Arctic Monkeys - Evil Twin
The music video for Evil Twin strongly complies with Andrew Goowdin’s theory. The track is, roughly speaking, a piece of rock music and as such has characteristics that are relatively common throughout the genre. Obviously rock music has an outlaw image. During the video Matt Helders, the drummer, is seen with a bandana over his face whilst aiming a double barrelled shotgun. This looks similar to when criminals try to disguise their identity by covering their faces. During the video there are voyeuristic segments where Helders’s characters partner is shown in minimal clothing. Furthermore there are shots taken under the water of her swimming which have a hugely voyeuristic feel. The music video could be inspired/making intertextual references with a huge number of other texts, however in particular the shots of motorbike riders draw parallels between the video and the film Easy Rider. The film is a cult classic and is now looked back on fondly as it depicts a romanticised notion of the 1970’s. This time was obviously hugely important in rock music culture and as such it is hugely likely that the band are trying to reference this and make the audience consider them like the bands etc from that time period.
Lana Del Rey - Ride
The music video for Ride is not traditional to the pop side of soul influenced music. Musically the track is more Soul (“Blue-eyed soul”)/ Rhythm and Blues however Lana Del Rey herself is more of a pop music figure. Pop music videos tend to heavily feature the artist because they are so associated with their music. In that sense this video could be considered typical of the genre however overall I wouldn't say that it is. It starts with a monologue by Lana Del Rey set to footage of her. She has had a slightly troubled life and in pop music most of the artists are made to look squeaky clean, however the intro is her basically defying that convention. There are parts where the video takes on a sexualised voyeuristic, such as when Del Rey is bent over a railing and the camera pans across her legs. Overall there is a voyeurisitc undertone however it isn't as overtly prominent as with artists such as Miley Cyrus where the sexual element is used to try and sell the product. With the music video for Ride the there is a romantic/sexual undercurrent that occasionally surfaces. It may be being used to sell her albums etc however it seems more likely that that is part of how Lana wants the video to go and that it isn't an exploitative approach to selling the artist. The lyrics have a strong relation to the video throughout. The track is titled Ride and at several points Del Rey is shown riding on the back of a motorbike in the mid-west of America. Again like the Evil Twin video there are visual links to films such as Easy Rider however culturally the links go further. The video is full of shots of Del Rey on stage. These shots have been edited to give a certain semi vintage aesthetic that could link to numerous other texts.
Tyler The Creator - Fucking Young/Death Camp
Tyler The Creator has a history of creating music/visuals/clothing that challenges perceptions of what makes those products. Fucking Young is no exception. To anybody who is familiar with Tyler and who he is/how his mind works the video is typical of him however to anybody else the video may seem extreme. There are parts of the video that seem semi typical of the genre. For example at the start when Tyler is shown with a group of his friends. The track is alternative hip hop. Within hip hop videos where there are lyrics the video will often depict the rapper and his crew/friends etc. This creates a gang like aesthetic. So in that sense the video is fairly standard, however in other areas it strays from the genre characteristics. In classic hip hop tracks such as Still Dre by Dr Dre the rapper is shown with performing amongst a gang in a rough neighbourhood in the city they are from. This is to make them appear tough and hardcore. Tyler however doesn't follow this route and instead sticks with continuing his specific aesthetic. Fucking Young doesn't really use a voyeuristic approach. The lyrics don't necessarily correlate with the meanings and as such its hard to draw a comparison between lyrics and the visuals. It is unlikely that the label specified that Tyler had to be in the video. He likes to control/direct all of his creative output and as such its likely he wanted to play the lead role in the video.
Tyler The Creator has a history of creating music/visuals/clothing that challenges perceptions of what makes those products. Fucking Young is no exception. To anybody who is familiar with Tyler and who he is/how his mind works the video is typical of him however to anybody else the video may seem extreme. There are parts of the video that seem semi typical of the genre. For example at the start when Tyler is shown with a group of his friends. The track is alternative hip hop. Within hip hop videos where there are lyrics the video will often depict the rapper and his crew/friends etc. This creates a gang like aesthetic. So in that sense the video is fairly standard, however in other areas it strays from the genre characteristics. In classic hip hop tracks such as Still Dre by Dr Dre the rapper is shown with performing amongst a gang in a rough neighbourhood in the city they are from. This is to make them appear tough and hardcore. Tyler however doesn't follow this route and instead sticks with continuing his specific aesthetic. Fucking Young doesn't really use a voyeuristic approach. The lyrics don't necessarily correlate with the meanings and as such its hard to draw a comparison between lyrics and the visuals. It is unlikely that the label specified that Tyler had to be in the video. He likes to control/direct all of his creative output and as such its likely he wanted to play the lead role in the video.
