the birds before the music start tells us that this is a very peaceful and hopeful city
stormzy unlike Taylor swift is very much the hero role, he rescues the boy from the car at the beginning and saves him as he's falling while trying to teach him to fly, he also helps the other people throughout the video helping the other people be confident and proud to be who they are
the masks symbolise that this happened during the pandemic
the black lives matter movement was a global movement that was also happening during the pandemic
we don't see any violence during these protests
Props + Clothing:
Lighting:
Representation
Men: the 'young black kings' are represented as empowered by education in the classroom scene
Women:
Stormzy: represented positively as a black role model with the power to inspire the younger generation from the start he is shown taking time to support the central male character he is also reading naughts and crosses which he shows to the police
Inequality:
Family:
HOMEWORK
Music videos often reflect the cultural social and technological influences of their time Waterfalls by TLC 1995 is a strong example of this as it addresses serious issues that were prevalent in the 1990s such as drug related violence and the HIV AIDS crisis The video’s narrative which follows two tragic stories one of a young man involved in illegal activities and another of a couple affected by HIV AIDS mirrors the concerns of the era The lyrics and visuals work together to highlight these struggles making the video a reflection of the social issues that were widely discussed in the mid 1990s
Technologically Waterfalls also showcases the advancements of the time The use of CGI effects such as the iconic scene where the members of TLC appear as water like figures demonstrates the growing use of digital effects in music videos This was a period when music videos were becoming more cinematic and experimental due to advancements in visual effects Additionally the video’s storytelling approach blending performance and narrative elements was a popular trend in 1990s music videos Through its themes and production techniques Waterfalls captures both the concerns and the artistic trends of its time
Do Now
Friday 4 April 2025
1. hyperlink
2. in a more personal way
3. escapism, entertainment
4. entertainment, education
5. preferred negotiated and oppositional
Music: Websites and Socials
To help promote a new album and tour - the very first thing you see when you open the website is a massive picture of Taylors new album asking if you would want to stream or download it
to help promote their brand, through tie-ins to an album release - they have links to places where you can buy more mech and products from Taylor
its a place to sell merchandise an import revenue stream for artists - below the new album Taylor has added her official shop showing off all of her merchandise and products
To help promote a new album and tour -
to help promote their brand, through tie-ins to an album release -
its a place to sell merchandise an import revenue stream for artists -
Social Media
promote new merch
promote a new tour
to tell people about news relating to the artist
building and maintaining public image
1. they can use their SM profile to promote themselves by posting new sneak peaks to songs or albums that they are releasing or promote a tour that the person might be going on soon
2.
3.
4.
5.
Do Now
Tuesday 22 April 2025
1. preferred, negotiated and oppositional
2. keep relevant
3. 2 different platforms or products used to help sell each other
4. lets them see what kind of people enjoy their music and lets them get their fans thoughts and opinions
5. performance, narrative, conceptual
Exam Style Questions
The music video Superheroes was created by Stormzy during the end of the covid lockdown where black rights movements were very frequent and fighting for black lives was common across media the fact the video was created after the song was released also shows that the video was directly inspired by what was happening at the time.
some examples of stromzy showing the fight for black lives in the music video is when we see a huge group of people all dressed in black holding up signs walking down the streets protesting peacefully not causing anyone harm or damaging any property
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