Different Styles Of Music Video

By Jared Taliesin Williams

PerformancePerformance videos mainly focuses on the artist or band just plainly performing either on their own or

in front of a crowd. They never usually have any sort of narrative whatsoever amongst the video and would usually have a wide variety of camera angles and regularly repeats. This are popular amongst rock artists videos and much preferred to other styles of music videos.

Some examples of this are:

• Arctic Monkeys - Brianstorm - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30w8DyEJ__0

• Bon Jovi - Livin’ On A Prayer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDK9QqIzhwk • Go Audio – So Quiet You Were -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYsDn9Su1Oc&feature=PlayList&p=3EF5BEF300EEAD1F&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=2

All these videos use repeated camera angles and just showing the band/s playing and usually switching from each band member to another. Bon Jovi however introduces an audience into the video turning the performance for the camera into a performance for the audience especially when he ‘flies’ over the audience.

NarrativeA narrative performance video is usually mixed in with a little bit of performance involved with the

artist/s singing or with the guitar etc. This is usually popular amongst hip hop artists as they show little performance and show what the video is about. It usually has a story behind the video.

Good examples of a narrative video are:

• Guns ‘N’ Roses – November Rain - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SbUC-UaAxE

• Britney Spears – Every time - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRHAXSRcSH0

• Gwen Stefani – Cool - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGwZ7MNtBFU

This videos have a story in the video meaning that they are trying to get something across to the audience and not just about the song. They usually follow closely to the song and usually are used if the song is longer than four and a half minutes.

CameoThis is the style of music video when other artists for example from the same recording label. This is

also when such as a famous person appears but does not involve in the singing. This still involves the artist/s usually singing through the video with cut backs to them performing whilst almost doing a narrative video.

Examples of this are:

• Fall Out Boy – I Don’t Care - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Alh6iIvVN9o

• Michael Jackson – Black or White - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqZnxvAPkL8

• Aerosmith – Cryin’ - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfNmyxV2Ncw

This videos follow a narrative based around the guest appearances with the video cutting back to the artist/s. This style usually involves the people that can somehow be related to easily and that people would know who they are. This is trying to help promote the video.

Notion of LookingNotion of looking videos are usually when the audience is watching the artist/s/characters in the

music video do something for example watching TV or watching another person.

Examples of this are:

• Simple Plan – Your Love Is A Lie - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAbcgmwq3EU

• Go Audio – Made Up Stories - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s75-_Ll9qCQ

These are good example as both videos shows the artists looking on as their ‘lover’ cheats on them. We actually watch as they watch and sometimes it is like a point of view shot in Simple Plan as it is mostly long shots.