Andrew Goodwin's Theory

Andrew Goodwins Theory
Dancing in the Distraction Factory is the book that Andrew Goodwin wrote. Within this book, Goodwin expresses his views and theory to what the characteristics of a successful music video are. However, these arent just any characteristics; these are characteristics that the audience and viewers of the video actually look for. There are 6 key characteristics that Goodwin came up with and they are as follows; 1. Each genre of music has its own conventions that can be seen in a video (e.g. stage performances in metal videos, dance routines for girl/boy bands, aspiration in Hip Hop videos). 2. There is a relationship between lyrics and visuals. The lyrics are represented with images (illustrative, amplifying and contradicting.) 3. There is a relationship between music and visuals. The tone and atmosphere of the visual reflects that of the music (illustrative, amplifying and contradicting.) 4. The demands of the record label will include the need for lots of close-ups of the artist and the artist may develop motifs which recur across their work (a visual style). 5. Frequent reference to notion of looking (screens within screens, mirrors, stages etc.) and particularly voyeuristic treatment of the female body. 6. There are often intertextual references (to films, tv programmes, other music videos etc.)
Genre Conventions
Every single genre of music, whether it is heavy metal, R&B or jazz, has its own conventions and characteristics. The type of music can be seen as a convention as you will typically see guitar riffs, heavy breakdowns and big solos in a heavy metal song, whereas in a R&B song you will notice there is a similar beat and sound. This is just one convention that a genre of music has. There are more. A second convention or characteristic is what is usually seen in a music video for that genre. Using heavy metal and R&B as examples again, their music videos are different due to the conventions of the genre. Heavy metal music videos usually consist of stage performances, normally to a large crowd, however in an R&B music video there will be a lot of money and women in the video; this is in order to show wealth. Here are two examples: Heavy Metal; Lamb of God, who are an American Heavy Metal Band, demonstrate a typical convention of this genre in their music video for Now Youve Got Something To Die For. This is because the majority of it is actually a stage performance, and shown in the image below.
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R&B; R Kelly is a well-known R&B artist. His song Ignition also demonstrates conventions and aspects that are commonly seen in R&B music videos. These are that in the video there is a lot of women, he is wearing big necklaces and there are expensive looking cars; all of which resemble wealth. These are shown in the images below.
Relationship between Lyrics and Visuals

Goodwin believes in order to make a successful music video; the lyrics of the song have to match the visuals of the videos, the lyrics are represented through the images you see on screen. The images and visuals within the music video usually will do one of three things; illustrate, amplify or contradict the lyrics. This simply means that the visuals of the video will either show paint a picture directly linking with the lyrics, they will emphasise the lyrics or they will completely go against what the song is saying. The music video for Jessie Js popular song Price Tag is a perfect fit when analysing this theory. This is because in this particular music video, it does two of the three things; it illustrates and amplifies. In this song she says its not about the money, money, money. This is illustrated in the video by her standing next to a tree with money growing off of it. This image of money is used to illustrate the lyrics, but it there is also a lot of it and the fact it is included that is done to amplify the lyrics.
Relationship between Music and Visuals

The third part of this theory is that there not only has to be a link between the lyrics and the visuals, but also the music and the visuals. This simply means the images and visuals on screen have to match up to the beat, the pace and the emotion of the song. Again, the visuals do one of three things; illustrate, amplify or contradict the music. When analysing the link between the music of the song and the visuals of the video, the song Got 2 Luv U by Sean Paul is a good video to use. This is because the song has quite an up and fast beat to
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it, and in the video there are lots of flashing lights and quick cuts that resemble and match with the music.
Demands of the Record Label

This part of the theory is pretty much self-explanatory, the record labels and companies who; sign up, produce, promote and market the artist and their music, demand certain things to be included or to happen in the music video for that artists song. The most common thing that the labels demand is that there has to be lots of close-ups of the artist. The reasoning behind this is also simply; it helps the audiences and viewers know who the artist is and what they look like. It also helps the audience notice and understands the singers stars image and persona. In the music industry these close-ups are known as the money shots. This is because these shots are the ones that help the artist and labels sell more records and thus make more profit. A few examples of these money shots are shown below.
Nicki Minaj in her song Pound the Alarm.
Rita Ora in her song How We Do (Party).
Frequent Notions to Looking and Voyeurism

There are two definitions of Voyeurism; there is the one Laura Mulvey uses in her Male Gaze theory and then there is the one that Andrew Goodwin uses in this theory. Andrew Goodwins definition of voyeurism is that in films, music videos and television programmes there are frequent notions and references to looking through the peephole. This is the idea that the camera is invisible and we are looking into peoples lives without them knowing we are here. This
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can be done through the use of mirrors, screens within screens, stages of just the camera floating around or between people. This is used a lot to represent and look at women, women are seen getting dressed or undressed, showering etc. as they do not realise that the camera is there. This is done so that the male viewers can look at women in this way; they are seen as sexual objects. Below are some examples of voyeurism.
Rihanna Dont Stop the Music.
Justin Timberlake Cry Me a River.
Intertextual References
Intertextual references are common now within music videos and the media in general. This term intertextual simply means when the video recreates a scene from a previous video, film or programme. Below are some of the most famous intertextual references in music videos.
Shania Twains video of Man I Feel Like A Woman (left) is a recreation of Robert Palmers Addicted To Love (right).
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Andrew Goodwin's Theory

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Andrew Goodwins Theory

Relationship between Lyrics and Visuals

Relationship between Music and Visuals

Demands of the Record Label

Nicki Minaj in her song Pound the Alarm.

Rita Ora in her song How We Do (Party).

Frequent Notions to Looking and Voyeurism

Rihanna Dont Stop the Music.

Justin Timberlake Cry Me a River.

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