Postmodern Music Video

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Postmodern music videos

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Postmodern Music Video

Transcript of Postmodern Music Video

Page 1: Postmodern Music Video

Postmodern music videos

Page 2: Postmodern Music Video

Features of postmodern music videos

Parody

Irony

Intertextuality

Playfulness

Fragmentation

Discontinuity

Daniel Albright summarizes the main tendencies of musical postmodernism as (Albright, 12):1.Bricolage (the construction or creation from a diverse range of things)2.Polystylism (the use of multiple styles).3.Randomness

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Features of postmodern music videos

Kramer (Kramer 2002, 16–17) describes postmodern music as:1. is not simply a repudiation of modernism or its continuation, but has aspects of

both a break and an extension2.is, on some level and in some way, ironic3.does not respect boundaries between sonorities and procedures of the past and of the present4.challenges barriers between 'high' and 'low' styles5.shows disdain for the often unquestioned value of structural unity6.questions the mutual exclusivity of elitist and populist values7.avoids totalizing forms (e.g., does not want entire pieces to be tonal or serial or cast in a prescribed formal mold)8.considers music not as autonomous but as relevant to cultural, social, and political contexts9.includes quotations of or references to music of many traditions and cultures10.considers technology not only as a way to preserve and transmit music but also as deeply implicated in the production and essence of music11.embraces contradictions12.distrusts binary oppositions13.includes fragmentations and discontinuities14.encompasses pluralism and eclecticism15.presents multiple meanings and multiple temporalities16.locates meaning and even structure in listeners, more than in scores, performances, or composers

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Example of a postmodern music video

Lady Gaga – Telephone

Intertextual references: The font of the text in the beginning of the

video is similar to Pulp Fiction’s logo. They both consists on the main yellow text and a red/pink drop shadow. Furthermore they are both serif fonts which make the two look quite alike.

Lady Gaga also refers Beyoncé to ‘Honey Bee’ which is an intertextual reference of Pulp Fiction character ‘Honey Bunny’.

In addition, the location of the café is also similar which suggest that they are trying to imitate it rather than it being a coincidence.

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Example of a postmodern music video

Lady Gaga – Telephone

Intertextual references: Lady Gaga dresses like a nurse which is

similar to the nurse in Kill Bill, which therefore represents an intertextual reference to the film. Both of them have a white costume which a kind of hat as well as something covering one of their eyes.

The other intertextual reference to Kill Bill was the Pussy Wagon which is exactly the same.

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Example of a postmodern music video

Lady Gaga – Telephone

Intertextual references: Lady Gaga makes intertextual references to

her own video ‘Paparazzi’. The exact same scene of the music video is used as the breaking news in the ‘Telephone’ music video.

Furthermore the outfit Beyoncé wore in the music video was similar to the one Lady Gaga wore in her ‘Paparazzi’ music video. The glasses are almost the same and they both wore outfits with yellow.

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Example of a postmodern music video

Lady Gaga – Telephone

Bricolage: Lady Gaga challenges the stereotype of

1950s housewife and creates a new meaning to the image. In her music video she is dressed like the stereotypical housewife in 1950 but whilst making the food she adds poison to it. This therefore creates a very different image to the stereotype.

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Example of a postmodern music video

Lady Gaga:

Hyperreality - inability of consciousness to distinguish reality from a simulation of reality, especially in technologically advanced postmodern societies.

This is applied to Lady Gaga as she uses her stage name rather than her real name. This create two identities which keeps her personal life separate from her career. As a result she is able to wear outrageous costumes and make it seem acceptable. People would then often focus on her image and fashion rather than her personal life.